Life has been busy. I mean Busy. I expected that having two children would be harder than having one. Of course, numbers and logic tell you that. But no one tells you how much harder. Let me be the one to tell you, its about a thousand percent harder. And then add the tip.
I love it, though. I wouldn't change it and I don't wish I didn't have another one. Brian, however is already talking about a third. I'm pretty sure I breathed fire and used The Force to choke him. Not that I don't want three kids, I don't know. But gees, give me some time to recover and forget how much I hate being pregnant. Once I start sleeping again is a better time to approach me about subjects that require conscious thought.
On a brighter note I was able to get out of the house the other day without either child. Ok, I dropped Caleb off at school, didn't have Megan, and went to the produce market. Still. NO KIDS. I bought wine.
The teenager at the checkout did not card me for the wine. Ok, so my hair wasn't done, I was carrying a diaper bag for a purse, I smelled like spit up and I only think that my shoes matched. But cut a girl some slack and card me anyway. When a woman looks like that and is buying wine she is either lonely, desperate, or both. Make her smile, ask for ID.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
And Megan Makes Four.
The car seat challenge was the last thing Megan had to do before we could take her home. Babies her size tend to slump in car seats, if they fit at all, causing airway constriction. To make sure this doesn't happen and that Megan will be safe we had to bring the car seat in and test it out.
The test is an hour long and she gets hooked back up to the pulse oximeter and the three leads on her chest. She has to fit snugly and safely in the car seat and stay there for one hour with no "events." An event would be a drop in her oxygen level, a drastic change in her heart rate, apnea, or any other indication that she wasn't able to breathe well or tolerate the angle.
We brought our old car seat that Caleb used. It said it was rated for infants 5-35lbs. Megan was 4lb 1oz. We put it on the smallest setting and tightened it as much as we could. You could have fit two of her in there. We couldn't even start the test. She failed already. We left the NICU without Megan, again, but this time went to Babies R US.
There aren't many car seats that are rated down to 4lbs. Even the ones that are don't all get small enough. We tried to mentally picture her in it to see if it was small enough. If you know anything about us and buying car seats you know this is not an easy task. Once while choosing a seat for Caleb (for the second car, mind you we already had one) we debated in the store for 5 hours and left with nothing.
Do we get the infant one? Do we get a convertible? Ok, if we get this one, and she needs another one for your car, and then a second base... But if we get that one she'll use Caleb's when she out grows it... Caleb will only need a booster by that time... But the other one will last longer.... But in a month we can use the one we already have... That one is on sale... Absurd.
We finally picked one and the manager gave us a heck of a deal because we were so pathetic. In the end after a discount, a coupon, and the managers generosity we got a $170 car seat for $55. To top things off and make us look even more pathetic, I started crying. I'm obviously still hormonal. He just looked at me and said "I get it." Thank you, sir, for not judging me.
Back to the hospital we went and she fit in the new seat. An hour later she passed!! I was given all our discharge papers and I never even had to take her out of the seat, just scooped the whole thing up and out to the car we went.
After exactly one week in the NICU Megan came home on Halloween and we officially began our crazy adventure as a family of four.
The test is an hour long and she gets hooked back up to the pulse oximeter and the three leads on her chest. She has to fit snugly and safely in the car seat and stay there for one hour with no "events." An event would be a drop in her oxygen level, a drastic change in her heart rate, apnea, or any other indication that she wasn't able to breathe well or tolerate the angle.
We brought our old car seat that Caleb used. It said it was rated for infants 5-35lbs. Megan was 4lb 1oz. We put it on the smallest setting and tightened it as much as we could. You could have fit two of her in there. We couldn't even start the test. She failed already. We left the NICU without Megan, again, but this time went to Babies R US.
There aren't many car seats that are rated down to 4lbs. Even the ones that are don't all get small enough. We tried to mentally picture her in it to see if it was small enough. If you know anything about us and buying car seats you know this is not an easy task. Once while choosing a seat for Caleb (for the second car, mind you we already had one) we debated in the store for 5 hours and left with nothing.
Do we get the infant one? Do we get a convertible? Ok, if we get this one, and she needs another one for your car, and then a second base... But if we get that one she'll use Caleb's when she out grows it... Caleb will only need a booster by that time... But the other one will last longer.... But in a month we can use the one we already have... That one is on sale... Absurd.
