Tah-Dah!!! (wordy - I'm hormonal)
A wise man once said, "But what minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day." ~Benjamin Disraeli
My heart is so full of sensation that I am most overwhelmed. Thank you to all of you who posted your prayers and positive thoughts, and to all of you who thought them quietly and kept them in your hearts. And, I thank Donna, who called and texted with love and words of encouragement. What an amazing group of women ... Knowing that you all were thinking of Lydia and I really did help me during the long, I mean loooooooong hours! Thank you!
So, here it is ... my birth story. I'm not the most technologically talented person, so as soon as I figure out how to post pictures of the most amazing baby ever (that would be mine, at least for that day! hee hee), I will. She's pretty cool.
I think I mentioned that I wa**** on the freeway two weeks or so ago. For that reason, along with the fact that Lydia was overdue added to amniotic fluid concerns and such, I was admitted to the hospital at ten am Monday for an induction. I began taking meds to begin contractions, effacement, and dilation at noon and contractions began in earnest at two. With the help and support of my wonderful husband, I dealt with the contractions, which became increasingly strong, until one am. At that time, I was checked for the millionth and was not effaced at all, and was dilated to only 1.5. After much discussion, my husband and I decided to rest, use the birthing ball, walk, and use other tactics to bring the baby down, and hopefully continue to progress.
I finally fell asleep around two, and at two thirty, three nurses flew into the room, ripped my gown off and began flipping me front left to right, then on my back, and from left to right again. An oxygen mask was slammed on my face, and one nurse gave me the most aggressive cervix check I had ever had. She was attempting to reach Lydia and stimulate her head. Lydia's heart rate had dropped 50 and it took several minutes of manipulating my uterus, working with her head, moving my body, and oxygenating my blood to get her back. Nurses believed at that point that the cord was wrapped around her neck, which while not uncommon, really threatened whether or not the doctor would let me continue to labor on my own. Needless to say, not much sleeping happened after that! I stayed awake to listen to hear heart monitor!
At six am, we began a pitocin drip. This was an upsetting decision for me as I worked really hard on preparing for an unmedicated birth. I do not enjoy deviating from plans. It upsets my Type-A, anal retentive personality! haha! Pitocin is no joke, as many of you know. To say that my contractions jump-started would be like saying the Vatican is a sweet little country chapel. It got very intense very fast. My doula joined us at the hospital at this point, and we labored with contractions every two minutes until noon, and from noon until 2:45 they were piggy-backed with no breaks in between. (*note* normally, a doula would be there from the beginning, but I was so upset by the induction, pills, and pitocin that I elected to labor with just my husband until things got intense and we needed more support. Did I mention I am a control freak. Knowing I was distressed, she finally just came to the hospital - armed with Jamba Juice and massage oils!) We continue to labor together.
After 29 hours, I had lost it. I could not focus, I was emotionally drained, and I knew that at that point I had three options. 1) Continue until I I was so exhausted it would be impossible to progress on my own and dilate, 2) Have the doctor recognize how drained I was and mandate a C-Section, or 3) get an epidural, hopefully rest, and then be able to push her out on my own at some point.
This decision was very difficult. My husband and I cried, even fought a little over making the call, but the bottom line was that the goal was to have a healthy baby, and I felt option #3 would get me there. The anesthesiologist came in and by 3:15, hooked me up, and I was able to rest. My nurse checked me when the meds kicked in, and I was at 4cm, 100% effaced, but Lydia was still very high. After two hours of sleep, I was awakened at 5:30 by my water breaking. The nurse checked me again, and by the grace of God, I was dilated to ten with 100% effacement, and Lydia was at a station 1. Finally, it was go time.
Two wonderful L&D nurses came in, we all decided on a plan, and we began our work to get Lydia out. What I found amazing was that while I was totally numb from the waist down initially, when it was time to push, I could move my legs by myself and I could feel everything from the waist down. I felt every contraction and was able to tell when they were approaching even before the monitors showed them. What a blessing from God! Rather than rely on the machines and nurses to bring her into the world, I was able to rely on my own body after all that time to bring my girl into my arms. For the first two hours, pushing was amazing. I did not break a sweat and was able to communicate between contractions (now occurring every one and a half to two minutes). I began to experience pain at three hours, and we found that while I had achieved moving the baby to a station 2, not only was Lydia going to be delivered "sunny side up", she was stuck under my pelvic bone and this was going to be a lot more difficult. Because she was at a 2, it was too late to turn her. The doctor announced that I had a half hour to push her out on my own before she would have to vacuum her out because again, her heart rate had begun to drop. In the next four pushes, at 10:22pm, she was out - cord around her neck, down her back, aroud one leg, and up to her belly. 6lbs 8ounces, 20 inches long.
