How far along: Well well. Here I am at my expected due date! YAY! And guess what else? No Parker. Hehe. Little stinker has decided to be stubborn. But I'm okay with it...I like being pregnant. :)
Stretch marks: Okay, I have a new one...
Movement: He's still shifting a lot. But the movements do hurt more often.
Sleep: Definitely tired more often than I was even a couple of weeks ago. I'm talking sleeping 9-10 hours a night with a couple of naps during the day. Of course this doesn't work during the week, but I rock it out on the weekends! :)
Best moment this past week: Had my weekly OB visit this past Thursday. I was at a "tight" 2 (yeah, loved that!) and no change in the effacing. I still didn't / don't want to be induced, so we scheduled an induction date of the 21st. I have an appointment on Friday and she's going to do a non-stress monitor to make sure everything is okay. I'm ready to hold my sweet boy so it is getting a little hard waiting.
Belly button in or out: It's transformed into more of a "flatty" now that the belly is so big.
Cravings / Aversions: Been craving salad a lot here lately...kinda cooky but MAN those things are good! And of course I still love my sweets! ;)
Symptoms: Fatigue...cramping...SWELLING...mood swings (yep, been riding the emotional roller coaster)...and my nose is freaking huge!
Alright, that's it for now. I'll be sure to update you all after my appointment on Friday...and of course if anything happens! ;)
Showing posts with label Induction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Induction. Show all posts
August 15, 2012
December 8, 2010
40 weeks... Yep. Still Pregnant.
So, we had our appointment this morning. Here is a picture of me at the doctor's office at 40 weeks pregnant:
The Good:Progress! Yay. Last week I was barely 1cm and Dr Loh still had to go in practically up to her elbow to check me. This week I'm 1-2cm and 40% effaced, and she barely had to go in to her wrist. So, cervix and baby are much much lower. She's very happy with my progress. Especially for a first timer. AFI is great. Baby has awesome movement. And like I thought, I have 2 little feet (we saw toes and all) kicking my liver. I keep telling the baby s/he can't get out that way. We'll see if it sinks in!
Oh - and at 40w - my total gain is 19 pounds!! I couldn't be any prouder of myself. I celebrated by coming home and having some dark chocolate hershey kisses and I'll be having pumpkin pie for dessert.
The Bad:
She brought up inducing at 41 weeks. I expected that to happen. The conversation, i mean. I was just hoping to avoid it if there was progress. Her deal: she's a single doctor practice, and I already knew that she doesn't guarantee her availability past 41 weeks. No problem. Based on my history and family history, we had no doubt that I'd deliver early. So much for that. But now it's an issue. I asked her if all signs point to healthy, if she would consider letting me go past 41 weeks. She said she would, but I should know there are 2 days that week she will not be in town, and her coverage would be delivering. I said that of course I'd want her to deliver, but not being induced is very important to me, and we might have to take that chance. At least it's out there now.
The Plan:
Non-Stress Test (NST) at the hospital saturday morning followed by NST and exam in the office on monday.
The Crunchy in me:
I've been thinking for awhile now that maybe the red raspberry leaf (RRL) tea was doing TOO good a job toning my uterus and it was holding the baby in. DH thought that was dumb. Well - i called my acu - who told me to stop the RRL for exactly that reason. So, i'm stopping the RRL as of today, and will start it again post partum for toning. I have a 4oz bottle of Castor Oil which will be my "i've tried everything else, so I have nothing to lose" backup plan (more on that later). I haven't done acu in 2 months for financial reasons, but called her on a whim earlier this afternoon, and went in to start my acu induction. I had a 45 minute session today, and I'll follow it up with another on monday if I haven't delivered yet.
My acu wants me to start drinking peppermint tea (already have it and brewing now), eating dark chocolate (no problem) and garlic (i married a sicilian).
We're going to continue our nightly mall walking and just keep our fingers crossed.
The Inconvenient:
Because I was forced to take FMLA to do IVF (my job sucks), and because i've been out on disability since 32 weeks, my FMLA actually runs out at 41 weeks exactly. So technically, my job can fire me as of a week from today if I don't deliver. On one hand I don't care - because i don't plan on going back there anyway. However, in NJ we have NJFLI, which gives me another 12 weeks of job protection, which I was planning on using to find a new job. I can't apply for that until the day I deliver.
So, right now, we're working on finding out the following:
I know I am entitled to my STD for the 6 or 8 weeks following delivery regardless of when work separates me. So, i'm covered for that period. We're trying to find out, that if my job separates me at 41 weeks exactly, if I can apply for unemployment once the STD runs out. If I can, then we don't have a problem. If I can't, then the last ditch castor oil option happens at 40w5d.
Meanwhile, the intermittent contractions continue and are clearly doing something. PLEASE wish me labor. Even Mr DB is begging baby to come out now... and he's been the one telling Smudge to take his or her time.
Acu - don't fail me now.
Babywatch 2010 continues.....
