Noah's Birth Story
I never shared Noah's birth story so I figured I would before I have me another bebe :)
My labor started on Friday the 13th after work. It was literally right at 4pm when I started having contractions. They were few and far between so I just kept on with my normal business of the day. I had a scrapbooking party to attend! At my scrapbooking party I told all my work friends "I won't be at work on Monday. I am having this baby this weekend". I think everyone thought I was just wishful thinking. I wasn't in actual ACTIVE labor yet, but all I wanted to do was power walk. Josh and I went to Bath and Body Works and I kept yelling at him to hurry up! I wasn't there to browse. I was there to run! My labor never really progressed into something I would have checked into a hospital for so we just hung out all night. It was one of those sleep on the recliner for an hour kind of nights.
By Saturday morning I was still in that same slow labor... almost like just extremely intense Braxton Hicks contractions. We went to a few stores so I could walk more. I showered. We ate at a buffet. I didn't want to go to the hospital hungry because those damn doctors never let you eat. Sometime during the middle of the day we went over to the hospital to see how things were progressing. They totally weren't :P I was 2cm and they sent me on my way. Not that I minded! I was not looking forward to laying in a bed for 30 hours! We were driving around, trying to find distractions. Josh drove over a few potholes and speedbumps and I nearly punched him in the head for it. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THAT HURTS! It was like the fullest bladder in the world being struck with a ball peen hammer. My contractions still didn't get any worse. We went home and I showered again, which calmed everything down. I tried to get some sleep.
At about 2am on Sunday I woke up to REAL contractions. Dang. I tried to breathe and relax, but I was afraid. I didn't know how much worse it was going to get, how far along I was, what was going to happen. The first baby is so scary. I just wanted to go to the hospital to be around pros. I got checked again at the hospital and I was a whole 3cm... just 3?! Here I thought I did so well. It took me a DAY to dilate one centimeter!?!??!! Booooo! haha. Nevertheless I was determined not to be stuck in a bed! They said they would admit me, but they recommended waiting until at least 4cm. So I did what I did before. I walked. Note to moms: if you're in labor and are taking a walk, do NOT take a walk down the NICU hallway. It was lined with plaques and pictures of babies who were born, hooked up to a million tubes, and eventually died. I was bawling my eyes out and in total despair, begging the nurse to see a living healthy baby. There was no nursery at my hospital so I found a different distraction... foooooood. The cafeteria had just opened up and I was ready for more buffet. This other woman who had come in with me was there eating as well. The lucky lady only labored for one more hour. Jerk.
After eating I was checked again and admitted to my room. Yay 4cm! I think it was about 7am. Let's get this party started! The party never really progressed. I was at 4cm for 6 hours or longer. I was doing fine, still not on any drugs. Once I found out I wasn't dilating at all I was mad and tired. I was given Demerol and everything just stopped. The contractions stopped, Noah stopped moving around, we both slept for a few hours. I woke up and almost puked. I am not good with drugs. I was so nauseated. They told me I still hadn't progressed any more so they were going to try to break my water for me. That was an odd sensation, let me tell you. An hour or 2 later, still just at 4cm. They decided I should get Pitocin. This was the point where I knew I would take an epidural. If it's not "real" labor, I want drugs! I heard Pitocin would make the contractions harder and more irregular and I was scared. I told them no Pitocin until I get an epidural. My epi and the Demerol mixed together to make me extremely nauseated yet again. I HATE puking, more than labor. I was luckily able to hold back and the nausea subsided. They gave me the Pitocin and we were on our way. I was nicely numbed and the contractions weren't bugging me at all. I was finally able to relax and not be afraid of what was next.
I was watching the olympics, just chillin' in bed. Numb. I could feel contractions, but not as pain, just as pressure. Suddenly the pressure started to get a little more intense so I tried to move a little and do the other tricks to make the epi work better. Josh was starving and tried to make a run for Arby's at maybe 7:30pm. A nurse came in and I asked her to check me because I was feeling a lot of pressure. I was 10cm and ready to push! Wow!! I called Josh and he ran from the parking lot back up to the room, all out of breath and still starving. I was able to push Noah out in about an hour. It was Sunday August 15th at 9:53pm... we had a 6'14oz baby boy with a perfect little round head! :D I was proud of myself for the round head, of course.
