Delivery..what is it all about?

[msb700]

All these TTC, pregnancy and mommy posts got me to thinking about the ''transition'' from being a preggo to actually being a mom...a lot of the mothers here have shared their delivery stories, and it has been quite amazing to hear how each one was different from the other...

the purpose of this topic is not to scare ppl or to give ecky details..the purpose here is to educate about what MITE happen during delivery and what you can expect. Also, how many have opted for an epi and who didnt'', who did the c-section and who did the natural, did you have your hubby with u in the room or not? did your water break first or did u get contractions? did you deliver on ur due date, before or after? I know that this whole ''section'' of the preggo/mommy transition was a BIG mystery to me..i went into it blindfolded and had no idea wat to expect, what goes on and how i should have acted...

Perhaps this thread can help clarify a few questions that some may have but are not sure how to ask, can help comfort those who are not sure wat to expect (and may also scare some who didn''t want to know!!)...

I apologize if you think this is TMI to be shared, if so then please let me know and I will ask PS Admin to remove this thread...

I will start it off with my experience...

Well shortly after finding out i was pregnant, i had a feeling that i would NOT finish my full term and would prolly deliver early..sure enuf 3 weeks before my due date i gave birth!

This is how my day went..

i had a very tiring and looooooooooooooooong day in the office...i left the office late and got home just in time to take a quick shower, change and then head back out. Hubby and I are were meeting our old neighbours and some friends for dinner...got back home around 1130/midnite....at 1 am my water broke!...i had just fallen asleep and woke up startled thinking i had gone in bed (sorry for TMI!)..it took a few seconds for it to click as to what had happened...woke hubby up who i have to say was amazingly calm about it all (which helped calm me down!)...i had just finished packing both my bag and the babies bag a few days ago so we were ready to go! so he put them in the car and came back to get me...by the time we left the house it was around 145 or so...called my sis to give her the news and we were on our way....on the way there i was sort of freaked out that this was it...im there!! i reached the end...but at the same time i was SOOOOOOOOO relived that it took me by surprise..that i didnt have to wait for it...

i didnt get any contractions initially and was feeling fine, but coz i was so jittery and nervous i could barely walk from the car to the emergency room!! my legs were shaking too much...anyhow...i got in and the doctor on shift came in to check everything...she said i was still veeeeeeeeery early in the game and had a while to wait...that they''d just monitor me for a while and then they would send me to my room to ''wait it out'' ....sure enuf, by 330 am i was in my hospital room waiting....it was hilarious being wheeled back into the room and i find my mom, both sisters and hubby all sitting waiting for me...so they sat there and tried to entertain me for a bit, but i was just too exhausted from my long day and wanted to rest..thats when my contractions started..and i was one of those unlucky ones where i did not have the ''normal'' contractions..where they started light and far apart and would then be closer and more intense..i had an unstable/volatile route...(blah)...so id get realllllly intense contractions a min apart...then they''d space out to like 30 mins apart and would be lite!! it was very tiring having to go thru that, but i was assured that it was perfectly normal...

i stayed that way until around 730/8 am..apparently thru out the nite i kept waking up from the pain and i actually threw up a few times (by that point hubby couldn''t handle seeing me that way and had to leave the room...poor guy)...by 8 am, they wheeled me into the delivery room where they would prep me up and better monitor the baby''s heart beat (especially since my water broke, they were concerned)...my doctor had arrived by then and was worried that my baby''s heart beats were slowing down and i was not dialating fast enuf and if they did not become any better that they would have to do a c-section....however, they turned me around a few times and it turned out that the position i was in (flat on my back) was causing the fetal monitor to not pick up the heartbets properly...so i had to lie down on my side and the doctor also placed one of those wires/sticky things ON the baby itself (his crown) so to get a proper reading....by 1030/11 am they put my epi injection in (i had already opted for one earlier and it was in my records so they had everything set up) and by 12 i was fully dialated and it was time to get the ball rolling!! at 1241pm i was done and i had given birth to my beautiful baby boy...they had to use the foreceps to help me out in the end coz i was tooo tired and couldn''t push any more, but it all worked out great...to be honest, i thought the actual pushing process would be a lot lot lot worse than wat i had gone thru..it was tru that the epi had done wonders in lessing the pain, but they had almost stopped it by the time i was ready to push so i could still feel all the pain and the contractons..they didnt want me drugged up as i would have not been able to push properly...anyhow, after i was done i was in a complete daze and had no idea wat was going on and like tacori had said...they said that i only needed a few stitches but my doc was there for a whilllllllllllle!!!