November 27, 2010
Failed Induction
We got to the hospital right at 5pm, checked in at the Emergency Room and they sent us up to Labor & Delivery. After our admittance and answering a ton of questions, the nurse attempted to insert my IV. Each time she tried, my veins would collapse. What can I say, my veins were shy! I was really swollen - apparently more than we thought - because even the anesthesiologist couldn't get anything. Once I told them they'll 100% get the vein in my elbow, I finally was free from the poking. They were trying to avoid my elbow for comfort but after one blown vein (which I have a nasty bruise from) and five different pricks I didn't care.
Around 6pm the nurse checked my cervix and I was hard, high, tight & closed completely so she got new orders from my OB to start cytotec orally. The original plan was to start low dose pitocin but that plan also came with the thought that I'd be somewhat dilated when I got there - wronnnng! So, we got my first dose of cytotec orally and within 20 minutes I started to contract. They weren't hard or long, but they were definitely there.
10:30pm came and I got checked again, a little softer and a fingertip dilated! YAY for progress! Got second dose of cytotec orally.
2:30am and I'm ALMOST at 1 complete cm, though still hard. Nurse wanted to let me contract on my own for a bit to see if that would help. It didn't, so I was given another dose of cytotec at 3:30am, this time vaginally. Almost instantly I had contractions about a minute apart. They were hard too. My pain level went from about a 3 to a 6 within probably 10 minutes. The contractions kept me up through the morning until around 5:30am when I dozed off and apparently my contractions fizzled out and slowed way down in time & intensity.
Woke up at 7:30am when the doc came in the room. Absolutely zero progress, in fact now I'm only a fingertip again - so I regressed from a cm. DAMN IT! He gave me a few options: 1. Break my water now, wait for things to happen naturally before being put on pitocin. If they don't, we'll start pitocin. 2. Start pitocin without breaking water, again wait for things to happen but this will be much slower. I didn't want to break my water this early - because I was trying to avoid a C-Section at all costs. My cervix was clearly not doing anything, even with the medicines so I opted for option 2. He was fine with that so he said he'd come back at the end of the day and see what I'm at.
Throughout the day I was contracting between 1-7 minutes apart, sometimes they were right after each other - sometimes it fizzled. I seemed to contract better when laying almost all the way down, so I was quite uncomfortable for most the day.
Well, 5pm rolled around and my OB came to check on me before his D&C he had scheduled... zero progress. He said I was MAYYYBE a bit softer, but my cervix didn't move. Awesome. I started crying. Clearly my body wasn't ready. So he offered the same two options as well as taking me completely off the IV/meds so I could eat & get some rest - or go home if I wanted. I wanted to go home. CLEARLY this wasn't working. And, I was frustrated and tired. So, we stopped the IV.
I made the right decision, as soon as the pitocin was out of my system (it has a 20 minute half life so it takes about 40 minutes total) my contractions stopped completely. Then we were on our way. I felt so defeated. I felt guilty, my husband felt guilty... it was a really rough time.
I won't ever choose to be induced again, it's such a frustrating process. It's worked well for many people and I know many who have had nothing but successes... it's not for me. Doctor said we can schedule another induction if I wanted to this week - I said no. So, here I am, waiting for Little Monster to come on his own. If he's not here by next Sunday, 12/5, I get an automatic C-Section at 41 weeks.
Since we've been home, I've had maybe a handful of contractions per day - but nothing major. Here I am, a day before our Due Date, starting to get frustrated. I've heard it 10,000 times - baby isn't ready, my body isn't ready... but mentally I'M READY. It's been a year and a half since we found out we were going to be parents, we lost the first one, and it took 7 cycles to conceive Little Monster, plus the wait of the pregnancy which has seemed to DRAG.ON. Physically I am doing fine - not too much pain/comfort problems.. but emotionally I am exhausted. I'm so ready to hold this little guy in my arms.
But, instead, he is teaching me patience. Which, is okay. I just hope he doesn't decide to be TOO stubborn and make me have a C-Section next weekend... otherwise I could have opted for that route at the induction and had him already. We shall see what's going to happen :)
For now, we wait. And wait some more. Here's my gigantic belly, incase you don't want to read the entire thing you have something to look at!
August 24, 2010
35 Weeks, ANOTHER night in L&D, ANOTHER missed baby shower, and Bedrest
From the title of my post you can tell its been fun huh? So when I was 34 weeks on a Friday I called my doctor because I was having a headache that would.not.go.away. It hurt so very very bad. I tried everything. I decided to take my BP since its been going up and low and behold it was up there in the 140s. I decided then to call my doctor normally when resting it never got up that high. The on call doctor asked me to try to get rid of it with caffeine and Tylenol and if it didn't go away go into the hospital. Don't worry he said, you won't stay over night. YEAH RIGHT.
We got in and my BP was in the upper 150s. I blamed nerves. Once I rested and the nurse went out it went down dramatically. They had be start the 24 hour urine collection and did some blood work. I thought I would be discharged and go home. Not the case. The nurse said they wanted to hold me over night and watch me for 24 hours. That meant I would miss my baby shower.. AGAIN. WTF I wanted to cry but I knew there was no use. By now it was just hilarious. Apparently my daughter is shy and hates attention on her.
