The Stay At Home Zookeeper: May & A BIRTH STORY

This weeks' appointment--Cardiologist follow up

Doctor took everything the cardiologist said and we decided I can have a normal birth, I would deliver at the hospital that has a NICU and Children's hospital, there will be a pediatrician present, and we should try to stay calm. Even in worst case scenario, this is a very manageable heart defect.
Our doctor is going on vacation to Europe for a week and a half. We scheduled our induction for the day he comes back, but in the case I would go early, he passed our file off to everyone of his associates so they would be informed.
I am 1cm dilated, 50% effaced

How far along? 38 Weeks
Total Weight Gain? +30

Met with an associate of our doctors. All looks well, and it was a quick appointment.
2cm dilated, 30% effaced
Been having some false labor with contractions getting rather regular and intense, only to go away.
I have been teaching for my final week through my false labor. Getting tired, but chugging along.

How far along? 39 Weeks
Total Weight Gain? +28

Went to the hospital over Memorial Day weekend (Saturday) because I was having contractions every 3-5 minutes. They were getting more and more intense.
I was 2/2.5 cm dilated at the hospital. The plan was for me to walk, try to get things moving, and if there was no change we would be sent home. After walking 2 miles in laps around the hospital I had minimal if any change so I was sent home.
Tuesday was regular 39 week appointment with associate, was 3cm, 30%effaced still. At this point, its looking like induction.

Birth Story

We did not go into labor on our own so we were off to our induction! Our doctor got home the night before and our induction was scheduled for 6:15am, arriving at 6am on Thursday June 2, 2016.

Before heading out, we woke Nolan to give him some love and say goodbye. Our sitter was coming at 5:30 to spend the day with him until my mom got out of work to pick him up.

We checked in and did our usual paperwork and hospital check in. I arrived with contractions as I have been having for a while and dilated 3cm, 50%.

We finally got all checked in and started with Mesoprostol at 7:45am. I had to lay for an hour and then I was free to move about. Alex and I walked 13 laps around "the green circle" which totaled 2 miles. I was walking with quite the pace because I really wanted to get contractions going and do as much on my own as I could. Contractions were picking up on their own.

At 9:30am I got the IV so I could get the epidural when the time came. The veins in my hand are not conducive to IVs so I had to have it put in my wrist. It was far from comfortable and it made me pouty....but it was better than my elbow which I had for Nolan.

I was checked and at 4 after walking all our miles and the meds so Dr. O'Leary decided to break my water. We broke my water at 11. It was not long after my water broke that contractions started to pick up.

I didnt want to get the epidural to soon as the pain wasnt intense yet, but I also wanted to be sure they had time to get up there, get it with out being in agony, and time to relax a little before pushing. We had a very nice anesthesiologist who put the epidural in at 11:45am. It went well and it started working right away.

At 12:15 I was 4/5cm (nurse said 5cm the doctor said 4cm). We decided to start to use the peanut ball to try and get things moving.

At 1:30, I got a very low dose of pitocin, and then another very low dose at 1:45.

Right around 1:50, someone kicked my catheter tube and I felt it. I was also starting to feel the contractions and my toes were less tingly. I told my nurse that I wasn't in pain, but I was definitely uncomfortable. She pushed the button on the epidural. The contractions were getting increasingly worse so she pushed it again. They called the anesthesiologist and he was busy so they sent another. He noticed that the epidural had slipped a bit and fixed it and gave me a double dose directly into the catheter in my back....to no relief.

At 2, the contractions were AGONIZING and I was gripping the side of the bed and tears falling out of my eyes. They called the doctor and he came (literally running) at the sound of my voice. He checked me and I was 7/8cm, but then told me to give a test push.....and instantly I was ready to have this baby! Mind you--we have 3 nurses, the anesthesiologist, my doctor, and the pediatrician on her way because of the concerns with her heart and size. Poor Alex is over in the corner by the microwave. He made his way to my side at this point. The epidural still was not working but there was no time. I yelled I needed to push while he was putting his gloves on, washing up, and turning on the lights, and they were disassembling the bed. Dr. told me to go ahead and when I did, his eyes got big and he came rushing to the bed. 2 more pushes and sweet Stella Rose entered the world "like a freight train." That is when the pediatrician walked in...no one told her it was a hurry.

2:16pm She came out pink, breathing fine, and as perfect as can be. She immediately went onto my chest where I got a glimpse of what looked exactly like a 2 pound smaller Nolan. Alex cut the cord, she was brought to the Panda to check on her. I sent Alex with the camera over to the Panda to check on her. The pediatrician is telling him she is perfectly fine and he needs to come over by me because I am loosing a lot of blood. I keep sending Alex to her. Poor guy was a human ping pong ball that was weaving between the many people in the room. The wide eyed anesthesiologist finally walked out of the room.

With my placenta being close, we knew bleeding was a possibility and it appeared I did have a little more than what is considered "normal." Mind you, we are taking care of all of this with no pain meds. Now, I know that A LOT of women have and will deliver with out pain meds, but when you go in prepared for a medicated birth and do not have one it is a complete shock!

The bleeding was just getting under control and they handed a healthy looking baby girl to me for my skin to skin time. We hadnt even been skin to skin for an hour and they told us they needed to take her for her echo. The nurses tried to convince them to wait as the pediatrician cleared her, but they insisted. I sent Alex with her to the nursery to get the echo done, and I was left in the room alone while they continued to work on the bleeding. It was a scary hour on my own. Nurses were a flurry but it still was hard. I just dozed off when they returned to tell me I needed my catheter put back in to help control the bleeding....again no pain meds.

A very long hour later, Alex and Stella returned from the nursery. We finally had time to bond as a family. The pediatrician came in to give us the GREAT news! Stella does NOT have a double aortic arch! We do not have to worry about her heart at all! Her size is good, her stats are good, and her heart is good. God is good!