We finally picked one and the manager gave us a heck of a deal because we were so pathetic. In the end after a discount, a coupon, and the managers generosity we got a $170 car seat for $55. To top things off and make us look even more pathetic, I started crying. I'm obviously still hormonal. He just looked at me and said "I get it." Thank you, sir, for not judging me.
Back to the hospital we went and she fit in the new seat. An hour later she passed!! I was given all our discharge papers and I never even had to take her out of the seat, just scooped the whole thing up and out to the car we went.
After exactly one week in the NICU Megan came home on Halloween and we officially began our crazy adventure as a family of four.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Little by little
Every time I went to visit Megan I looked at the temperature that the isolette was set at. Every time it was a little lower, a little lower. They were weaning her down to room temperature and she was tolerating it really well.
They started her tube feedings at 5ml every three hours. That's almost nothing. But every 6 hours they upped it by 2ml. In no time she was taking nearly 20ml at each feeding and they let me try to breast feed her first and then bottle feed. Whatever she didn't take they gave her through the tube. She did better than anyone expected and was soon taking all of her feeds by mouth. When she got to 31ml they would take out the feeding tube.
One night when I went in for the evening visit Megan was in a bassinet. No isolette! Still hooked up to everything but we didn't need to worry about her temperature anymore. One step closer to coming home! When I got there the next morning she was back in the isolette. I was so down because it seemed like a step backward. The doctor explained to be that her bilirubin had been climbing and she needed a special light to get it back up. In order for the light to be effected she needs to be naked, and she would get too cold outside the isolette that way. Ok. Only temporary. 24 hours later she was back in a bassinet and didn't need the light anymore. Go Megan go!
She was doing so well and progressing so fast. Shortly after that she got her IV taken out since she didn't need any of the supplements anymore. Ok! Room air, check. Room temp, check. Tolerating feeds, check! Gaining weight.... eh every so slowing.
It took her almost the whole week to get back to 4 lbs. But they were able to take the feeding tube out and her nurse, unofficially, told me she was ready to go home. Best news! She told me to bring the car seat in the morning for the "challenge." Eeeek!
They started her tube feedings at 5ml every three hours. That's almost nothing. But every 6 hours they upped it by 2ml. In no time she was taking nearly 20ml at each feeding and they let me try to breast feed her first and then bottle feed. Whatever she didn't take they gave her through the tube. She did better than anyone expected and was soon taking all of her feeds by mouth. When she got to 31ml they would take out the feeding tube.
One night when I went in for the evening visit Megan was in a bassinet. No isolette! Still hooked up to everything but we didn't need to worry about her temperature anymore. One step closer to coming home! When I got there the next morning she was back in the isolette. I was so down because it seemed like a step backward. The doctor explained to be that her bilirubin had been climbing and she needed a special light to get it back up. In order for the light to be effected she needs to be naked, and she would get too cold outside the isolette that way. Ok. Only temporary. 24 hours later she was back in a bassinet and didn't need the light anymore. Go Megan go!
She was doing so well and progressing so fast. Shortly after that she got her IV taken out since she didn't need any of the supplements anymore. Ok! Room air, check. Room temp, check. Tolerating feeds, check! Gaining weight.... eh every so slowing.
It took her almost the whole week to get back to 4 lbs. But they were able to take the feeding tube out and her nurse, unofficially, told me she was ready to go home. Best news! She told me to bring the car seat in the morning for the "challenge." Eeeek!
One thing after another
The first day in the NICU I asked what parameters needed to be met in order for us to take her home. It used to be that they had to weigh 5lbs. Not the case anymore. As long as they are doing well and steadily gaining weight, they can go home at any weight.
For Megan to go home she needed to be able to breath room air on her own. tolerate feedings well, hold her temperature outside the isolette, and as a general trend be gaining weight, and pass the "car seat challenge.
We were off to a goof start. Megan was able to keep her pulse/ox at 100% right from the start. No need for ventilators or breathing treatments. She was initially placed in an isolette (incubator) because she needed to have her temperature regulated for her. She got an IV in her tiny little hand for fluids and a sugar solution because her glucose was so low.