I called all my friends and the girls hosting the shower to let them know of the news and like great friends they are they were all understanding and considerate. We decided to have people come up to the hospital and eat cake.. YUM!
Overall it was a WONDERFUL shower. I have some wonderful friends who were very considerate and generous. I got released after the shower and told to follow up with my doctor on Monday and continue with the 24 hour urine collection. Oh and bed rest for the weekend.
I checked up with my doctor and my BP is slowly rising and looks like I'm developing Pre-Eclampsia. I know I'm super close to being full term so I'm trying not to worry about this at all but I did have to stop working and got put on bed rest.
While bedrest sounds wonderful for the first hour it sucks. Let me tell you. I know what I am doing is for the best but the nesting urge is ridiculous and I want to do so much but can't do anything. I can go from bed, couch, bathroom, back to bed, couch. I have one day a week I can go to dinner with Mr. OB or to a movie but he has to drop me off as close as possible to the entrance and limit my walking.
It looks like my BP is doing okay while I'm resting but if I get up and do anything it goes up to the 140s/80s. My doctor is hopeful I can make it to 37 weeks (FULL TERM!!!) and we can induce. We were planning on inducing anyways because little Pepper (or shall I say BIG) is measuring 3 weeks ahead.
So right now I'm just laying here and playing on the internet. In the past week I have watched so much TV and I feel like a bum. I'm not going to lie I'm envious of those women who can still do things at 35 weeks. I hate that I'm stuck here but I know its for the best for ME and PEPPER. And I also know in a couple of weeks I'm going to be WISHING I could lay on the bed and have nothing to do.
I could use many prayers right now that my BP stays low and that Ms. Pepper stays in me until I'm at least 37 weeks. I'm so close I can taste it!
And here is a 34 week photo of my belly. It sucks because now I don't really get dressed now but I told Mr. OB I promise to keep up with the photos. This was a photo I took of the dress I was GOING to wear to my shower. Boo! Instead I wore an awesome nursing nightgown.
We got in and my BP was in the upper 150s. I blamed nerves. Once I rested and the nurse went out it went down dramatically. They had be start the 24 hour urine collection and did some blood work. I thought I would be discharged and go home. Not the case. The nurse said they wanted to hold me over night and watch me for 24 hours. That meant I would miss my baby shower.. AGAIN. WTF I wanted to cry but I knew there was no use. By now it was just hilarious. Apparently my daughter is shy and hates attention on her.
I called all my friends and the girls hosting the shower to let them know of the news and like great friends they are they were all understanding and considerate. We decided to have people come up to the hospital and eat cake.. YUM!
Overall it was a WONDERFUL shower. I have some wonderful friends who were very considerate and generous. I got released after the shower and told to follow up with my doctor on Monday and continue with the 24 hour urine collection. Oh and bed rest for the weekend.
I checked up with my doctor and my BP is slowly rising and looks like I'm developing Pre-Eclampsia. I know I'm super close to being full term so I'm trying not to worry about this at all but I did have to stop working and got put on bed rest.
While bedrest sounds wonderful for the first hour it sucks. Let me tell you. I know what I am doing is for the best but the nesting urge is ridiculous and I want to do so much but can't do anything. I can go from bed, couch, bathroom, back to bed, couch. I have one day a week I can go to dinner with Mr. OB or to a movie but he has to drop me off as close as possible to the entrance and limit my walking.
It looks like my BP is doing okay while I'm resting but if I get up and do anything it goes up to the 140s/80s. My doctor is hopeful I can make it to 37 weeks (FULL TERM!!!) and we can induce. We were planning on inducing anyways because little Pepper (or shall I say BIG) is measuring 3 weeks ahead.
So right now I'm just laying here and playing on the internet. In the past week I have watched so much TV and I feel like a bum. I'm not going to lie I'm envious of those women who can still do things at 35 weeks. I hate that I'm stuck here but I know its for the best for ME and PEPPER. And I also know in a couple of weeks I'm going to be WISHING I could lay on the bed and have nothing to do.
I could use many prayers right now that my BP stays low and that Ms. Pepper stays in me until I'm at least 37 weeks. I'm so close I can taste it!
And here is a 34 week photo of my belly. It sucks because now I don't really get dressed now but I told Mr. OB I promise to keep up with the photos. This was a photo I took of the dress I was GOING to wear to my shower. Boo! Instead I wore an awesome nursing nightgown.
June 7, 2010
Today is my due date and no baby!
In my head I know all the statistics that say half of all pregnancies go over, but in my heart and my aching body, I'm ready for Baby Hopeful Bud to be here already. For weeks I've been anxious and nervous about her arrival, so I would say to myself that she can "bake" as long as she wants. But now I'm at complete peace and want her here now so that I can hold her and start our the new adventure as a family of three, Mr. Hopeful Bud, Baby HB and me!
Last night I timed contractions for over an hour and they were between 8-10 minutes apart. I drank my Raspberry Leaf tea, Mr. HB and I had some sexy time, I sat on the yoga ball and the contractions went away. I woke up a couple times during the night feeling contractions, but most of the time I just got up to use the bathroom because now that she has "dropped" I pee a lot more!
