Wednesday, September 7, 2011 - 39 week doctor appointment. 1 cm dilated, stripped membranes, baby is head down. Doesn't seem like labor is imminent, but my body is beginning preparation.
Thursday, September 8, 2011 - tonight James said he was getting anxious to have this baby already. Lincoln was listening and just before 10 pm, my water broke. I'd been having very mild 'period-like' cramps, but nothing that seemed like 'real' contractions. We had been watching TV together on the couch and I stood up to do something when I felt a gush of warm fluid. I skip-hopped over to the kitchen linoleum and just stood in shock. James knew something was up when I was on the verge of crying. I'd read somewhere that only 15% of women have their water break prior to the onset of labor. I was not expecting to be a part of that 15% and I wasn't expecting Lincoln to come tonight - I was certain that he'd be late. The surprise of all of that together made me want to cry a little - that and impending labor and motherhood. After talking to my mom and the doctor and doing a load of laundry and packing a bunch of 'stuff', we headed for the hospital.
Friday, September 9, 2011 - we checked into the hospital at just after midnight on Friday morning. They already had paperwork and all my pre-natal history, so check in was super fast. During the check in, the clerk asked if I would be wanting an epidural (so they could contact the anesthesiologist). I said no. After that, each nurse would just double-check that I was declining an epidural. Then they didn't mention it again. During all my reading while pregnant, I'd decided that I would like to labor without interventions. Better for the baby, better for the mother and less likely to end in c-section. I really didn't care to have a large needle poked in my spine, and I really, really, really didn't want abdominal surgery to deliver our baby. I am grateful that the nurses and doctor gave me the option and then didn't make an issue of it.
We were shown to a labor and delivery room...a huge room with a bed and couch on one side, a baby 'station' on the other side and a bathroom. I changed into the lovely hospital gown and the nurse confirmed that I was indeed leaking amniotic fluid. They monitored the baby's heartrate and my contractions for about 15 minutes. Lincoln's heartrate was very stable and strong and I was still having fairly regular but very light period-like cramps and the nurse recommended that I wander the hallways for a while. It was after 1 a.m. at this point, so James stretched out on the couch in the room and I walked all the hallways and looked at all the pictures of cute babies. Without any progress.
The nurse checked me at 1+ cm dilated and after talking to Dr. Knowlton, we decided to start pitocin. This meant that I was now stuck close to the bed to have my contractions and the baby's heart rate continuously monitored while having an IV with very low dose pitocin administered. Dr.K wanted our baby to be delivered within about 12 hours of my water breaking because of the risk of infection. And I certainly didn't want to labor for days, so I agreed to pitocin. And now it was truly the middle of the night and I didn't mind crawling into the bed and 'snoozing' between contractions.
Sometime during the night, the dose of pitocin was upped a little bit. And now my 'cramps' were more regular. The monitor wasn't picking them up very well, but the monitor on the baby's heartrate was working great and his heart rate was still strong and regular. I was still able to 'snooze' for 3 or 4 minutes at a time and James was sacked out on the couch.
When the day nurse came on duty, she bumped up the pitocin again. It was still a very low dose, but now I wasn't completely relaxed or pain-free between 'cramps/contractions.' The contractions were fairly intense and I had to remind myself to relax and breathe. Counting to myself helped the most. I never had to count higher than 10 before the contraction would let-up and I could snooze again. I felt a bit like a zombie. I was really, really tired because it was 8 in the morning and I hadn't really slept. Which meant that I was able to still snooze a bit between contractions and that helps take a girls' mind off of things - completely zoning out!
James woke up and got dressed and was awake enough for both of us. He was fantastic. He helped me unplug from everything and walk across the room to the bathroom. He helped me all the way back and back to the bed. He rubbed my back or my knee and just stood next to me. For the last couple hours, I held onto the waist band of his shorts so I had something to hold onto and wouldn't squash his hand. He probably would have let me squash his hand, but I felt okay just to have him close by!
The nurse had me try a different position - my hands and knees on the end of the bed rather than on my back in the bed - but it was soooo uncomfortable. I climbed back into the bed. When the nurse checked, she said I was at 7+ cm and contacted Dr. K. Watching her set up the 'baby station' near the end of the bed was fairly distracting. And sometime in the middle of all of this, my mom called. She was on her way and checking to see how I was doing. I could talk to her between contractions, but when they intensified, I just had to close my eyes and breathe and count to myself. It wasn't much of a conversation! But I was glad to know she was on her way.