Babies are expected to lose weight in the first few days of life. This is normal as long as they don't lose too much. Megan wasn't tolerating feedings by mouth and what little she would take in, she spit back up. She got down to 3lbs 12oz so she got a feeding tube. She also got a new solution added to her IV that they call "gatorade." It's yellow and full of electrolytes and other essentials that she wasn't getting otherwise. This caused some stress on her IV and that night her arm was all red and puffy. Poor thing, I know that hurt.
Her nurse changed her IV to her foot, but blew three veins in her other hand before doing so. Megan was such a trooper. She never even cried. When they were trying to find a vein in her foot they turned off the lights and put a flashlight up to her leg. Her skin was still so new and translucent you should see right through it. Unbelieveable.
Poor little girl had a feeding tube, an IV, a pulse/ox, and 3 lead lines coming off her chest. And she just slumbered away and didn't let any of it bother her. My little fighter.
For Megan to go home she needed to be able to breath room air on her own. tolerate feedings well, hold her temperature outside the isolette, and as a general trend be gaining weight, and pass the "car seat challenge.
We were off to a goof start. Megan was able to keep her pulse/ox at 100% right from the start. No need for ventilators or breathing treatments. She was initially placed in an isolette (incubator) because she needed to have her temperature regulated for her. She got an IV in her tiny little hand for fluids and a sugar solution because her glucose was so low.
Babies are expected to lose weight in the first few days of life. This is normal as long as they don't lose too much. Megan wasn't tolerating feedings by mouth and what little she would take in, she spit back up. She got down to 3lbs 12oz so she got a feeding tube. She also got a new solution added to her IV that they call "gatorade." It's yellow and full of electrolytes and other essentials that she wasn't getting otherwise. This caused some stress on her IV and that night her arm was all red and puffy. Poor thing, I know that hurt.
Her nurse changed her IV to her foot, but blew three veins in her other hand before doing so. Megan was such a trooper. She never even cried. When they were trying to find a vein in her foot they turned off the lights and put a flashlight up to her leg. Her skin was still so new and translucent you should see right through it. Unbelieveable.
Poor little girl had a feeding tube, an IV, a pulse/ox, and 3 lead lines coming off her chest. And she just slumbered away and didn't let any of it bother her. My little fighter.
Not the way I planned it
I really wanted to blog about Megan's stay in the NICU as it was all happening, while my emotions were high and things were happening day by day. But that just didn't happen. After I was discharged from the hospital I was driving back and forth to see her 3 times a day, plus trying to pump breast milk every three hours around the clock and still get dinner on the table. There wasn't time for blogging.
She was born on a Thursday night and I was discharged on Saturday afternoon. Brian came up to the hospital to pick me up and loaded the car while my nurse escorted me out. We drove away from the hospital, just the two of us. I sobbed uncontrollably. It hurt my heart so badly to be leaving the hospital without my baby.
I knew she was in good hands and that she was well taken care of. That wasn't the issue. I never worried about her safety or her well being. NICU nurses are some of the most compassionate nurses I have ever met and are more than capable of taking care of my baby's medical needs. But they aren't her mother. No one will love her like I do or hold her the way I do. No nurse can give her the skin to skin contact that is so beneficial in the first weeks of life. She will cry longer than she needs to because her nurse is taking care of another baby. A nurse is a nurse, and that's wonderful. But a nurse isn't her mom.
I stressed every minute that I wasn't there with her. My days revolved around pumping and getting back to the hospital for her next feeding. I made sure I was there every shift to meet every nurse that would be taking care of her. I stayed for about 2 hours every time and came back a few hours later. It began to really wear me down. I didn't care, it was for Megan and I'd do anything for that girl.
She was born on a Thursday night and I was discharged on Saturday afternoon. Brian came up to the hospital to pick me up and loaded the car while my nurse escorted me out. We drove away from the hospital, just the two of us. I sobbed uncontrollably. It hurt my heart so badly to be leaving the hospital without my baby.
I knew she was in good hands and that she was well taken care of. That wasn't the issue. I never worried about her safety or her well being. NICU nurses are some of the most compassionate nurses I have ever met and are more than capable of taking care of my baby's medical needs. But they aren't her mother. No one will love her like I do or hold her the way I do. No nurse can give her the skin to skin contact that is so beneficial in the first weeks of life. She will cry longer than she needs to because her nurse is taking care of another baby. A nurse is a nurse, and that's wonderful. But a nurse isn't her mom.
