Friday, January 20, 2012 ~ Labor & Delivery

Finally at around 12:30 am I couldn’t take it anymore. My hips/tailbone were aching from sitting in that hard bed. I got out of the bed and stood there, with the alarms going off (not caring!) and when it woke Tim up I told him I needed to stand & walk around or I was going to go out of my mind. The nurse came in as a result of the alarm and I told her the same thing.  Fortunately they have a wireless monitor and allowed me to walk the halls and they could monitor me that way.  

There wasn’t anyone on the floor besides us which was nice. When we first were admitted there was a couple there but they were sent home because they weren’t in active labor.  We walked ‘laps’ slowly on that floor.  I wasn’t in pain, just a lot of discomfort down low, more like pressure.  On the fourth lap around the nurse’s station the charge nurse said, “Are you feeling those contractions, girl?”.  I told her no.  She said I could do one more lap then I needed to get back in my room so they could check me. 

I was surprised to learn my contractions were now consistent - approximately 2-4 minutes apart and I was dilated to 4 cm, 75% effaced and still -2 station. Approx. 2:30 am the nurse removed the Cervidil due to hyperstimulation. Basically the Cervidil put me into labor and had to be removed because it could “wear out” my uterus. I remember her saying they wanted to monitor me and have me hooked up to IV fluids (go through 2 bags of fluid) before the epidural was placed. The nurse asked me what I wanted to do (ask for the epidural or wait). It was hard to know what to do at that point because I really wasn’t in pain but I wasn’t sure when my body would be ready to have the baby and didn’t want to risk it and be in pain in case I progressed quickly. Since I was already at 4 cm I decided to request it.

At approx. 3:00 am I received the epidural.  It didn’t hurt, just like the first time I had one (with Sofia). It was just a strange feeling in my back, small ‘sting’ and coolness when the drug started coming in. The only part that really hurt was taking the tape off my back. The drugs went to my right side first and slowly went to my left. The nurse checked me again and I was at 5 cm, 90% effaced and -1 station. I was glad I opted for the epidural when I did just because it takes some time to have the anesthesiologist go over everything, sign consent forms, etc.  Then it was just a waiting game.

At approx. 6:00 am the nurse checked me again and I was still 5 cm, 90% effaced. She called my Dr. to see if they could start the pitocin. He gave the OK and it was started. This meant I could no longer have breakfast. So while Tim ate his tasty omelet & hash browns I was offered an Italian ice. It was better than nothing!

At approx. 7:00 am my Dr. arrived to break my water. I was still at 90% effacement at that point.  He was only there briefly and had to make rounds at other hospitals so he left. I expected my water to gush out like it did with Sofia but it didn’t.  It was a very slow trickle...until about 15 minutes later and I heard a loud splash on the floor. At first I was confused as to what I was hearing until I realized it was my water! It gushed through the bed and onto the floor below me! We called the nurse in right away and she started cleaning it up. Poor girl just started her shift (shift change was at 7:00 am so I now had a different nurse).  We joked with her that was a “fun” way for her to start her day. 

At approx. 9:00 am I was checked again and was at 8 cm, 95% effaced. At this point the epidural still hadn’t taken full effect on my left side.  My right side was numb as could be but I could still feel on my left. The contractions started hurting me on my left, especially in my lower back. I started getting nervous and had a small headache from the pain. The nurse helped adjust me with pillows several times in attempt to help move the drugs to my left side. It wasn’t doing anything until finally I asked if I could turn my body completely on my left side.  That was the solution that did the trick. It wasn’t long before the pain subsided and I felt more comfortable. I could still feel touch and contractions but the pain was gone.

It was sometime around 9:45 - 10:00 am that I was at 10 cm and started pushing. By now, a second nurse, Mary, came in. She would tend to the baby when she was born but was there for the duration of my pushing.  Mary is the nurse who took great care of me after delivering Sofia.  We’ve kept in touch and I requested to have her there if possible. Both nurses thought it wouldn’t take long for me to push this baby out and my Dr. was called. I really had that feeling like she was coming out because she was so low and because of all the pressure. I did several pushes but baby wasn’t coming out as quickly as they originally thought she would. My Dr. came in for a few pushes but then left for a bit because he knew it would take a little more time. The nurse asked if I’d like to have a mirror to see and at first I wasn’t sure (it wasn’t in my ‘birth plan’) but I said sure, why not. While it was kind of gross seeing what I saw at first it was also fascinating and ultimately very cool to see our baby girl coming into the world. The mirror helped me focus and see my progress.  At first I tried the typical pushing position (hands pulling back my legs) but that wasn’t doing the trick. I remembered from pushing out Sofia that we tried the “tug-of-war” tactic with a sheet so we tried that but it wasn’t doing a whole lot either.  

