lucamon
LIF Adult
Member since 6/09 1133 total posts
Name: Samantha
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Tyler James born 6/10/10
Sorry it took so long to write this. Parenting takes up a lot of your time.
On Monday night I started feeling what I thought was BH. It lasted all through the night so I decided to call my OB the next day. They told me to come in so I took the day off from work. My doc said these are real contractions and it will not go away till the baby is delivered. He said it was okay to continue working so I went to work on Wed. I was tired at work since my contractions have been keeping me up the past 2 nights. On Thursday, I woke up for work but the second I got out of bed I felt something leaked out. I thought my water broke. I went to the bathroom to check it out. It turned out the be blood. In a panic, I woke DH up saying it's time, it's time to go! We called the OB and she told me to go to the hospital.
We got to the hospital at 7:30am. My doc examined me. It turns out I have cervical bleeding, more than usual. Even though my contractions weren't regular, he didn't feel comfortable sending me home because the bleeding was pretty severe. At 10:30 he broke my water to bring on labor. Then he had me walking around for a few hours to speed things up. By 2:30 I was already 6cm dialated. My contractions were more regular, about 5 mins apart. The nurse asked if I wanted an epidural or any other pain medication. I told her no, the pain is still manageable but maybe later. My doc said at this rate, I should be ready to push by 5:00pm. The next 2 hours seemed like eternity. 4:30 finally rolls around and I have an overwhelming urge to push. The nurse said it's normal to feel that way since I didn't take any medication, I will feel all my contractions and the natural instinct is to push. I beg them to let me start pushing. My doc did a quick exam and agreed that it's time. I was 10cm dialated and contractions were full force at 3 mins apart.
I pushed for 1 hour and thought labor pain wasn't that bad. Although, I made very little progress and was exhausted. The nurse said I looked tired so we tried a different method. She went and got a metal bar. DH helped her hook it up over the bed. She then bundled up a bed sheet and threw it over the bar like a rope. I wrapped the rope around my wrist and pull as down as hard as I can bear with my legs up on the bar. This is definately easier since now my legs are supported. I tried this for 1/2 hour with little progression so we tried yet another method. She had my lay on my side and I pushed for another 1/2 hour. At this point, I was thinking labor IS HARD work! I'm 2 hours in and I feel exhausted. The nurse keeps telling me I'm so close, I can do it! We tried somethign else. She had me laying on my back again. She brought in 2 other nurses for encouragement and to cheer me on. With each contraction I pushed twice holding for 12 secs each. Normally, you do 3 pushes per contraction but I can't. The nurse went to get a mirror for me so I can see my progress. She said seeing it will motivate me. I saw the top of Tyler's head with a tuff of black hair. I also saw that I soiled the sheets (the enema did nothing) and what looked like the beginning of hemroids from all the pushing. I didn't care, I was determined to get this baby out! I gave it my all and pushed for another half hour. Finally, the doc said it's time for a c-section. It looks like the head is not able to pass underneath the pubic bone. In a regular vaginal birth the head is rear facing. Tyler's head faces the other way towards my pubic bone. It's not impossible to deliver this way but definately makes things harder given my small frame. Doc wants to try one more thing. He apoligized in advance for doing this to me without any drugs. (Now brace yourself!) He reached inside with his hand and turned Tyler's head 90 degrees. That pain was unbearable! He then gave me a catheter to empty my bladder. Every little inch counts. I pushed for another half hour with no success. After 3 hours of hard labor and feeling exhausted and defeated I agreed to a c-section. The doc said don't push anymore because they will have to push him back up to get him out! Let me tell you, NOT pushing during contractions was the worst feeling! You can't fight your body!
The operating room was so cold. My hands were shaking. The nurse told me to sit on the bed with my legs hanging off the side so the anesthesiologist can do the spinal tap. She placed a metal stool under my feet for support. As soon as my feet touched the metal my whole body started shivering uncontrollably. I had absolutely no energy to even sit. The nurse held me and I placed my head on her chest for support. I wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her like a teddy bear. The anesthesiologist did the spinal tap. He asked me where I felt it, "left or right?" I said "right". He made some adjustment. "How about now?" "Left" I felt a sensation on my left butt cheek down to to the back of my thigh. He made some more adjustment. "How about now?" I responded "same, on my left!". "Okay, I'll have to tap you again." ***!! How many times does he have to do this?!! After the spinal tap, DH was allowed into the room. Him and the anesthesiologist stayed on curtain side. There were 2 other doctors and 2 nurses in the room as well. DH talked to me the entire time. At one point I said "I'm sorry, I tried my best". DH got teary eyed. I don't think I've even seen him cry. About 20 mins into it, I feel pressure on my chest. I asked DH if they took the baby out and placed it on my chest. The anesthesiologist asked "what's on the patient's chest?" The nurse responed "the doctor's elbow". He needed leverage to take the baby out so he put his weight on my chest while the other doctor was on the other end trying to push Tyler's head back up the birth canal. I told him "if you're not my son, get off my chest because I can't breath!". Everyone got a good chuckle out of that! It definately lightened up the mood. I felt some tugging and pulling, a few minutes later Tyler was born! DH and I were both in love. Seeing him for the first time made everything worth it. I was so focus on my son, I vaguely remember hearing the doctors mumble something about having diffuclty closing up my uterus. It was so stretched out from all the pushing and contractions. It will be a long recovery.
Tyler James was born 6/10/10 at 8:22pm weighing 7lbs 13oz and 20.5" long. His head circumference was 34cm. I don't know if that's considered big. My doc said if I have another child, we'll skip the pushing and go straight for a c-section. Yeah, I don't think I want to go through that again.
This is Tyler one day old.
He's 5 days old in this pic.
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lucamon
LIF Adult
Member since 6/09 1133 total posts
Name: Samantha
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Re: Tyler James born 6/10/10
I just want to add that everyone at the L&D and the maternity ward was so nice! I love the dr who did my cs. I had very little pain afterwards and the scar is mimimal.
Message edited 7/23/2010 5:39:24 PM.
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pinkandblue
Our family is complete, maybe
Member since 9/05 32436 total posts
Name: Stephanie
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Re: Tyler James born 6/10/10
what a birth story, you should have NO bad feelings, you tried your best...I am exhausted just READING that
he is adorable
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