I went to the urgent care the night before Isaac was born because I wasn't feeling him move at all. The doctor there put me on the monitor to check for fluctuations in Isaac's heart rate. Basically they weren't happening. So he then sent me to the hospital for a biophysical profile, a fancy name for an extended ultrasound where they look for specific types of movement. Again, he was moving, but not as much as they would like to see. So, Jacob and I waited for a phone call from my doctor with more information. We got the call and decided to induce labor as I was already dilated to a 3 and 39 weeks.
They started me on pitocin that night and saw little reaction to the drug. I was contracting regularly, baby was moving fine, but I couldn't really feel any contractions so they couldn't really call it labor. They were going to send me home. But, as I stood up to use the restroom, my water broke. So stay I did.
I progressed very quickly from that point. I think I dilated from a 4 to a 9.5 in about 2-3 hours. I was to the point where I was asking for the epidural and Jacob was trying to get me to wait a few more minutes. I asked the nurse to check my progress. Jacob started running water in the Jacuzzi bath for me. I went to the bathroom. When I came out I told the nurse I felt like I needed to push. She did check me at that point and was surprised to see I was at a 9.5.
The nurse then frantically got the room ready, called for my doctor, and got some others for assistance. She told me not to push as my doctor was still 15 minutes away. I did some breathing to help not push but it was difficult because my body wanted to push.
When the doctor arrived I began pushing. I pushed for what I'm pretty sure was 2 hours before Isaac joined us. He was perfect, and still is, and he was placed on my stomach. I turned to Jacob and told him Isaac had a "Carter nose." I think I also calmly told him that was the worst pain of my life. But I did do it all without the epidural.
And then there were some complications with the placenta not separating from the uterus. And that is where I will skip the details, because frankly, it wasn't pretty. I lost more blood than they would have liked and I was weak from the loss. I still am trying to build up my iron levels. Good times.
But Isaac is here and well, and I am well. And that's all that really matters.
I'm having difficulty loading my pictures to this blog, again, so those will have to wait. And, since it's been a while since I actually wrote this post I will update with these few words. Newborns are hard. I worry a lot. And I give props to all you mothers out there.
Isaac is still perfectly healthy, sometimes a little fussy, but over all pretty good. He just does not like to sleep on his back in the bassinet so if anyone has suggestions on how to get a newborn to sleep in the bassinet please let me know.
I'm having difficulty loading my pictures to this blog, again, so those will have to wait. And, since it's been a while since I actually wrote this post I will update with these few words. Newborns are hard. I worry a lot. And I give props to all you mothers out there.
Isaac is still perfectly healthy, sometimes a little fussy, but over all pretty good. He just does not like to sleep on his back in the bassinet so if anyone has suggestions on how to get a newborn to sleep in the bassinet please let me know.
11 comments:
Great job Sandy! I'm impressed. I hope you're taking it easy and replacing your iron. :) Ansley was (and still is ha) a terrible sleeper. We were able to get her to sleep, swaddled, in her bouncer until she was about 7 weeks and too wiggly. Good luck!
iF there is a way to securely do it, elevate one end of the bassinet. If he sleeps fine in a car-seat or swing but not flat in the bassinet then it's possible that it gives him a tummy ache. If he's not very fussy then it's probably enough just to raise the head end of the bassinet by a couple of inches to discourage acid from refluxing. Our second and third had severe acid reflux (NOT calm babies!) so I studied everything I could about how to manage it. Many babies have some degree of reflus that they grow out of within several weeks. (More severe cases typically resolve themselves within several months). It's an idea at least! Just make sure it's secure enough that if he gets fussing and kicking his feet he won't jiggle the bed down and scare everyone :)
Glad you're doing okay. Good luck with the iron levels. Sounds like a much more dramatic birth than you'd like (perhaps not medically speaking, but emotionally speaking I can imagine). I'm grateful every time I hear of a mother and baby who both are so healthy after birthing and of medical miracles that occur every day.
:)
Congratulations again--and good work. As for babies sleeping on their backs in basinets, I couldn't even help. I know babies now have to sleep on their tummies, no matter where they sleep. But my babies, who thankfully all survived, much preferred sleeping on their tummies, and they probably would have been happy doing that in a bureau drawer. Good luck! Aunt Lynda
Yay! Thank you. I'm glad to hear about it. I'll use my imagination with the rest...
I'm so TOTALLY impressed that you did it without an epidural! You are one tough cookie. Plus, it's the pushing that killed me with the first one. I'm telling you, I only pushed for an hour and a half and I was ready to just give up and die. But good news, the path was paved and subsequent babies took about 5 pushes (total) or less.
I hope you're feeling better, I really feel for you since you're still week from complications and then you have to be up all night when you're just not used to it, yet. Good luck with everything!
Thanks for the recap and you already know my thoughts on getting the baby to sleep - you do whatever you can to get some rest and survive. And newborns are hard. That's why I'm glad it's you with one and not me. And I'm glad I'm done! But they are also cute and wonderful and you really should enjoy them while they are so littel because it goes SO FAST! Really - it may not seem like in now, but it goes fast! Hang in there!
Ash slept in his swing for the first little bit. Give that a whirl.
Thanks for the details. But I may still call you to get more. I can't wait to see more pictures of that cute little boy!
I'm glad for more details too! Also really glad to read the comment about a hard first labor, but only five pushes for the rest. Gives me hope. :)
I also think you should rule out reflux. That a common problem, which shows itself when babies don't want to sleep lying horizontally.
Walter preferred sleeping on his side, even right after skull surgery/ear to ear incision. I know someone whose baby would only sleep in the infant car seat, so that's what they did. So, I guess, whatever works!
Good for you doing it without the epidural! Not that you had much choice, but still. It's something I have yet to accomplish. As for the sleeping, my first boy hated back sleeping as well. We had to swaddle him super tight until he rolled over by himself, then I just let him sleep on his stomach. Actually, he kind of slept in his car seat next to my bed for the first two months... I had a cover that I could tuck the seatbelts behind, so we swaddled him and put him in there everynight and he slept great.
Congratulations! He's completely adorable. I love that "newborn" look. And good for you for going through it all without an epidural. I've asked for one right away with both my kids. I'm a wimp.
Also, both my kids have slept in the vibrating bouncy chair day and night for the first few months of their lives. We went through batteries like crazy, but it was worth it. And, they both transitioned to the crib fine when they got older. No worries, just keep trying things to figure out what works for you and your baby, even if it isn't "by the book."
Thanks for posting! I love to hear about the birth stories. I'm sorry to hear about the complications, but am glad you and Issac are healthy and doing well. In the end that is what matters most! I love that you told the nurse you needed to push too. I guess looking back, I maybe felt the need to push too...I just think that's awesome on your first one!
Congratulations, enjoy your little guy.
And just a side note. I saw people saying to let him sleep in the car seat. I strongly urge you to not do that. We lost a baby in the Greer family from her sleeping in the car seat. It wasn't a car ride, it was like napping for a long period. I just make sure people know that can happen.
Lots of love to you guys!
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