What ended up working the best was using the handle bars (not the side rails of the bed; these were bars that stuck up vertically near the end of the bed). I would later have some pretty sore arm muscles but that did the trick. I watched as her head slowly appeared and then everything happened so fast. Before I knew it, at 10:49 am she was on my belly instead of in it! Tim took several photos and after the delayed cord clamping (once it stopped pulsing) he cut the cord. I remember saying hi to her and seeing her try to raise her head to look up at me. It was so cool to have her recognize my voice.  

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

She was crying but there was fluid that needed further suctioning so they whisked her over to the warming bed and cleaned her up, did APGAR tests (I overheard her score was 6 then 8), did foot prints, measurements and weighed her. She was 6 lb, 12 oz, 20 3/4 in. Tim continued to take photos while they finished up with me. I did tear again (2nd degree, just like with Sofia).  I wasn’t too concerned because remembering back on it, that wasn’t too painful before. 

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

I just cried.  It was a mixture of happy tears for baby Rose and sad tears for baby Sofia. There were many similarities with the two births but one major difference in the outcome. This time our baby was alive. The two girls were very close in size (Sofia was 6 lb 11 oz) and although Sofia had much more, they both had dark hair at birth. At one point Tim came over to me because of my crying and asked if I was OK. I said yes, go and be with Rose.  It was like finally letting go of the breath I held for all those months wondering if we’d have a living baby at the end. There were happy tears in there but mostly they were more from the sense of relief I had. 

After Rose was cleaned up and wrapped in her blanket they brought her to me for “skin to skin” time and so I could attempt breast feeding. I was happily surprised at how quickly she figured it out.  The nurses gave me a few tips on ensuring a good latch and from then on it was easy!

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

Nurse, Mary & my Dr., Dr. Bossert ~ they helped me get to this point!!

From Our Rainbow

Within a couple hours we had family visit along with my best friend. While they held Rose, my priority was LUNCH! I hadn’t eaten since the night before and by this time (around 12:30 pm) I was starving. I stuffed my face and eventually we were moved to another room.  We had a cart full of stuff and had to make a couple trips. They wheeled me in a wheel chair, Rose in her hospital bassinet. 


Stuffing my face while Tim adores his newest girl :)

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

We did it! I look super- swollen face, messy hair but who cares, we have a baby!

From Our Rainbow

Later in the evening Rose had her first bath in the hospital. She cried, we laughed at how cute she sounded. She smelled so good.

From Our Rainbow

We had more family & friends stop for a visit that night.  

One of my fears was not being able to urinate because with Sofia I was sent home with a catheter for a week and ended up having to self-cath a few times. It didn’t help that the nurse stood there while I tried to go. She left the room but after a couple tries I ended up needing a straight catheter because my bladder was so full. Fortunately, the next time I tried going on my own & succeeded. Whew. The little things! That was seriously a big relief. 

From Our Rainbow

The hours in the day went so fast that it hardly sank in that we had our baby.  It was surreal. We were loving every second and watched every funny face she made. We both commented to each other how sad it was that we never had these moments with Sofia. More tears were shed. We already knew what we missed out on with Sofia but it was magnified even more having her sister - who looks just like her - experiencing all the exciting “firsts”. I think this is something we will struggle with forever.

Thursday, January 19, 2012 ~ Admitted to hospital

It felt like we were moving in as we walked up to the hospital with all our things in hand. I think the only thing we left in the car was the Boppy pillow. We brought my bag, Tim’s bag, baby’s diaper bag, both camera bags and the video camera. 

Since we had already pre-registered with the hospital ahead of time there wasn’t much to do or fill out to be admitted. I provided my insurance card and we were walked to our room. The nurse gave me my gown and inserted my IV around 6:30 pm.  She told me if I wasn’t good with seeing blood that I should look away, so that’s what I did. When she was finished (or so I thought), I looked over at my left arm and it looked like a bloody crime scene! Apparently she found a good vein! I’ve had an IV before and NEVER have I seen that much blood. It was all over the place and on my arm.  I asked her to help me wipe it away so I could stop looking at it. Yikes. Shortly thereafter they had a shift change and a new nurse came in for the night.  Her name was Janna.

