Live - Laugh - Love

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Birth Story: Jacob Michael

On Wednesday June 9th I was feeling some crazy contractions and sharp shooting pains in my lower abdomen. I had been having a lot of false labor in the past weeks but was already scheduled to come in for an induction that evening so I tried to wait it out.

Yeah, for like an hour.

Then I called and asked if I should come in even though I was already scheduled. They said they weren't too busy so come in. We left Nathan with my parents and jumped into the car.

After checking my cervix they had found I was progressing so they decided to check me in but forgo the induction meds at the time being. The pains were still coming but they were less and less frequent. I have no idea why they didn't start the meds then since I was already there but I'll come back to this.

The next morning - no contractions. They start the pitocin since they said my cervix was nearly gone. Woot! I'm thinking this is going to be a quick delivery since it is my second baby after all right?

Oh I was so wrong.

Now, step back 5 years and a month when I was having Nathan. At 36 weeks I hadn't dilated and my cervix was completely closed when they had to induce me. After a night of cervidil to soften my cervix and 8 hours of pitocin my little dude was born. Without meds.

Back to June 10 2010...by noon I was really feeling the pain and was at 4cm. I could have started the meds but I was sure that it wouldn't be long now, right? I really wanted to forgo the meds. I have a bad back and I knew it was going to be very hard to do an epidural.

2pm and they break my water and hook up internal monitors to listen to Jacob and monitor contractions.

4pm and they check me again. The nurse tells me I'm fully dilated and we'll be pushing soon. I am thinking THANK GOD because the pain has gotten horrible. Mike and I get excited about having this baby. Another nurse shows up and checks me for a second opinion. She says she is sorry to report that I'm only at a 6 and there is a lot of cervix yet to thin out.

WHAT??? I MEAN WHAT???? According to the doctor and 12 hours of nurses I haven't had any cervix for the last 12 hours but now there is a lot left? This is where I started getting pissed about not being allowed to have cervidil the night before.

GIVE ME DRUGS.

The first drugs were IV. I don't remember the name but I believe I now know what Acid is like. The pretty flowers were moving on the wall and I was off in lala land. It lasted 30 minutes but it was the best 30 minutes of the entire delivery...besides having the baby of course. Then it was gone and the pain was back with a vengence. They gave me some more but it was like I was immune to the pain relief. So, I asked for an epidural.

I wont go into detail with this ordeal besides the fact that it took 2 anethesiologists and over 3 hours to get it into place and it only numbed half my body...the left half and my hips down to be exact. While I was happy my lady bits and bum were numb and would be even happier later I was still so very upset that I could feel every pain of the contractions.

Finally at 11pm...yes 11pm...my doctor checks me and says we're at 9cm and the cervix is nearly gone. They started prepping the room and at 11:15pm we started to push. I was scared as hell about this because I didn't push at all with Nathan. He just flew out. I asked if they were going to call the doctor but they said not until he was about ready to come which could take hours. At 11:30 I was ready for the doctor but the had to CALL HER IN. Time to stop pushing...which is not exactly easy once you get started. It took her about ten minutes and we were able to start pushing again. Just a little after midnight, June 11th, my second son was born.

Jacob Michael Looman was 8 lbs and 8 oz. and 21 inches long. Compared to my 5 lb first born he was GIGANTIC. They cleaned him and I up and we were ready for our first visitors. My parents had stayed the entire time at the hospital and were so excited to be there to hold their newborn grandson. I don't think I've ever seen my dad like that...so happy. Around 2am they left and we all crashed. It wasn't until 6am that they brought Jacob in for a feeding. It would be the last time I'd get more than 3 hours of sleep since.

We stayed at the hospital till Sunday morning. I was VERY exhausted and didn't realize how the pregnancy, labor, and delivery had destroyed my body. I ended up with an infection that has still yet to clear all the way. My body still feels like it went through hell a month ago but I know from experience it will get better. Though it was a lot worse than my first delivery, it was well worth it. He's beautiful and a wonderful baby. He completed our family of 4 and we couldn't be happier.

*My computer is acting up or there would have been pictures along with this story. Hopefully once I figure out the issue I will be able to edit this post with them.

2 comments:

The Hunt Family said...

Good job mama! I am so happy for you and your family. How is big brother?

I can empathize with your experience and I know how hard it is, how much it hurts, and how ragged it leaves your poor body.

Zoey was a 55 hour labor and ended with me getting a MRI and a 6 day hospital stay. My body had issues 5 months after delivery... IT WAS HARD. Things were thankfully MUCH easier my second time around.

Get some rest... take it easy and enjoy your newborn. You already know how short this time is before they change.

xoxoxoxo

3rseduc / handsinthesoil said...

I had the epudural but.....my whole pregancy i was like, no epidural cause if you recall I also have back problems. But I got the epidural (read my 1221littleone blog for details) and it numbed me so much i couldn't pee or walk and it sucked and I didn't need the stupid epidural anyways. oh well :)