Oh and my hubby didnt come in the room with me..i asked my sister (who is also a doctor) to come in the room with me..i knew my hubby would have been freaking out and would have been of no help to me..my sis being a doctor had seen it all and would understand the mumbo jumbo (medical talk) going on and would alert me if anything was going on..she was a great comfort to me and i loved having her there..she would hold my hands thru my contractions and would help me breath in and out (which btw, if u dont do rite u get all dizzy!!! i kept getting it wrong and ended up feeling like i wanted to throw up!! hahahaha)

after showing me my son, they took him away to get checked...they then let me rest for 2 hours in the delivery room to gain my strength and not be overwhelmed by ppl (family) hovering over me....my hubby did sneak in though (no clue how he did that!) to see me...poor guy, as soon as he saw me he burst into tears and came to hug me and thank me for being so amazing and strong and giving him a beautiful son...seeing him so humbled like that really touched me and made me feel that wat i had just gone thru i would do again in a heart beat to see that look of pure happiness in my DH''s eyes again..



I just did a quick review of my msg and noticed how long it was!!

so sooooooooooooooory!!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I posted details of Tessa's birth story in the preggo thread. One word about L&D is horrible

I also had complications but my recovery has been a little rough. Now that being said baby Tessa is in my arms and all the pain IS worth it. I never had romantic notions about L&D and wanted as pain free as possible. My best advice is ANYTHING can happen. Go with the flow. Trust your doctor. Remember the pain IS temporary.

ETA: sleep when you can! When I wasn't pushing, I was passed out.

 

[chrono]

For all the gory details, I posted mine on the Pregnancy thread as well (in the early few pages). My labours were all quick (checked in in the morning, baby is out in the early afternoon) with one unmedicated, and the other with epidural. Fortunately for me, I had minimal pushing (somewhere between 3 and 5).

 

[VegasAngel]

I think I posted mine in the other thread as well. My L&D was terrible. I echo Tacori's sentiments, anything can happen. Hopefully the hospital will not have to ask you for all your information during contractions, & then get mad when you cant answer fast enough. Apparently I was not in the system. Nevermind I was there 2x a week for the past 2 months

. Epidurals are greeeeeat & probably even better if you get it when you are supposed to

. Helps if the nurse puts your iv in right. Kind of uncomfortable if it's in wrong 7+ hours. My bedsheets were changed once during my 2 day stay. Also had some lady coming to my room 2 times a day during my days there asking me to pay for my hospital bill. OK, I should stop venting.

 

[curlygirl]

My story is also posted in the pregnancy thread. Unlike many others, I had a really easy time and am surprisingly anxious to do it all again!!!! My baby came one day before her due date, I labored at home for a few hours until the real pain started, got to the hospital just before my water broke, got the epidural at 5cm and before I knew it, I was holding my little angel in my arms. I had a fantastic nurse and the whole staff was actually great--to the point that we were laughing and telling jokes in between pushes. I had a really easy recovery too. Honestly, I was TERRIFIED of labor and delivery and expected the absolute worst so I guess I''m really lucky that it went so much more smoothly than I was anticipating. I think that if you go into it with the mindset that whatever happens, happens, you''ll be ok. People who go in with detailed birth plans are often disappointed when things don''t go as they hoped. You CAN NOT plan this!! All you can do is hope for a great nurse, an effective epidural (!) and most importantly, a healthy child, regardless of how he/she enters the world.

 

[lyra]

Gee, didn''t anyone have c-sections? The first one required a lot of recooperation time, partly because the labor was long, gruelling and totally unproductive. The second one was scheduled, no muss, no fuss and I was up and out of bed a couple of hours later in a lot less pain than my roomate, who did it the naturally.

 

[Joolskie]

Two c-sections here!