I was able to have an hour and a half of uninterrupted skin to skin contact with her in which she latched on immediately. What an amazing opportunity to bond. As I was cleaned up (3 stitches ... I tore very minimally.), my husband was taught how to bathe and dress the baby, and we were then transferred to the room where we stayed for the next two days.
We all came home yesterday afternoon, and had our first pediatrician visit today. Her weight has dropped a little, 11% in three days, so I need to supplement my colostrum a little with formula til my milk comes in. Again, a difficult decision as it was not part of the initial plan, but the goal is to have a happy, healthy baby ... not to "win" or be able to brag that my plan worked. My priorities are so different now ... I don't care what I have to do make that little girl happy ... formula and an epidural seem like such little, insignificant, concessions now when I look at her sleeping my arms.
Anyway, that's that. :-) I am thrilled to be a mom, I love every second of it, and while there are challenges with breastfeeding and I am a little tired, my cup runeth over.
Again, I thank you for your support, and will post pics soon.
xoxo, Pirate Mommy and Lydia
My heart is so full of sensation that I am most overwhelmed. Thank you to all of you who posted your prayers and positive thoughts, and to all of you who thought them quietly and kept them in your hearts. And, I thank Donna, who called and texted with love and words of encouragement. What an amazing group of women ... Knowing that you all were thinking of Lydia and I really did help me during the long, I mean loooooooong hours! Thank you!
So, here it is ... my birth story. I'm not the most technologically talented person, so as soon as I figure out how to post pictures of the most amazing baby ever (that would be mine, at least for that day! hee hee), I will. She's pretty cool.
I think I mentioned that I wa**** on the freeway two weeks or so ago. For that reason, along with the fact that Lydia was overdue added to amniotic fluid concerns and such, I was admitted to the hospital at ten am Monday for an induction. I began taking meds to begin contractions, effacement, and dilation at noon and contractions began in earnest at two. With the help and support of my wonderful husband, I dealt with the contractions, which became increasingly strong, until one am. At that time, I was checked for the millionth and was not effaced at all, and was dilated to only 1.5. After much discussion, my husband and I decided to rest, use the birthing ball, walk, and use other tactics to bring the baby down, and hopefully continue to progress.
I finally fell asleep around two, and at two thirty, three nurses flew into the room, ripped my gown off and began flipping me front left to right, then on my back, and from left to right again. An oxygen mask was slammed on my face, and one nurse gave me the most aggressive cervix check I had ever had. She was attempting to reach Lydia and stimulate her head. Lydia's heart rate had dropped 50 and it took several minutes of manipulating my uterus, working with her head, moving my body, and oxygenating my blood to get her back. Nurses believed at that point that the cord was wrapped around her neck, which while not uncommon, really threatened whether or not the doctor would let me continue to labor on my own. Needless to say, not much sleeping happened after that! I stayed awake to listen to hear heart monitor!
At six am, we began a pitocin drip. This was an upsetting decision for me as I worked really hard on preparing for an unmedicated birth. I do not enjoy deviating from plans. It upsets my Type-A, anal retentive personality! haha! Pitocin is no joke, as many of you know. To say that my contractions jump-started would be like saying the Vatican is a sweet little country chapel. It got very intense very fast. My doula joined us at the hospital at this point, and we labored with contractions every two minutes until noon, and from noon until 2:45 they were piggy-backed with no breaks in between. (*note* normally, a doula would be there from the beginning, but I was so upset by the induction, pills, and pitocin that I elected to labor with just my husband until things got intense and we needed more support. Did I mention I am a control freak. Knowing I was distressed, she finally just came to the hospital - armed with Jamba Juice and massage oils!) We continue to labor together.
After 29 hours, I had lost it. I could not focus, I was emotionally drained, and I knew that at that point I had three options. 1) Continue until I I was so exhausted it would be impossible to progress on my own and dilate, 2) Have the doctor recognize how drained I was and mandate a C-Section, or 3) get an epidural, hopefully rest, and then be able to push her out on my own at some point.
This decision was very difficult. My husband and I cried, even fought a little over making the call, but the bottom line was that the goal was to have a healthy baby, and I felt option #3 would get me there. The anesthesiologist came in and by 3:15, hooked me up, and I was able to rest. My nurse checked me when the meds kicked in, and I was at 4cm, 100% effaced, but Lydia was still very high. After two hours of sleep, I was awakened at 5:30 by my water breaking. The nurse checked me again, and by the grace of God, I was dilated to ten with 100% effacement, and Lydia was at a station 1. Finally, it was go time.
