lily
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Post by lily on Apr 25, 2018 20:08:34 GMT -6
They had to stick me a couple times to get the epidural placed with DS. It was taking forever and I was struggling so hard to stay still in contractions. At one point I demanded “tell me everything is okay!” I didn’t much care if it was true or not in the moment. I was just freaked out by how long it was taking and the silence in the room.
Everything was okay, of course. Also I have never seen an epidural needle, I never want to see an epidural needle, and I did not care to think about how my back looked with the epidural needle inside.
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ajm
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Post by ajm on Apr 25, 2018 20:46:10 GMT -6
Ah, yes. And if your DH hates needles, don't let him be your support person while getting the epidural. Mine had to run to the bathroom to throw up. Thankfully the nurse was holding onto me and he was just holding my hand.
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Post by tinydancer on Apr 25, 2018 21:46:08 GMT -6
So here's my unplanned home birth story. I started feeling light contractions in the morning, called my OB and was told to come in and went there about noon. They hooked me up to the monitor, said yes you're in labor but only 3 cm dialated so it's too early to go to the hospital, if you go now they'll just send you home (which was true of the hospital I was supposed to deliver at). So go home and just go to the hospital when your water breaks or if the pain becomes unbearable. What I didn't quite realize at the time was that the OB who saw me swept my membranes too.
I got home around 1:30 and called my doula and asked her to come to my house. It took her about an hour to get there because we had just had a snowstorm. After we'd been home about half an hour things were feeling more intense, and I noticed I was bleeding some (enough to soak a pantyliner pretty quickly) so MH called the OBs office and they said it's normal after a membrane sweep, that first time parents always go to the hospital too soon, and we probably didn't need to go yet. Then about 20 minutes before my doula arrived I told MH it felt like my body was starting to push. He called the doula and she said it was probably just the sensation of the contraction, but be sure not to push, and did he see anything bulging? He took a very quickly look and said no.
About 15 minutes after that I was starting to get concerned so I reached up to feel and felt the baby RIGHT THERE. I put on my coat and told MH I wanted to go to the hospital RIGHT NOW (in retrospect, this was foolish because I would've had a car baby). As I got to the front door my doula showed up and I told her I wanted to go to the hospital. She asked if I could sit down and I said no. She helped me through a contraction (I was standing in the entryway), then asked if she could take a look. She pulled down my pants, took a look, and told MH to call 911. On the next contraction the head came out with a big gush of liquid (I think my water might have actually broken a bit before that, but I didn't notice it). She said I could push and I pushed out the body and she caught him. That was about 3 pm. He cried right away and pinked up. She helped me lay down and EMS showed up a few minutes later. They took us to the hospital, we were both just fine, and we only had to spend 1 night. I had to throw away the entryway rug. ;-)
Moral of the story - if you think you want to go to the hospital, do it. The worst they'll do is send you home. Even though they tell you that first babies take a long time (and they often do) I know several other women who've had precipitous births. You never know!
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Post by Madymoiselle on Apr 25, 2018 22:10:37 GMT -6
ajm, they made my H leave the room for the epidural. He was only allowed back in when the anesthesiologist was done !
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Post by daffodilsandcoffee on Apr 25, 2018 22:49:56 GMT -6
The epidural was heavenly. And this time, I had a low dose one that allowed me to feel the slight pressure of a contractions but no pain. And I had a button to get more if needed. My catheter was able to come out right after and they had me standing and walking within a few hours (with lots of help of course). It was amazing and the only way I was able to sleep. My husband could have stayed but he hates needles so I had him leave and the nurse hold my hand. You don’t ever see the needle.
Once I got the epidural, I went from 1 cm to 7 in two hours. And then was complete and ready to push an hour later. My body needed it to relax and do its thing. So it doesn’t always mean slower progress. And since I wanted to sleep at 4 AM, I didn’t mind needing to be in bed. We got to the hospital at 7:30 pm and she was born at 7, so that sleeping was important!!
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Post by oreobitsy on Apr 25, 2018 23:02:14 GMT -6
These epidural stories are helping. I am at the point in the pregnancy where I remembered the baby has to come out somehow and it reminded me of all the different things that happen. Everyone has such different stoires and it's reassuring but also hard for my planner brain. I will just try to avoid the home birth like tinydancer even though it is pretty badass.
