5 months ago
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Success!!!
I have to start by saying, I loved loved loved my nurse. She was wonderful.
After the doctor's came in and briefed us on the possibility of the C-section, my nurse avoided checking on me until the last possible moment, reason being, if she checked me and I was still a 7, they would have had to admit me to the OR. Instead, she gave us some time and thank heavens for that! When she checked me again, I was at a 10!! and Gracie had finally dropped like she was supposed to! (THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR PRAYERS)
I complained a little about the pain, and she told me that I should start pushing. She and Skylar held my legs and coached me, and 40 minutes later, Gracie was born.
I am truly amazed how much easier it was than I expected. I thought I'd be pushing for hours with little progress, but we could see her head already after the first round of pushes, which was very encouraging.
I did not get an episiotomy, not by choice though, only because they didn't do it, and the pushing went so fast I don't think they even thought to check if I would need one. I did tear a bit and had to get stitches, I don't know the implications yet.
She came out beautiful and healthy. We love our little Gracie and are so excited she has joined our family.
These are in backwards order. I'm too tired to fix them.
After the doctor's came in and briefed us on the possibility of the C-section, my nurse avoided checking on me until the last possible moment, reason being, if she checked me and I was still a 7, they would have had to admit me to the OR. Instead, she gave us some time and thank heavens for that! When she checked me again, I was at a 10!! and Gracie had finally dropped like she was supposed to! (THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR PRAYERS)
I complained a little about the pain, and she told me that I should start pushing. She and Skylar held my legs and coached me, and 40 minutes later, Gracie was born.
I am truly amazed how much easier it was than I expected. I thought I'd be pushing for hours with little progress, but we could see her head already after the first round of pushes, which was very encouraging.
I did not get an episiotomy, not by choice though, only because they didn't do it, and the pushing went so fast I don't think they even thought to check if I would need one. I did tear a bit and had to get stitches, I don't know the implications yet.
She came out beautiful and healthy. We love our little Gracie and are so excited she has joined our family.
These are in backwards order. I'm too tired to fix them.
continuation of labor
5 hours later, I'm still 7 centimeters and 90% effaced. Gracie isn't dropping, which is a problem. If she doesn't move like she's supposed to, they're going to have to cut her out of me.
Prayers are appreciated.
Prayers are appreciated.
Labor, so far
Story time
I had my 40 week appointment at 3:15 on 8/25. Skylar called me right before I left to pick him up and go and told me to pack the car seat and our hospital bag. I was hesitant because I didn't want to just set myself up for disappointment, but did it anyway.
We met with the doctor, and talked about the risks of induction. However, he also said that since I was at 40 weeks, and hadn't felt any contractions yet it was likely that in a week they would still have to induce. The good news though was that I was at a 3, which was a good sign that the induction would be successful and not lead to a C-section.
Then he measured me, and I was measuring smaller than I had last week.He decided to do an ultrasound to see if the fluids were low or if Gracie had just dropped and was hiding in my pelvis.Results: Fluids were below normal, placenta had calcified considerable, and Gracie was measuring the same as she had almost 3 weeks ago at our last ultrasound. She wasn't growing. That was concern enough for them to admit me immediately instead of waiting a few days for the next open induction slot date.
He gave us some paper work and we just walked on up to labor and delivery.
It certainly was not the experience that I had imagined checking in would be like. No wheel chair, no labor pains, no feeling of urgency.After undressing and mooning my nurse several times, I got an IV and hooked up to a bunch of tubes and monitors. The nurse kept asking me, "how's that contraction feel" and my response was, "what contraction??" So apparently I have been having contractions, I just couldn't feel them/didn't know what I was looking for. SO, for all you who told me that I'd know it when it happens, I'm sorry to say you were most certainly wrong.
They started the Pitocin around 5:30, I think it took a couple hours before I started to feel anything.
By 2:00am the contractions were moderately high and only giving me about a 30 second-1minute break in between and I was still only around a 5.
It's true what they say about induction and Pitocin, it's a horrible painful drug.
Throughout my whole pregnancy I have been studying about natural labor and had really set my mind that I could do it naturally. I was also terrified of the epidural's side effects. But, I have also never felt so defeated in my life.
Nothing about this pregnancy has been natural. I couldn't get pregnant naturally, I always felt too good and didn't feel many of the natural pregnancy signs (which was wonderful), and I wasn't laboring naturally, so I surrendered to the trend.
So, here I am now, 7:00, almost 14 hours in labor, feeling great and anxious to meet my daughter. I'm currently 7 centimeters dialated and about 90% thinned.