At some point a man came in to take my blood, and that was done in my right arm. My blood pressure was taken (I don’t recall what it was but it was good/normal). The nurse hooked me up to the contraction and baby heart rate monitors and we discussed my birth plan and what was to come. The original plan was to have a drug called Cervidil inserted to soften my cervix.  My Dr. actually planned on giving my Cytotec but after doing some research on the two, my preference was Cervidil because it could easily be removed if my body didn’t respond well to it (if there were complications). Cytotec is a dissolving pill that we would not be able to remove if needed.  The nurse called my Dr. for orders and he said while he’d prefer I use Cytotec, given my history and circumstance he was fine with me using Cervidil instead.  I discussed it with my nurse and it seemed the concern was that the Cervidil might not work as well as Cytotec.  It was hard to decide what to do because I didn’t want to end up in a situation where the drug didn’t work and they’d send me home because they didn’t want to “wear out” my uterus.  (This was a possibility with either of these drugs) My nurse agreed with my take on the situation and ultimately we went with the Cervidil. 

My nurse checked me first at approx. 7:30 pm to see if I was dilated at all.  I was only 1 cm, 30% effaced, -2 station.  (Translation: baby was way up high, cervix not ready and hardly dilated at all!)  When she checked me I thought she was reaching up to my throat it hurt so bad! When my Dr. checked me the week before it wasn’t painful at all and this was horrible.  

When the Cervidil was ordered & received she came back in our room and inserted it at approx. 9:00 pm.  It’s on a little mesh piece of fabric with a string attached (for removal).  In order for the drug to work its magic, they have to place it right on the cervix.  When she placed that thing in me I thought I was going to die it hurt so much. As a normal reaction my body tried scooting away from her.  My face was red and I was nearly in tears...actually, I think I did have some tears.  I could not believe how bad it hurt.  She said that she essentially had to reach in and pull my cervix forward. Yowzers. It felt like that- maybe worse! She assured me that when it came time to remove it there wouldn’t be any pain. Whew. I’m not sure what time it was when all that was complete.  I’d guess it was around 9:15 pm. I was allowed to have a snack since I didn’t have my epidural yet so the nurse brought me Oreos & milk. 

My mom had come up to visit shortly and wish us luck.  She brought a bouquet of flowers (gerber daisies) for me and a bouquet of candy bars for Tim. We chatted for a little while then she left.  The nurse suggested we try to get some sleep for the following day so I’d have energy for labor. So we turned off the lights, Tim made his “bed” from the fold-out couch, and I sat half-way up in my terribly uncomfortable labor & delivery bed. My belly stuck out so far that it was the only way I could sleep the last month or so.  It was hard to turn on my side because of all the monitors & cords hooked to me. I was offered Ambien to sleep but declined.  I didn’t want to be drowsy when it came time to push.  I wanted to be alert and aware of everything that would take place.  As a result, I didn’t sleep much at all but I didn’t care.

As Tim fell in and out of sleep, I sat there, listening to and watching baby’s heart rate and my contractions. I had been having braxton hicks contractions throughout most of the third trimester and the nurse said because there wasn’t much fat between baby & the monitor on my belly that the contractions looked a lot stronger on the monitor than they would be on someone a bit heavier. I know I wasn’t in any pain; just discomfort that I’d been feeling for a month or so.

Baby was very active the entire time. She would move away from the monitor and the alarm would sound (which didn’t help my anxiety).  Those darn elastic belts that hold the monitors in place don’t work so great on me. The way my belly stuck out, if I moved just a little bit they would slide up or down and sound off the alarm.  I started just adjusting it myself so I could move but it made for a long night. 

From Our Rainbow

Amnio ~ 1.19.2012

I decided to write Rose's birth story in phases or I might never get it all written & posted! :)

We are doing well and I can't believe Rose is already 11 days old! She's a cutie and the adjustment to having a newborn in the house has been easier than I thought it would be. I'll start with the amnio on Jan. 19th and work my way to present time.

Thursday, January 19th, 2012 - Amnio

We went in to my OBGYN’s office on Thursday, January 19th at 10:00 am to have an amniocentesis performed to check baby’s lungs for maturity.  The procedure involves a long needle that was inserted into my belly to remove amniotic fluid for testing. The fluid contains fetal cells and various chemicals produced by the baby.  Based on the fluid, they determine baby’s lung maturity.

The ultrasound tech started out by looking at baby and attempting to find a good pocket of amniotic fluid to withdraw from.  She struggled because it appeared all or the majority of the fluid was low, surrounding baby’s head.  This was not good from an amnio perspective because they will not put a needle in near baby’s head. She left the room to go discuss with my Dr. and meanwhile I sat up because it was so uncomfortable for me to be on my back.  While we waited, Tim & I discussed our worry that they wouldn’t be able to perform the procedure and that the induction would be delayed. Baby girl was moving all over and I think it was at least 10 minutes before the tech returned with my Doctor. 

