Pages

Friday, September 9, 2011

My labor, delivery and something else, really gross, personal, and exciting

This is for those people out there that actually enjoy reading a birth story.
I'm gonna try and make this brief without too many details.

At 30 weeks into my pregnancy I was having high blood pressure. I spent one evening in Labor and Delivery that week while they tested me, the baby and monitored things. It got a little better at 31 weeks and stayed ok until week 35 when it went up again.
From 35 weeks to 37 weeks it was high, but not really dangerously, and it wasn't preeclampsia. (No protein in urine, organ damage, etc...) It was just Gestational Hypertension/High Blood Pressure. At 36 weeks, I spent a couple of days in Labor and Delivery for more monitoring of me and baby. Again, not an emergency situation, just watching things closely. They told me that at 37 weeks, if it was still this way, they would take the baby.
I hit 37 weeks this Wednesday. I went in to see the Doc and my blood pressures were pretty high. 160's/110's. They sent me down to labor and delivery to DELIVER! Woohoooo! I was feeling like real crud and was so anxious to get the little guy out of me!
They started me that night with pitocin. Unfortunately he kept flipping all over the place. He seemed to prefer being breech (feet first.) The doctors were telling me they would try and turn him, but if it wasn't successful, a C-section would be necessary. They tried to turn him, and no success. The turning procedure is NO FUN! They tried to turn him again a few hours later and it worked. Phew! But he fought to keep flipping around. They put a strap on me to try and hold him there and broke my water hoping that would make it much harder for him to move. Pitocin was still going strong in efforts to keep the little guy pushed down with the contractions too. I had an epidural thank goodness for those flipping sessions, the water breaking and all this pitocin I was getting. But unfortunately I spent almost 24 hours with very very little progress in the labor. This was another concern because once your water is broken, you must deliver within 24 hours or you have to have a C section. Finally I was dilated to 6. When I hit 6 cm, it seemed like about 15 minutes or so and I was suddenly dilated to a 10. Time to push! We were so glad I wouldn't need a C section! The doctors and nurses came in. I pushed for only about 10 minutes. He was out. He looked awesome! Steve and I were THRILLED! Immediately we were thanking God for this beautiful baby who we are still to this day wondering how I managed to conceive. He was not planned for and the fact that I got pregnant with him seemed like a miracle, or not possible. God definitely wanted this kid here. But having said that, I will say that I am determined to not go through another pregnancy again!!! About 30 minutes after delivery, I happily went to the operating room for a tubal ligation. Permanent sterilization. The procedure was no big deal. Quick and easy for the doctors. I was awake, with my epidural. Here's the parts I hated:
The room was FREEZING! Like see-your-breath freezing. I was shaking and shivering the entire time.
There were 2 or 3 doctors there. One doctor along with one resident and possibly a med student. I think this because the main doctor was giving a real play by play of the entire procedure. "You pull the tube out of her a lot more, an inch or so more...", "cut her like this..." , etc... It was totally totally grossing me out!
I could feel so much of what they were doing. I could feel the knife cutting me, I could feel the tubes being pulled up out of my belly and so on. It didn't hurt at all, I could just feel it and that totally totally grossed me out too.
Here's the part I loved:
When it was over I was inwardly jumping for joy that my childbirthing years were over!
So now Samuel is here safe and sound! We are beyond thrilled. This baby makes us intensely happy!
That's about it folks.

9 comments:

Stefani B. said...

Congratulations! I'm one of the people who like birth stories...but only since I've had my own to tell. I'm glad everything turned out great for you! Can't wait to see pictures!

Swasey family said...

I HAVE TO hear the birth story!!! I LOVE IT!!!! SOOOO THANK YOU!!! ANd I am soo happy u have a healthy baby boy!!!

Alysa . . . . and Reed said...

I personally love birth stories! Thanks for sharing! I am so glad he got here safe and sound and that everything worked out with getting him here without a c-section! Congratulations Congratulations Congratulations! Can't wait to see pictures! Sending lots of love and hugs to all!

Cristin said...

Yay! I'm so glad he's here and Congrats on never getting preggo again. It's a good feeling...until 6 years later and you hear about your cousin having the cutest little boy then there is this little tug of "awww maaaan, I'm never going to get to do that again." haha don't worry, the feeling has almost past. haha

Kam said...

Yay!! I'm soooo glad he's finally here, and is doing well. And, it sounds like you're doing well too. I can't believe the looooong labor! Sounds very wearying. I can relate with the FRRREEEZING operating room -- that's my most vivid memory of my c-section with baby N. It was just sooooo cold-- and yes, it's gross to feel everything they're doing. I'm sure the play-by-play details made it even grosser. ewww!

That must be such an exciting, relieving feeling to know you have your family here now. Yay! Congratulations. I'm sooo happy for you. Can't wait to see more picts.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the play by play on the tying of the tubes. Scott will defiantly be getting his tubes tied instead.

Hot Pants said...

Dwight's tubes are tied too Erin. I'll give Scott the play by play. Congrats Amanda and Steve!! We are so happy for you guys.

Memzy said...

Congrats!

E said...

Congrats on all the new additions to your family! I've been reading everything on my google reader, even though I've been gone from blogging for a long time. So happy for you, and I love read about your fam!