Thursday, August 20, 2009

The Great Birth Story - Now With Pictures!

Kellan Thomas
08/20/09 10:34 am
8lbs 4oz, 20.5 inches long

Ok, so remember what I told you about being honest and graphic - yeah you might want to stop right there unless you want to hear it all :)

After my Dr. visit on Tuesday, I had some show and a few contractions, but by midday Wednesday I was starting to worry that it might come down to an induction. Wednesday afternoon I started to have more show and more contractions and sure enough by midnight Wednesday night the contractions were strong enough to keep me awake. I got in a warm tub to try and relax them a little and was hoping I could get back in bed. By 3am I had to wake up Brooks because I knew this was the real deal and didn't want to be alone. We called Yvonne, our doula (who was there for both Fin and Dash's births) and gave her a heads up. By 4:30 Yvonne was here and we were working through labor by sitting on the birthing ball in the family room and doing some laps around the block. The contractions were tough but I felt like I could cope with them pretty easily.

Sometime after 5am I realized that the boys would be getting up soon and started to worry about them seeing me in pain. I wasn't ready to go to the hospital yet so Yvonne suggested that we head to her house (which is right next to the hospital) for a few more hours. We hung out there until just after 7 am when I felt things were getting rougher. We arrived at the hospital, got right into our room and by the time I was finally cooperative enough to get into my gown etc. and let them check me, I was already at 7 cms. Honestly, I was blown away! The contractions were painful but I was totally able to manage them and they were consistent but I felt like I had time to catch my breath in between. For the next two hours I walked and worked through things but was starting to feel a little worn down. The Dr. had suggested breaking my water to get things progressing and since Kell was still at a -2 station. When the nurse checked me again just before 10 am and I was still sitting at a 7, I agreed to speed things up. I was totally terrified of things getting more painful, but I was also loosing energy fast.

The Dr. was in fast and broke my water just after 10 and the next contraction hit me like a ton of bricks. I had to stay in bed and on the monitors for the first three contractions while Kell adjusted to life without water and I felt like I was going to lose my mind. When I was finally told I could stand, I felt better but the contractions were really brutal. I think I only had three contractions standing up before I felt pushy. The nurse came in at maybe 10:15 and said Kell was still at a -1 almost 0 and I was only 8 - 9 cms. Yvonne quickly reminded me that since this was my third, things could change in a minute. But she didn't need to say anything since I knew that my body was working on getting him out ASAP. All of a sudden I started screaming and I knew he'd be here in moments. The nurse asked me to sit on the bed so she could check me again and I think at that point I was screaming about sitting on his head. I was in so much pain I couldn't articulate anything but I vaguely remember laying on my back and wondering why no one was paying attention to the fact that he was coming NOW! As a matter of fact, Brooks took a picture. Of me. Mid contraction. Sitting on the baby's head. Here it is...

And note the timestamps...
Yeah, I told you I was going to get a little graphic :)

So the nurse starts screaming and the Dr. is nowhere and then, lo and behold, the one Dr. I wanted to avoid, the Butcher, was sitting at the nurses station checking his email. (Sidenote: WHO DOES THAT?!?! YOU'RE NOT ON DUTY?!?!) And by the time he walked in, Kell's head was out (poor nurse didn't even have time to get gloves on!) and he escorted the rest of Kell into the world. There was a scuffle over the umbilical cord (I guess the dr. tried to cut it and Brooks was all hells no). And then the Dr. on duty came in and was screaming that he had just left, what happened. It was pretty funny to watch everyone running around all crazy wondering how all that happened - I was just wondering why no one had listened to me!

They left us all to bond for a while and then came in to weigh Kell and give him his bath. By noon we were in our recovery room and since I was first birth of the day we got an awesome single room with a pull out bed for Dad. Brooks went home and picked up the boys and Nanny and some burgers and we had a nice picnic dinner in the room. Fin was enthralled with his new brother and Dash said hi and then wanted to run around the room. I think it went well! I was planning on coming straight home, but it was so nice we decided to stay for the night. Then Brooks decided to snore. Alot. So I sent him home to sleep. Daddy came back to get us the next morning and we were checked out and on our way home before Kell was 24 hours old!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

I Just Might Be The First

Woman to be pregnant forever. Or maybe it just feels that way.

And here's my disclaimer...If you don't want to read graphic things about pregnancy/birth etc, you best click away. This is my spot and I'll overshare if I want to. Click on the kids blog and oogle their adorable faces instead.

