My September 2007 Birth at Beth Israel, NYC Story

On Friday, September 21st, I went for my 39 week appointment, which ended up being quite uneventful...I was 90% effaced and 3cm dilated. The doctor was telling me that it could happen at any moment but since thats what she's been saying for the past 2 weeks, I didn't really pay much attention to it. I went home and was a little tired from the commute so I took a nap and when I woke up, I went out with my dog and ran some errands. That night I was quite restless and was actually on here and I made a post about on the parenting board about hiw much I couldn't wait to join the mommies in motherhood... WELL coincidentally, about 1:15am I felt sort of a thump in my belly (as if the baby descended lower into my pelvis) and I felt a contraction. A minute later I felt a little trickle run down my legs...since this was a little more than my usual "trickles", I got up from the bed and boy did it gush...I couldn't believe it! My water broke! I woke my husband up, who literally jumped out of the bed and when I told him my water broke he put on a CoolAid smile and saif THIS IS IT! At this point everything felt like a whirlwind...I didn't know what to do...I asked my husband what to do and he said to call the doctor....duh! I called my doctor and I was put through to her right away and she asked me whether I wanted to come in or labor a little at home. Since I wasn't having any contractions, I told her that I was going to go in the shower and meet her in the hospital afterwards...she said ok. WELL, when I got in the shower, the contractions started coming in strong and frequently...and with every contraction, a big gush of water...

We got ready, called a cab (the hospital is in NYC) and were on our way...I managed to come on here and let you girls know that my water broke and I texted all of our family and friends that I was in labor and on my way to the hospital. In the cab, my contractions started to become ferocious and with every single contractions a pool of water would gush out...I had a thick pad on but by the time we got to the hospital (20 minutes) the back seat of the guy's cab was soaked! There was a pool of water there...lol...oh well...I'm sorry Mr. Cab Driver but I'm having a baby.

My BIL met us in the front entrance videotaping my "entrance" with water trickling down my legs...you know I wanted to kill him at first but watching the DVD now I thank him every time for capturing that moment lol.

When we got upstairs, my contractions were getting stronger and more frequent...it was 3am and when I was checked I was 4 cm and completely effaced. I asked for epidural right away and when given the epidural, my contractions subsided a bit, so they put me on pitocin...I was experiencing the contractions for a while and actually had to get another dosage bc the epidural did not catch my right side so even though I didn't feel much on the left, I felt EVERYTHING on my right...once the right side kicked in, everything was much better. You still feel the contractions with the epidural and honestly, I don't know how and why certain women would not want it...it just makes things so much easier...you still feel the contractions and the urge to push. The only side effect you get from it, or it could of been from the pitocin is that you get violent shakes...you shake like a leaf even though you're not cold...oh and your face swells up a bit.

Anyway, come 7 am, I get checked again, and boy oh boy...I was 10 cm and ready to go! My doctor came to see, checked and prepped me, and what do we find out...first of all, the positioning of my pelvis bones is going to make the labor a little more difficult AND the baby descended with his head sideways...to make a long story short, I started pushing at around 8:30am and Michael was born into this world at 9:30am...my baby boy...the doctor called him a star gazer bc of the way he came out. At that point I felt that the pushing part was nothing compared to the contractions part...I could have pushed for another hour! I was so glad it was all over...it was such an amazing experience. I had my mom and my husband there and I couldn't have asked for a more amazing support...even though my mom had an extremely hard time watching me go through so much pain...I am still her little girl after all. My husband was simply amazing...

Michael did some major damage to my internal tissue which could not have been saved with an episiotomy...I had to be stitched up, which took quite a while and i was placed on Demerol via IV bc I was in so much pain...I wanted to DIE. But once I woke up from it, I felt so much better and by the end of the day once the IV finished, I was walking around, changing and feeding the baby.

My Beth Israel hospital experience- to make a long story short - some of the nurses were SO unhelpful...I basically felt so alone...Michael had a hard time latching onto my left breast, bc it was the weekend a lactation specialist was not available (which I thought was ridiculous), some of the nurses barely spoke english and every nurse said something different. The security I was told was also not the greatest, which Im glad they told me AFTER I came home bc I would definitely have freaked out. I would not trade my doctor for anything in the world, but I would definitely NOT give birth in Beth Israel again...I would follow her to another hospital.

So this is it! Its been a great ride on this board...I had a wonderful pregnancy and I am just simply ecstatic to be a mommy to my beautiful son! I couldn't have done it without my fellow preggo girls and my fellow mommies...to YOU I say THANK YOU!


Michael Jr. pictures 0-3 months

Message edited 2/20/2008 4:31:50 PM.

Re: My September 2007 Birth at Beth Israel, NYC Story

Congrats!! Beautiful baby boy!

Re: My September 2007 Birth at Beth Israel, NYC Story

Congratulations Sylvia! He is irresistible! I'm under some anonymity right now, but we planned our weddings together in 06, and when I can across this, I just had to reach out to you to say Congratulations!!

Re: My September 2007 Birth at Beth Israel, NYC Story

I gave birth at Beth Israel in October of 06 and I wouldn't give birth there again either.
Who was your doctor? Was she in the faculty practice?

Re: My September 2007 Birth at Beth Israel, NYC Story

Posted by ANON4NOW

Congratulations Sylvia! He is irresistible! I'm under some anonymity right now, but we planned our weddings together in 06, and when I can across this, I just had to reach out to you to say Congratulations!!

Message edited 4/1/2008 1:42:29 PM.

Re: My September 2007 Birth at Beth Israel, NYC Story

Re: My September 2007 Birth at Beth Israel, NYC Story

Posted by MST9106

Posted by Sassyz75

I gave birth at Beth Israel in October of 06 and I wouldn't give birth there again either.
Who was your doctor? Was she in the faculty practice?

Dr. Lam delivered my son and I don't think she is in the faculty practice. She is in private practice affiliated with Beth Israel. She was fantastic and made my birth experience absolutely AMAZING! It was the pp nurses that were the worst. But you know what, its been six months and a few family members have given birth in hospitals in NYC and out on LI and they tell me the same thing...if you delivered naturally, you are placed on a backburner. The nurses tend a little more to the ladies that had c-sections...which is understandable, but then with the whole BF advocacy, it just turned me off...but I think I will have #2 there as well

Re: My September 2007 Birth at Beth Israel, NYC Story

Posted by MST9106

Posted by ANON4NOW

Congratulations Sylvia! He is irresistible! I'm under some anonymity right now, but we planned our weddings together in 06, and when I can across this, I just had to reach out to you to say Congratulations!!

OMG Whoever you are, just know that I am soo happy for you! I can't wait until you come out!

Re: My September 2007 Birth at Beth Israel, NYC Story

I love reading your story, Syl! You know I'll never forget Michael's birthday since he was born the same day as me!