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kiri
Silver
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Post by kiri on Apr 25, 2018 23:37:10 GMT -6
These epidural stories are helping. I am at the point in the pregnancy where I remembered the baby has to come out somehow and it reminded me of all the different things that happen. Everyone has such different stoires and it's reassuring but also hard for my planner brain. I will just try to avoid the home birth like tinydancer even though it is pretty badass. I was thinking the opposite lol Hearing more about the needle is freaking me out more than I already was.
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Post by numbears on Apr 26, 2018 1:45:12 GMT -6
numbears , I don't know how you've worked for so long. I feel like I'm dying when I leave work! I secretly hope that I'll go into labor during one of my shifts so I don't have to leave the hospital. But I only work 2 shifts a week plus one on call and my coworkers are pretty awesome.
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Post by numbears on Apr 26, 2018 1:52:44 GMT -6
I want to marry the epidural. I may call ahead so they can be ready when I get there this time. My hospital asks that you call on your way so I really will be doing that. I've already told all the L&D nurses that I want an epidural and am willing to start my own IV on the way.
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Pizzaslut
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Post by Pizzaslut on Apr 26, 2018 2:53:59 GMT -6
I definitely did not see the needle or anything. It was sweet relief almost immediately. I thought I would be annoyed by not being able to move but I was going on hardly any sleep so H and I really just relaxed and napped for the next 4 hours.
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Speedy
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Post by Speedy on Apr 26, 2018 3:23:18 GMT -6
numbears , I don't know how you've worked for so long. I feel like I'm dying when I leave work! I secretly hope that I'll go into labor during one of my shifts so I don't have to leave the hospital. But I only work 2 shifts a week plus one on call and my coworkers are pretty awesome. lol, I suppose that helps. My coworkers are awesome too, but there's some things they just can't help me with, and there's just SO MUCH on my feet. I feel guilty every time I have to sit down for a few minutes. I'd go down to part time, but with the way that my payments are going to be calculated, I'm going to be making almost as much by not working as I am working full time (I think I mentioned before that I was doing crazy hours at my previous job before I left. Part of the reason I left)
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tinyjoys
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Post by tinyjoys on Apr 26, 2018 5:02:46 GMT -6
I haven’t seen the needle either time (epidural the first, spinal block the second), but H was asked to leave the room both times they were placed (standard practice at my hospital). I assume too many SOs have passed out.
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robot
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Post by robot on Apr 26, 2018 6:18:16 GMT -6
Good luck itsmemeg! So excited for you to be holding your baby girl soon.
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Pizzaslut
Ruby
*it’s a joke. get some hobbies.
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Post by Pizzaslut on Apr 26, 2018 6:20:50 GMT -6
I haven’t seen the needle either time (epidural the first, spinal block the second), but H was asked to leave the room both times they were placed (standard practice at my hospital). I assume too many SOs have passed out. we were told the room has to be completely sterilized or something. H left for a half an hour. He moved the car and brought our bags in. It really was no big deal.
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Pizzaslut
Ruby
*it’s a joke. get some hobbies.
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Post by Pizzaslut on Apr 26, 2018 6:24:16 GMT -6
Good luck itsmemeg! I can't wait for the udpate!
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tinyjoys
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Post by tinyjoys on Apr 26, 2018 6:24:17 GMT -6
I haven’t seen the needle either time (epidural the first, spinal block the second), but H was asked to leave the room both times they were placed (standard practice at my hospital). I assume too many SOs have passed out. we were told the room has to be completely sterilized or something. H left for a half an hour. He moved the car and brought our bags in. It really was no big deal. Yeah, he just had to step out into the hall for like 5 minutes with the epidural while it was placed & the nurse sat between my knees & we chatted about something silly. The spinal was in the OR while I was being prepped & he was getting his scrubs on, so technically, he wasn’t asked to leave the second time, but didn’t see it either time.
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itsmemeg
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Post by itsmemeg on Apr 26, 2018 6:26:15 GMT -6
Good luck itsmemeg! So excited for you to be holding your baby girl soon. Thank you!!!
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itsmemeg
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Post by itsmemeg on Apr 26, 2018 6:26:29 GMT -6
Good luck itsmemeg! I can't wait for the udpate! Thank you!