I stressed every minute that I wasn't there with her. My days revolved around pumping and getting back to the hospital for her next feeding. I made sure I was there every shift to meet every nurse that would be taking care of her. I stayed for about 2 hours every time and came back a few hours later. It began to really wear me down. I didn't care, it was for Megan and I'd do anything for that girl.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
And Then...
After three attempts to walk to the bathroom with my legs buckling underneath me enough of the epidural had finally worn off that I could take small steps. With Darlene on one side of me and Brian on the other I made it to the bathroom. Darlene brought a wheelchair and I was escorted to my post partum room where I met my new nurse for the rest of the night.
Brian and I were left to settle ourselves into the room and he asked me what Baby Girl's name was. I don't know. All I could say was "I don't know." I didn't even really get to see her. At some point in between contractions we had narrowed it down to two names. And I just couldn't pick one without seeing her. He had already been to the NICU to make sure she was ok there. Thank God for him. I couldn't go with her.
My nurse wanted me to rest and sleep since it had been such a long day. I said I had to see my baby. It was 1:00am and I didn't care. It had been 3.5 hours since she was taken away by strangers to a cold room without her mother to comfort her after the trauma of being born. At least that's how I felt. My nurse brought a wheelchair.
Brian wheeled me down to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and to Baby Girl's isolette, #7. There were about 12 other babies in the NICU, all in various degrees of health. By the time I got to see her she already had an IV in her hand, leads on her chest and a pulse oximeter on her foot. She was in a box. I cried. I met her nurse and she even let me hold her briefly. Not too long because she needed to be in the temperature controlled isolette, but I got to hold her. It was amazing. She was so tiny. Tiny and perfect and absolutely beautiful and I cried. Again.
Brian smiled at me and said "I think I know what her name is, but what do you think?" I knew too. I looked up at him and we both said it: Megan Allison.
Brian and I were left to settle ourselves into the room and he asked me what Baby Girl's name was. I don't know. All I could say was "I don't know." I didn't even really get to see her. At some point in between contractions we had narrowed it down to two names. And I just couldn't pick one without seeing her. He had already been to the NICU to make sure she was ok there. Thank God for him. I couldn't go with her.
My nurse wanted me to rest and sleep since it had been such a long day. I said I had to see my baby. It was 1:00am and I didn't care. It had been 3.5 hours since she was taken away by strangers to a cold room without her mother to comfort her after the trauma of being born. At least that's how I felt. My nurse brought a wheelchair.
Brian wheeled me down to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and to Baby Girl's isolette, #7. There were about 12 other babies in the NICU, all in various degrees of health. By the time I got to see her she already had an IV in her hand, leads on her chest and a pulse oximeter on her foot. She was in a box. I cried. I met her nurse and she even let me hold her briefly. Not too long because she needed to be in the temperature controlled isolette, but I got to hold her. It was amazing. She was so tiny. Tiny and perfect and absolutely beautiful and I cried. Again.
Brian smiled at me and said "I think I know what her name is, but what do you think?" I knew too. I looked up at him and we both said it: Megan Allison.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Welcome Baby Girl!
Check again, I told her. Dr Greenburg said she would check, explaining that sometimes she can get that little last it of cervix over the baby's head . Then she said, "You're right. That's a 10. There's no cervix there, you can push."
Thank You God.
It didn't take long. I pushed on the contractions and it only took three. Less than ten minutes after my first push Baby Girl was born at 9:33pm and Brian was cutting the cord. As they brought her to my chest she let out a cry and it was the sweetest sound I had ever heard. Caleb never cried and I knew something was wrong with him. When this little girl cried I knew her lungs were working, I knew she was ok. And I cried too. After having her resting on my belly while they wiped her down they took her over to the scale and to get her APGAR score. All 4lbs 4oz and 17 inches of her were doing great. She still didn't have a name.
While the NICU team was taking care of her Dr Greenburg was still taking care of me. She delivered the placenta and, because I'm a nerd, I asked to see it.
