A Baby Nora Birth Story

IamMom · #1 June 18th, 2009, 08:36 AM

Okay so here it is. It's long but I knew you girls would want all the details. The bizarre turn of events began at 2:30 PM on Thursday when I left work to go to my normal weekly appointment at the specialists office. I had just had my OB appt on Wed and had an NST that was totally normal and was checked and was barely 2 cm. So at the specialists office I had a biophysical profile u/s that was fabulous�.she was perfect. They thought she weighed about 5 pounds 14 ounces (pretty darn close). So I went and talked to my diabetes nurse and all was good � she decided to check my blood pressure before I left and it was high like 150�s over 90�s. So she took it again and the top number was like 148 and the bottom number was still in the 90�s. She didn�t want to take any chances with me getting pre-e so she sent me to the hospital to get pre-e blood work done and get another NST just to be safe. So I get to the hospital at 4:30 (it was right next store to the doctors office). It was crazy in L&D. I waited in the little waiting room and called DH to make sure he could pick up Harrison. All was good � see you when I get home. I kept texting DH that I was waiting and finally at 7:30 I texted him that I was in the room. Then I waited again in the triage room and finally about 8:00 was hooked up to the NST. So I�m on the NST and the baby is awesome and my contractions are like every 8 to 10 minutes or less not regular, but it was taking my BP every 5 minutes and the buzzer kept going off cause my bottom number kept coming up over 90�.so we�re just waiting on the blood work results before they�ll release me (in my mind this was the case). So it gets to be like 9, 9:15 and I realize that I am starting to feel very crampy and a bit of pain in my abdomen and lower back. I�m like oh God it must be the fact that I�ve had to poop since like 1:00 and thought I�d be able to once I got home at like 4 from my appt. So here it is 9:30 and I have to poop really bad and so I think that�s what it is the cramping is my rectum about to explode from poop. Well not so much � the nurse comes in and she says � �Can you feel those contractions� and I�m like � yeah I guess I�ve had a few. She�s like �No you�re having a lot�.pretty impressive�. I�m like oh it must be because I�m dehydrated (that�s usually why I had them on NST�s)�I mean I hadn�t had anything to eat or drink since lunch around 1:00. OH by the way � I asked for a snack in the waiting room so I wouldn�t pass out from low blood sugar and they said no just in case I had to be admitted and a c/s and all that mess. So I�m starving, I have to poop and apparently having contractions. Plus it�s going on like 10 and my DH is probably wondering where the heck I am��(he texted me �how much longer�). So the nurse is like � you�re doctor is here and when she gets a minute we�ll get her in here to check you and decide if we�re going to admit you. I�m like � �What!???� She said � those are labor contractions and your BP isn�t going down so she may want to admit you. I said well if they send me home I�m going to need something for this pain�she said, honestly you probably won�t go home. So I�m like, you know I don�t want this to happen without my drugs�.she�s like, oh yeah once we get you admitted you can have your epi or whatever�don�t worry. I�m like, but I have pain now and I never intended to ever feel any pain�.she just laughed. I said this isn�t going to happy like so fast that I miss my window for the drugs�she said probably not so I felt better. So I never did find out what the blood work was but the doc came in and said that since I was having contractions, and my BP was up and I was 2cm and almost 37 weeks (Friday I was 36 w 5 days) that it was best to admit me and get the labor going to get the baby out. I was like ***??? So I�m like frantic that I have to call DH and we have to deal with DS and all this blah blah blah. So I call DH while I�m waiting to be admitted and I�m like �finish packing the bag I started, call Alex (our babysitter) to come over and stay the night, call other people blah blah blah� and he�s like �so we�re having a baby� and I�m like �Yep�. I also texted Angela so she could update you girls J
So just as they are getting ready to wheel me down to the L&D room (about 11:00) DH shows up with all the goods looking flustered and completely in shock. So we get to the room and they hook me up to the machines and meds (I had the group B swab the day before and results were n� t in yet so they treated me as if I was positive � I had been positive with DS so I was fine with this.) My nurse was Dawn and she was awesome. I said so when do I get my epi and she said as soon as you want it�.I said, let�s do it. So around 12:30 the epi doc came in and we got started with that. DH stood next to the bed and I put my head on his chest. The doc said �Now if you feel lightheaded at all or whatever you let us know� and I�m like �OK� and he said �not you honey � you daddy�. So DH is like OK. He�s been thru the epi before so we expected no problems. Now DH has been running around crazy, he�s kind of shocked this is happening and tired. So we�re almost done with the epi and the doc says okay its all set and I go to lift my head and he says � wait I have to tape you up. So I put my head back down � well all of a sudden I feel DH�s hands release from my head and like he�s backing up�I�m like honey he�s not done and all of a sudden he�s tripping over himself and falling backwards on the floor � hits his butt then his head and he�s out. The nurse jumps up from the computer and rushes over to him�.he does a little weird thing with his hand and tries to sit up � his eyes are bugging out of his head�.the nurse gets a pillow puts it under his head and runs to the door �get me the smelling salt�. Three more nurses rush down and they are telling DH not to get up. Finally they sit him up and give him some juice�a discussion ensues about his head and going to the ER. I do not want my hubby to die of a brain injury but I do not want him to leave me in the middle of my labor. He says he�s fine and goes back to sit down on the coach in the room. The doc had since finished up my back and they lay me down and we continue to joke about how that was my nurses first pass out and how the doc had said warn me if you feel lightheaded. DH said he never felt a thing. HA! So that was exciting!!!! And scary�.but he�s fine!
