Sophia's Journey!
So here is the run down. I did a short documentary of her induction, but things moved rather quickly and it was rather stressful as you will understand...
At 41+1 Sophia (aka "princess lou") decided she needed to be FORCED in our world. Tuesday morning I had my appt with the doc and she says I Can be induced Wednesday morning. I was only 1cm dilated and very thick. Tuesday night, September 13, we dropped our two older kids off at my parents' house. While we were there I was having stronger contractions but of course they didn't regulate. Later that night they were very irregular (every 8-10 minutes for about an hr then every 20 minutes for 2-3 contractions and then go away). But they were strong let me tell you! I was needing to stand, rock/dance, and breath through them. So I forced myself to bed around 830-9p and was waking to every contraction. Hubby said I Was moaning all night through them. Throughout the night I would wake to turn, pee every 30-45 minutes and walk around a moment through contractions, then back to bed. At 2a I couldn't take it anymore I just layed in bed and took the contractions. Hubby set his alarm for 4a (we needed to leave town at 430a) but his clock was off so it went off at 3a. We were both awake, so we got ready. 430a we left the house, 530a we arrived at the hospital. we get all set up and wait around for all the fun stuff- IV, blood work, history, health, etc. All of the preliminary stuff was out of the way and the doc who was at the hospital for the day hasn't arrived yet. Shift change. Went through all the same with that nurse.
7a Nurse lets us know that the doctor is in a meeting. Because of my health history, surgical past, and my second birth who had shoulder distocia the doctor did NOT want to start any sort of induction until he talks with me about my risks of vaginal vs. cesarean delivery... meanwhile, I am still contracting and they are very very slowly getting more intense. Upside, the resident doc checks me out and I was 2-3cm and about 50% effaced (THANK goodness- I was going to KILL something if all those contractions weren't doing a darn thing).
10a Doctor (who I later found out is a perinatologist- woo!) comes in. IRONICALLY, the one day I am there the doctor is the same doctor who delivered my second and was so very familiar with my case. He tells me he came across my name and he knew it sounded familiar but couldn't pinpoint where/how. He pulls out a book that he carries everywhere, apparently that he uses as scenarios and teaching lessons for his resident to figure out what is "wrong" with the patient- I was page #3 in the book
) I'm very memorable I suppose. The doctor discusses the risks that go with each delivery.... I was aware of the general risks- but I was PISSED when I learned it was not fully explained to me just how life threatening to me, and possibly the baby, regardless of each delivery. Long story short, if I deliver cesarean the outcome could very well be life threatening to me, complicated for baby, and long term (post partum) life threatening to me most certainly. *I'm fuming with anger right now- how could this get dropped and no one explain these risks'?!!?!?!* With vaginal delivery it could be very life threatening for baby as shoulder distocia is likely to happen and with MY risks I could/would lose all continence.
1030a The final decision is vaginal delivery. It wasn't easy. But it is what it is. Doc starts pitocin at a very slow rate to be cautious, and as i was already contracting and getting more consistent with the hours it would be a kick start.
1130a I need an epidural- I was only 4cm 75% just before she checked me but I was feeling them and know my limits.
1230p Anesthesiologists arrive- resident in tow. I completely understand needing to learn and all that jazz so I am used to having residents care for me. 15 minutes went by, pain, no epidural successful as of yet; I could FEEL the clicking and needle in my back. It felt like someone stabbed me and turned the knife on the right side of my back. Thank goodness there was an emergency call and another attending anesthesiologist wisks the resident away with him. The other attending takes over and 4 minutes later I have my epidural.
1p I start to feel very "off"- I am losing feeling in my arms my face feels numb and I can feel my heart beat off. I almost pass out and bp drops to 82/60, although baby is taking it fine. Anesthesiologist comes back and gives me a bolus of ephedrine. about 5-10 minutes later my bp drops again and they have to give me another smaller bolus. I was ok then.
At this point I am just being turned and watched over.
2p 6cm 90%.