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robot
Ruby
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Post by robot on Apr 26, 2018 6:29:08 GMT -6
DH was in the room when I got my epidural but they made him sit several feet away and in front of me.
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Post by numbears on Apr 26, 2018 7:31:39 GMT -6
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Post by sammichcat on Apr 26, 2018 7:39:27 GMT -6
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Post by numbears on Apr 26, 2018 7:40:56 GMT -6
Oh God, I really hope they don't expect DH to leave the room at this hospital. I held onto DH in front of me when they put the epidural in last time.
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Post by tinydancer on Apr 26, 2018 8:08:55 GMT -6
These epidural stories are helping. I am at the point in the pregnancy where I remembered the baby has to come out somehow and it reminded me of all the different things that happen. Everyone has such different stoires and it's reassuring but also hard for my planner brain. I will just try to avoid the home birth like tinydancer even though it is pretty badass. It's so hard not knowing how it will go. I have a plan and I'm doing my best to be prepared, but I'm trying not to get too attached to any particular scenario, other than one that ends with a healthy baby, of course. But don't worry, your baby will get out one way or another!
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lemons
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Post by lemons on Apr 26, 2018 8:13:32 GMT -6
Oh God, I really hope they don't expect DH to leave the room at this hospital. I held onto DH in front of me when they put the epidural in last time. it’s policy in the hospital I deliver at that everyone leave. The nurse held my front while doc was behind me.
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armpants
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Post by armpants on Apr 26, 2018 10:20:13 GMT -6
tinyjoys did you notice any difference between the epidural and spinal block? I was drugged out of my mind with DS because I wad getting hot spots with the epidural, so they loaded a spinal block on top of it in the OR.i could barely even speak when they were trying to get me to swallow Cytotex to stop some bleeding to tell them I was too dehydrated to swallow it. I'm hoping to not feel sip freaking drugged this time.
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tinyjoys
Ruby
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Post by tinyjoys on Apr 26, 2018 11:28:28 GMT -6
armpants, I didn’t. My chest felt a little warm/heavy with the spinal vs. the epi, but otherwise no difference. I did shake a lot, though, after it was placed. H said my body looked like it was seizing, but I had no issues holding conversations. It really freaked him out.
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ajm
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Post by ajm on Apr 26, 2018 12:04:07 GMT -6
armpants, I didn’t. My chest felt a little warm/heavy with the spinal vs. the epi, but otherwise no difference. I did shake a lot, though, after it was placed. H said my body looked like it was seizing, but I had no issues holding conversations. It really freaked him out. Yes. The spinal wasn't much different than the epidural. I had that shaking in my upper body and arms, too. It was good that they had my arms semi restrained (they put a heavy bean bag on them, I think). The best thing about the spinal is that it wore off faster and I could wiggle my toes/move my legs only a short time after getting to our room.
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lemons
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Post by lemons on Apr 26, 2018 12:31:40 GMT -6
armpants , I didn’t. My chest felt a little warm/heavy with the spinal vs. the epi, but otherwise no difference. I did shake a lot, though, after it was placed. H said my body looked like it was seizing, but I had no issues holding conversations. It really freaked him out. Yes. The spinal wasn't much different than the epidural. I had that shaking in my upper body and arms, too. It was good that they had my arms semi restrained (they put a heavy bean bag on them, I think). The best thing about the spinal is that it wore off faster and I could wiggle my toes/move my legs only a short time after getting to our room. This is will vary from person to person. Generally, a spinal will last significantly longer than an epidural (once it is turned off).
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lemons
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Post by lemons on Apr 26, 2018 12:33:36 GMT -6
tinyjoys did you notice any difference between the epidural and spinal block? I was drugged out of my mind with DS because I wad getting hot spots with the epidural, so they loaded a spinal block on top of it in the OR.i could barely even speak when they were trying to get me to swallow Cytotex to stop some bleeding to tell them I was too dehydrated to swallow it. I'm hoping to not feel sip freaking drugged this time. The spinal would have nothing to do with feeling drugged unless they premedicated you with something to help you relax. I'm assuming you were receiving IV pain meds in addition to your epidural which is probably what left you feeling drugged? If you're a scheduled C, this should be a non-issue.
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Speedy
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Post by Speedy on Apr 26, 2018 13:11:53 GMT -6
Does anyone else feel like they're obsessed with looking at their belly?
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