Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Baby Bad News-The Beginning

So, I'm a terrible blogger. The absolute worst. Lets just say bed rest was exhausting...More so than caring for the now one month old happily relaxing in her vibrating chair. But she's here and she's absolutely the sweetest baby I think I've ever known. Of course, I may be partial.

Anywho, her entrance into the world was, well, memorable.

It all started on April 25th. I was exactly 38 weeks and, while I wasn't uncomfortable, I had been on bed rest for the past 5 weeks and was beginning to get a little stir crazy. I had big plans for this day-after my appointment with my midwife, Dixie, I was sneaking out to Michael's to pick up frames for BBN's nursery and then making a quick stop by Hancock Fabrics for fabric to make a little quilt. My coupons were printed. I didn't care that I was under strict orders not to shop (Seriously, my midwife said no shopping, but the nursery needed to be finished) I was breaking the rules. What a rebel I am.

So I arrive at my doctor's office...provide the standard urine sample, do the blood pressure thing. The usual. Dixie asks me how I'm feeling and I respond "I'm over it". All I could think about was how much could still go wrong and given my placenta issues, I was petrified that it would just stop working and I would lose the baby. Or that my fluid levels would drop even more and the cord would get compressed and I would lose my little nugget. Dixie took my blood pressure again...it went from 145/90 to 160/108 and the decision was made-I was getting induced.

Fast forward to later that night-I arrived at the hospital at 10 p.m., got my cervadil and tried to get some sleep. It didn't happen (I had an intern put my iv in and seriously, that was the most painful part of the whole experience) and I spent most of the night listening to BBN's heartbeat and Husband's snoring.

The next morning, it was go time. I took a shower, put on makeup (I didn't want my daughter seeing me without my face on) and it was on like donkey kong. The pitocin was started at 8 a.m., but it did a whole lot of nothing (I was all of one centimeter), so Dixie decided to break my water at 9 a.m.. Now, I was under the impression that my contractions would "ramp up" so I didn't think I would need the epidural right away. For the record, I was wrong. I managed about 30 minutes of contractions before I sent my wonderful nurse (and sister in law) to track down the anesthesiologist. He came in almost immediately and hooked a sista up. Sure I had the epidural shivers, but I felt no pain (and that's just the way I like things). I even managed a nap!

Around 12:30, Dixie woke me up to check my status (Yes, I took a 3 hour nap in the middle of labor) and, to the shock of everyone, I was 10 centimeters! I progressed from 1cm to 10cm in three and a half hours! It was time to push! Dixie asked if I wanted my sister in law to deliver little BBN and, of course, I said yes!
(Getting the Party Started)


Well, things went from fast to faster and, after 4 contractions, Caroline Jane was born at 1:06 p.m.




Now, I know what you're thinking...You're thinking "But Stephanie, you look so washed out. I thought you put on makeup?". Well friends, I did put on makeup. I also did a little faux tanning before heading to the hospital. But you can't tell because I had a little "complication". My damn placenta decided that it wasn't ready to be delivered and wanted to hang out a little while longer in my womb. So I lost some blood, like 1200mL or so, which, for Husband, was a very traumatic sight. Luckily, my doctors were calm, which kept me calm (actually, I was in shock, but calm, shock. same diff). I had a d&c to remove the stubborn placenta and was loaded up on fluids and methergin...in all seriousness it could have been really bad, but it wasn't. And I have the most beautiful (and healthy) baby girl and that's all that matters.