They took another look at the ultrasound and baby had moved just enough to give them a pocket of fluid up high, near my rib cage, next to baby’s butt. They wanted to move quick, in case baby moved again.  Dr. put an ‘X’ where they planned to insert the needle and just before they started baby moved her butt in the way.  I think that was the more nerve-wracking part - me worrying about baby.  I asked the tech what happens if baby moves while the needle is inserted and she said that babies don’t like it so they move away from it.  I had visions of my baby being poked in the butt by a needle & that didn’t sit well with me. My Dr. was determined and he pushed & prodded baby to move over.  That was pretty uncomfortable since baby’s butt was up in my ribs. Finally he was able to move her.  

They quickly made a new ‘X’ and almost without warning stuck the needle in.  It was difficult to see the monitor and I didn’t want to watch the needle (although I did see it before he started) so I closed my eyes the whole time. I felt the needle break the skin and it stung.  It wasn’t a short sting; it stung the entire time. I then could feel as the needle went through the layers and into the amniotic sac.  It was a strange and uncomfortable sensation. I remember taking deep breaths and trying to remain still. I was breathing through my nose and I think the tech thought I was holding my breath (I wasn’t) because she kept saying to breath. 

It lasted as long as it took to fill the vile with fluid.  Dr. showed me the sample and it was slightly cloudy with a few particles floating in it. Someone had told me once that if the fluid was cloudy that was a good sign and if it was crystal clear that meant the lungs might not be mature.  I’d say the fluid was somewhere in between.  I asked my Dr. if he thought one way or another based on what he saw and he wouldn’t say.  He didn’t want to get our hopes up just in case but he later told me (after delivery) that he had a feeling it was good fluid.

They put a band-aid on my belly and said they should have results by 2:00 pm and would call me when they were in. They hooked me up for a NST to ensure the amnio didn’t put baby into distress.  That lasted approx. 1/2 hour and baby looked good.

From Our Rainbow

Tim went back to work and I went home and waited with anticipation.  I was really tired so I tried to nap a little.  A few times my phone rang but it wasn’t the Dr. office. That only made my anxiety worse! Finally at 1:30 pm I received the call.  The nurse said baby’s lungs were mature and that I should head to the hospital for admittance at 6:00 pm!  

I quickly called Tim to let him know then family & work. I had my bags packed for a month but there were a few last minute items to toss in so I finished up that and waited for Tim to come home so we could eat dinner and go!

A few iphone pictures

I have much to blog about but for now I'll share a few pictures from my iphone.  We spent our first night home from the hospital last night and all is well! Baby Rose is fitting right in at home and we can't stop looking at her. She's a beautiful little rainbow!

When I'm more rested and Rose allows, I'll update with her birth story and more photos from my 'real' cameras.

Most importantly, she is happy & healthy and we're loving her to pieces!!



facebook announcement

From Our Rainbow

good morning mommy, hello world! 1.21.12

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

leaving hospital

From Our Rainbow

enjoying her home :)

From Our Rainbow

She's here!!

It is understood that the beauty of a rainbow does not negate the ravages of any storm. When a rainbow appears, it does not mean that the storm never happened or that we are not still dealing with its aftermath. It means that something beautiful and full of light has appeared in the midst of the darkness and clouds. Storm clouds may still hover, but the rainbow provides a counter balance of color, energy, and HOPE. (unknown)


Rose Maria

6 lb 12 oz

20 3/4 in

1/20/2012

10:49 am


She looks much like her sister! I'm unable to load a pic from my phone right now & baby needs to be fed. Will share a full story/update later!

Our Rainbow is here!!!! And we are in love.

Go time!

Posting on my phone from the hospital so this will be short...

Had the amnio today (hurt!) and found out around 1:30 pm that her lungs are mature!! Yay!!

Was admitted to the hospital at 6pm & Cervidil has been put in. (that was awful!!!!) I almost passed out from the discomfort.

I was only 1cm, 30% effaced & -2 station. Hopefully the Cervidil will do the trick for a smooth induction (pitocin) in the morning.

Contractions are much more frequent now 2-4 min apart & starting to feel uncomfortable though not painful yet. Baby girl still active as can be and doing well.

Will update tomorrow!

Outside Maternity Photos ~ Is it really mid-January!?

Yesterday I had my last haircut before baby's arrival then we headed over to the park where we had wedding photos taken 10 years ago! I brought along my tripod and set a self-timer for a photo of us together and had Tim take some photos of me & baby.  This is hopefully the last weekend I'll be pregnant during this pregnancy so I wanted to get some photos.

Normally in Nebraska one would not be outside in mid-January without a heavy winter coat, scarf & mittens.  The temps are usually in the negative range and there's snow on the ground.  This winter has been strange.  Although it was a bit chilly we still managed to tolerate being outside without coats on just long enough to get some photos.  It looks more like fall!!

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow

From Our Rainbow