It was gross. Not because it was afterbirth, that didn't bother me at all. Gross because it wasn't smooth and uniform like it's supposed to be. It was lumpy and misshapen. She even showed me a little part that was discolored that was actually an infarct, dead non-functional portion.
What's more interesting was the cord. Dr Greenburg actually said "Oh!" and her eyes widened. What? What?! It was what she called a hypercoiled cord. Instead of the 3 vessels traveling nicely together in a helix like shape they were twisted and tangled like a knotted up rope. It's something that can't be detected on ultrasound and isn't discovered until delivery. What was amazing was that in most cases of cords like this the babies are either born very VERY prematurely or they are still born. The cord just can't deliver the blood and oxygen that the baby needs. The fact that Baby Girl made it to 36 weeks shocked Dr Greenburg and proved one more time that this little girl is a miracle.
After posing for a family picture, Dr Greenburg was off to another delivery, Baby Girl was off to the NICU, Brian was off to McDonald's to get me my first meal in 15 hours, and I was left in the delivery room waiting for my numb legs to function again.
Thank You God.
It didn't take long. I pushed on the contractions and it only took three. Less than ten minutes after my first push Baby Girl was born at 9:33pm and Brian was cutting the cord. As they brought her to my chest she let out a cry and it was the sweetest sound I had ever heard. Caleb never cried and I knew something was wrong with him. When this little girl cried I knew her lungs were working, I knew she was ok. And I cried too. After having her resting on my belly while they wiped her down they took her over to the scale and to get her APGAR score. All 4lbs 4oz and 17 inches of her were doing great. She still didn't have a name.
While the NICU team was taking care of her Dr Greenburg was still taking care of me. She delivered the placenta and, because I'm a nerd, I asked to see it.
It was gross. Not because it was afterbirth, that didn't bother me at all. Gross because it wasn't smooth and uniform like it's supposed to be. It was lumpy and misshapen. She even showed me a little part that was discolored that was actually an infarct, dead non-functional portion.
What's more interesting was the cord. Dr Greenburg actually said "Oh!" and her eyes widened. What? What?! It was what she called a hypercoiled cord. Instead of the 3 vessels traveling nicely together in a helix like shape they were twisted and tangled like a knotted up rope. It's something that can't be detected on ultrasound and isn't discovered until delivery. What was amazing was that in most cases of cords like this the babies are either born very VERY prematurely or they are still born. The cord just can't deliver the blood and oxygen that the baby needs. The fact that Baby Girl made it to 36 weeks shocked Dr Greenburg and proved one more time that this little girl is a miracle.
After posing for a family picture, Dr Greenburg was off to another delivery, Baby Girl was off to the NICU, Brian was off to McDonald's to get me my first meal in 15 hours, and I was left in the delivery room waiting for my numb legs to function again.
All of a sudden I had an entourage ....
Dr Greenburg came in to check on me and Darlene, RN, told her about the shivers. Dr Greenburg was thrilled. And everyone was right, after that things happened very fast.
I started feeling more pressure in my low back and in my bottom. No more cramping or contractions in the front of my belly but the pressure in my bottom was really uncomfortable. Back labor sucks. Darlene checked me and I was 6cm. Ok, that's something. I felt a little better about making some progress and she left the room to let me try to rest a little before the next check.
At around 8:00 I pressed my call button and Darlene came right in. I told her the pressure was starting to feel like pain. Tolerable, but it was definitely pain and I wasn't supposed to feel pain. She gave me a boost of my epidural. I'm so glad I called her when I did because VERY VERY quickly, before she left the room, that pain was intolerable. I couldn't hold still and started to hyperventilate. I was trying to breath through it and I couldn't breath at all. My O2 sats got down to 77 and Darlene put me on oxygen. I was laying on my side and Brian was eye level with me at the side of the bed holding my hand, trying to calm me down and regulate my breathing. He was amazing. He kept kissing my forehead and telling me what a great job I was doing, that Baby Girl was almost here. He was so encouraging and loving. I could not have done this without him
The epidural boost didn't touch the pain and I couldn't understand why I was feeling it. At one point I was actually crying because it was so awful. My nurse explained that they boost the epidural 4 times and then they call the anesthesiologist to give me more directly into my back.