Gracie isn't dropping so I have to sit up straight now and can't sleep anymore. to be continued.
I had my 40 week appointment at 3:15 on 8/25. Skylar called me right before I left to pick him up and go and told me to pack the car seat and our hospital bag. I was hesitant because I didn't want to just set myself up for disappointment, but did it anyway.
We met with the doctor, and talked about the risks of induction. However, he also said that since I was at 40 weeks, and hadn't felt any contractions yet it was likely that in a week they would still have to induce. The good news though was that I was at a 3, which was a good sign that the induction would be successful and not lead to a C-section.
Then he measured me, and I was measuring smaller than I had last week.He decided to do an ultrasound to see if the fluids were low or if Gracie had just dropped and was hiding in my pelvis.Results: Fluids were below normal, placenta had calcified considerable, and Gracie was measuring the same as she had almost 3 weeks ago at our last ultrasound. She wasn't growing. That was concern enough for them to admit me immediately instead of waiting a few days for the next open induction slot date.
He gave us some paper work and we just walked on up to labor and delivery.
It certainly was not the experience that I had imagined checking in would be like. No wheel chair, no labor pains, no feeling of urgency.After undressing and mooning my nurse several times, I got an IV and hooked up to a bunch of tubes and monitors. The nurse kept asking me, "how's that contraction feel" and my response was, "what contraction??" So apparently I have been having contractions, I just couldn't feel them/didn't know what I was looking for. SO, for all you who told me that I'd know it when it happens, I'm sorry to say you were most certainly wrong.
All wired up and ready to go
They started the Pitocin around 5:30, I think it took a couple hours before I started to feel anything.
By 2:00am the contractions were moderately high and only giving me about a 30 second-1minute break in between and I was still only around a 5.
It's true what they say about induction and Pitocin, it's a horrible painful drug.
Throughout my whole pregnancy I have been studying about natural labor and had really set my mind that I could do it naturally. I was also terrified of the epidural's side effects. But, I have also never felt so defeated in my life.
Nothing about this pregnancy has been natural. I couldn't get pregnant naturally, I always felt too good and didn't feel many of the natural pregnancy signs (which was wonderful), and I wasn't laboring naturally, so I surrendered to the trend.
Feeling miserable, the breaking point. 
I got an epidural.
So, here I am now, 7:00, almost 14 hours in labor, feeling great and anxious to meet my daughter. I'm currently 7 centimeters dialated and about 90% thinned.
Gracie isn't dropping so I have to sit up straight now and can't sleep anymore. to be continued.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Stinkin Castor Oil
Yes, I have become so desperate that I tried the castor oil. I did a lot of research, thought it all through, and even prayed about it. I feel like really good about giving it a shot, and it was the last thing that I knew about that I could do to help this baby come that I haven't already tried.
10 oz of orange juice
2 oz of castor oil
tsp of vanilla
little bit of salt
and NOTHING!
Skylar and I stayed home from a party we had been invited to (80s party, sounded totally fun) as we fully expected me to be toilet bound, which would lead to contractions.
We were fooled.
I spent the rest of the evening feeling normal, just waiting and waiting to get sick.
[TMI Alert] I got the runs, but not the horrible-can't-wait-to-get-to-the-bathroom kind, just whenever I had to go number 1, some number 2s came with it.
I went to bed at a normal hour and slept great.
Worst night ever! Not because it was uncomfortable, gross, or sick, but because it was so disappointing. I was so optimistic that this would finally get something to happen.
Nothing is happening still. Never a single cramp or contraction.
Poo on that.
10 oz of orange juice
2 oz of castor oil
tsp of vanilla
little bit of salt
and NOTHING!
Skylar and I stayed home from a party we had been invited to (80s party, sounded totally fun) as we fully expected me to be toilet bound, which would lead to contractions.
We were fooled.
I spent the rest of the evening feeling normal, just waiting and waiting to get sick.
[TMI Alert] I got the runs, but not the horrible-can't-wait-to-get-to-the-bathroom kind, just whenever I had to go number 1, some number 2s came with it.
I went to bed at a normal hour and slept great.
Worst night ever! Not because it was uncomfortable, gross, or sick, but because it was so disappointing. I was so optimistic that this would finally get something to happen.
Nothing is happening still. Never a single cramp or contraction.
Poo on that.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Finally, some progress!
I had my 39 week doctor visit yesterday. To be honest, I wasn't really looking forward to it because I was afraid it would just be the same nothing news: that I'm still not dialated and a baby is still far away from being in my arms instead of my belly. But to both my and my doctor's surprise, I went from barely 1/2 a centimeter to almost 3.5 centimeters! I was delighted.
