To make a very very long story short, we went to California for my bedrest. We had hoped that the lower altitude would lower my blood pressure and I would avoid pre-e.
I delivered little baby V on 7/15/15. Here is the birth story:
At around 5:00 am on 7/14 I woke up with steady, awesome contractions. I had an appointment that day at 10:00 with my OB/GYN and then with another doctor at 11:30. They would decide at that second appointment if I was going to be induced on 7/16. The contractions continued, steady and strong in the morning. We went to my appointment and I was 3cm, 50% effaced. I looked at Michelle and started to cry! I told her "you're going to have a baby today!" We were all very excited. I was sent to the hospital, since my labor history has been VERY fast.
My awesome doula had arrived shortly after we got there, then Matt, then Adam. We were all set for a FAST labor. Or so we thought. :/ . My doula, Kat, thought I would progress quickly as well. The doctor came at around 12:00 and checked me. I hadn't progressed at all, so he offered to break my water. I am always trying to fight any intervention, but since I hadn't progressed and my sac was bulging, my doula even agreed that breaking my water would help move along faster. I agreed. That was such a weird experience, and for hours I had huge gushes of water come out still. It was odd, I didn't enjoy that. We walked the halls for a very long time. My contractions were about 3 minutes apart, lasting for about 40 seconds. I had to stop for a few of them. I was checked again by the nurses and hand't progressed again :/. Kat said that when the doc came back at 4, he was probably going to suggest the "p" word. Pitocin. I HATE pitocin. It was so painful when I had Ellie. So so so very painful. But, I was frustrated that it was taking so long, so I told Kat I would understand.
4:00 rolled around.... 3cm, 80% effaced, baby was at minus 3. That means the baby's head was still far back in the birth canal. Pitocin. Ugh. The whole labor was annoying because the stupid contraction monitor was not picking up my contractions like I could feel them. I was frustrated that they thought they were not strong enough and they kept increasing the IV drip. Kat could clearly see they were painful, so she did her best to adjust the monitor so they would get a better visual of how the pitocin was doing. By 11pm, they had bumped my pitocin up to 17, then 18, then 19, then 20. I was so frustrated! They put an internal monitor in to see the real strength of the contractions. It rested near the baby's head. My contractions went off the chart. They were SO intense and the nurses could finally see. It was awful.
I was so sad and in so much pain! I was still at 3cm at 11:00 pm. I finally started to cry around 11:50pm. Everyone told me his head just wasn't turning right and he wasn't descending. Kat had me do a few weird movements during some contractions and then BAM. I hit active labor. His head finally moved! I was checked in a few minutes and was at 5cm, 100% effaced, head was at +1. I became VERY sick, back and forth to the bathroom too many times to count. At 1:30 I could feel it was just about time to push. I hollered out that I needed to push and I heard one nurse say "just hang on, we're not ready yet!"... which my doula immediately said, "Julie knows her body, knows when it's time to push, can we let her follow her body?" The nurse came to me, put her hand on my shoulder and said, when you're ready, go ahead and push. I barely kept it together while they were getting the bed ready, letting my body do the work! I had a few small pushes but didn't expect him to come out just yet. My eyes were closed most of the time from 1:30-after birth, but I tired to sneak glances at the IPs as much as possible. Before I knew it, they were ready and my legs were up! One push, 10 seconds total, there he was! 1:59 am on 7/15/15. He went right into his mommy's hands! She was crying when I saw her! Dad was crying, Adam was crying, I was smiling with the biggest face ever! And for those of you who have given birth, you know the pain is gone as soon as the baby is born. AH!
Michelle got to do skin to skin with him immediately after he was born. She held him on the couch and Matt sat next to her. I watched the whole time while waiting for my placenta to deliver. Adam stood next to me, kissing my forehead, telling me how proud he was! 30 minutes went by, I had lost 2 liters of blood, it was time for an intervention again. The doc tried to retrieve the placenta manually (with his hand) but I was in so much pain from it, I couldn't take it. He had them give me demerol to kind of put me in a "high" state so I wouldn't feel it as much. I still felt it. Adam grasped my hand and held my neck as hard as he could. He was so scared and felt so bad for me. I was in so much pain. Eventually I was taken away for am emergency d&c to remove the placenta. I woke up to being manually expressed! HA! My doula was getting some colostrum from my breasts to have Michelle feed baby v with. We then went to my room, which was adjacent to the IPs room... Michelle heard them wheeling me towards my room and she came out with V to see if I would like to hold him! Groggy and tired, I held the little surro baby for the first time at 4:00 am or so.
I stayed in the hospital for a few days, my hemoglobin was very very low. They offered a blood transfusion but I declined. I was discharged on 7/17/15. He is now almost 6 months old, happy and healthy! The parents are IN LOVE. <3
Here are some pics:
My last pregnant pic taken the morning I went into labor:
I thought it was hilarious how tan the top of my body was, but not the bottom, I couldn't lay on my stomach at the bach obviously :)
Michelle catching her son :) Look at that face!
Michelle getting ready to do skin-to-skin! notice, i had my hands up so I wouldn't be touching him. We did delayed cord clamping so he was on my stomach for little while.
Michelle and Matt, with Baby V <3
My wonderful doula after my surgery!
Me holding baby V for the first time!
Adam holding baby V. Such an amazing experience :)
Thank you all so much, with ALL of my heart, for your love and support during this journey. You have no idea how much I appreciated all your prayers and kind words. Baby V is healthy and doing great. I am too. :) THANK YOU THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!
LOVE WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE,
Julie
