Name: cha
Dear all,
First of all congratulations to those of you who have delivered. I would love to reply (and read) each post but my time is seriously limited now, and probably for the next couple of weeks. I am so happy to hear that all deliveries have gone smooth.
Here's my birth story:
January 9th, 2006 (my birthday!)
7:30am - I woke up with a backache. I started having contractions, but I wasn't sure if they were real labor or false labor because of so many false labor symptoms over the past week. I told my hubby to stay home from work just in case it was real labor.
8:30am-I called the doctor because I was pretty sure it was real labor. I could feel the contractions in my cervix, rather than just in my abdomen. I called my sister, who was my other coach in the delivery room, to let her know that I was probably in labor.
9:30am-Contractions started fading...I was now unsure if I was, in fact, in real labor. I was confused, because with my other two pregnancies the labor was definite and I never had false labor symtoms. I relaxed for little while and the contractions would go away, then I would use the bathroom and the contractions would come back strong.
12:30pm- We dropped the boys off at my hubby's parents' house. We spent about 25 minutes there getting the boys settled in. My MIL made some yummy food for us so we took along a tiffin and ate the food in the car on the way to the hospital. = )
1:00pm- While driving to the hospital I had some pretty strong contractions.
1:30pm-We arrived at the hospital. I already pre-registered the week before, but when we arrived they told me I would have to register again, and the waiting line to register was about 30 minutes long. Obviously, a woman in active labor does not want to hear this and I explained to the woman behind the check-in desk that I was in labor and I already pre-registered. In return, she told me that my hubby should bring me up to labor and delivery and come back down to register me. However, with my last pregnancy we did that and my hubby almost missed the birth of my son (as the doctor was telling me to push I was screaming for my hubby, so the nurse had to run downstairs and get him from the registration!) Now, with that experience, I did not want to take another chance like that one and I told the woman at the check-in desk that I would rather give birth in front of all the people in registration than have my hubby miss the birth. hahahahaha.
2:00pm- We arrive in my labor and delivery room. I get changed into my robe and the nurse hooks me up to some monitors.
2:30pm- The nurse examines me for the first time and notes that I am 5cm dialated, and that my bag of waters is \";buldging\";. I had to idea what she was talking about. I asked if I could walk around and she told me I couldn't. I was quite upset at hearing this because I specfically didn't want to spend the entire labor on my back. Anyway, I asked her if I could at least use the restroom and she told me no. Now I was really upset and I asked her why not, and she said that I was already 5cm dialted and if I got up my bag of waters would break and I would probably go through transition pretty quickly and she didn't want to take the chance of me giving birth before my doctor arrived. That was all she had to tell me and I thought it was a very reasonable answer, so I was satisfied. I asked if it was too late to get an epidural and the nurse said no. However, I already decided against an epidural before I even asked...I just wanted to have the option of the epidural if I needed it. hahahahaha.
3:30pm-My OB arrives and examines me. She asks if I would like her to break my bag of waters. I told her I wanted to go to the bathroom first and see if it would break on its own. I went, and it didn't. I got back in bed and agreed to allow her to break my bag of waters.
4:30pm-The nurse comes in and says that I am dialated. She asks if I feel like pushing. I tell her no way. hahahahaha. She keeps coming back in the room and asking if I feel the urge to push. I keep telling her no, but I was failing to recognize the urge because I was sooooo scared of pushing. The nurse joked with me and said I was just feeling \";baby retentive\";.
4:55pm- I tell the nurse that I think I would like to push. She stays in the room for a couple of minutes while I push lightly for a couple of contractions and then she calls in the nurse staff to prep me and calls the doctor back in.
5:05pm- I start really pushing and suddenly I feel as though I am burning up! The room feels as though it is 200 degrees! I ask for ice and water and cold cloths. I needed take all the blankets off...I asked the nurse to turn on the AC. hhahahahha. Seriously, I was REALLY uncomfortable. My feet go up in the stirups, and everyone around me is telling me to push. I yelled at my hubby a few times and even dug my finger nails into his arm until his eyes widened to show his pain. I did feel better after this...hahahahaha.
5:15- I am able to see the baby's head through the mirror the nurse brought in. Everyone was saying how much hair he had! I only took a quick look at the mirror, as I was in no mood to be watching the birth of my baby. I was only pushing as hard as possible and asking God to give me strength to get it over and done with. After I saw his head out I became a little more relieved because I knew it was almost over. It took just another push with such pressure and pain that I thought I might pass out and his shoulders passed through and the rest of his body slipped out with ease.
5:20pm- Baby Matthew was born!!!! My relief at this point was unlike any other relief I've ever felt (except for after my other babies' births). What pleasure I took in knowing the the labor was over!!!! I was filled with joy...just to know that I would NOT have to push again! hahahahahha. I was too tired to even open my eyes to look at my baby boy. In fact, I was in some pain, and I was shaking and kind of traumatized...and I was feeling as though I was going to vomit, so I asked for medication! They gave me demoral to calm me and relieve my discomfort. hahahahaha. I did the whole thing without drugs...but it turned out that I needed them after the fact! hahahahhaha.
After they gave me the demoral, the room began spinning and I wished I hadn't asked for the medication. I became so drowsy that I couldn't even hold baby Matthew or even open my eyes to see him for the first time. I finally was able to focus and see my baby for the first time at approximately 5:45pm.
The doc delivered the placenta and sewed me up, as I needed an episiotomy. She told me that I almost didn't need one. Whatever...I expected that I was going to get one anyway.
I was so happy to hold baby Matthew, even though I needed help to hold him because I was so drowsy and weak.
We named him Matthew Emmanuel, and he was born at 5:20pm, weighing 8lbs. 15oz, and 20\"; in length.
Now, at 1 week of age he sleeps all the time. The first night we came home he stayed awake for the entire night, but since then he has pretty much been sleeping though the night (that is waking every 4 hours for feedings, during which I just keep him in my bed and nurse him.
That's about all. My hubby and LJ and Aarun just completed working out to his yoga dvd and now we have to put them to bed.
I would love to write some more, but it will probably be a few days before I can log back on.
Love you all!
CHA = )
Hearty Congrulations!!!
Wow..!!
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