Samantha's Birth Story

Last week on tuesday and wednesday, I went to the dr. two days in a row b/c I thought my water had broke........ I felt these little trickles and wanted it to be checked out. It turned out that it was just mucous and not my water breaking and no amniotic fluid both days....... Wednesday made me nervous b/c I had seen thread like blood but not a lot but when I went back to the dr. she said it was from my exam tuesday night b/c of the specular device thing. I still was nervous b/c all prior exams I never bled.

Friday afternoon, I felt that warm trickle again but thought nothing of it b/c of tuesday and wednesday so I just got a clean pair of underwear and went about my business..

Saturday the 21st when I woke up I had horrible cramps and a medium amount of blood, it was like I woke up and had gotten my period, this was at 4am....... I put a pad on and waited about an hour and it was still there. I called the doctor and she said she will call the hospital and let them know that I was coming to make sure everything is okay with the baby. We didnt run out of the house b/c we both did not think I was in labor, we left around 9, I tried to lie down, took a shower, etc....... the flow was lighter after my shower but still present.

When I got to the hospital a little before ten they put me in a room and did two exams, they determined my water had broke.... which means it had broke friday afternoon! They told me they would call and update my doctor and start an induction. They induced me around 12 with Cervicil, they said it can take up to 12 hrs and if it didnt work, they would start the Pitocin. They also told me that it takes about 1cm per hour. Well, I progressed a lot quicker then that and no one even knew, All I had to eat that day was a bagel at 9am, about an hr or so after the Cervicil (SP?) started...... I had vomitted three times, no food of course. Craig never left my side and kept changing the vomit bowl and cleaning me up when no one was around, the nurses were in and out. The hospital is understaffed but Ill get into that more later.......... They stopped the ice chips b/c of the vomitting so I was dying of thirst for hours..... later on.

Anyway, about an hr or so into it , I had HORRIBLE menstral cramps, I felt like I was dying, I was really cramping up in pain but when they started the induction I was only ONE CM so craig, the nurse , everyone couldnt understand what was going on, the resident did not check me to see how dilated I was b/c she thought I guess its only an hr or two..... luckily dr. Tufano showed up when she did and I told her how much pain I was in and she checked me immediately and was like 'tammy.... you are almost 6.5CM!' Everyone in the room was in shock, she then ordered the epidural! I asked for it too and she and the nurse said I was a real trooper to make it to almost 6.5 CM w/ no epidural, before I knew it I was fully dilated.

I had to push for over THREE HRS, this baby just did not want to come out. I was getting nervous but did not want to give up, after three hrs of pushing, the epidural wearing off and then even then gave me some more, they had a room ready b/c next they would have had to do a C SEction. I delivered Vaginally but they did have to use the vacuum. Pushing when that vacuum is on really is exhausting and hard! Right before the vacuum came b/c my dr. kept saying she wanted me to do it on my own and really did not want me to have to have the vacuum or a c section after three hrs of this unless really necessary.......... I kept seeing one of the nurses keep looking at the other one and shaking her head and telling her how 'SHE IS SO EXHAUSTED' meaning me and I was but I kept trying, no ice chips and water didnt help, after some time they let the ice chips again and kept letting craig put a cold towel on my head but I was still exhausted and sweating and after three hours my doctor had sweat on her brow too and looked tired. SHe was absolutely wonderful though yelling and motivating me how I can do this and to push, etc..........

I had to have an episotomy too, she did two cuts craig said, so while I was being stitched up, Craig was given the baby to hold and kiss, so he got to be the first to hold her and kiss her, he was wonderful through it all and I saw him shed some tears and wipe them away. Samantha is already Daddys little girl. Then they let me hold her but they needed me to keep my left arm w/ the IV down while they worked so they gave her back to Daddy.

Even though I can remember all that pain, the vacuum,etc........ once you hold the baby you dont even care and forget it, I even want to cry now thinking about it. But it is true, once you hold the baby in your arms its all worth it and even though your in pain it will not matter.

The majority of dr's and nurses at north shore were wonderful but one or two crazy things happened there, Ill post about my NS experience another day....... She was born 817 and all this started at 1030 am , the induction around 1215, if I only had to push for an hour, it actually would have been a pretty short labor...... but I got the full three and a half! LOL but still feel blessed and was glad I didnt have to go thru a c section recovery. I also love being a mommy! its a wonderful feeling