Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Allison's Birth Story

Having had JR a little over a month ago I was thinking back to Allison's birth. There were many things that went wrong that shaped how JR was going to come into the world, but the one thing that went right was the fact that Allison was born! I am going to post Allison's birth story from a mommy website I posted on when I was pregnant with her. It was written a few days after her birth with all the emotions I was feeling after an emergency c-section and not having the birth I had planned.

Labor was an interesting thing- since I was high risk my OB wasn't going to let me go past 40 weeks. I went to the hospital on February 8 to be induced at 6 am. The nurse started my IV and Cervidil by 7 am. Things happened slowly. By the second dose of Cervidil, at 1 pm, I was only dilated to 2 cm. I came to the hospital at 1 cm and 50% effaced. I got my third dose of Cervidil at 7 pm and was still at 2 cm with a few contractions but nothing in a pattern. My OB came in and said things are moving slow, but that's okay! We'll give you the night off and start Pitocin at 6 am tomorrow. I had dinner, watched TV, and walked until 11 pm when the nurse said, "Go to sleep! Labor will be here soon enough!"

The next morning I woke up to the nurse starting the Pitocin and my OB coming to see me. My OB said we're going to take things slowly, only up the Pitocin by 1 mU/hour, until you become uncomfortable. When you get uncomfortable and can't take it anymore we'll stop and leave it there or lower it 1 mU. She also said she was going to be at a conference in Phoenix for the next 2 days (speaking) and another doctor from the practice would probably deliver me but she would call tonight to find out how I was. I was okay with this because she was wonderful during my pregnancy, I had met each of the doctors in the practice, and she knew it was her butt on the line since she had an agreement with my high risk OB in Phoenix to deliver me in Prescott (only going to 40 weeks, everything favorable, and at the first sign of problem either induce me or send me to Phoenix)! Since I was on Pitocin I could only be off the monitors for 30 minutes an hour (this included bathroom time) so I spent the next 30 minutes walking the halls of L&D. During this time nursing shift change occured and I came back to my room to meet my nurse for the next 12 hours.

As soon as I get back in the room the new nurse wanted me on the monitors. Since it was close to time I agreed and got in bed. I should have known something was bad when she said, "My shift ends at 3 and I want a baby by then!" (I was still only 2 cm, 50%, and -3). I sat in bed and talked to my mom and husband for a while and the nurse came in 15 minutes later and upped my Pitocin. I didn't think much of it until she came back in 15 minutes after that and upped the Pitocin. I asked what's going on Katie (my OB) said we are only upping the Pitocin 1 mU every hour. The nurse replied, "No we're upping it 2 mU every 15 minutes, I want a baby by the end of my shift." Since I was on such a low dose I didn't mind kicking up labor a bit since my contractions had ended during the night. By 10 am I didn't care for Pitocin as much, my contractions had picked up and were coming every 5 minutes and lasting for 30 seconds or so, I was ready to get used to them before continuing. The doctor on call came in and introduced himself to my family and I and checked my cervix. I was able to stretch to 3 cm, 75% effaced, and still -3. I brought up what Katie had said and what the nurse was doing. The doctor said I am the one who ordered more Pitocin, Katie was going too slow.
At this point I was mad! Katie was awesome and this doctor, who had never seen me, thought he knew more than the one who had followed my case from week 12! I said I would like to stick to Katie's plan and take a bit of time off from raising the Pitocin, he said we'll see what breaking your water does and go from there. He broke my water but left the Pitocin alone for the time being. But 15 minutes later the nurse came in and upped the Pitocin. This continued until 12:30 when I couldn't move during contractions, they were coming every 2 minutes and lasting a minute and a half. When the nurse came in to up the Pitocin again my mom and husband told her you have to do something she's can't cope anymore. She upped it and went to get the doctor.

He came in and checked me, quite possibly the most painful thing in the world during a contraction! I was at 4 cm, 75% effaced, and -3 not much change in an hour and a half but he said I could get an epidural if I wanted. I wanted! The anesthesiologist came in and watched a couple of contractions. He said I can get this in between contractions to make you more comfortable. I liked that idea! I found out later that in order to get it in so fast I had a HUGE bruise on my back. The pushy nurse was on lunch and a different one came in to hold me in position. She was wonderful and when she saw what I was like during contractions, she knew I was in need of the epi! After seeing a nurse who had compassion I asked if the other nurse could be kept out of my room, I needed to focus and she didn't help!

After the epi, the anethsiologist said take a nap and get ready to have a baby. I took his advice and while I was asleep Allison kept going off the monitor. That wasn't unusual, during NST's she would wander away from the monitor frequently. The nurse passed on my request to keep the bad nurse out and sent a wonderful nurse that I had had the day before, who coincidentally was named Allison too. Allison sat in my room for the next hour and kept chasing the baby around my stomach with the monitor. I couldn't see the monitor but I found out later that with each contraction, that were still coming every 2 minutes and lasting 1.5 minutes, the baby's heart rate was dropping. Her heart rate would come up quickly but Allison was getting worried. Finally, at 3 pm Allison went to get the doctor, things weren't getting better and my heart rate and oxygen was dropping too.