At my last appointment on Wednesday, Dr. O (my favorite doc of the practice) said that we could schedule an induction this week. He mentioned that he was on call this afternoon (Monday) so we could schedule it for today and he would deliver Baby HB. As tempting as that sounded, I didn't want to rush the decision to have an induction. I've been dilated to a 1cm for the last three weeks, only this last week had there been a change of 75% effacement, so obviously my body isn't ready. If my body isn't ready and we force an induction, I believe the rate of c-section increases and I really want to avoid a c-section if at all possible.
So if Baby HB doesn't come out to play on her own in the next couple of days, our next appointment is Wednesday afternoon and we will decide on a game plan.
Come on Baby HB, you have so many people that love you and can't wait to see you. Your adorable room is all ready. You have so many cute little clothes all washed and ready for you to wear. All we are missing is you. Your daddy and I are so excited to see you and love you.
If you don't hear from me for a bit, I hope it means that I'm crazy busy and tired with a newborn. Otherwise, I'll post something after our appointment on Wednesday about next steps.
Take care and stay hopeful!
:) Hopeful Bud
Last night I timed contractions for over an hour and they were between 8-10 minutes apart. I drank my Raspberry Leaf tea, Mr. HB and I had some sexy time, I sat on the yoga ball and the contractions went away. I woke up a couple times during the night feeling contractions, but most of the time I just got up to use the bathroom because now that she has "dropped" I pee a lot more!
At my last appointment on Wednesday, Dr. O (my favorite doc of the practice) said that we could schedule an induction this week. He mentioned that he was on call this afternoon (Monday) so we could schedule it for today and he would deliver Baby HB. As tempting as that sounded, I didn't want to rush the decision to have an induction. I've been dilated to a 1cm for the last three weeks, only this last week had there been a change of 75% effacement, so obviously my body isn't ready. If my body isn't ready and we force an induction, I believe the rate of c-section increases and I really want to avoid a c-section if at all possible.
So if Baby HB doesn't come out to play on her own in the next couple of days, our next appointment is Wednesday afternoon and we will decide on a game plan.
Come on Baby HB, you have so many people that love you and can't wait to see you. Your adorable room is all ready. You have so many cute little clothes all washed and ready for you to wear. All we are missing is you. Your daddy and I are so excited to see you and love you.
If you don't hear from me for a bit, I hope it means that I'm crazy busy and tired with a newborn. Otherwise, I'll post something after our appointment on Wednesday about next steps.
Take care and stay hopeful!
:) Hopeful Bud
April 11, 2010
What a ride!!!
Wow... that's all I have to say. I haven't had much time since my last post to update my Bloomin' Babies fans... remember me - Glow Bud???? :)
**DISCLAIMER** - this post may be long!!! Last I wrote I was still up in the air as to what route we were going to take in meeting little Baby GB.
Well, I was still pretty indecisive up until the last day but we scheduled the induction for the night of the 28th. In the meantime I did all I would with the old wives tales they suggest to induce labor: nightly walks, sexy time, spicy foods, eating pineapple, castor oil.... ok no... just kidding!
No such luck.
So Mr. GB and I took advantage of our last night "alone" together and went out Sat night to dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant and we had a blast. We didn't really talk about the baby much but just enjoyed each others company. Then we came home and just watched a movie, it was very nice. Sunday came and we just spent all day around the house. Not really doing much but trying to keep busy and get stuff done and be as prepared as possible. It was a weird feeling that day knowing we'd be parents in less than 24 hours!!! Around 7:30pm we packed up our bags in the car and headed off to the hospital.
We checked in and the wasted no time getting things going, we were escorted within minutes to room 2040 (Mr. GB's baseball and football jersey numbers from high school!!!). They got me into my gown and hooked up to the monitors for my contractions and for Baby GB's heartbeat - surprisingly I was already contracting pretty regularly and I was dilated to 1cm and 40% effaced... progress and all on my own!!! Then the nurse put in the 1st round of Cervadil, gave me an Ambien and told me to "get some rest." Ya right. The Cervadil was doing its job... All night my contractions were about 2-5 minutes apart and getting consistently stronger. I didn't sleep a wink. Mr. GB on the other hand slept for hours on the couch, waking a few times to see how I was and what he could do. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything but to wait.
Around 9am, our new nurse came in to meet us and to start me on Pitocin and Penicillin (because I tested positive for Group B Strep) and shortly after Dr. C stopped in to see how I was. At that time I was dilated to 3cm (I can't recall how effaced I was?!) - more progress though. Thank goodness! The nurses kept asking me to judge my pain on a scale of 1-10... I kept thinking... well, I don't know how bad this is going to get!!! So I think I kept underestimating and telling them 4 or 5... when now I look back I should have been saying 7 or 8.
Within an hour I was in so much pain from the contractions that I was already considering getting the epidural but wanted to hold out as long as possible. I think it was around 11am I finally caved and asked for it and within 15 minutes the anesthesiologist was up in my room getting it all started. Mr. GB was a rock holding my hands while they worked and within 3 contractions they were finished and I was laying back starting to feel the effects of it.