I was kind of out of it, slightly exhausted, mostly relieved. I didn't hear Noah cry. I looked at Josh, he wasn't looking at me. I squeezed his hand... "why isn't he crying?"... "JOSH why isn't he crying?" He wouldn't answer me and he wouldn't look at me for more than a few seconds before looking back over to the corner. Josh looked absolutely terrified. That scared me. Suddenly 5 more doctors rushed in and surrounded Noah. Still no crying. Oh my God... why hasn't he cried yet. I heard a doctor saying "come on, little guy. breathe! breathe! come on". I was scared, but I was also... I don't know I just knew he was ok regardless of all the commotion. Finally Noah let out a few squeaks. He was brushed past my face for a few seconds and then whisked off to NICU. He didn't breathe for the first 7 minutes of his life. He had some slight aspirated meuconium from them breaking my water. He was ok, though. He stayed in the NICU for 4 hours and then we got our baby :) He slept for 2 days. I got yelled at for not breastfeeding him. Hello?! He's ASLEEP! I tried everything to keep that child awake. He wasn't having it.
I have decided to try a drug free labor with this next child. I honestly think Noah's complications were due to too much doctor intervention. If it gets too rough, yeah I'll take drugs. I don't think I needed them to speed things up for me. I should have gotten up and tried to speed things up for myself. I was scared. I won't go in so early next time. I won't let them break my water. I won't get Pitocin... unless it's a special circumstance or something. I'm determined to be comfortable and not so scared this time. I feel like I know what's coming and I'm more prepared for the pain. I really think that Demerol was what zonked Noah out. Add an epi to that. He wasn't even 7lbs, the poor little guy. I'm not opposed to drugs! I think every birth and every mom, every child is different. The point is to get through it and meet your baby. My body hates drugs and I want to try it without :) We'll see how it goes. I'm pretty determined!
My labor started on Friday the 13th after work. It was literally right at 4pm when I started having contractions. They were few and far between so I just kept on with my normal business of the day. I had a scrapbooking party to attend! At my scrapbooking party I told all my work friends "I won't be at work on Monday. I am having this baby this weekend". I think everyone thought I was just wishful thinking. I wasn't in actual ACTIVE labor yet, but all I wanted to do was power walk. Josh and I went to Bath and Body Works and I kept yelling at him to hurry up! I wasn't there to browse. I was there to run! My labor never really progressed into something I would have checked into a hospital for so we just hung out all night. It was one of those sleep on the recliner for an hour kind of nights.
By Saturday morning I was still in that same slow labor... almost like just extremely intense Braxton Hicks contractions. We went to a few stores so I could walk more. I showered. We ate at a buffet. I didn't want to go to the hospital hungry because those damn doctors never let you eat. Sometime during the middle of the day we went over to the hospital to see how things were progressing. They totally weren't :P I was 2cm and they sent me on my way. Not that I minded! I was not looking forward to laying in a bed for 30 hours! We were driving around, trying to find distractions. Josh drove over a few potholes and speedbumps and I nearly punched him in the head for it. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THAT HURTS! It was like the fullest bladder in the world being struck with a ball peen hammer. My contractions still didn't get any worse. We went home and I showered again, which calmed everything down. I tried to get some sleep.
At about 2am on Sunday I woke up to REAL contractions. Dang. I tried to breathe and relax, but I was afraid. I didn't know how much worse it was going to get, how far along I was, what was going to happen. The first baby is so scary. I just wanted to go to the hospital to be around pros. I got checked again at the hospital and I was a whole 3cm... just 3?! Here I thought I did so well. It took me a DAY to dilate one centimeter!?!??!! Booooo! haha. Nevertheless I was determined not to be stuck in a bed! They said they would admit me, but they recommended waiting until at least 4cm. So I did what I did before. I walked. Note to moms: if you're in labor and are taking a walk, do NOT take a walk down the NICU hallway. It was lined with plaques and pictures of babies who were born, hooked up to a million tubes, and eventually died. I was bawling my eyes out and in total despair, begging the nurse to see a living healthy baby. There was no nursery at my hospital so I found a different distraction... foooooood. The cafeteria had just opened up and I was ready for more buffet. This other woman who had come in with me was there eating as well. The lucky lady only labored for one more hour. Jerk.
