I am doing fantastic... still euphoric! He is a week old today... boy does time fly and how much he has changed in just a week! Being a mommy is such a blessing... I just can't get enough of him... he is precious and sooo sweet! And it is true, you do forget the pain... it was definately worth every bit of it!

Well I was scheduled to go in at 6 am. I walked throught the doors at 6:05. I changed into the gown and they gave me a little cup to go pee in... I was so nervous, I forgot to pee IN the cup... just sat there holding it while I tinkled! The nurse just laughed and said that was OK. They put me on the monitor... his heartrate was 140-160. She started my IV (which was what I was dreading the most of everything!) She started it in my left hand (I begged not my wrist because it makes your whole arm pretty immobile.) The nurse was nice and numbed it with Lidocaine before starting the IV.

At 7am she started the Pitocin... she started it at 6mcg a minute and by the time I delivered, I was at 36mcgs! Contractions started really quick... not very painful, just uncomfy. She upped the Pitocin every 15 minutes. Mom and dh was there in the beginning and slowly family started arriving. Everything was going great... I was laughing and talking with everyone, contractions weren't hurting very bad. At 10:00 the dr came in and broke my water! Oh my goodness!!!!! As he was breaking my water and had his hand on the baby's bottom, he looked at me and asked how big did they estimate the baby was again? This one was a big boy! Gee whiz! Now I am worried about pushing him out! Breaking the water feels nasty... it feels like you are constantly peeing all over yourself!!! Pretty gross. I had alot of amniotic fluid... ALOT!

As soon as my water was broke, the contractions became extremely intense... and painful. At first I was breathing through them ok. Family still popping in and saying hi, some sitting around visiting. Not a good idea... I began hurting so bad, I wanted everyone but Dh gone, but I didn't want to hurt everyone feelings sincethey were nice enough to come. They put an internal monitor on the baby after breaking my water. Lesson #1 Be careful who is invited and how many knows when you will be induced, you will not want them around during the intense part. The contractions were hurting so bad, I felt like the Thanksgiving turkey... being pulled apart like a wish bone. My pubic bone throbbed so bad like it was breaking. Dh had to get in my face and make me breath with him. I was hurting so bad, I was closing my eyes and holding my breath. I begged the nurse for some pain medicine.... Lesson #2 Pain medicine during labor does not work... it just makes you feel drunk in between co! ntractions. She made me wait till 11: 30 and gave me some Stadol. In the meantime, I dilated from 1cm to 5cms in an hour.

At 12:00 the Dr came in to do my epidural... he is now my best friend! I was hurting so bad, I never flinched when he did the epidural. I sat on the side of the bed and leaned into Dh's chest. Amniotic fluid was still pouring out... Dh had to blockade the bed with towels to keep from soaking him, and it was so much that it was standing in the bed like a deep puddle. (Lots of amniotic fluid... guess that explains why it looked like I was having twins.) Praise God for giving someone the knowledge to invent the epidural... talk about awesome. The nurse changed my bed sheets, and I laid back and slept. (Keep in mind I had not slept in almost 3 days because I was so uncomfortable.) In the next hour, I dilated from 5cms to 9 1/2 cms. They called the dr. He was doing an emergency delivery at another hospital and would be there as soon as he finished... that was around 1-1:30ish. He came in around 2 or so and said I was pretty much fully dilated, but had one spot where my cervix! may have been a bit thick... so we wa ited a little longer before pushing. I did notice that the baby's heartrate was fluctuating, but they said it happens alot during the intense part of labor. Around 2:30, the nurse came in and got me set up to push. The dr came in and checked me... he said the baby was still really high and he would rather wait for me to start pushing and see if the Pitocin would bring him down some, so I wouldn't be so tired during pushing. OK... so I went back to sleep. The nurse came in and got us set up later and I began pushing at 3:50. Not any agressive pushing, just pushing every 3-5 minutes during a contraction (not during every contraction.) Obviously they didn't realize what a miracle my baby really is... he came down really fast and with minimal effort on my part. Oh yeah, during all of this, Dh looks down and says, I don't know if you can see what I see, but I don't know how that head is going to fit through there, nevertheless the shoulders. ! Great! Just what I wanted to hear! The nurse went to get the dr. He cam e in and was doing whatever it is that drs do while waiting for the big moment. I told him I had to push and he said ok. I started pushing, and dr glanced over his shoulder and his eyes got really big... he told me No, don't push! He came over, laid the sterile blankets on me... and did the episiotomy... I didn't feel it, just a little pressure that I couldn't tell what it was, if I wasn't looking.

