After 8 weeks, my birth story...Warning: This is LONGGGGGGGG!!!
sorta like my labor!! J/K ![]()
Chapter 1: The Accident
The night before my scheduled induction, Steve and I were rear-ended while stopped at a red light a ½ mile from our house! I was so scared for Peanut, I went to the ER by ambulance… and was treated and released. I called my OB when I got home and he couldn’t believe the hospital released me (New Island Hospital sukks, BTW). Apparently, given my *condition*, I was supposed to be admitted for 24 hour observation. Sooo, off we went to LIJ. I was relieved to have an u/s and to see that my Peanut was ok!! It did, however, STINK to be hooked up to a fetal monitor for 24 hours!!![]()
Chapter 2: The Induction
I was scheduled for induction at 6 p.m. Sunday, July 13th (10 days past my EDD). Since I was admitted at 10 p.m. the night before for observation, I had to wait until 10 p.m. to be induced! Not surprisingly, I was STILL 1 cm dilated and 60% effaced. They inserted a cytotec tablet at 10:30 p.m. (after I insisted on speaking to a Dr. to explain why they weren’t using the “milder” cervidil or prepidil…I had read some not so favorable things re: cytotec)… and we waited. And waited. Contractions started at about midnight and became painful by 2. At 2:30 a.m., a 2nd dose of cytotec was inserted since I wasn’t “ripe” enough. I said a silent prayer that a 3rd dose wouldn’t be necessary at 6:30 a.m.! For the next few hours I had pretty regular contractions, very uncomfortable, but tolerable. Steve slept while I suffered. At about 4 a.m. my nurse asked me if I wanted something for the pain… I asked what I could have. She said stadol… I said what will that do. She told me it would “take the edge off’. I asked what it would do to my baby, and was told it may make the baby sleepy. No thank you. An hour later, I was checked for dilation. I progressed ONE whole centimeter in 7 hours!!!!!! Uh, nurse… I’ll take that stadol now, thankyouverymuch.![]()
By 6:30 a.m., I was 100% effaced!!! Hallelujah!! Bring on the pitocin!! They started the pitocin by 7:00 and my cx were sooooo painful!!! 7:30 –May I have my epidural, please! 8:00 – PLEASE, may I have an epidural. 9:00 – um, who do you have to know to get an epidural in this place!? 9:30 – my OB walks in “good morning” (good morning my ass!! – I haven’t slept in 2 days woman – where’s my epidural!?). My OB: “you’re almost 4 cm, I’m going to break your water and get things moving…oh, and did you want an epidural?”. ARGHHHHHH!!!![]()
Chapter 3: The Epidural
Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!! After almost 4 hours of some very frequent and very painful contractions, in walks the Chief Epiduralist (yes, I know he’s an anesthetist, but I made up my own word). They throw Steve out of the room since they already had a DH pass out that a.m. from watching his wife take a few needles in the spine and say come back in about 15 minutes. I sit up, get the epi (which hurt much more than I had anticipated given that my cx were less than 2 minutes apart and “sitting completely still” was hardly an option). The Chief says “your legs should start to feel a bit tingly, I’ll be back in 5 minutes to check”. Fab! Lemme just lay back here and wait for that tingly sensation. I waited. And waited. 15 minutes later (after DH was told – uh, not yet), the Chief walks in. How are you feeling?” he says. I say, I’m still in pain and don’t have that sensation. He says, “oh, I missed”. You @$^#^% missed?!?! “I’ll send in one of my staff to do it again”. 20 minutes later, the staff epiduralist hit the spot! Hallelujah!! Contractions? What contractions?? At about noon, I was 5 cm and they stopped the pitocin to see if I could progress on my own. I sent Steve home to shower, feed the cat and bring back his lunch (no, really honey, I don’t mind 24 hours of ice chips while you eat Au Bon Pain) what a wife.![]()
Chapter 4: Time to Push
At 4:45 p.m., I hear the magic words “you’re 10 cm”. Soooo, the baby’ll just slide right on outta there now, right? Oh, I have to push?? They call my OB who happens to be assisting a c/s in the OR and she says “ask Kathi if she can hold off on pushing until I get there”. Sure, doc. I’ve waited 41 weeks and 4 days to push, what’s another hour!?!?!![]()
Good. Lord. This is a good time to mention that my epi has worn off (too bad, so sad) and the pitocin has been started again b/c my cx have become irregular. Ah, yes. There’s the pain I remember from before my epi this morning!!!! ![]()
At 5:45, the pushing begins. With each cx “1, 2…10” Yeah, yeah, yeah. My nurse’s 10-count was “1, 2, 3…come on Kathi, you’re doing great, 4, 5, 6, just think of how your beautiful baby will be here soon, 7, 8, I’m not leaving until you have this baby, 9, 10”. Steve’s 10-count: “12345678910”.![]()
At one point, I said I had chest pain and my nurse says “you’re going to throw up”. Yes, that explains the pain. Steve could watch everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, but he couldn’t bear to see me puke!! HAHA!! ![]()
Chapter 5: “Thank you, God”
At 7:37 p.m., after roughly 21 hours of labor w/ 2 hours of pushing (tidbit of advice: don’t push w/ your face or you’ll have bruising![]()
), hemorrhoids (TMI) and an episiotomy, my precious Peanut was born. ![]()
I was so happy to hear “it’s a boy!” ![]()
from my husband as he wiped his tears. My Dr. put Sean on my abdomen and all I could say was “thank you, God”. My beautiful, healthy 9 pound, 5 ounce boy is here!!!!!! ![]()
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My one regret…unfortunately, Sean had to stay in the NICU for 48 hours b/c mommy had a 101 fever while delivering (hospital policy). He couldn’t room with me so BFing was nearly impossible. There was absolutely no privacy or support available in NICU. I’m thrilled that he’s thriving w/ formula, but still sad that I didn’t get the “right start” for BFing. Hopefully, it will be different for Peanut #2.![]()
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Chapter 1: The Accident
The night before my scheduled induction, Steve and I were rear-ended while stopped at a red light a ½ mile from our house! I was so scared for Peanut, I went to the ER by ambulance… and was treated and released. I called my OB when I got home and he couldn’t believe the hospital released me (New Island Hospital sukks, BTW). Apparently, given my *condition*, I was supposed to be admitted for 24 hour observation. Sooo, off we went to LIJ. I was relieved to have an u/s and to see that my Peanut was ok!! It did, however, STINK to be hooked up to a fetal monitor for 24 hours!!