So that was the end of the excitement for a while. DH and I tried to sleep but I could feel the pressure of my contractions and I was anxious so I rested by didn�t sleep. Plus around 3 or 4 an Arabic women came in in serious labor and was in the room next to me and was screaming in weird words and sounds each contraction. Finally she got an epi around 5 or so and it was quiet again. My nurse checked me before her shift ended around 6:30 am and I was only 4cm. I was very bummed but she said once they break my water bag it�ll go faster. They were not breaking it until they got all my group b strep meds administered � they did them in batches I guess. So around 7 we called our son cause we got a text from Alex that he woke up and realized we weren�t there and was crying. We got him calmed down and our new nurse came on board. At 9:15 or so my doc finally got around to my room and broke my water. The baby�s head was nice and low (a 0 station) so he was all ago to do it and get it going. He had to go and do a C-section so we waited. In the meantime the nurse had me lying on one side and then another switching me every 30 minutes. She thought the baby was face up and was trying to turn her as well as get her to move down and dilate me more cause at 10:15 she checked me and still a 4. So after the side laying position the pressure started becoming intense and I made DH massage my head and hold my hand as we breathed thru each contraction. I felt like I had to take a major dump. By 10:35 I was 7 cm � so the side laying thing was really working. The nurse gets all the stuff ready � the baby nurse is getting the baby stuff ready�.and we�re breathing and watching! At 11:35 the nurse checked me again and I was 10 and ready to go. But the doc was not answering her page��so we waited a bit�.and she got me into position with the leg holders (my right leg had a mind of its own � but my left was okay � but we used the leg holders anyway - not stirrups � much nicer). So once she got me positioned she had me do a push or two. She said it was real good. I know I pooped myself too. This was my worst nightmare going into my first birth and this one but at this point I didn�t care � I knew I had a ton of poop up in there and it made me feel good just to get it out. When my night nurse had put my catheder in after the epi she said she could feel how backed up my rectum was and actually tried to get some of it out which I think she did � which was very weird but hey I was like I don�t care at this point let�s just get this kid out. So anyway � finally the doc comes in at like 11:45 and we�re all ready to go. We did two pushes (3 each set) and after the second her head was half way out. I could feel this and a burning in my Netherlands. DH went and got the journal to document it. We waited a second for another contraction to push again. I pushed again and got her head out. I pushed one more time and her shoulders popped out and then the rest of her and it was over, 11:57 am official birth time. She screamed right away unlike DS and was just beautiful. I had said I didn�t want her on me but the baby nurse threw her up there with all her gunk and my nurse was like �she wants the baby washed off� and I�m like �it�s okay I�m just not going to touch her just yet� so I talked to her and then are wiping her a bit and then the baby nurse takes her. I ask my doc if I need to do anything for the placenta and he�s like already holding it. Wow � such a better experience than with DS when the doc like crawled up there to get it out. So then I start gushing blood a bit and the nurse rushes over to up the pit. It stops right away. They rub my tummy and my doc cleans me up and checks for rips. He had told me when I started pushing that I could tear on my old episiotomy scare. But I didn�t � no tears!!! So they clean it all up, put everything back together � I�m bossing DH around about getting pics of the baby getting weighed and all this�he chatting with the baby nurse and I�m like �less talking, more pictures��everyone is laughing at me. I get to hold her for a bit and DH does. They take her back to bathe her and all that, weigh her etc. So they get me snack and I eat. Then I feel nauseous. They get me a bucket. No puke � I feel better after a ginger ale. The finally get the baby back to me all nice and bathed and we breastfeed. She�s a champ � latches right on and sucks�.she�s such a smarty pants! Then we go up to the room and my mom and DS get there about � hour later and all is good!
I still haven�t gotten my pics downloaded but I will I promise. DH�s reactment of the passing out is the cutest! Nora will love that story when she grows up! Hope you enjoyed my birth story � it was really fabulous and I�m so happy that everything went well despite its shocking and whirlwind beginning!

