I love hearing birth stories, so I am going to tell you about River's adventure. This is long and detailed, so bear with me! I am going to back up a day and a half before River's debut because I think that those days preceding had an effect on her coming when she did.
I thought for sure that I would have her before Christmas, but Christmas came and went without a baby.
I had a prenatal appointment on Friday, the 27th, and found I was dilated to a four, but not much else had changed (the previous visit I had been at a 2+, 70% effaced, and at a -3 station). Dad, Shin and Heather stayed at our house all week, spending Christmas with us. Dad and Heather came to my prenatal appointment (J and Shin were working) and kept Zuri entertained in the lobby while I met with my doctor. While waiting, my dad picked up a magazine and read that to help induce labor, one needs plenty of rest. Well, my sleep that week had been less than stellar (imagine that). So, he made it his goal to help me get some extra zzz's that night. I went to bed about ten-ish, had a fitful night, woke up about eight and went downstairs. I started falling asleep in the chair I was sitting on, so I went back upstairs and slept until almost eleven-thirty. Wow. I was tired.
My dad's vacation time had all been used up for the year, so he had planned to head back to Tahoe either Saturday or Sunday. Upon waking Saturday, I felt more rested but still no contractions, so I said, "go ahead and go home today; the baby isn't coming." Famous last words. My dad left and the rest of us went to Scheels and Costco. The thought was the walking might help induce labor (are you sensing that I was more than ready to have the baby?).
We got home and I was starting to feel some contractions. Some regular, some not. Just when I thought there was a regularity, I wouldn't feel any for over half an hour or so. Shin and Heather debated whether or not to stay the night, especially since I was having some contractions (finally). In the end, Heather developed a migraine (it had been coming on all day) and my contractions pretty much stopped, so they went home.
I was feeling pretty tired, so I went to bed at ten-thirty. I woke up just after midnight needing to go to the bathroom and feeling super hungry. I noticed that J hadn't come to bed yet, so after I ate a piece of peanut butter toast I went in search of him. He had gotten a new game and was involved in playing, but said he would be to bed soon. I watched for a few minutes and while I watched, I noticed that I was having contractions, but that point I wasn't overly concerned because they weren't very hard. When I went back to bed, they seemed to be coming pretty regularly so I started timing them. They averaged about two minutes or less apart. I started feeling a pressure in my bum, and that is when I started to take notice.
J came to bed just as I was about to go get him, and he called his mom while I got the last few things into my hospital bag. As we drove to the hospital (it was almost one-thirty Sunday morning) I stopped feeling the contractions for a few minutes and they seemed even less severe than earlier. I felt like I was overreacting and tried to talk J into turning around and going home. He wouldn't have any of it, and said that he just wants them to check to see where I am, and if we get sent home, we get sent home. So, into the hospital we went. I once again felt silly as we checked in. I said "I think I'm in labor" and I was able to walk and talk through the contractions easily.
As we waited for the triage nurse, I was starting to have to work through the contractions a bit but they still weren't overly bad. I was dilated to a six at that point. They admitted me, and contacted my doctor, who was in another delivery (he did five that night/early morning--I was the last one) at the time. Once I was admitted and waiting for my doctor, it was about two-thirty. My doctor came in shortly later and I was at a seven. I was having to work hard through the contractions and decided to get an epidural (I like to see how far I can get without intervention, but I am a wimp when it comes to pain). J's mom arrived as they were giving me the epidural and was present through the labor. They made her wait in the hall until the epidural was put into place, and she was not happy about that.
With how fast I was progressing, it was thought that pretty much as soon as I got the epidural that the baby would come (it was some time after three). As it happened, the epidural slowed my labor a little, but sometime around four-thirty my water broke. I was so numb that I couldn't feel it. My doctor came back in and checked me and told me it was time to push. The epidural worked a bit too well and I couldn't feel the pressure or the contractions like I could with Zuri. That is the only thing that I wish could have been different--I liked being able to feel (without the pain) how things were going.
I had them pull out a mirror so I could watch as the baby came. I had that with Zuri and it helped a ton. It was a great big full-length mirror. It was awesome. Before I started pushing, my doctor had me hold my breath and bear down a bit--he said that brought her the rest of the way into my pelvis. I started pushing and three and a half pushes later, at 4:53 am, River came into this world at 7 pounds 1 ounce and 19 1/2 inches. It was incredibly fast. When Josh and I were trying to figure out how long it took for me to push, I estimated less than five minutes; Josh said about five minutes, and the nurse said it was more like one long contraction it was so fast. After the second push, my doctor had me wait a bit while we let the baby rest and he stretched me. I still tore a tiny bit but it was much better than the episiotomy given with Zuri.
Additionally, I wasn't given any narcotics, which means that I didn't get nauseated or throw up at all during labor and recovery. Other than the epidural, the highest pain medication I had was Motrin. This has also been the best recovery I have had. While waiting for the anesthesiologist to show up and working through a really rough contraction, I turned to J and said, "I don't know why anyone would go through this willingly." I told you, I am a wimp when it comes to pain, but there is something to be said for letting your body do what it is meant to do naturally. I admire those who do it.
I had tested GB positive through my urine earlier in my pregnancy, so they gave me antibiotics for it. When that happens they automatically treat you as GB positive when you deliver. Since my labor went so quickly, they were only able to get most of one dose of the antibiotics into my system before I delivered. The treatment is two doses. Because of that, there was some concern for River and she was monitored closely for signs of infection. It was really just a precaution more than anything, and she has been fine.
River did inhale some amniotic fluid as she came out, and there were some tense moments trying to get her saturation levels up, even after they suctioned her. She would be fine when they sat her up, but she retained some fluid in her lungs so she would desat a bit when she cried (it was as though she was holding her breath). The on-call pediatrician was really worried about it and ordered a chest x-ray and some labs later that morning. Both J and I felt she was overreacting. We knew River was fine. In fact, she ended up giving one big cough, expelling some fluid, and never had any problems after that.
My doctor was amazing. While he didn't check on me Sunday (the on-call doc did that--my poor doctor needed to get some sleep), he was there bright and early Monday morning. He also came by Monday evening and Tuesday morning just before we were discharged. None of my other doctors have given me that much attention.
The difference between a NICU baby and a well-baby are vast. For starters, I was able to hold River as J cut the umbilical cord. I was also able to do skin-to-skin and breastfeed right after we got her oxygen saturation levels back up. No monitors or wires to work through. River came to our room instead of us having to go to her. The biggest difference was evident at discharge though.
In the NICU you have to bring in the carseat and have your baby sit in it for half an hour attached to the monitors to make sure that she/he can handle being in the carseat without desatting. They will also check to make sure all the straps are tight enough and the fit is right. When you get into the car, they check the carseat to make sure it latches right and is tight enough.
For a well-baby, they barely glance at the carseat, and only listen for the click of the carseat being latched into the car. I even asked the nurse if she needed to inspect it and she said no, she just has to hear the click. Wow. It is all so easy.
Having a newborn home right away is both completely new and familiar at the same time. Both Zuri and Kai weighed less than River does right now when they came home, so the size is familiar. Having to work around the umbilical cord is a new experience. So is River sleeping most of the time. I love love love listening to her grunts, squeaks, and squawks. That is one of the things that I missed the most with Kai.
While we haven't been home for very long, there has been just a wonderful feeling with River being part of our family. I will post more about it in another entry, for although we are sleep-deprived, our family feels more complete.
Congrats, So Precious!
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