Chapter 2: The Induction
I was scheduled for induction at 6 p.m. Sunday, July 13th (10 days past my EDD). Since I was admitted at 10 p.m. the night before for observation, I had to wait until 10 p.m. to be induced! Not surprisingly, I was STILL 1 cm dilated and 60% effaced. They inserted a cytotec tablet at 10:30 p.m. (after I insisted on speaking to a Dr. to explain why they weren’t using the “milder” cervidil or prepidil…I had read some not so favorable things re: cytotec)… and we waited. And waited. Contractions started at about midnight and became painful by 2. At 2:30 a.m., a 2nd dose of cytotec was inserted since I wasn’t “ripe” enough. I said a silent prayer that a 3rd dose wouldn’t be necessary at 6:30 a.m.! For the next few hours I had pretty regular contractions, very uncomfortable, but tolerable. Steve slept while I suffered. At about 4 a.m. my nurse asked me if I wanted something for the pain… I asked what I could have. She said stadol… I said what will that do. She told me it would “take the edge off’. I asked what it would do to my baby, and was told it may make the baby sleepy. No thank you. An hour later, I was checked for dilation. I progressed ONE whole centimeter in 7 hours!!!!!! Uh, nurse… I’ll take that stadol now, thankyouverymuch.
By 6:30 a.m., I was 100% effaced!!! Hallelujah!! Bring on the pitocin!! They started the pitocin by 7:00 and my cx were sooooo painful!!! 7:30 –May I have my epidural, please! 8:00 – PLEASE, may I have an epidural. 9:00 – um, who do you have to know to get an epidural in this place!? 9:30 – my OB walks in “good morning” (good morning my ass!! – I haven’t slept in 2 days woman – where’s my epidural!?). My OB: “you’re almost 4 cm, I’m going to break your water and get things moving…oh, and did you want an epidural?”. ARGHHHHHH!!!
Chapter 3: The Epidural
Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!! After almost 4 hours of some very frequent and very painful contractions, in walks the Chief Epiduralist (yes, I know he’s an anesthetist, but I made up my own word). They throw Steve out of the room since they already had a DH pass out that a.m. from watching his wife take a few needles in the spine and say come back in about 15 minutes. I sit up, get the epi (which hurt much more than I had anticipated given that my cx were less than 2 minutes apart and “sitting completely still” was hardly an option). The Chief says “your legs should start to feel a bit tingly, I’ll be back in 5 minutes to check”. Fab! Lemme just lay back here and wait for that tingly sensation. I waited. And waited. 15 minutes later (after DH was told – uh, not yet), the Chief walks in. How are you feeling?” he says. I say, I’m still in pain and don’t have that sensation. He says, “oh, I missed”. You @$^#^% missed?!?! “I’ll send in one of my staff to do it again”. 20 minutes later, the staff epiduralist hit the spot! Hallelujah!! Contractions? What contractions?? At about noon, I was 5 cm and they stopped the pitocin to see if I could progress on my own. I sent Steve home to shower, feed the cat and bring back his lunch (no, really honey, I don’t mind 24 hours of ice chips while you eat Au Bon Pain) what a wife.
Chapter 4: Time to Push
At 4:45 p.m., I hear the magic words “you’re 10 cm”. Soooo, the baby’ll just slide right on outta there now, right? Oh, I have to push?? They call my OB who happens to be assisting a c/s in the OR and she says “ask Kathi if she can hold off on pushing until I get there”. Sure, doc. I’ve waited 41 weeks and 4 days to push, what’s another hour!?!?!
At 5:45, the pushing begins. With each cx “1, 2…10” Yeah, yeah, yeah. My nurse’s 10-count was “1, 2, 3…come on Kathi, you’re doing great, 4, 5, 6, just think of how your beautiful baby will be here soon, 7, 8, I’m not leaving until you have this baby, 9, 10”. Steve’s 10-count: “12345678910”.
Chapter 5: “Thank you, God”
At 7:37 p.m., after roughly 21 hours of labor w/ 2 hours of pushing (tidbit of advice: don’t push w/ your face or you’ll have bruising
My one regret…unfortunately, Sean had to stay in the NICU for 48 hours b/c mommy had a 101 fever while delivering (hospital policy). He couldn’t room with me so BFing was nearly impossible. There was absolutely no privacy or support available in NICU. I’m thrilled that he’s thriving w/ formula, but still sad that I didn’t get the “right start” for BFing. Hopefully, it will be different for Peanut #2.