Resi · #2 June 18th, 2009, 08:52 AM

I can't believe your husband passed out! Was it from watching you get your epi? I enjoyed your birth story. I'm looking forward to more pictures of your cutie.

KatiInCT · #3 June 18th, 2009, 08:55 AM

Beautiful story, thank you so much for sharing. It even made me tear up a little but then again I am always emotional.

So glad that everything went well, even if DH did pass out!

♥Ashley♥ · #4 June 18th, 2009, 09:08 AM

Great story!! That is so funny your DH passed out, that is something I think my fiance will do!! Does he have a knot on his head or anything? Its so funny how you kept thinking you had to poop!

Cant wait to see more pics of Nora she is just gorgeous!

..Christine.. · #5 June 18th, 2009, 09:11 AM

Awww what a beautiful birth story!! Can't wait to see pictures....

soImarriedAnerd · #6 June 18th, 2009, 11:03 AM

I can't wait for the pictures!!! Congrats again you guys!

freesiangel · #7 June 18th, 2009, 01:46 PM

Congratulations again! What a lovely story... I can't wait to see pictures!

Trannyfromtheuk · #8 June 18th, 2009, 02:03 PM

wow,whata birth story!
I cant beleive your DH passed out

Glad your all doing wellx

~* Helen *~ · #9 June 18th, 2009, 02:29 PM

Fantastic story and congrats on the birth of Nora !!!

Mars · #10 June 18th, 2009, 04:38 PM

I enjoyed reading your story! I still can't get over your DH passing out!!!

IamMom · #11 June 18th, 2009, 05:20 PM

Yes DH passing out was the funniest thing I've ever seen.....since he's okay.

Resi - I don't think it was from watching the epi because he said he wasn't watching....he was rubbing my head and pretty much had his head down too and he thinks had his eyes closed for most of it. He thinks maybe he was like almost holding his breath and had locked his knees...we have no idea. He's been thru an epi with me before so it wasn't like a totally new and unchartered territory!

Ashley - DH came away from the pass out without even a bump....he kind of stumbled over himself and hit his butt first...but he came very close to hitting the baby crib/warmer table thing....so he was very lucky!

*krista* · #12 June 18th, 2009, 05:39 PM

I'm sure you will be embarrassing your DH for years to come with his passing out story! That is so cute! I hope he didn't hit his head too hard.

That was a beautiful story. Congrats again!

Mod-LadyCoconut · #13 June 18th, 2009, 06:46 PM

What a great birth story, Keri! thanks for sharing! That's crazy about your DH passing out... call me crazy but if mine does that I'm gonna be like WTH, I have to push out a HUMAN and you're passing out over nothing!? haha. I'm glad he's okay though. YAY for no tears! I can't wait for the pictures!

**Jenn** · #14 June 18th, 2009, 08:57 PM

What a great birth story--Congratulations again!!! I can't wait to see pictures of how gorgeous Nora is! I want to see some big brother/little sister pics too!!! And YAY for no tears! I would love to say that next time--chances are though I'll have another candy apple baby who won't leave me unscathed.

I wish dh had passed out or something when I was in labor with Liam. I pooped during pushing with him and dh has never let me forget it. If I had a great passing out story to embarrass him with I would!

chellerenee · #15 June 18th, 2009, 09:10 PM

Congrats Keri! I loved the birth story! Poor DH! I can't believe he passed out! That will be a cute story for Nora to hear when she's older though! lol

*kyle* · #16 June 19th, 2009, 03:02 PM

What a great story, I love the honesty (especially about the poop LOL). It's good to hear about everything that goes on in that delivery room! Thanks so much for sharing.