Dr told me to push and told Dh he could come downwhere he was... Dh's eyes got so big, all of a sudden, I felt my belly collapse. What a wierd feeling, all of a sudden, it collapses like a balloon popping. They laid him on my belly... we were crying tears of joy... lots of them! They rubbed him for a minute... no cries. I began crying even harder because I was so scared for him. He wasn't breathing... so they kept rubbing him and put him on oxygen. He began breathing, but wouldn't cry... finally he began to whimper, but no strong cries. The dr tried to reassure me by telling me he was just a lazy baby. They brought him back to me wrapped in a blanket and let me hold him for a minute or two. Then Dh carried him out to hold up for the family to see before they whisked him off to the nursery. He had to stay in an incubator because him temperature wouldn't come up. Dr stitched me up and cleaned me up... and I just layed there while everyone watched my baby in the nursery window.

Aaron Michael was born at 4:40 pm. He weighed 8lbs 1oz and was 19 1/2 inches long. Apgar at 1 minute was 4 and at 5 minutes was 9.

I was truly scared... and felt empty not knowing how he was or what was going on. Dh did his best running back and forth trying to give me updates on the baby and keep me calm, while watching to make sure the baby was ok.

They told me I couldn't get the IV out till I peed on my own... so I went to the bathroom to try... with lots of help. My right leg wouldn't work! It was paralyzed from the epidural not wearing off yet, so Dh got on that side and the nurse pushed the IV pole. I sat in the bathroom with the water running... concentrating so hard (I really wanted that IV out), but my bladder was still paralyzed too. They did an in and out catheter to empty my bladder. The nurse helped me put on these funky mesh hospital panties with huge tugboat pads (neither work worth a flip). Lesson #3 Take some panties that you don't mind ruining and some good pads... the ones the hospital gives you creates a bigger mess than you will feel like dealing with. I kept asking for my baby so that I could nurse him... you know, they drill it in your head to nurse within the first hour. They couldn't bring him out of the incubator. They finally took me out of recovery to my room... my leg is still not working! , but my bladder was! So I got to hav e the IV taken out!!!!!! Since my right leg still wouldn't cooperate with me, I couldn't go to the nursery window to see my baby. I know I drove them crazy asking for him... but I needed to touch him and know he was ok.

They brought him to me at 11 that night. Oh he was so precious... and stole my heart pretty quickly. He didn't really nurse that night... 1 or 2 sucks and he was asleep. I hurt alot that night. Around 12, I got Dh to help me to the bathroom. He had just fallen asleep and was grouchy. Of course it takes forever to use the bathroom after giving birth: spraying off, patting dry, spraying Dermaplast on your episiotomy (invest in Dermaplast! it is a spray that numbs your episiotomy or tear site... and works wonders on helping your comfort). Be prepared to have hemorrhoids if you get an epidural. You can't feel exactly where you are pushing and it causes you to have them... Tucks pads are fantastic for them. My bottom was hurting pretty bad, so I didn't sleep the first night. I finally got in the shower around 3 am to wash off and spray my bottom with warm water (this is why I hated the hospital panties and pads... they created a bigger mess than I felt like dealing with.) I d! idn't wake Dh up because he was so ti red before... he fussed at me later, but that shower felt great! I put on MY panties and pad after that...and no trouble from there on out with messes.

They came and got the baby around 4 that morning. I was sitting in the rocker trying to nurse him... ofcourse 2 sucks and he was asleep. I finally got some pain medicine around 5am... I didn't know I could get some. Lesson #4 Get pain medicine and get it often... you can have it every 4 hours, but they won't offer it to you, you have to ask for it. And don't feel like a weenie for asking, the more comfy you are, the more you can enjoy your new baby.

The next day was filled with people in and out visiting. Dh also told me that Aaron had his umbilical cord around his neck... I cried. He was scared to tell me the day before because he knew I would panic after all the other complications. We were truly blessed. One of his arms was bruised nearly black because it was twisted behind him in the birth canal. That was the arm that they used checking muscle tone in his first apgar... no wonder that ranked low. As many obstacles as this baby overcame to be created, carried to term, and then be born... he definately has some pretty magnificent guardian angels watching overhim.

The evening of the second day, the nursery nurse came in and talked to me about nursing. I was in tears because I felt I wasn't doing something right. She cried with me and then reassured me that I was doing everything right... she checked his latchon and said it looked good, that he was just tired because of all he had been through. She was wonderful and super reassuring... he latched on great and nursed good the next day. The dr came in that morning, asked about his dirty diapers... and told us he was getting plenty if he was dirtying diapers. We really liked the pediatrician. He pulled up a chair, introduced himself by his first name, not as dr, and talked to us like we were the best of friends.

Aaron was circumcised the day after he was born. He fussed for the first time after that when Dh changed his diaper... I cried because he was crying. We got to go home when he was 48 hours old. His big brothers were at a sleepover party, so we got to get settled in before they came home.

