Emilia's Birth Story

I've been too busy spoiling my baby to post!! :)

I went in on Wednesday, May 16th to start the induction process. It was a great feeling knowing that when I left the hospital this time, it would be with a baby! Around 7, the nurse inserted the cervadil and I started contracting pretty much right away. It was like a really bad crampy feeling, and it kept getting worse and worse. My mom and dh were there and they tried to keep my mind off the pain, but it was pretty intense. When my doctor came to check up on me, she said I might go into labor with the cervadil alone and not need the Pitocin. She told dh to stay the night, and said I would probably have the baby by 3 or 4 in the morning! YAHOO!! She also ordered Stadol for me so I could sleep. It helped so much! I felt relief immediatedly.

I woke up sporadically in the middle of the night, kind of nervous, kind of from pain... I got some more stadol and the nurse checked me again. I had gone from a 2 to a 3. At about 6, I woke up and threw up. So attractive! Poor dh had to clean me up and listen to me gagging. At 7, they started the Pitocin.

After the Pitocin, things started to happen fast. I had major contractions, and don't really remember much. I know the doctor broke my water and said it was like an ocean of amniotic fluid. Shortly after that, I went to a 5 and got my epidural. That was a lot less painful than I thought it would be. About an hour later, I was a 9, and 15 minutes later, the nurse was in a panic, calling the doctor, telling her I was going to have this baby in about 10 minutes. That was at 1. I pushed and pushed, and actually fell asleep between contractions. I was so out of it. I remember thinking, "why don't they just pull her out?" After about an hour and 45 minutes, Emilia arrived, crying and perfect. They put her on my chest, and I thought she was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!

While the nurse was assessing the baby, the doctor was concerned about my placenta, which had stuck inside of me. I wasn't worried, until about 10 minutes later when she was still working on me and they wouldn't let me hold the baby. By this time, I was again falling asleep and really feeling strange. The doctor said they would have to take me to the OR and possible do a D&C. I thought, whatever, just do what you have to do and let me back here. I figured I'd be gone an hour or so. Not so... I lost about a liter of blood and had to have a blood transfusion. To be "safe" I had to spend the night at the ICU. My whole family was with my baby, and I was down in the bowels of the hospital.

A L&D nurse brought me some pictures, and I just sobbed. I had waited so long, and it would be another night before I could see her. They finally let dh come and see me, and then they let my family stop by. I tried not to cry, even though I really wanted to...

FINALLY at 11:30 the next morning, I got to hold my little girl. I checked out her fingers and toes and her adorable face. She looks just like dh! I tried to nurse, but since I had the transfusion, I was about a day behind in my milk. The nurse had me bf, but also put a feeding tube in her mouth so I could supplement with formula.

She is doing really great now. She bfs like a champ, and has already smiled at me and dh. She wakes up twice at night, but otherwise sleeps pretty well.

Everyone has been asking me if it was worth all of the shots and worry... without hesitation, I tell them YES!

She's here!

Emilia Rose was born on May 17 at 3:05 p.m. weighing 8lbs, 7oz and measured 19 1/4 inches long. She is absolutely perfect!

Induction Day!!

OH MY GOSH... Its here!
Since Monday, I've had a lot of weird discharge (my dog JUST threw up... so gross!! Thank Goodness for SPOTBOT!!)...
Anyways... I'm not sure if this was really my mucus plug coming out, or just weird discharge.

Like everyday, my mom has called, and we've had the same discussion:
Mom: How are you?
Me: Fine, how are you?
Mom: You sound too good! Its not going to happen today! You sound too good!
Me: I'm feeling okay!
Mom: No more contractions? Why is that?
Me: No, I'm still contracting.
Mom: But they don't hurt...
Me: They are pretty uncomfortable... They kind of do hurt.
MOm: Too bad you aren't going on your own! You'll probably need a c-section. Your body just doesn't know what to do. Its too gentle...

This goes on and on, and I'm probably just being overly sensitive, but it feels like a slam against me since she went into labor with all of us on her due date. My MIL points this out, too, saying she is a good wife for doing what the doctor said...

Today, I told my mom I didn't want to eat a lot in case things progressed quickly, I didn't want to have my body digesting a huge meal... She just starts laughing saying "Can I tell you something?" and I kind of snapped at her saying I could go fast, and even if I didn't, I don't want to be in the hospital laying around with this huge meal in my belly! I know she means well, but the daily (sometimes hourly) calls about how my body just isn't doing things right are getting annoying! And then she blames the baby... I've had to tell her at least 12 times that the baby doesn't cause BH contractions. I know she is just excited, and I know I'm just super crabby...