Darlene checked me. 8cm. She called Dr Greenburg and before she got there Darlene checked me again. 9.5cm with a cervical lip. Dr Greenburg walked in the room and got that update. The anesthesiologist followed right behind her and injected me again. The NICU team and a respiratory therapist followed him. Darlene said "just a little more, you can't deliver with that cervical lip." Even though it had only been 10 minutes, I told her to check again. Trust me, check again.
I started feeling more pressure in my low back and in my bottom. No more cramping or contractions in the front of my belly but the pressure in my bottom was really uncomfortable. Back labor sucks. Darlene checked me and I was 6cm. Ok, that's something. I felt a little better about making some progress and she left the room to let me try to rest a little before the next check.
At around 8:00 I pressed my call button and Darlene came right in. I told her the pressure was starting to feel like pain. Tolerable, but it was definitely pain and I wasn't supposed to feel pain. She gave me a boost of my epidural. I'm so glad I called her when I did because VERY VERY quickly, before she left the room, that pain was intolerable. I couldn't hold still and started to hyperventilate. I was trying to breath through it and I couldn't breath at all. My O2 sats got down to 77 and Darlene put me on oxygen. I was laying on my side and Brian was eye level with me at the side of the bed holding my hand, trying to calm me down and regulate my breathing. He was amazing. He kept kissing my forehead and telling me what a great job I was doing, that Baby Girl was almost here. He was so encouraging and loving. I could not have done this without him
The epidural boost didn't touch the pain and I couldn't understand why I was feeling it. At one point I was actually crying because it was so awful. My nurse explained that they boost the epidural 4 times and then they call the anesthesiologist to give me more directly into my back.
Darlene checked me. 8cm. She called Dr Greenburg and before she got there Darlene checked me again. 9.5cm with a cervical lip. Dr Greenburg walked in the room and got that update. The anesthesiologist followed right behind her and injected me again. The NICU team and a respiratory therapist followed him. Darlene said "just a little more, you can't deliver with that cervical lip." Even though it had only been 10 minutes, I told her to check again. Trust me, check again.
A little Something Something
I was beyond discouraged and getting tired of waiting. It had been over 12 hours since I got the pitocin to induce labor and nothing was happening to make Baby Girl's appearance come any sooner. At some point I started feeling some cramping and a little pressure in my low back. Apparently those were contractions and I just needed a boost from my epidural.
With that the nurse decided to check my cervix. 3cm. I had been at 3cm all stinkin' day but the thought was that if I could feel the contractions then they must be getting stronger and maybe this was the "something" we had been waiting for. Nope.
It was about 7:00pm and it was shift change. Brian noticed I was shivering. He asked if I was cold and asked the new nurse for another blanket. She brought me one but I told her I wasn't really that cold, I just couldn't stop shaking. As she covered me up and got report from the day shift nurse I could see wheels turning in her head. After getting report she said "I'm going to go get the bassinet ready. We're having a baby."
Apparently the involuntary shaking is a sign of change in the body. It's just one of the ways a body reacts when it senses something is about to happen. Darlene, my nurse, had just come on shift after getting report that nothing was happening. Then all of a sudden she was confident that this was the "something" and started getting everything ready. Really? Because of some shivers? But labor and delivery nurses are amazing and have a special intuition, and she was right.
With that the nurse decided to check my cervix. 3cm. I had been at 3cm all stinkin' day but the thought was that if I could feel the contractions then they must be getting stronger and maybe this was the "something" we had been waiting for. Nope.
It was about 7:00pm and it was shift change. Brian noticed I was shivering. He asked if I was cold and asked the new nurse for another blanket. She brought me one but I told her I wasn't really that cold, I just couldn't stop shaking. As she covered me up and got report from the day shift nurse I could see wheels turning in her head. After getting report she said "I'm going to go get the bassinet ready. We're having a baby."
Apparently the involuntary shaking is a sign of change in the body. It's just one of the ways a body reacts when it senses something is about to happen. Darlene, my nurse, had just come on shift after getting report that nothing was happening. Then all of a sudden she was confident that this was the "something" and started getting everything ready. Really? Because of some shivers? But labor and delivery nurses are amazing and have a special intuition, and she was right.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Hurry up and wait
It was a long day. I was much more comfortable after getting the epidural and they were able to up the pitocin dosage since I wasn't feeling any of the contractions. Dr Gunnarson was available to come in just for me until 6:00pm and everyone assumed we would have a baby by then.