My milk came in 3 days after he was born... all of a sudden. I love my pump! It sure made that ordeal easy! We are finally breastfeeding good. Lesson #5 No matter how natural breastfeeding is, there is nothing easy about getting started. Now, when he cries, I leak... kinda funny. I get full and uncomfy when he needs to eat. Lesson #6 when you stick your finger in the baby's mouth to break the suction, keep it in there till the baby is way away from your breast. I learned this because as I moved him away, he lurched forward and latched on again... creating a blood blister on my nipple that is pretty painful.

Now that we are home, I am getting around great, still mildly sore. I take a painpill at night to help me sleep, and sometimes Tylenol during the day for my headache (side effect of epidural)

He is a precious baby, very gentle and loving. It is true that they recognize voices from the womb... he turned his head toward Dh's voice from the start and isn't bothered by our dogs shrill bark. He sleeps most of the night, eats twice at night... as long as he is snuggled against me. If he is in his bassinet, he wakes up alot... so I opt for more sleep and snuggles. People can say whatever about spoiling him, but he won't stay little long... he has changed so much in just this past week, it took a miracle to get him here and we may never get to experience this again... I dont want to have regrets when he is older about not snuggling with him more, or not enjoying his baby days more.

Everytime I look at him, I am so overwhelmed with love and amazement. I just cant get enough of him... he is definately spoiling me. It is true, you forget all the pain... and would I ever do it again... you betcha, in a heartbeat!

Oh yeah, Get the enema before you have your baby! ( or have some Colace stool softner on hand) I was trying to make mental notes to warn everyone about, but I cant remember any more of them.

As I sit here typing, Aaron is nursing and I cant imagine my life without him... if only time could stand still. Thanks to you all for all of the support, encouragement, prayers, and friendships created through this journey. Good luck everyone else... this is truly the most awesome experience in the world... savor every minute.

KKMedic

Hey everybody! Thought I would take a minute to write Samantha's birth story

My EDD was 8-13-01. When I went to the Dr. on 8-9-01, I was 2cm and 80% effaced. The week before I had been 2cm and 50% effaced. I was progressing, but felt I would never give birth...did I mention I was HUGE!!?? The Dr. said I should go ahead and schedule for induction so I would have a spot at the hospital if I needed it. I scheduled it for 8-23-01 but was hoping to go much sooner! On 8-15-01 (2 days past my EDD) I went back to the Dr. I had a major rash that started on my tummy and had moved to cover almost my entire body. It itched sooooooo bad and I didn't know what was "safe" to do for it. The Dr. said it was Pup and due to pg. hormones. The only cure was to deliver the baby. By this time I was so miserable I was in tears most of the day. I asked if there was any way we could move up my induction date. He didn't have a problem with that and it was moved up to Monday the 20th, exactly one week past my EDD. Well, nothing happened during the week and as we got closer and closer to the 20th I felt sure I was going to have to be induced. I was supposed to get up on that Monday (20th) and be ready to walk out the door at 6:00am. Then I was to call the hospital and make sure they still wanted me to come in. If yes, I would need to be at the hospital by 6:30am.

