Post by aprilz81 on Jan 24, 2018 22:43:45 GMT -6
I’m exhausted and will update this thread later. In the meantime Faith arrived at 3:45 am after a csection delivery early this morning (January 24). She weighed 8 lbs 14 oz.
I’m recovering fine so far and she is doing great! Pictures and full delivery story will come soon, hopefully tomorrow!
Updated full-ish birth story:
We arrived at the hospital at 6:45 am on Tuesday to start the induction process. We had to wait until the end of the shift change to get into a room, but by 8:30 the foley bulb was in (super ouch, I was only 1 cm and it was inserted without a guide wire). I had an oral dose of cytotech and the combination of the meds and bulb started some mild contractions. Shortly after 11 I was 3-4 cm and the foley bulb fell out and I was about 60% effaced so I was hopeful this would be a relatively easy process.
At 1:00 they started Pitocin and broke my water and I was 4-5 cm and 60-70% effaced.
A little after 2:00 the contractions were getting painful so I went ahead and asked for an epidural which was an amazing relief. After that I progressed slowly but steadily until around 10:30-11:00 that night. I never progressed beyond 9.5 cm even though I was fully effaced. I tried some pushing, different positions and laboring down, but she just wasn't descending far enough into my pelvis to get me fully dilated. Around 2:30 I agreed to a c-section, I was tired and STARVING and my doctor (who tries hard to avoid c-sections) even admitted that she didn't think she was going to fit and the harder we tried the harder a c-section would be to get her out.
I was a mess. I don't judge c-section mamas but it isn't what I wanted or planned on and I wasn't mentally prepared for what that would look like as a birth experience or recovery. I was shaking so hard on the table I'm surprised I wasn't strapped down more. I got sick (and let me tell you puking when you are flat on your back and numb from the chest down is HARD) and was scared to death. But it was quick and her first cries were the most beautiful sound on earth. They quickly dropped a window in the drape so I could see her and all I could see was that she was a little chunk with adorable fat cheeks (just like her ultrasound pictures).
I was able to see her as they cleaned her up a bit and weighed her and DH brought her over to me so I could touch her face and reassure myself that she was here safe and sound. She weighed in at 8 pounds 14 ounces and was 21 inches long. Her blood sugars have been normal and other than some possible jaundice she has passed all of her evaluations and tests with flying colors.
We are doing pretty good at nursing, even with my breast reduction and PCOS (which I learned yesterday that can also affect milk production in a negative way). She has had some cluster feeding which I don't mind except it makes me nervous when she then goes 4-5 hours without eating.
I'm a little sore and tender, but the pain is way more manageable than I expected. The nurses have said that today would probably be the worst day for pain as the residual meds from the spinal block wore off and if that is the case than I probably won't need anything stronger than Motrin after tomorrow. I probably wouldn't need much of it now except I don't get brownie points for being "brave" so I'm going to take it to stay reasonably comfortable and ahead of the pain.
She fits into newborn clothes, but probably won't for long. Her newborn hats are too small because she has a big head. They told me her head measurement but I don't remember what it was (#badmom).
I'm hoping they will discharge us tomorrow, I'm feeling okay, my incision is good, Faith is feeding great and having plenty of wet and poopy diapers. I've been warned that it might not be until Saturday though.
Pictures will be at on page 2, ProBoards is being stupid and not letting me add pictures to my original post.
I’m recovering fine so far and she is doing great! Pictures and full delivery story will come soon, hopefully tomorrow!
Updated full-ish birth story:
We arrived at the hospital at 6:45 am on Tuesday to start the induction process. We had to wait until the end of the shift change to get into a room, but by 8:30 the foley bulb was in (super ouch, I was only 1 cm and it was inserted without a guide wire). I had an oral dose of cytotech and the combination of the meds and bulb started some mild contractions. Shortly after 11 I was 3-4 cm and the foley bulb fell out and I was about 60% effaced so I was hopeful this would be a relatively easy process.
At 1:00 they started Pitocin and broke my water and I was 4-5 cm and 60-70% effaced.
A little after 2:00 the contractions were getting painful so I went ahead and asked for an epidural which was an amazing relief. After that I progressed slowly but steadily until around 10:30-11:00 that night. I never progressed beyond 9.5 cm even though I was fully effaced. I tried some pushing, different positions and laboring down, but she just wasn't descending far enough into my pelvis to get me fully dilated. Around 2:30 I agreed to a c-section, I was tired and STARVING and my doctor (who tries hard to avoid c-sections) even admitted that she didn't think she was going to fit and the harder we tried the harder a c-section would be to get her out.
I was a mess. I don't judge c-section mamas but it isn't what I wanted or planned on and I wasn't mentally prepared for what that would look like as a birth experience or recovery. I was shaking so hard on the table I'm surprised I wasn't strapped down more. I got sick (and let me tell you puking when you are flat on your back and numb from the chest down is HARD) and was scared to death. But it was quick and her first cries were the most beautiful sound on earth. They quickly dropped a window in the drape so I could see her and all I could see was that she was a little chunk with adorable fat cheeks (just like her ultrasound pictures).
I was able to see her as they cleaned her up a bit and weighed her and DH brought her over to me so I could touch her face and reassure myself that she was here safe and sound. She weighed in at 8 pounds 14 ounces and was 21 inches long. Her blood sugars have been normal and other than some possible jaundice she has passed all of her evaluations and tests with flying colors.
We are doing pretty good at nursing, even with my breast reduction and PCOS (which I learned yesterday that can also affect milk production in a negative way). She has had some cluster feeding which I don't mind except it makes me nervous when she then goes 4-5 hours without eating.
I'm a little sore and tender, but the pain is way more manageable than I expected. The nurses have said that today would probably be the worst day for pain as the residual meds from the spinal block wore off and if that is the case than I probably won't need anything stronger than Motrin after tomorrow. I probably wouldn't need much of it now except I don't get brownie points for being "brave" so I'm going to take it to stay reasonably comfortable and ahead of the pain.
She fits into newborn clothes, but probably won't for long. Her newborn hats are too small because she has a big head. They told me her head measurement but I don't remember what it was (#badmom).
I'm hoping they will discharge us tomorrow, I'm feeling okay, my incision is good, Faith is feeding great and having plenty of wet and poopy diapers. I've been warned that it might not be until Saturday though.
Pictures will be at on page 2, ProBoards is being stupid and not letting me add pictures to my original post.
congrats. And happy carbing. 