Progress was slow. The idea behind increasing the pitocin is to make the contractions stronger and effectively pushing the baby down into the pelvis, or what for most women people call when the baby "drops." When that happens the pressure on the cervix is what makes you dilate. As they increased the pitocin to speed things up our little girl didn't tolerate it very well. She started having drops in her heart rate and not moving down at all. Dr Greenburg decided to back way off on the pitocin and thus slowed things even more.
Whats more, Baby Girl was head down but facing backwards causing a lot of back labor. It's really not advisable to deliver like that so my nurses actually had me lay flat on my stomach trying to "squish" her and get her to flip. None of this was comfortable. I was flipping and flopping and stretching and getting discouraged that nothing was happening. Everyone kept saying that as soon as things started to happen it would go very fast. I was just waiting for the "something" to happen.
Six o'clock came and I got a phone call in my room. It was Dr Gunnarson. She had talked to my nurses and new what was going on. She called to give me a pep talk. How awesome is she? Unfortunately, since nothing was progressing and the day was over she would not be able to deliver. I asked my nurse who was on call the next day, Friday, in case it wouldn't be Dr Greenburg either. Everyone assured me that there was no way, No Way, I wasn't having this baby that night. I wasn't so sure.
Progress was slow. The idea behind increasing the pitocin is to make the contractions stronger and effectively pushing the baby down into the pelvis, or what for most women people call when the baby "drops." When that happens the pressure on the cervix is what makes you dilate. As they increased the pitocin to speed things up our little girl didn't tolerate it very well. She started having drops in her heart rate and not moving down at all. Dr Greenburg decided to back way off on the pitocin and thus slowed things even more.
Whats more, Baby Girl was head down but facing backwards causing a lot of back labor. It's really not advisable to deliver like that so my nurses actually had me lay flat on my stomach trying to "squish" her and get her to flip. None of this was comfortable. I was flipping and flopping and stretching and getting discouraged that nothing was happening. Everyone kept saying that as soon as things started to happen it would go very fast. I was just waiting for the "something" to happen.
Six o'clock came and I got a phone call in my room. It was Dr Gunnarson. She had talked to my nurses and new what was going on. She called to give me a pep talk. How awesome is she? Unfortunately, since nothing was progressing and the day was over she would not be able to deliver. I asked my nurse who was on call the next day, Friday, in case it wouldn't be Dr Greenburg either. Everyone assured me that there was no way, No Way, I wasn't having this baby that night. I wasn't so sure.
Monday, November 4, 2013
No Turning Back
Wednesday Night: I called Brian to tell him that I was admitted and he grabbed my bag and headed up to the hospital. I knew nothing was going to happen that night because I needed cervidil to make me dilate, which takes 10-12 hours to be effective. Brian took the night off work and I sent him home to get some real sleep. I knew I was going to need him the next day.
Thursday Morning: Brian got to the hospital about an hour after they started the pitocin drip. Oh pitocin... I remember you. My contractions weren't bad yet so I hadn't had any form of pain control. As with Caleb I did not want any systemic drugs, only an epidural when necessary.
My doctor, Dr Gunnarson (whom I love), was not on call. Dr Greenburg was on call and would be taking care of me. I've met her before and I was so SO happy to know that if it couldn't be Dr Gunnarson delivering that I would have Dr Greenburg there. When she walked in the room Thursday morning to say hello and go over a care plan for the delivery I felt a million pounds lift off me. Then Dr Gunnarson walked in the room! She would be in the office seeing patients just a mile up the road and would be at the hospital around lunch time for a scheduled surgery. She promised that if she was available she would leave the office and come deliver for me. And Dr Greenburg promised to call her if I needed her. I'm pretty sure I cried (because I cry a lot) just knowing that was a possibility.
The pitocin started to work and I started to get uncomfortable. I could feel contractions but nothing major and I wasn't sure I was ready for the epidural just yet. My nurse convinced me that I should get the anesthesiologist while I could because he had back to back c-sections and would be very busy. Deal.