Well, at about 3:15am on Monday the 20th, I woke up with a giggle. My water had broken, 3 hrs. before I was supposed to call the hospital. I got up and got up DH and called my Mom (she was going to be in delivery with us). I didn't think there was very much fluid for my water breaking (and I wasn't leaking), but I knew it wasn't urine, so I got in the shower and proceeded to get ready to go to the hospital. At about 4:00am the contractions started! They weren't real strong, but they started at 3 minutes apart. We took some pictures, loaded the car, and were on our way. (DS was already spending the night with someone.) We arrived at the hospital at 5:15am (contractions were still weak, but only 2 minutes apart). By 5:40am we were in a room, I was 4 cm dilated and 90% effaced and -2 station. They started IV's for the strep B (which I had tested positive for). They wanted to get 2 bags in before birth, but because my contractions were so close together they weren't sure there would be time ((Oh, and about my water, the nurse asked if it was clear, I said yes but not much of it. She checked me and said I still had a bag, that it must be a high leak, but that I was leaking pretty good now so it wasn't a problem. She indicated a Dr. could come in and break it, no problem. I wanted that (to speed up labor) but a Dr. never came (MORE ON THAT LATER!)) At 8:03am I got an epi (I had decided to get one because, with the rash itching me from head to toe and labor, I just didn't think I could do it on my own like I did with DS. Plus I was pretty sure this baby was going to be BIG (the only thing my mother's intuition was right on this time!) At 8:35am I was 5cm and 100% effaced. At 10:20am there was no further change in my cervix so they started Pitocin at 10:50am ((the nurse and about 3 other people assured me that the epi would not slow labor (one of my fears), I didn't believe them and I still DON'T!)).
But I was feeling fine and not worried. Laboring with an epi was GREAT!
I don't know how I got through without it with DS! At 11:30am there was still no change so they were increasing the amount of pitocin again. I was starting to get worried because the baby was still at about -2 station, but the nurse assured me that I was laboring just like a 2nd time mom and that the baby would probably stay high until I was fully dilated and then would come down quickly with little pushing. I had never heard this before, but I WANTED TO BELIEVE!! At 1:25pm I was at 8cm and my legs were not numb anymore. I was starting to feel contractions again and knew I was in transition. At 2:20pm the nurse said it was time, so I started pushing. Then she told me to stop, the baby was right there and we had to wait for the Dr. He wouldn't come and you could tell the nurse was getting nervous. (found out later that 16 babies were born on that shift (double the avg.)) I was having to breathe through and not push. Then all of a sudden my water broke! Apparently it wasn't leaking as much as she thought and since NO DOCTOR every came to check me, we didn't know. It was full of baby poop! ( I know the word for this, but not how to spell it :-) ) She kept saying we needed the dr. (to any nurse that would come in) and that she had never seen that much poop before (needless to say I'm totally in tears now..) Now times and order are sort of a blur, but when the Dr. finally came I could tell there was a lot of tension. They called for NICU and I knew they were discussing C-section (although they were trying not to let me know that!) After my waster broke, they realized the baby was still high (I think at 0 station) the nurse had thought the baby's head was right there behind a small pocket of amniotic fluid, but she was wrong. They told me my bag of waters had pushed my cervix open and I wasn't actually fully dilated
(still had a lip of cervix left)
to stop pushing and rest...WHAT?
REST?
She said they would up my epi and wait for cervix. Well, epi didn't help, I was in pain and needed to push. Nurse told me I could go ahead and push to help bring baby down. I pushed on my side for a while (DR's long gone again!) I told her I wasn't able to push hard enough that way (why waste my energy?) so I got to put my legs back up to push more. Baby wasn't coming down and I was in such pain.. Baby's head felt huge and her legs were under my ribs. Nurse kept telling me to push longer, harder, more....that baby couldn't get into pelvis. I DID NOT WANT A C-SECTION!so I pushed with everything I had. I was praying for God to help me through (OUT LOUD!) and was really running out of steam.. Instead of 2 sets of 10 (for pushing) during each contraction, I was doing 4 sets of 10 during each. Nurse kept telling me I was almost there. I finally told her that I knew that wasn't true or she would have called the Dr. back! (Okay, that was a moment - she laughed and told my Mom that I know too much!) Well, I don't know when they decided I was not going to need a c-section, but finally the Dr. was called and the baby's head went down and I could see her crowning , but then the dr. got in the way and I couldn't see anymore. (that's okay though - I was glad he decided to join us!) He didn't use forceps, but he really had to pull her out with his hands. DH said it was awful to see - looked like Dr. would have crushed her head. She was born at 4:59pm. DH couldn't cut the cord because they had to take her directly to the isolet to work on her. We kept asking if she was a girl or a boy. Seemed like for ever before we heard her cry and they started acting like things would be okay. We finally found out she was a girl and eventually found out she weighed 9 lbs. and 7 oz. and 21 inches long. I couldn't believe it when they said she was a girl! She did get a little "poop" in her lungs, but they got it and she was fine. She scored a 5 on her 1st apgar and a 9 on her second. I got to B/F right away and she did great!

We are so happy! She is a great baby.. I'm very disappointed in the Dr. I think if they had broken my water earlier I wouldn't have had such a difficult ending. Although it may not sound like it here, my nurse was great and I don't know if I could have made it without her.

My stay in hospital after delivery only made things worse. The hospital was so full, I had to room with someone. I was not prepared to be by myself.. We couldn't get anything we needed because the nurses were so busy (and some quite scatter brained!) I spent the whole 1st night alone, holding a crying baby, and crying myself.. My TV didn't even work so I couldn't even veg. on something. I got 20minutes sleep in about a 36 hr. period. I was going to beg my Dr. to release us early (I would get better care at home - or even alone in my own home would be better than staying there) but my pediatrician didn't want Samantha to leave early because of the complications and because of the strep B thing. Samantha was fine, but she still wanted here to stay to make sure. The upside is, that after 2 more bad nurses, I finally got a great one the next night. She helped me with EVERYTHING (B/F, getting TV fixed, taking care of baby so I could get some sleep....etc.)

DH and I aren't sure if we are going to have anymore children. I've always wanted 3 but after such a hard delivery, I honestly don't know if I can do it. I went 22 1/2 hr.. with DS with no epi and I didn't feel that way after his birth, but this one was really hard at the end. We'll just have to see. She is SUCH a good baby though. DH can't get over it...she almost never crises!!!

Anyway, I'm sorry this was soon long, but I really wanted to tell the whole story!

Love Ya'll
Crista

Pictures coming soon!