The doctor was delivering another baby in the next room but was watching my stats on the monitor. He told Allison to give me Terbutiline and oxygen and stop the Pitocin. He finished up in there as quickly as possible and came in the room. He checked me to see where I was in labor. I was at 5 cm, 75% effaced, and -2 station with the baby's head moulding. He said the baby wasn't going to come out naturally and she didn't like Pitocin contractions. We needed to have a c-section and now!
This scared me to death! I had not even planned for a c-section and now my baby is not doing so well! The room became a flurry of activity and I held tight to my dad in one hand and James in the other. Allison brought papers for me to sign, acid reducer to drink, and scrubs for James. I was shaking so bad from nerves and Terbutiline I could barely sign my name. James put on his scrubs and off we went!

In the OR the anethsiologist met me again and told me I said to get ready to meet baby but not like this! I laughed and he gave me a top off of meds, switched my oxygen mask for a nasal cannula, and put the pulse ox monitor on my right thumb. Allison came in and told me how things were going to go, the doctor would come in get the baby out ASAP, shown to me, and she would be checked out by the pediatrician. If everything was okay she'd be cleaned, wrapped up, and handed to James for some family cuddle time. After some cuddles and pictures the baby, Allison, and James would go to the nursery to get her measurements and I would finish up and meet up with them in my PP room. Then James came in and sat by my head. Lastly, the doctor came in and began the surgery. This went quick and Allison Ruth was born at 4:53 pm. I said look at that little bug when I saw her and touched her little hands.

She was checked out and was great! Her heart rate kept dropping because she had the cord wrapped around her neck twice and a huge head. The Pitocin was trying to get her to drop but her giant head wouldn't fit! Allison Ruth, Allison, and James went to the nursery while I was stapled up. I went to recovery where I was to stay until I could move my legs (it took about 20 minutes), and off I headed to my room, still shaking (an after effect of the meds).

My parents were already in love with their first grandchild! Allison (the nurse) came to make sure we were okay and knew what to do with breastfeeding. I was set. They set me up with a morphene pump and showed me how to use it. I used it twice but it didn't seem to work. I was so in love with my daughter that I didn't notice the meds or lack thereof. Allison brought me a liquid dinner. I had never been so excited to eat chicken broth and jello! It was the first food I had had for 24 hours. Finally, around 9 pm, my parents left and James and I were a family of 3 for the first time alone. Allie kept eating every 2 hours (she sucked like a barracuda!) and finally around 1 am I noticed that my stomach hurt like you wouldn't believe. I called the nurse and she called the doctor at home to find out what to do since Morphene wasn't doing anything for me. He said to give me Percocet. It worked and I felt so much better.

The next morning the nurse came in to get Allie and James for measurements (baby's don't stay in the nursery at this hospital and anytime Allie was out of the room James was with her) and asked if I'd like to get up and walk. Having walked around L&D so much in the past 2 days I said yes. It was uncomfortable but I wanted to do it. After a short walk I came back in to my husband and parents watching Allie with awe.

I was in the hospital for a total of 6 days because I developed a PP fever. The doctor who delivered my daughter thought I had an infection so he put me on IV antibiotics for four days. When my OB got back to town she was already mad at the other doctor for going against her wishes and inducing my labor too fast and now I had a fever! She was fit to be tied! It ended up that I was running a fever due to my RA (rheumatoid arthritis) but we couldn't prove it so Katie (my OB) had to run blood work, an EKG, urinanalysis, CT scan, ultrasound, and chest x-ray to prove I didn't have anything else!

Allie wore an adorable pink jumper, white onsie, and pink tights home. I wore my black yoga pants and a purple top (non-maternity!). Allie didn't really cry much during her stay at the hospital and going home was the same. She slept all the way home, after a quick stop at Wal-Mart to get diapers! We had another stop to get my prescriptions (Percocet and antibiotic) filled and then dinner at my parents. It was wonderful not to have to cook that first day!

On a side note, JR had his 1 month check up today and is now 11.1 pounds and 23.5 inches! That is a 2.5 pound increase and 2 inches in height in 1 month and 3 days. He's growing like a weed!

Monday, May 28, 2012

Introduction

As you can tell from the title of this blog, I am a stay at home mom. I have two wonderful kids, Allison and JR. Allison is 2 and JR is a newborn. They are the best part of my world! I have been married to the most wonderful man, James, for almost 6 years (in July). We still live in the same small town that I grew up in- I've never lived anywhere else that I can remember!

Before I had kids I was an elementary/middle school teacher. I started my (very short) career teaching second grade for two years and ended it teaching 5th grade and 6/7th grade math. I enjoyed the children and the classroom a lot but my heart knew I was supposed to be a mommy.

This blog is going to be a spot to document what I'm doing with homeschooling the kids (starting in January), day to day life, and just talk about the kids and my family!