It was quick and seemed easy for the anesthesiologist but painful for me. I had a spinal prior to the epidural with Caleb and had no idea, no one told me, how bad it would hurt. Not the needle, but as the medicine went in I could feel it traveling and every second of it was painful until he stopped pushing the meds. Brian sat in front of me, my legs hanging off the side of the bed and using his knee as a foot stool. I held on to him so tight while I tried to hold still through the pain. I kept telling myself this was so I wouldn't feel pain later.....
Thursday Morning: Brian got to the hospital about an hour after they started the pitocin drip. Oh pitocin... I remember you. My contractions weren't bad yet so I hadn't had any form of pain control. As with Caleb I did not want any systemic drugs, only an epidural when necessary.
My doctor, Dr Gunnarson (whom I love), was not on call. Dr Greenburg was on call and would be taking care of me. I've met her before and I was so SO happy to know that if it couldn't be Dr Gunnarson delivering that I would have Dr Greenburg there. When she walked in the room Thursday morning to say hello and go over a care plan for the delivery I felt a million pounds lift off me. Then Dr Gunnarson walked in the room! She would be in the office seeing patients just a mile up the road and would be at the hospital around lunch time for a scheduled surgery. She promised that if she was available she would leave the office and come deliver for me. And Dr Greenburg promised to call her if I needed her. I'm pretty sure I cried (because I cry a lot) just knowing that was a possibility.
The pitocin started to work and I started to get uncomfortable. I could feel contractions but nothing major and I wasn't sure I was ready for the epidural just yet. My nurse convinced me that I should get the anesthesiologist while I could because he had back to back c-sections and would be very busy. Deal.
It was quick and seemed easy for the anesthesiologist but painful for me. I had a spinal prior to the epidural with Caleb and had no idea, no one told me, how bad it would hurt. Not the needle, but as the medicine went in I could feel it traveling and every second of it was painful until he stopped pushing the meds. Brian sat in front of me, my legs hanging off the side of the bed and using his knee as a foot stool. I held on to him so tight while I tried to hold still through the pain. I kept telling myself this was so I wouldn't feel pain later.....
Baby Day!
I'm finally getting it back together after having a baby. Back up. I had baby! I intended to blog more throughout the whole ordeal to keep you all (read "both of you") more updated but it just didn't happen. I'd like to still pretend that I did so, if you'll humor me, you may see a few rapid fire posts as I relive the last few weeks and tell the story of the arrival of our sweet Baby Girl.
When I last left you I was scheduled to go into the doctor's office for regular NSTs and fluid checks. In the midst of that there was a Tuesday night that I called the office after hours when I noticed my blood pressure was too high at home. My doctor happened to be on call and she sent me to Labor and Delivery, my home away from home. After being there for an hour my pressure had come down and the baby looked great on the monitor so she sent me home.
Wednesday, the next day, I had my regular appointment at the office. The first thing the nurse does is get me on the monitor and then check my blood pressure. It was dangerously high. Something in the range of 160/105. She told my doctor who promptly sent me back to L&D. I didn't even get to finish the NST.
So here I am in my familiar little monitoring room at the hospital with all my new nurse friends. My BP came down but still around 150/90. I'm 36 weeks and 2 days and the doctor on call just said "We're done messing around with this." So I've been admitted tonight and scheduled for induction tomorrow. It's baby day!! She still doesn't have a name.....
When I last left you I was scheduled to go into the doctor's office for regular NSTs and fluid checks. In the midst of that there was a Tuesday night that I called the office after hours when I noticed my blood pressure was too high at home. My doctor happened to be on call and she sent me to Labor and Delivery, my home away from home. After being there for an hour my pressure had come down and the baby looked great on the monitor so she sent me home.
Wednesday, the next day, I had my regular appointment at the office. The first thing the nurse does is get me on the monitor and then check my blood pressure. It was dangerously high. Something in the range of 160/105. She told my doctor who promptly sent me back to L&D. I didn't even get to finish the NST.
So here I am in my familiar little monitoring room at the hospital with all my new nurse friends. My BP came down but still around 150/90. I'm 36 weeks and 2 days and the doctor on call just said "We're done messing around with this." So I've been admitted tonight and scheduled for induction tomorrow. It's baby day!! She still doesn't have a name.....
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