AJ 8-22-08 at 37w4d

***edited*** AJ
Born 8-22-08 9:51am
6lb 2oz
18 ½ inches Long



I was all set for my scheduled C/S on 9/2. I was waiting for my Dad to make it in (he flew in 8/21 at 10am). He wanted so bad to be here.

We took him to Lunch and Dinner at my two favorite places and I saw the doc that day at 4pm. All was the unchanged, still breech.

At 11pm I went to bed cause I still had work the next day. Ha!

At 1:25 I woke up and went tink, like any other day. I crawled back into bed and was JUST dozing off when I felt the wetness. Uh-Oh. Sure enough I was ‘leaking’. I woke up the hubby after I tried to go back to bed (hoping it was just a lil leak). Called the doctor’s on call number and they called me back. I had to go to L&D. But seeing as I hadn’t done my hospital tour yet, I had no idea where that was. Much less the ER.

So I wake up my Dad “Dad, you have to get up, we need to go to the hospital” He thought I was kidding! Finally got everyone in the truck. Put together a quick bag of stuff. Hadn’t done THAT either. Got to ER and registered. I was still pretty calm but walking around with a hand towel stuffed between my legs. I go straight to L&D, nice Room!!!

They hook me up to monitors and say that I’m having contractions already. They gave me an IV and took blood. Everything looked fine and I was NOT feeling those contractions. An hour or so goes by and now I can feel those contractions. Sort of odd sensation at first and then they got painful. I got a morphine shot in the butt and that took the edge off. Another hour or so goes by and those contractions come back FULL strength and worse.

They couldn’t do a C/S yet cause one of the doctors wasn’t there yet. But my pain was getting so unbearable and my hubby could see each contraction on the monitor as they came harder and harder. I was in PURE misery. I couldn’t get anymore morphine because it would interfere with the drugs the C/S needed. I will say this one and for all. CONTRACTIONS ARE HORRIBLE!

After HOURS of waiting and promising “you’re next” and “within the hour” blah blah. I finally get taken in. I am exhausted and actually grabbing 2min naps between my 3mins contractions of pain and suffering. By the time they give me my spinal, I’m barely speaking. Everyone was trying to cheer me up and I just wanted to breathe and get through the next contraction by saving my strength. The poke the doc gave me in my back hurt but compared to the misery I had just finished up with, it wasn’t THAT bad. Next poke felt uncomfortable and pinchy but again, I made it through, HOPING I didn’t get a contraction at that time and concentrating on staying still.

Message edited 10/8/2011 12:24:10 PM.

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

Drug started to work pretty quickly. Next thing I knew my foot was warm and tingly. But only my right, they tilted the table and the left caught up. Everything else was smooth sailing. I finally was able to thank the doctor. He said he thought I was nervous, I said no, I was in pain a LOT of pain. No more pain, no more worries, just sleepy from a long night and was looking forward to what the C/S would be like.

They got my hubby all dressed up and in he came. He sat next to my head and we just stared at each other. Nothing to do now but wait. I couldn’t feel a thing. They pushed and pulled and at one point tugged so hard my WHOLE body shifted over and they had to reposition me. That was little strange. Then finally she was out and screaming and they said “Here she is” and well, there she was. That was pretty amazing. One second me and my hubby and just like nervously awaiting something dramatic and all of a sudden she’s just THERE.

After a few mandatory photos by the nurse, they took the baby and Jim. I was left to be closed up, etc. I asked the doc if I could sleep and they let me nap for this part. I was DYING! I woke up when they were done and I was wheeled out to recovery. In recovery I stayed a LOOOOONG time. Hours and hours.

My blood pressure was ridiculously High. It was above average during contractions and ok during C/S and perfect during my pregnancy. But in recovery it refused to go down. So hours go by and still no sign of Arianna. I can’t see her because of my ‘state’. They threw my hubby and Dad out too. So I got stuck just waiting. Tied up to IV on one arm and a Automatic cuff on the other.

Finally another doctor prescribed me magnesium and I was watched another hour or so. I finally demanded to see my baby around 1ish. Although they said no, I pushed and I was finally allowed to see her. What a relief!

I was cleared from recovery an hour later and put into my room. I got to see her at 8pm that night and my hubby had come back. I breastfed her for the first time and we got to spend some time with her. Around 10pm my VERY exhausted hubby left to go home. He was so tired he went the wrong way twice that day nearly getting lost. Poor thing.

What no one told me was that the drugs they gave me would make me ITCH. I was up all night itchy. At 1am I called to get my baby, but she was already fed. So at 5am I got her instead. I wasn’t sleeping solid so I was exhausted but breastfed her again. Around 9am the next day, my hubby was back. My god we were all so tired.

My blood pressure stayed high for most of the day and then later that night they found out my wound wasn’t healing right. It would be the next day before they removed the catheter and IV and tried to reseal my wound with a nitrate stick (not a contraction, but painful). I was up and walking within 24hours of surgery. Pain meds are GOOD!

Arianna and I got to be close buddies with our breastfeedings every few hours. Hubby came less that second day to catch up on sleep and by the Third day we were all rested and on a routine. I was in the hospital four days NOT including the day of delivery.

Going home is surreal. Now who watches her when I sleep???

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

Congrats again! So exciting!!!

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

Congratulations!!!!

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

Congrats!!! I am so happy that your dad got there the day before!! She is beautiful!

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

Wow that is some birth story. I am glad you got to spend some good moments in the hospital, despite the hard ones.

Congrats to your family & I am glad your Dad was there for it!

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

Congratulations Veronica! I'm so happy that your Dad was there for the birth. I know how much that meant to you. All the best to you and your DH. Arianna is simply beautiful!

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

congrats

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

Congratulations!

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

congrats!!!!


and I agree - the contractions really do hurt. Even at 1 cm dilated they were painful

Message edited 8/27/2008 8:20:49 PM.

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

Congratulations!!! I am sure she is perfect and nothing less than beautiful!!

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

What a beautiful story.. congratulations!

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

What a story.....congrats on your new baby...

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

Congratulations!

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Arianna Jude 8-22-08 at 37w4d

Congrats. I'm glad you are both home resting.