I've been working hard, walking a lot, bouncing on the exercise ball and some other stuff...
Looks like it's paying off. Of course, I know many people can sit at 4 centimeters for weeks and have nothing happen, so I have to keep reminding myself I still might never go into labor. lol
When I told Skylar, he was happy, then reality hit him that he really might miss one of his first days of law school. I'm sorry honey. Of course, he's more excited for the baby than he's nervous about school, so ultimately he's fine with getting a call at any time of the day and dropping whatever he's doing to take us to the hospital.
Come on baby!! Get out of my belly!! We love you and want to kiss and hug you!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Frustration
We were really hoping that Gracie would arrive before Skylar started school, but that doesn't seem like it's going to happen as he starts on Monday. In fact, it's looking more and more like she's just going to be late.
I haven't progressed at all, my cervix is still closed, I've never had any cramping or braxton-hicks contractions. I'm unfortunately still very comfortable. How awful is that? I'm such a brat, I really do feel great, but I'm so pissed about it! I want to have labor pains already!
I've been trying to walk about an hour a day, maybe that's not enough, but it's stinkin hot outside. I sit on an exercise ball as often as I can instead of a chair or the couch, I don't know if that makes any difference.
I do feel like I've dropped a little bit, but I only get that impression because all of a sudden I got a ton of stretch marks (which do burn) when I've gone so long without them, and I'm not measuring any bigger than I was before the stretch marks, so I'm just guessing that there's more pressure on my lower belly than there was before.
So, I'm just being a whiny pregnant woman when I should really just be grateful that I've had a blissful pregnancy, I'm carrying a healthy baby and I have a wonderfully supportive husband.
I am grateful that we have the opportunity to be parents. I just want that to happen now :(
I'm ok with not having her come early, but I really would like this little child of ours to at least arrive no later than 1 day past her due date because I've got my mom coming, and I don't want my mom's visit to be a waste, I need her help with a newborn, not with the final week of pregnancy, I think I've got the pregnancy thing pretty down pat. Plus, mom doesn't want to see me, she wants to see her grandchild!
So if anyone has any sympathy for me (and I don't blame you if you don't, because I know that I really don't have it bad) please pray that I'll go into labor by or before August 25th.
Thanks.
I haven't progressed at all, my cervix is still closed, I've never had any cramping or braxton-hicks contractions. I'm unfortunately still very comfortable. How awful is that? I'm such a brat, I really do feel great, but I'm so pissed about it! I want to have labor pains already!
I've been trying to walk about an hour a day, maybe that's not enough, but it's stinkin hot outside. I sit on an exercise ball as often as I can instead of a chair or the couch, I don't know if that makes any difference.
I do feel like I've dropped a little bit, but I only get that impression because all of a sudden I got a ton of stretch marks (which do burn) when I've gone so long without them, and I'm not measuring any bigger than I was before the stretch marks, so I'm just guessing that there's more pressure on my lower belly than there was before.
So, I'm just being a whiny pregnant woman when I should really just be grateful that I've had a blissful pregnancy, I'm carrying a healthy baby and I have a wonderfully supportive husband.
I am grateful that we have the opportunity to be parents. I just want that to happen now :(
I'm ok with not having her come early, but I really would like this little child of ours to at least arrive no later than 1 day past her due date because I've got my mom coming, and I don't want my mom's visit to be a waste, I need her help with a newborn, not with the final week of pregnancy, I think I've got the pregnancy thing pretty down pat. Plus, mom doesn't want to see me, she wants to see her grandchild!
So if anyone has any sympathy for me (and I don't blame you if you don't, because I know that I really don't have it bad) please pray that I'll go into labor by or before August 25th.
Thanks.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Still a girl
We got an ultrasound today because Ohio doesn't trust the one we got in Utah. jk, I don't really know the reason, but when they said they wanted another ultrasound we didn't complain about it, we love seeing our baby.
Looks like everything is still going well, she's developing just as she should, and they double checked for us and Gracie is still a girl (thank goodness!)
After taking some measurements it was determined that she is approximately 5 lbs 15 oz, give or take 13 oz (lol).
We're getting a little trunky and ready to have a baby in our arms.
Looks like everything is still going well, she's developing just as she should, and they double checked for us and Gracie is still a girl (thank goodness!)
After taking some measurements it was determined that she is approximately 5 lbs 15 oz, give or take 13 oz (lol).
We're getting a little trunky and ready to have a baby in our arms.
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