I was induced with my first baby. They thought he was very large. So, I was hooked up to the pitocin drip at midnight and off we went. Labor was brutal. I remember telling my husband to punch me as hard as he could in my lower back because I needed the counter pressure to relieve the pain. I managed to get to 6cm before asking for an epidural. Something about the epidural caused a reaction so I remember getting the epi and then coming to with an oxygen mask on my face. My husband was white as a sheet. Once I was stabilized, I enjoyed my epidural.

Around 1pm (13 hours of labor), it was time to push. And push. And push. And push. I pushed for three hours and no kid. At that point, the decision was made to perform a c-section. So off we went to the OR. I was mentally and physically exhausted at this point so I was given a sedative. This is most likely TMI but the doctor had to literally push my son''s head back UP in order to deliver him through the incision. Turns out he was "sunny side up" with his head facing the ceiling. The first thing my beautiful baby did after screeching out a cry was pee all over the doctor. LOL! And he was only 8.5 pounds. Not the 10+ they thought he was. He is now in first grade and a green belt in karate.

My second baby was a whole other story. Because of my first c-section, I had the option of scheduling another one. I asked the doctor if she could guarantee three pushes and the kid would fall out or would I endure 13 hours of labor, three hours pushing and major abdominal surgery again. She said there are no guarantees. I said schedule the c-section. Well, my little boy decided he wanted out a week before my scheduled c-section.

The day I went into labor, I left work around 3pm and picked up my older son from daycare. I took him to the barber shop for haircut and we went home. As I had deemed this pregnancy my "vanity pregnancy" I had a very important leg waxing appointment that evening. So, my son stayed with daddy while I waddled off to have my legs done. After my waxing appointment, I popped over to the mall and walked a bit. Finally, around 8pm I went home. I had just put my key in the front door when I heard a popping sound immediately followed by a rush of liquid streaming down my pants. My water had broken. So much for getting a good night''s sleep, waking up and heading over my scheduled c-section the following week.

By the time we called the hospital, called my sister-in-law and waited until she could come over to stay with our son... two hours had gone by. And I have to say that being in labor naturally was MUCH BETTER than being induced. The pain didn''t really kick in until we were almost at the hospital. When I checked in, I was crying through my contractions. But, I was at 7cm. Regardless, I had made my husband promise to make me have the c-section even if I was tempted to try for a VBAC. So, they hit me with a spinal and got to work. As it turns out, the doctor said that it was a good thing I had the c-section. My son had not even come down at all. I would have pushed and pushed and pushed and ended up with a c-section just like the first delivery. The first thing my husband said when they held up our second beautiful baby boy was "wow, he''s HUGE!" And at 9.5 pounds... he was! He is now in preschool and quite a good Lego artist.

When it comes to delivery, I think it is very good to have a birth plan. But, you also have to be prepared to deviate from that plan. NOBODY in any class I took or any books I read explained what the recovery is like from a c-section. It is, after all, major surgery. And you have to rest and recover from it like you would any other surgery. The only glitch is that you also have a NEW BABY to take care of.

Accept help. Ask for help. You are no good to that gorgeous bundle of kid if you are miserable.

And before you go into the hospital... get your legs waxed and hair cut. At the very least, you can look decent while recovering. LOL!!!

 

[somethingshiny]

I''ll try to make this as brief as possible but detailed.

I was induced at 39 weeks. I could hardly breathe! My BP and everything else was very good throughout my pregnancy. The doctor finally agreed to induce me after I yelled, begged, cried, and reasoned with him.

I arrived on a Sunday afternoon. They inserted Cervadil at 4pm. Lie flat on your back for 12 hours. Contractions started immediately. Dr didn''t think they''d have to do Pitocin. Weak contractions through the evening and night.

At 4 am Monday they started Pitocin. Hard contractions 3 mins apart immediately. Waiting, pain, waiting, pain. Nurse came in several times to offer epidural. I said no. waiting, pain, waiting, pain. Epi offered again. No. waiting, pain, waiting, pain.

6pm. "Where IS that girl with the epidural????" Got the epidural. Dh was in the room. He was supposed to be holding the cart that I was leaning on. HE got faint, had to back up. I have a needle in my spine as I''m trying to hold this damn cart on wheels from sliding away from me so I don''t become paralyzed. AHHHH! That''s better! Waiting, waiting, waiting. They put the Pitocin up all the way. waiting, waiting, waiting.