340p Lots of pressure and slowly gaining the feeling of contractions in my lower left abdomen. 8-9cm and 100%
350p I feel like I am going to poop myself (for those of you who do not know- I have no large intestine plus other things, so I don't poop- this was such a strange surreal feeling). I am feeling extreme pain in my lower left abdomen that has now migrated to the back and to my spine. Nurse checks and I am complete. Calls in the docs and I cannot even test push until Doc is in the room. I test push and baby drops significantly. They get everything put together and I push with contraction #1. Baby is now dropped and almost ready to crown. Doc calls in for NICU stat! OK? contraction #2 push....Doc tells me baby is going to get stuck, and her heart rate has drop dangerously low, if I can get her out with contraction #3 he will have to pull her out and nothing is promised- as she is in danger. I push with every might of my body and I am literally praying out loud by this point. contraction #3 I push and doc gets eye contact and tells me "I have to pull her out.... you need to push with your bottom arched to the ground. Dad, you need to push on her shoulders and support everything she has."
420p I push and he twists baby and literally pulls her out. I start bleeding a tremendous amount. NICU takes baby and is trying to get her to "wake up" as they told me (heaven forbid we use real terms and tell me that shes not breathing, completely blue and floppy)
I get why though. Doc is trying so much to keep my attention on him and for a quiet doc he is telling me random facts. Sophia was stuck for 1 minute 12 seconds and had the cord wrapped around her neck once.
423p Baby is finally doing a sporadic cry and is on oxygen and yet still no one will let me know what's going on. My placenta was retained again- my first was as well. after that was removed and I was cleaned up I had one superficial tear repaired and I just barely tore on the outside, apparently it wasn't worth stitching
435p I am able to do skin to skin contact and all is well. Apgar scores: 4, 8, 9. They don't weigh baby until we head to the floor above for recovery.
620p We head upstairs and they keep Sophia.... Sophia Elizabeth was born on Wednesday, September 14 @ 4:20p. 9 lbs 2 oz, 21"
9p Oxygen is removed, baby is bathed, temperature held, no fever and we are reunited
**she is doing great now. Little booger eats almost every hour for 10 minutes. Lactation specialist was very shocked that I had so much milk. She said it's very unusual to have so much milk, especially so early (this was late night the next day---so hardly 28 hrs old. My milk came in completely over night last night (Friday into Saturday). We are home and all 5 of us are tired and readjusting. BTW, I did not tear enough to cause incontinence and i very much have it and this is just another wake up that hubby and i are done having biological children... sorry so long!
At 41+1 Sophia (aka "princess lou") decided she needed to be FORCED in our world. Tuesday morning I had my appt with the doc and she says I Can be induced Wednesday morning. I was only 1cm dilated and very thick. Tuesday night, September 13, we dropped our two older kids off at my parents' house. While we were there I was having stronger contractions but of course they didn't regulate. Later that night they were very irregular (every 8-10 minutes for about an hr then every 20 minutes for 2-3 contractions and then go away). But they were strong let me tell you! I was needing to stand, rock/dance, and breath through them. So I forced myself to bed around 830-9p and was waking to every contraction. Hubby said I Was moaning all night through them. Throughout the night I would wake to turn, pee every 30-45 minutes and walk around a moment through contractions, then back to bed. At 2a I couldn't take it anymore I just layed in bed and took the contractions. Hubby set his alarm for 4a (we needed to leave town at 430a) but his clock was off so it went off at 3a. We were both awake, so we got ready. 430a we left the house, 530a we arrived at the hospital. we get all set up and wait around for all the fun stuff- IV, blood work, history, health, etc. All of the preliminary stuff was out of the way and the doc who was at the hospital for the day hasn't arrived yet. Shift change. Went through all the same with that nurse.
7a Nurse lets us know that the doctor is in a meeting. Because of my health history, surgical past, and my second birth who had shoulder distocia the doctor did NOT want to start any sort of induction until he talks with me about my risks of vaginal vs. cesarean delivery... meanwhile, I am still contracting and they are very very slowly getting more intense. Upside, the resident doc checks me out and I was 2-3cm and about 50% effaced (THANK goodness- I was going to KILL something if all those contractions weren't doing a darn thing).