So I saw Dr. Tuso yesterday - I am 4 cms and he stripped my membranes. And still, no baby. Lots of bloody show (see, overshare) and some solid contractions, but nothing amounting to anything. WHO SITS IDLE AT 4 CMS?!? I mean, I watch enough Baby TV to know that there are plenty of bitches who are getting their epidurals at that point. As a matter of fact, I saw a show today where two chicks were admitted and anesthetized at 3 cms. Made me almost consider just going in and getting one now. And if rushing to answer a thousand phone calls were enough to send you into labor, I would be there by now. Sadly, I'm not. And yes, in case you couldn't tell, I'm more than a little disappointed by this.

I have to say, that while I truly thought this dude was going to arrive early (I mean, hello, I was having serious contractions MONTHS ago!?!), my "fear date" has always been tomorrow. You see, Fin and Dash were both born on Thursdays. Not that weird, but both of those Thursdays also happened to be New Moons. Tomorrow? The day before my official due date? Thursday. New Moon. Yep. So now what was once the date I feared I might go to has become...the day I hope not to go past!

And please, no more suggestions of nipple stimulation. Not gonna happen.

If tomorrow passes, and I haven't given up and hurled my behemoth of a body down the stairs, I go back to the Dr. on Friday for a NST and another stripping. And some induction talk. Sigh.

My one VERY positive note? The Butcher is not on call again until September and there's NO WAY I'll go that far :)

Friday, August 14, 2009

Hopefully My Last...

Belly shot!

39 Weeks and 1 Day...

So I had another Dr. visit today and after discovering that the bad Dr. (aka "the Butcher") is on duty all weekend, I refused to take my pants off :) Aside from the fact that I'd sooner deliver at home then deal with that man, my mom arrives on Sunday and I don't think I'd ever be able to live down her missing another birth by a mere day or two. So this babe is now on hold till at least Monday at noon when my mom is settled and the next Dr. takes over. Everything looked good, although the little guy had a slow heart-rate which the Dr. assured me was normal for being so close to birth.

Up next, Tuesday I go to see Dr. Tuso (who got the party started AND delivered Dash) in the hopes that he can send me into labor for Dr. Marter (who delivered Fin) to catch the baby Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. So that's the plan - wish us luck!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

39 Week Holy Hell I'm Still Pregnant Update

So yeah, I'm still here...Despite everyone's assurance that "you'll go sometime this week" I in fact, have not.

F*&$

At this point with Dash I was running around the pumpkin patch and laughing about how maybe my third turn on the hayride would get things started...This time? I can barely make it twice around the block without clutching my who-ha and cringing. So not good. I'll have an hour or two of solid contractions and then, just when I've called all the troops to put them on high alert, NOTHING. To say that I'm frustrated would be the understatement of the century.

Last night was brutal. Woke up at 1am with horrible cramps and pain (almost like pulled muscle pain) an couldn't get comfortable. Went into the office and messed around on the computer and then ended up in the bathtub by 2am in a last-ditch attempt to relax. By 3am I felt like I might be able to sleep, and blessedly I was able to get back in bed and get a few hours in before Dash woke up at 7 (again thank God, not his usual 6:30). Feeling like dead lady walking, I begged Brooks to stay home and help today. Not only did he agree, but he endorsed an afternoon prenatal massage appointment with enthusiasm. I have to say, before you remind me that I'm a brat, that this was exactly the third massage I've EVER had (and my first prenatal one) and the first time I've actually asked for one. I had a spa gift certificate still from my parents from Christmas - I had been waiting to use it once I could take full advantage of the sauna, hot tub and everything else preggos can't do. But I just felt like if I didn't do SOMETHING today to make myself feel better, I might just crack.

Oh, My, Bliss.

Why did I wait till the last days of my last pregnancy to do this?!?! I feel better than I have in WEEKS, maybe even months. I can walk. I feel human. And why doesn't the spa have nap rooms for after your appts?!?

So now my plan is to get a good nights sleep, do some fun things with the boys tomorrow morning, go to the Dr. in the afternoon, movies in the evening, Concert in the Park on Saturday, and my mom arrives Sunday...I'll give you the goods after my Dr. appt tomorrow!

Friday, August 07, 2009

38 Week Update

Saw Dr. Marter - who delivered Fin - this morning for my 38 week appt. Baby was measuring right on, great heart rate and my BP etc was great. He asked if I wanted him to check me and I agreed. Although I was totally bummed to hear that I was making no progress last week, this week I was fully effaced and 3 cms dialated. Whee! He told me he'd be on duty all weekend and "would love to deliver this baby for me" so I told him to go ahead and um, help things along.

I came home full of hope that SOMETHING would happen soon - but so far no dice! I was hoping to start contracting tonight and have this little guy by tomorrow, but I don't think that's in the cards. I wouldn't be surprised to go another week at this rate, but at the same time at least I know I'm making SOME progress so that's reassuring...