Two wonderful L&D nurses came in, we all decided on a plan, and we began our work to get Lydia out. What I found amazing was that while I was totally numb from the waist down initially, when it was time to push, I could move my legs by myself and I could feel everything from the waist down. I felt every contraction and was able to tell when they were approaching even before the monitors showed them. What a blessing from God! Rather than rely on the machines and nurses to bring her into the world, I was able to rely on my own body after all that time to bring my girl into my arms. For the first two hours, pushing was amazing. I did not break a sweat and was able to communicate between contractions (now occurring every one and a half to two minutes). I began to experience pain at three hours, and we found that while I had achieved moving the baby to a station 2, not only was Lydia going to be delivered "sunny side up", she was stuck under my pelvic bone and this was going to be a lot more difficult. Because she was at a 2, it was too late to turn her. The doctor announced that I had a half hour to push her out on my own before she would have to vacuum her out because again, her heart rate had begun to drop. In the next four pushes, at 10:22pm, she was out - cord around her neck, down her back, aroud one leg, and up to her belly. 6lbs 8ounces, 20 inches long.
I was able to have an hour and a half of uninterrupted skin to skin contact with her in which she latched on immediately. What an amazing opportunity to bond. As I was cleaned up (3 stitches ... I tore very minimally.), my husband was taught how to bathe and dress the baby, and we were then transferred to the room where we stayed for the next two days.
We all came home yesterday afternoon, and had our first pediatrician visit today. Her weight has dropped a little, 11% in three days, so I need to supplement my colostrum a little with formula til my milk comes in. Again, a difficult decision as it was not part of the initial plan, but the goal is to have a happy, healthy baby ... not to "win" or be able to brag that my plan worked. My priorities are so different now ... I don't care what I have to do make that little girl happy ... formula and an epidural seem like such little, insignificant, concessions now when I look at her sleeping my arms.
Anyway, that's that. :-) I am thrilled to be a mom, I love every second of it, and while there are challenges with breastfeeding and I am a little tired, my cup runeth over.
Again, I thank you for your support, and will post pics soon.
xoxo, Pirate Mommy and Lydia
What a beautiful story. I am glad that you are able to move on from an unplanned birth experience. I have struggled with that for 19 months. I know there is nothing that I could do to change things but it won't leave my mind.
You sound amazing and happy. Congratulations on a wonderful birth and a wonderful baby!
You sound amazing and happy. Congratulations on a wonderful birth and a wonderful baby!
RNY 9-25-06 / Pre-Op.253lbs / Current...155lbs.
As all mothers know, it seems in this instance, Lydia was determined to teach her "type A" Mommy that you have to be very versatile...heheh. Funny how such tiny beings become our wisest teachers. I'm so happy that you are both okay and I had no idea that when I told you to rest for the marathon...you'd actually be laboring that long. YOU ARE A WARRIOR!!! Love that Pirate Baby. If she's anything like her Mama, she's gonna be gorgeous, brilliant and strong little lady.
Hugs,
Angie
PS. I can't wait for the pics!
PPS-- R-E-S-P-E-C-T Mama!
Hugs,
Angie
PS. I can't wait for the pics!
PPS-- R-E-S-P-E-C-T Mama!
WOW! what an exhausting labor, but it was all worth it in the end! Can't wait to see baby pictures!! Congrats!
MY WLS RECIPE BLOG! -- Check it out http://plusizedbarbie.blogspot.com/
Changed for good
...september 17, 2007...
Changed for good
...september 17, 2007...
What an amazing birth story you can share with Lydia some day! I'm so glad she arrived safely despite changing plans and several scares along the way.
Motherhood is an indescribable thing. Despite the sheer exhaustion, body morphing and immediate and overwhelming responsibility, the love is greater and stronger than anything ever felt.
Congratulations and welcome to the world, baby Lydia!
Hugs,
Motherhood is an indescribable thing. Despite the sheer exhaustion, body morphing and immediate and overwhelming responsibility, the love is greater and stronger than anything ever felt.
Congratulations and welcome to the world, baby Lydia!
Hugs,
Jo
DS:9 yrs old / DD:5 yrs old / DS: 1 yr old
Wow! What a wonderful story... I totally understand what you are saying, my baby's cord was wrapped around his waist so there was no way he would have descended. I was devistated when I was told I needed a c-section but once I had Josiah it didn't matter.
Congrats to you & your husband. I look forward to seeing pictures.
Hugs,
Erika
Congrats to you & your husband. I look forward to seeing pictures.
Hugs,
Erika
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