10a Doctor (who I later found out is a perinatologist- woo!) comes in. IRONICALLY, the one day I am there the doctor is the same doctor who delivered my second and was so very familiar with my case. He tells me he came across my name and he knew it sounded familiar but couldn't pinpoint where/how. He pulls out a book that he carries everywhere, apparently that he uses as scenarios and teaching lessons for his resident to figure out what is "wrong" with the patient- I was page #3 in the book
) I'm very memorable I suppose. The doctor discusses the risks that go with each delivery.... I was aware of the general risks- but I was PISSED when I learned it was not fully explained to me just how life threatening to me, and possibly the baby, regardless of each delivery. Long story short, if I deliver cesarean the outcome could very well be life threatening to me, complicated for baby, and long term (post partum) life threatening to me most certainly. *I'm fuming with anger right now- how could this get dropped and no one explain these risks'?!!?!?!* With vaginal delivery it could be very life threatening for baby as shoulder distocia is likely to happen and with MY risks I could/would lose all continence. 1030a The final decision is vaginal delivery. It wasn't easy. But it is what it is. Doc starts pitocin at a very slow rate to be cautious, and as i was already contracting and getting more consistent with the hours it would be a kick start.
1130a I need an epidural- I was only 4cm 75% just before she checked me but I was feeling them and know my limits.
1230p Anesthesiologists arrive- resident in tow. I completely understand needing to learn and all that jazz so I am used to having residents care for me. 15 minutes went by, pain, no epidural successful as of yet; I could FEEL the clicking and needle in my back. It felt like someone stabbed me and turned the knife on the right side of my back. Thank goodness there was an emergency call and another attending anesthesiologist wisks the resident away with him. The other attending takes over and 4 minutes later I have my epidural.
1p I start to feel very "off"- I am losing feeling in my arms my face feels numb and I can feel my heart beat off. I almost pass out and bp drops to 82/60, although baby is taking it fine. Anesthesiologist comes back and gives me a bolus of ephedrine. about 5-10 minutes later my bp drops again and they have to give me another smaller bolus. I was ok then.
At this point I am just being turned and watched over.
2p 6cm 90%.
340p Lots of pressure and slowly gaining the feeling of contractions in my lower left abdomen. 8-9cm and 100%
350p I feel like I am going to poop myself (for those of you who do not know- I have no large intestine plus other things, so I don't poop- this was such a strange surreal feeling). I am feeling extreme pain in my lower left abdomen that has now migrated to the back and to my spine. Nurse checks and I am complete. Calls in the docs and I cannot even test push until Doc is in the room. I test push and baby drops significantly. They get everything put together and I push with contraction #1. Baby is now dropped and almost ready to crown. Doc calls in for NICU stat! OK? contraction #2 push....Doc tells me baby is going to get stuck, and her heart rate has drop dangerously low, if I can get her out with contraction #3 he will have to pull her out and nothing is promised- as she is in danger. I push with every might of my body and I am literally praying out loud by this point. contraction #3 I push and doc gets eye contact and tells me "I have to pull her out.... you need to push with your bottom arched to the ground. Dad, you need to push on her shoulders and support everything she has."
420p I push and he twists baby and literally pulls her out. I start bleeding a tremendous amount. NICU takes baby and is trying to get her to "wake up" as they told me (heaven forbid we use real terms and tell me that shes not breathing, completely blue and floppy)
I get why though. Doc is trying so much to keep my attention on him and for a quiet doc he is telling me random facts. Sophia was stuck for 1 minute 12 seconds and had the cord wrapped around her neck once.423p Baby is finally doing a sporadic cry and is on oxygen and yet still no one will let me know what's going on. My placenta was retained again- my first was as well. after that was removed and I was cleaned up I had one superficial tear repaired and I just barely tore on the outside, apparently it wasn't worth stitching
435p I am able to do skin to skin contact and all is well. Apgar scores: 4, 8, 9. They don't weigh baby until we head to the floor above for recovery.
620p We head upstairs and they keep Sophia.... Sophia Elizabeth was born on Wednesday, September 14 @ 4:20p. 9 lbs 2 oz, 21"
9p Oxygen is removed, baby is bathed, temperature held, no fever and we are reunited
**she is doing great now. Little booger eats almost every hour for 10 minutes. Lactation specialist was very shocked that I had so much milk. She said it's very unusual to have so much milk, especially so early (this was late night the next day---so hardly 28 hrs old. My milk came in completely over night last night (Friday into Saturday). We are home and all 5 of us are tired and readjusting. BTW, I did not tear enough to cause incontinence and i very much have it and this is just another wake up that hubby and i are done having biological children... sorry so long!
Comments