I don't care what anyone says... the epidural was FABULOUS! :)
After that my mom and sister came in and I could actually hold a conversation and we'd watch the contractions on the monitor and I couldn't feel a thing! Around 1pm Dr. C came in to check me again and to her (and my!) surprise I was dilated to 7cm! At that point she broke my water and that's when I got REALLY nervous cause she said we'd have our boy in the next few hours! Those next few hours were kind of a blur, we didn't do much except hang out in my room watching TV and chatting.
Around 3:30pm I was checked again and the nurse let me know she was going to call Dr. C and let her know that I was fully dilated to 10cm and it was time to start pushing... eeeek! I was really worried about Mr. GB cause he told me from the beginning that he didn't think he'd be able to watch or even help hold my leg. Well, that went out the window cause the nurse didn't give him a chance to decline and by 30 minutes in he was watching the whole thing. I also had said I didn't want anyone in the room except Mr. GB and the nurses while I was pushing but that went out the window as well when my mom poked her head in mid-push to see how I was... so I told her and my sister to come on in! So... all you girls on my favorite message board - there you have it... YOU WERE RIGHT! :)
For the next two hours Mr. GB, my mom and my nurse coached me as I pushed and slowly started to feel my epidural wear off. There was a point right before Dr. C came in that I really thought I wasn't going to be able to do it. And once she got there everything was a blur cause I was so worn out and in so much pain. I remember her telling me that she'd need to do an episiotomy and that I'd need to push with all I had the next few pushes because Baby GB's heart rate had dropped and we needed to get him out. Two pushes later and Baby GB was here at 5:49pm - 6 lbs 14 oz - 18 1/2 inches. Dr. C asked if either Mr. GB or my mom wanted to cut the cord - neither wanted to, so as soon as she did it they took Baby GB over the the warmer to check him out since his heart rate had dropped so low right before delivery. Mr. GB was right by his side and I remember thinking he looked so proud!
He came over to me and gave me the BIGGEST hug and told me how proud he was of me and how great I did. Oh and that he loved me of course :)
For the next 1/2 hour as Dr. C stitched me up, all I could do is lay there and shake from the adrenaline. I FINALLY got to hold my sweet little boy as they told me that his breathing was very erratic and that he took in a lot of fluid during delivery so they would need to take him upstairs to the NICU for monitoring for a few hours. So after only a few minutes with him, off he went with Mr. GB. I don't think I really knew what was going on at that point cause I was so out of it because I didn't cry, which is really unlike me.
In the meantime, they moved me to another room where we'd spend the night to get settled and wait for Mr. GB to come back with my little boy. After about an hour Mr. GB came to our new room and said he was going to bring me food and then we'd go up to see our little man because he wasn't going to be spending the night with us - he was on oxygen and would need to be monitored for the night.
Once we got upstairs he was sleeping so peaceful but I got to hold him and the nurse tried to help me nurse him - he wasn't too interested though and we needed some sleep as well so we went back down to our room to do our best to again "get some rest." I think Mr. GB set his alarm to go back up and see him around 3am but was back in bed shortly after.
The next morning, the nurses came in to check me and remove my IV's so I could be more mobile. I took a shower and ate some breakfast and then headed up to see my baby again. This time we met with the doctor who was taking care of Baby GB - he informed us that his chest x-ray had shown possible signs of infection and that they started him on antibiotics through an IV. We wouldn't know for 3 days the outcome but likely the NICU would be his home for 5-7 days... possibly 10-14 days. :(
I spent that whole day between my room and the NICU and I also met with a lactation specialist who hooked me up with a hospital grade pump to hopefully help bring in my milk and to supplement what Baby GB was getting through his IV. While I was spending time with him I was clueless as to what I needed to be doing. The nurses filtered in and out in 12 hour shifts and some seemed to take charge while others just let me do my thing - which was hard as there were 3 monitors hooked to him at all times beeping and just being in the way of holding my sweet boy.
The next day I was discharged from the hospital and I have to say that was the HARDEST day of my life. Going home alone. Alone without my baby that had been with me 24/7 for the last 9 months. Also, Mr. GB had to go back to work to get his mind off things and my mom and my sister hit the road to go back home since they couldn't do much in the way of helping me out my first week with baby. So, for the next week, it was back and forth from our house to the hospital. I tried to spend as much time as possible with him and Mr. GB would go back with me every night after work to see our little man. It was so hard to leave him every night but the hospital had a policy that you could not sleep by his bedside :(
I think it must have been about mid-week that we got the news that Baby GB would be able to come home with us on Easter Sunday. It was an awesome homecoming and we are so happy to be settling in.
It only took me a week to get this birth story done! haha **woot**woot** I'm sure I missed a ton but that's the gist of it... Hopefully in the coming weeks I'll still be able to blog through Bloomin' Babies but I can't promise how much I'll be around. I've got a few things left in me before I throw in the towel but I have to say blogging for BB has been a great experience for me and I'm so glad to have been given the opportunity to do so!!!