6am Tuesday morning. Slam the Pitocin up much higher than it''s supposed to go. I feel the contractions through the epidural. Dr says it''s time for a c-section. Call my mom, MIL, and sister.

7am into OR. They increase the epidural meds. Strap me down, pop up my little tent area, DH enters in scrubs. They start prepping me (I had already shaved, just in case.). I say "my left leg is falling off the table". Doc "no, it''s just a sensation.". me "okay, but my left leg is falling off the table.". doc "no it''s not." Doc starts cutting. FLOOMP! "My left leg just fell off the table." Doc "OMG, can you FEEL this!?!" me, "Not my belly, just my legs." Doc "that''s unusual."

After doc makes his second cut, he says "He''s going to be a big one!" (cause there was such a thin fat layer over my uterus.) First words out of doc''s mouth when he holds up the baby is not "it''s a boy", but "LOOK at the SIZE of him!!"

JT entered the world at 7:27 am, ten pounds seven ounces, 20 inches long. Mishapen head due to an oblong lump from where he was trying to get through. Nurse says "Isn''t he beautiful?" I say, "No. He''s got a giant bump and he''s bloody and greasy." She doesn''t find this near as amusing as I do.

They let me kiss JT and then DH takes him to the nursery while I''m put back together. I lost a lot of blood and JT was so big I have a big incision. I left the OR at 8:30 am. I''ve only seen JT for a few minutes so far. I go to Recovery and have to stay until almost 11 am. Finally, they let me go back to my room. My family is all there by then. They give me my little JT.

And, the only way I can describe the feeling is: You know in the Wizard Of Oz, when Dorothy first walks into Munchkinland and everything''s in color. THAT''S how it felt. Like I never realized I was living in a black and white world until I saw the vivid colors when I looked at my son.

 

[Miranda]

Date: 11/13/2007 10:32:22 PM
Author: somethingshiny
I''ll try to make this as brief as possible but detailed.

I was induced at 39 weeks. I could hardly breathe! My BP and everything else was very good throughout my pregnancy. The doctor finally agreed to induce me after I yelled, begged, cried, and reasoned with him.

I arrived on a Sunday afternoon. They inserted Cervadil at 4pm. Lie flat on your back for 12 hours. Contractions started immediately. Dr didn''t think they''d have to do Pitocin. Weak contractions through the evening and night.

At 4 am Monday they started Pitocin. Hard contractions 3 mins apart immediately. Waiting, pain, waiting, pain. Nurse came in several times to offer epidural. I said no. waiting, pain, waiting, pain. Epi offered again. No. waiting, pain, waiting, pain.

6pm. ''Where IS that girl with the epidural????'' Got the epidural. Dh was in the room. He was supposed to be holding the cart that I was leaning on. HE got faint, had to back up. I have a needle in my spine as I''m trying to hold this damn cart on wheels from sliding away from me so I don''t become paralyzed. AHHHH! That''s better! Waiting, waiting, waiting. They put the Pitocin up all the way. waiting, waiting, waiting.

6am Tuesday morning. Slam the Pitocin up much higher than it''s supposed to go. I feel the contractions through the epidural. Dr says it''s time for a c-section. Call my mom, MIL, and sister.

7am into OR. They increase the epidural meds. Strap me down, pop up my little tent area, DH enters in scrubs. They start prepping me (I had already shaved, just in case.). I say ''my left leg is falling off the table''. Doc ''no, it''s just a sensation.''. me ''okay, but my left leg is falling off the table.''. doc ''no it''s not.'' Doc starts cutting. FLOOMP! ''My left leg just fell off the table.'' Doc ''OMG, can you FEEL this!?!'' me, ''Not my belly, just my legs.'' Doc ''that''s unusual.''

After doc makes his second cut, he says ''He''s going to be a big one!'' (cause there was such a thin fat layer over my uterus.) First words out of doc''s mouth when he holds up the baby is not ''it''s a boy'', but ''LOOK at the SIZE of him!!''

JT entered the world at 7:27 am, ten pounds seven ounces, 20 inches long. Mishapen head due to an oblong lump from where he was trying to get through. Nurse says ''Isn''t he beautiful?'' I say, ''No. He''s got a giant bump and he''s bloody and greasy.'' She doesn''t find this near as amusing as I do.