After eating I was checked again and admitted to my room. Yay 4cm! I think it was about 7am. Let's get this party started! The party never really progressed. I was at 4cm for 6 hours or longer. I was doing fine, still not on any drugs. Once I found out I wasn't dilating at all I was mad and tired. I was given Demerol and everything just stopped. The contractions stopped, Noah stopped moving around, we both slept for a few hours. I woke up and almost puked. I am not good with drugs. I was so nauseated. They told me I still hadn't progressed any more so they were going to try to break my water for me. That was an odd sensation, let me tell you. An hour or 2 later, still just at 4cm. They decided I should get Pitocin. This was the point where I knew I would take an epidural. If it's not "real" labor, I want drugs! I heard Pitocin would make the contractions harder and more irregular and I was scared. I told them no Pitocin until I get an epidural. My epi and the Demerol mixed together to make me extremely nauseated yet again. I HATE puking, more than labor. I was luckily able to hold back and the nausea subsided. They gave me the Pitocin and we were on our way. I was nicely numbed and the contractions weren't bugging me at all. I was finally able to relax and not be afraid of what was next.
I was watching the olympics, just chillin' in bed. Numb. I could feel contractions, but not as pain, just as pressure. Suddenly the pressure started to get a little more intense so I tried to move a little and do the other tricks to make the epi work better. Josh was starving and tried to make a run for Arby's at maybe 7:30pm. A nurse came in and I asked her to check me because I was feeling a lot of pressure. I was 10cm and ready to push! Wow!! I called Josh and he ran from the parking lot back up to the room, all out of breath and still starving. I was able to push Noah out in about an hour. It was Sunday August 15th at 9:53pm... we had a 6'14oz baby boy with a perfect little round head! :D I was proud of myself for the round head, of course.
I was kind of out of it, slightly exhausted, mostly relieved. I didn't hear Noah cry. I looked at Josh, he wasn't looking at me. I squeezed his hand... "why isn't he crying?"... "JOSH why isn't he crying?" He wouldn't answer me and he wouldn't look at me for more than a few seconds before looking back over to the corner. Josh looked absolutely terrified. That scared me. Suddenly 5 more doctors rushed in and surrounded Noah. Still no crying. Oh my God... why hasn't he cried yet. I heard a doctor saying "come on, little guy. breathe! breathe! come on". I was scared, but I was also... I don't know I just knew he was ok regardless of all the commotion. Finally Noah let out a few squeaks. He was brushed past my face for a few seconds and then whisked off to NICU. He didn't breathe for the first 7 minutes of his life. He had some slight aspirated meuconium from them breaking my water. He was ok, though. He stayed in the NICU for 4 hours and then we got our baby :) He slept for 2 days. I got yelled at for not breastfeeding him. Hello?! He's ASLEEP! I tried everything to keep that child awake. He wasn't having it.
I have decided to try a drug free labor with this next child. I honestly think Noah's complications were due to too much doctor intervention. If it gets too rough, yeah I'll take drugs. I don't think I needed them to speed things up for me. I should have gotten up and tried to speed things up for myself. I was scared. I won't go in so early next time. I won't let them break my water. I won't get Pitocin... unless it's a special circumstance or something. I'm determined to be comfortable and not so scared this time. I feel like I know what's coming and I'm more prepared for the pain. I really think that Demerol was what zonked Noah out. Add an epi to that. He wasn't even 7lbs, the poor little guy. I'm not opposed to drugs! I think every birth and every mom, every child is different. The point is to get through it and meet your baby. My body hates drugs and I want to try it without :) We'll see how it goes. I'm pretty determined!
Comments
I love birth stories,thanks for sharing yours,I always wondered!
My second labor was a lot like my first...extremely exciting,very painful and pretty fast.I think my body was just ready to get things going.I think I would have waited one more week with Ember if I could do it again.I don't know why but I feel like she need a little more time in my belly....she was just sooo tired,poor girl...Ava was too but I just sensed that.Since I was induced both times I will definately say that I believe Pitocin makes contractions more painful.I felt like I was having one HUGE never ending contraction with Ava....But since my labor with Ava was 4 hours I figured I liked that better than 30 hours!I went almost the entire time without an epi with Ava...and considering it was one huge contraction I was very proud of myself,haha...with Ember my labor was not as intense and the Dr.'s took a long time getting things around but it was still fast.like 7 hours counting after they broke my water..I love epidurals but I hate the idea of the huge needle.I think if you just give yourself a goal but tell yourself its ok if you cave in last minute then you'll feel better...I told myself for both labors I would go as long as I possibly could without an epi .I think it would be awfully boring to not get to feel any of your labor anyway,right?haha
My sister didn't have any drugs for either of her labors,and she did great!You can do it if you set your mind to it!Noah has a great birth story!
I was proud of my babies round heads too,no cone heads for them!It took me 20 minutes to push Ava out and like under 5 to push Ember out,haha.Maybe this baby will just pop right out,lol :)
~Brit