**DISCLAIMER** - this post may be long!!! Last I wrote I was still up in the air as to what route we were going to take in meeting little Baby GB.
Well, I was still pretty indecisive up until the last day but we scheduled the induction for the night of the 28th. In the meantime I did all I would with the old wives tales they suggest to induce labor: nightly walks, sexy time, spicy foods, eating pineapple, castor oil.... ok no... just kidding!
No such luck.
So Mr. GB and I took advantage of our last night "alone" together and went out Sat night to dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant and we had a blast. We didn't really talk about the baby much but just enjoyed each others company. Then we came home and just watched a movie, it was very nice. Sunday came and we just spent all day around the house. Not really doing much but trying to keep busy and get stuff done and be as prepared as possible. It was a weird feeling that day knowing we'd be parents in less than 24 hours!!! Around 7:30pm we packed up our bags in the car and headed off to the hospital.
We checked in and the wasted no time getting things going, we were escorted within minutes to room 2040 (Mr. GB's baseball and football jersey numbers from high school!!!). They got me into my gown and hooked up to the monitors for my contractions and for Baby GB's heartbeat - surprisingly I was already contracting pretty regularly and I was dilated to 1cm and 40% effaced... progress and all on my own!!! Then the nurse put in the 1st round of Cervadil, gave me an Ambien and told me to "get some rest." Ya right. The Cervadil was doing its job... All night my contractions were about 2-5 minutes apart and getting consistently stronger. I didn't sleep a wink. Mr. GB on the other hand slept for hours on the couch, waking a few times to see how I was and what he could do. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything but to wait.
Around 9am, our new nurse came in to meet us and to start me on Pitocin and Penicillin (because I tested positive for Group B Strep) and shortly after Dr. C stopped in to see how I was. At that time I was dilated to 3cm (I can't recall how effaced I was?!) - more progress though. Thank goodness! The nurses kept asking me to judge my pain on a scale of 1-10... I kept thinking... well, I don't know how bad this is going to get!!! So I think I kept underestimating and telling them 4 or 5... when now I look back I should have been saying 7 or 8.
Within an hour I was in so much pain from the contractions that I was already considering getting the epidural but wanted to hold out as long as possible. I think it was around 11am I finally caved and asked for it and within 15 minutes the anesthesiologist was up in my room getting it all started. Mr. GB was a rock holding my hands while they worked and within 3 contractions they were finished and I was laying back starting to feel the effects of it.
I don't care what anyone says... the epidural was FABULOUS! :)
After that my mom and sister came in and I could actually hold a conversation and we'd watch the contractions on the monitor and I couldn't feel a thing! Around 1pm Dr. C came in to check me again and to her (and my!) surprise I was dilated to 7cm! At that point she broke my water and that's when I got REALLY nervous cause she said we'd have our boy in the next few hours! Those next few hours were kind of a blur, we didn't do much except hang out in my room watching TV and chatting.
Around 3:30pm I was checked again and the nurse let me know she was going to call Dr. C and let her know that I was fully dilated to 10cm and it was time to start pushing... eeeek! I was really worried about Mr. GB cause he told me from the beginning that he didn't think he'd be able to watch or even help hold my leg. Well, that went out the window cause the nurse didn't give him a chance to decline and by 30 minutes in he was watching the whole thing. I also had said I didn't want anyone in the room except Mr. GB and the nurses while I was pushing but that went out the window as well when my mom poked her head in mid-push to see how I was... so I told her and my sister to come on in! So... all you girls on my favorite message board - there you have it... YOU WERE RIGHT! :)
For the next two hours Mr. GB, my mom and my nurse coached me as I pushed and slowly started to feel my epidural wear off. There was a point right before Dr. C came in that I really thought I wasn't going to be able to do it. And once she got there everything was a blur cause I was so worn out and in so much pain. I remember her telling me that she'd need to do an episiotomy and that I'd need to push with all I had the next few pushes because Baby GB's heart rate had dropped and we needed to get him out. Two pushes later and Baby GB was here at 5:49pm - 6 lbs 14 oz - 18 1/2 inches. Dr. C asked if either Mr. GB or my mom wanted to cut the cord - neither wanted to, so as soon as she did it they took Baby GB over the the warmer to check him out since his heart rate had dropped so low right before delivery. Mr. GB was right by his side and I remember thinking he looked so proud!
He came over to me and gave me the BIGGEST hug and told me how proud he was of me and how great I did. Oh and that he loved me of course :) For the next 1/2 hour as Dr. C stitched me up, all I could do is lay there and shake from the adrenaline. I FINALLY got to hold my sweet little boy as they told me that his breathing was very erratic and that he took in a lot of fluid during delivery so they would need to take him upstairs to the NICU for monitoring for a few hours. So after only a few minutes with him, off he went with Mr. GB. I don't think I really knew what was going on at that point cause I was so out of it because I didn't cry, which is really unlike me.