They let me kiss JT and then DH takes him to the nursery while I''m put back together. I lost a lot of blood and JT was so big I have a big incision. I left the OR at 8:30 am. I''ve only seen JT for a few minutes so far. I go to Recovery and have to stay until almost 11 am. Finally, they let me go back to my room. My family is all there by then. They give me my little JT.

And, the only way I can describe the feeling is: You know in the Wizard Of Oz, when Dorothy first walks into Munchkinland and everything''s in color. THAT''S how it felt. Like I never realized I was living in a black and white world until I saw the vivid colors when I looked at my son.

Oh wow! That brought tears to my eyes! It is so true! I love that!

 

[msb700]

Date: 11/13/2007 11:17:49 PM
Author: Miranda

Date: 11/13/2007 10:32:22 PM
Author: somethingshiny
I''ll try to make this as brief as possible but detailed.

I was induced at 39 weeks. I could hardly breathe! My BP and everything else was very good throughout my pregnancy. The doctor finally agreed to induce me after I yelled, begged, cried, and reasoned with him.

I arrived on a Sunday afternoon. They inserted Cervadil at 4pm. Lie flat on your back for 12 hours. Contractions started immediately. Dr didn''t think they''d have to do Pitocin. Weak contractions through the evening and night.

At 4 am Monday they started Pitocin. Hard contractions 3 mins apart immediately. Waiting, pain, waiting, pain. Nurse came in several times to offer epidural. I said no. waiting, pain, waiting, pain. Epi offered again. No. waiting, pain, waiting, pain.

6pm. ''Where IS that girl with the epidural????'' Got the epidural. Dh was in the room. He was supposed to be holding the cart that I was leaning on. HE got faint, had to back up. I have a needle in my spine as I''m trying to hold this damn cart on wheels from sliding away from me so I don''t become paralyzed. AHHHH! That''s better! Waiting, waiting, waiting. They put the Pitocin up all the way. waiting, waiting, waiting.

6am Tuesday morning. Slam the Pitocin up much higher than it''s supposed to go. I feel the contractions through the epidural. Dr says it''s time for a c-section. Call my mom, MIL, and sister.

7am into OR. They increase the epidural meds. Strap me down, pop up my little tent area, DH enters in scrubs. They start prepping me (I had already shaved, just in case.). I say ''my left leg is falling off the table''. Doc ''no, it''s just a sensation.''. me ''okay, but my left leg is falling off the table.''. doc ''no it''s not.'' Doc starts cutting. FLOOMP! ''My left leg just fell off the table.'' Doc ''OMG, can you FEEL this!?!'' me, ''Not my belly, just my legs.'' Doc ''that''s unusual.''

After doc makes his second cut, he says ''He''s going to be a big one!'' (cause there was such a thin fat layer over my uterus.) First words out of doc''s mouth when he holds up the baby is not ''it''s a boy'', but ''LOOK at the SIZE of him!!''

JT entered the world at 7:27 am, ten pounds seven ounces, 20 inches long. Mishapen head due to an oblong lump from where he was trying to get through. Nurse says ''Isn''t he beautiful?'' I say, ''No. He''s got a giant bump and he''s bloody and greasy.'' She doesn''t find this near as amusing as I do.

They let me kiss JT and then DH takes him to the nursery while I''m put back together. I lost a lot of blood and JT was so big I have a big incision. I left the OR at 8:30 am. I''ve only seen JT for a few minutes so far. I go to Recovery and have to stay until almost 11 am. Finally, they let me go back to my room. My family is all there by then. They give me my little JT.

And, the only way I can describe the feeling is: You know in the Wizard Of Oz, when Dorothy first walks into Munchkinland and everything''s in color. THAT''S how it felt. Like I never realized I was living in a black and white world until I saw the vivid colors when I looked at my son.

Oh wow! That brought tears to my eyes! It is so true! I love that!

TOTALLY agree!! that totally brought tears my eyes coz it took me back to when i first held my son...

Everyones birthing story is so amazing..and the amount of pain and endurance each one has is truly outstanding...i have always respected ''mothers'', but after becoming one myself i now look at every other mother with appreciation at what she must have gone thru (good or bad) to become a mom herself..