I'm really hoping I'll pop into the hospital today and be at a 3 or 4 and not need the cervadil. I am still hoping not to need anything at all!

Thank you for all of your kind thoughts!
My next post will be when I'm a MOM!! YIKES!!!

Induction?

The internet is evil. Type in "induction" and everything you read will talk about why NOT to do it. And I'm a bad mom already.
Today when Dr. mentioned the word "induction" I immediately asked her how soon we could do it. Wednesday I'll get cervadil, Thursday morning, Pitocin. I also had her strip my membranes (for the THIRD time) to see if that would get things moving. She did a really rough exam, and I've had some spotting since then. She noted that what I said were contractions on Friday, were not the labor ones. Apparently, I'll just know when I'm in labor.
Not only am I too ignorant to know when I'm in labor or not, but I'm too impatient to let my little girl continue to cook and get bigger and bigger. Dh is very kind, saying that if I continue to wait, I'm just going to get more and more uncomfortable. I already can't sleep, can't realy eat, and here is the NEWEST symptom... I keep getting that tingly pins and needle sensation in my arms and legs.
Dr. said I have a lot of amniotic fluid, and if my water does break, it will be a big gush. This is incredibly funny to dh, who said it will be like a fire hydrant and cause quite the flood. I am laughing on the inside...

Early or False Labor???

Yesterday, my contractions started coming really close together, like every 5 minutes. I could still talk through them, but after they kept coming for 2 hours, I called my doctor. The nurse/midwife said I could stay home, or go to the hospital. I opted to stay home for a little longer. At about 6, my mom called and said I should go to the hospital since they were still coming every 5 minutes. I kept telling her they would just send me home, but she said they probably wouldn't. I figured I might as well go. We got there at 6:30ish and I was hooked up to the machine. I was contracting every 5 minutes, but was still only dilated to a 1-2. The L&D nurse had me walk the halls to see if it would get things going. Nope, nothing. After 2 hours, and 0 progress, they sent me home. She said the good thing was that at home, I could eat. She said I was probably in the early stages of labor, which can last up to 24 hours. That was at 9 last night. It is now 3:24... I'm still contracting every 5 minutes, but I don't think anything is really happening. I'm just getting irritated. I took my dogs for a walk and had some spicy peppers. My next move is to seduce dh ;). I'm wondering if this is just false labor since nothing is happening... I really hope if I'm not holding my little peanut by Monday, my doctor will do something other than strip my membranes and send me home to walk...

A Really Good Book

Now that I am officially on maternity leave without a baby, I have been trying to keep busy and trying to do all the things I won't be able to do once Peanut decides to grace us with her presence... Yes, Kristin, I know I promised her a car and now I grounded her... Oh well... I'm the mom, I'm the boss... However, if she is born before Mother's Day, the car may be given back to her and she may become ungrounded...

Anyways... I just finished this awesome book. It took me about 2 days to finish it. It is called Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald. It is about a 27 year old Iranian woman who is given a one way plane ticket to America. She has 3 months to find a husband so her Visa doesn't expire. Its sad and funny and full of hope. The main character is so strong, even though she doesn't realize it. I recommend it to EVERYONE!!

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Just for laughs... here is a picture of my VERY pregnant belly! Its kind of weird looking, don't you think???

40 weeks and going!

I'm still pregnant. Yup. All those nurses and my doctor who said I wouldn't make it to my due date.. HA!!! And aren't I glad I had a million ultrasounds on my cervix to see if it was opening? Apparently, its decided, nope, not moving...
Yes, I'm a little cranky. I'm very hot, very uncomfortable, and anxious. Yesterday, my doctor mentioned induction. I asked about the risks and there is a 25 % chance I'd end up with a c-section. The hospital I am going to already does C's on 39% of their patients... HUGE!! Since Peanut is still thriving and seems happy, I opted to wait. I am going back on Monday, and if I haven't progressed, they can pull her out through my belly button for all I care! She is so grounded for not coming out yet. I mean, come on kid!! Haven't I waited long enough?

39 weeks and 5 days PREGNANT!!

Yup, still pregnant! I cannot believe it! I have tried walking, washing the floor, even romancing dh. None of it has worked. Last week I was still "almost" 2 cm dilated. I've been having contractions pretty frequently, but they always stop. Last night they were 15 minutes apart, then 10, then, nothing! I'm technically on maternity leave starting today, so I really want this baby to come out so I'm not wasting my days! I have become so anxious.
I just can't wait to meet my little girl!