In the meantime, they moved me to another room where we'd spend the night to get settled and wait for Mr. GB to come back with my little boy. After about an hour Mr. GB came to our new room and said he was going to bring me food and then we'd go up to see our little man because he wasn't going to be spending the night with us - he was on oxygen and would need to be monitored for the night.
Once we got upstairs he was sleeping so peaceful but I got to hold him and the nurse tried to help me nurse him - he wasn't too interested though and we needed some sleep as well so we went back down to our room to do our best to again "get some rest." I think Mr. GB set his alarm to go back up and see him around 3am but was back in bed shortly after.
The next morning, the nurses came in to check me and remove my IV's so I could be more mobile. I took a shower and ate some breakfast and then headed up to see my baby again. This time we met with the doctor who was taking care of Baby GB - he informed us that his chest x-ray had shown possible signs of infection and that they started him on antibiotics through an IV. We wouldn't know for 3 days the outcome but likely the NICU would be his home for 5-7 days... possibly 10-14 days. :(
I spent that whole day between my room and the NICU and I also met with a lactation specialist who hooked me up with a hospital grade pump to hopefully help bring in my milk and to supplement what Baby GB was getting through his IV. While I was spending time with him I was clueless as to what I needed to be doing. The nurses filtered in and out in 12 hour shifts and some seemed to take charge while others just let me do my thing - which was hard as there were 3 monitors hooked to him at all times beeping and just being in the way of holding my sweet boy.
The next day I was discharged from the hospital and I have to say that was the HARDEST day of my life. Going home alone. Alone without my baby that had been with me 24/7 for the last 9 months. Also, Mr. GB had to go back to work to get his mind off things and my mom and my sister hit the road to go back home since they couldn't do much in the way of helping me out my first week with baby. So, for the next week, it was back and forth from our house to the hospital. I tried to spend as much time as possible with him and Mr. GB would go back with me every night after work to see our little man. It was so hard to leave him every night but the hospital had a policy that you could not sleep by his bedside :(
I think it must have been about mid-week that we got the news that Baby GB would be able to come home with us on Easter Sunday. It was an awesome homecoming and we are so happy to be settling in.
It only took me a week to get this birth story done! haha **woot**woot** I'm sure I missed a ton but that's the gist of it... Hopefully in the coming weeks I'll still be able to blog through Bloomin' Babies but I can't promise how much I'll be around. I've got a few things left in me before I throw in the towel but I have to say blogging for BB has been a great experience for me and I'm so glad to have been given the opportunity to do so!!!
March 22, 2010
You've Been Served!!!
Yup... it's official. The eviction notice is being served... Sunday March 28th we go in to be induced. That is - if Baby GB doesn't make an appearance before then.I had my 39 week appointment today - everything looks good! BP was normal, heart rate was a little slower than normal but he was also in the middle of a nap I think so Dr. C wasn't concerned. While there's not really too much more progress going on down there... still not dilating however he's lower and things are starting to open up and soften - she gave us two options:
Option 1) Be admitted to the hospital on Sunday night to administer Cervadil and then on Monday morning I get PITOCIN!!! :) Landon would probably be born sometime Monday afternoon or early Tuesday depending on how well my body takes to the Pitocin.
Option 2) Get scheduled for an early Monday morning appointment with Dr. C to see if anything else is progressing... if not... be scheduled for induction on Wednesday or Thursday anyway?!
Option 3) Wait it out... I'm adding this because it technically is an option but it's not one of MY options :) I'm not willing to wait longer than next week. Call me selfish... but I'm done.
I think we are going to choose option 1... what's 3 or 4 days anyway when I'll already be 40 weeks at that point??? Mr. GB is a little leery of using more drugs than is necessary (yes, I'm getting the epidural - I'm not even going to lie!) but with no progress at this point it kind of looks like we'd be induced either way. I know I know, things can change at a moments notice and Dr. C is hopeful that he'll decide to make an appearance on his own in the next week but we'll see. I have to call tomorrow and let her know what we decide!
February 4, 2010
32 Weeks and an OVERLOAD of info...
I had my 32 week appointment with Dr. C yesterday. It went pretty well - minus the fact that my back has still been killing me and she keeps giving me all these "suggestions" when all I really want is a referral to a massage therapist who specializes in pre-natal massages. Don't get me wrong... Mr GB does a good job... but I can only imagine the real thing.
Anyway, I got to do the usual... pee in a cup - check... blood pressure - normal... Baby GB's heart beat - 150 and he kicked the doppler yet again... tape measure to the belly - right on track (wohoo - not big!!!)... then she started in on the Gestational Diabetes talk. First of all she apologized to me because as I distinctly remember she said I was one of her patients that she believed would "have nothing to worry about." Yeah right... it was nice she remembered saying that though. Apparently, as noted before my number for the 1 hour test was only slightly elevated and come to find out technically I didn't even fail the 3 hour!!! She showed me my numbers and if you recall from this post to really fail the 3 hour you are to fail 2 or more of the 4 blood draws... I failed one... but another of my numbers was 1 point (1 POINT!!!!) below the cut-off so she decided to cautiously diagnose me with gestational diabetes.
Honestly, I'm fine with it - if any of you have talked to me in the last few weeks since dealing with the GD Dx you know that I feel better than ever. I have a ton more energy, I've actually lost a few pounds, and I'm really considering continuing this diet plan (although a not so strict version) after Baby GB is born. Who woulda thunk??? :)
She did give me some more information as far as being induced early. The nutritionist had mentioned that a lot of doctors don't let patients with GD go past 38 weeks so I definitely wanted to ask her about this. Dr. C says that the EARLIEST she'd induce me is 39 weeks and that's ONLY if Baby GB starts to grow out of control. With my body frame, height and weight... she said there's probably no way a baby larger than about 9 lbs is coming out of... well... there. So there'd be a higher chance of C-section if she let me go. Also, she said that she won't let me go past my due date. So... March 29th it is :) If he's not here on his own by the time I hit my 40 week appointment, I'll be going sometime that week for induction. EEK!!! Scary! But oh so exciting!!! :)
Also (I swear I'm almost done!), starting at week 34 I have to go in for two (count them... two) weekly appointments at the hospital for non-stress tests. This is ALONG with my regular appointments - which are now every 2 weeks and at 36 weeks every week - with Dr. C. I'm not 100% sure exactly what these NST's entail but she said one is some kind of test to measure his movement (while simulating a contraction?!) and another test will be an ultrasound to measure the fluid levels. Apparently another side effect of GD is that the fluid around little Baby GB could get low if my blood sugars are not controlled which could either mean: 1. bedrest or 2. early induction. So while it's kind of cool I get to see him on the big screen on a weekly basis - what a pain!!! I've asked my work if I can switch my schedule from 8am-5pm to 7am-4pm so at least I won't have to take time off, I'll just head over to the hospital and hope that they can fit me in before 5. Fingers crossed...
Here's what Baby GP is up to this week:
Baby's now the size of a squash! Ready or not, baby's getting ready to emerge. She's probably in the head-down position by now, with her bottom facing up. This is the comfiest way for her body to fit in your increasingly cramped womb and will make her eventual exit (only a few months away now!) much easier. (If she's still head-up, don't panic -- there's still time for a flip before birth.)
Anyway, I got to do the usual... pee in a cup - check... blood pressure - normal... Baby GB's heart beat - 150 and he kicked the doppler yet again... tape measure to the belly - right on track (wohoo - not big!!!)... then she started in on the Gestational Diabetes talk. First of all she apologized to me because as I distinctly remember she said I was one of her patients that she believed would "have nothing to worry about." Yeah right... it was nice she remembered saying that though. Apparently, as noted before my number for the 1 hour test was only slightly elevated and come to find out technically I didn't even fail the 3 hour!!! She showed me my numbers and if you recall from this post to really fail the 3 hour you are to fail 2 or more of the 4 blood draws... I failed one... but another of my numbers was 1 point (1 POINT!!!!) below the cut-off so she decided to cautiously diagnose me with gestational diabetes.
Honestly, I'm fine with it - if any of you have talked to me in the last few weeks since dealing with the GD Dx you know that I feel better than ever. I have a ton more energy, I've actually lost a few pounds, and I'm really considering continuing this diet plan (although a not so strict version) after Baby GB is born. Who woulda thunk??? :)
She did give me some more information as far as being induced early. The nutritionist had mentioned that a lot of doctors don't let patients with GD go past 38 weeks so I definitely wanted to ask her about this. Dr. C says that the EARLIEST she'd induce me is 39 weeks and that's ONLY if Baby GB starts to grow out of control. With my body frame, height and weight... she said there's probably no way a baby larger than about 9 lbs is coming out of... well... there. So there'd be a higher chance of C-section if she let me go. Also, she said that she won't let me go past my due date. So... March 29th it is :) If he's not here on his own by the time I hit my 40 week appointment, I'll be going sometime that week for induction. EEK!!! Scary! But oh so exciting!!! :)
Also (I swear I'm almost done!), starting at week 34 I have to go in for two (count them... two) weekly appointments at the hospital for non-stress tests. This is ALONG with my regular appointments - which are now every 2 weeks and at 36 weeks every week - with Dr. C. I'm not 100% sure exactly what these NST's entail but she said one is some kind of test to measure his movement (while simulating a contraction?!) and another test will be an ultrasound to measure the fluid levels. Apparently another side effect of GD is that the fluid around little Baby GB could get low if my blood sugars are not controlled which could either mean: 1. bedrest or 2. early induction. So while it's kind of cool I get to see him on the big screen on a weekly basis - what a pain!!! I've asked my work if I can switch my schedule from 8am-5pm to 7am-4pm so at least I won't have to take time off, I'll just head over to the hospital and hope that they can fit me in before 5. Fingers crossed...
Here's what Baby GP is up to this week:
Baby's now the size of a squash! Ready or not, baby's getting ready to emerge. She's probably in the head-down position by now, with her bottom facing up. This is the comfiest way for her body to fit in your increasingly cramped womb and will make her eventual exit (only a few months away now!) much easier. (If she's still head-up, don't panic -- there's still time for a flip before birth.)
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