The nurse talked me into an internal monitor for tracking contractions because the external monitor wasn't working as they'd like. I agreed to that one, but since the babys HR monitor was working, I declined the monitor that they could have attached to him. It was occasionally nicely distracting to watch the contractions on the monitor. She also gave me an oxygen mask. While the contractions were finally getting intense, it was also starting to affect the baby a tiny bit and oxygen could only help us both. But it was not easy to be comfortable with the oxygen mask.
Not sure what time Dr.K arrived, but it was nicely distracting to watch her get prepped. She went through 3 sets of gloves because one hand kept ripping at the wrist. When she checked, I was fully dilated with just a 'lip' of cervix left and she told me that we could begin pushing and she'd massage the tissues and we'd hope to prevent any tearing.
It was extremely HARD to switch from 'relaxing and breathing' through contractions to pushing. Pushing means - breathe really deep, hold your breath, and 'push' for a count of 10. Then do it again. Then do it again. It took me a few contractions to get it right. I had a hard time holding my breath. James was holding one leg and the nurse was holding the other leg. I was supposed to fill my lungs, grab my legs under my knees to create a "crunch" position and then push (or attempt to have a bowel movement) - which really just made my face extremely red. On the positive side, it was really distracting from the intense contractions. It was almost impossible to feel them when I was concentrating so hard on the pushing process.
They asked me if I wanted a mirror so I could watch the birth. YES! Another fantastic distraction from the pain of contractions and the stretching of skin was to actually see my baby's head. I was much more effective at pushing when I could see progress. The entire process was slow enough that I didn't tear or need an episiotomy (I did have a tiny, tiny tear, but not enough for even one stitch). Thank goodness for the mirror though, I was tempted to push 'light' because the skin stretching was extremely uncomfortable. Seeing the head get bigger and bigger was serious motivation for each push.
At one point the dr was making a bit of a mohawk out of the hair that was showing. She kept saying, "The only thing holding this baby back is your skin." Not sure if that was supposed to be motivating, but eventually there was an entire head. Then things got really, really fast. A shoulder and then a whole baby! 10:51 a.m. Approximately 13 hours of labor including 45-ish minutes of pushing.
Then Lincoln was on my stomach and the nurses where rubbing him down. They gave him a 1 minute APGAR of 8 and a 5 minute APGAR of 9. He has a cute little squeeky cry. And James cried a bit too. I was too tired to cry and was just keeping a hand on my wiggly little boy and trying to watch everything that was going on.
James got to cut the umbilical cord. He said it took 2 snips and it was a 'spongy' texture. I'm so glad they gave James that opportunity because we didn't ask for it ahead of time.
I don't remember having any more contractions, but Dr.K caught our attention long enough for us to see the placenta delivery. It really looked like she just pulled it out by the umbilical cord. That was interesting, but not as interesting as our baby!
James got out the camera and watched as Lincoln was weighed and measured and examined by Dr. K. I was back on the bed getting 'kneaded'. Having my abdomen squashed by the nurse. Not very comfortable, but not painful. I guess I was bleeding a bit more than normal because they really upped the pitocin and then I got a 2nd bag of pitocin when the first ran out. Strange how such a low dose of pitocin caused contractions for so many hours and then I don't remember having any more contractions when it was open full blast. (After delivery, pitocin is used to help control bleeding.)
From everything I'd read (I read a lot), I thought that there would be a major endorphin rush post-delivery and that I'd feel SO GREAT. James was proud of me, we have a healthy, beautiful boy, the nurses and Dr.K were all very complimentary about my laboring without an epidural - especially as a first time mom. But I didn't think I had a 'natural' high. Until much, much later when I was suddenly exhausted. Then I realized that I had felt awake for so many hours after a long night and the physically demanding process of labor and birth. I am grateful that the medical technology and interventions are available when needed and I am even more grateful that we had an uncompicated and successful delivery!
And now... pictures!
Check out those purple hands and feet. It took a few hours before he 'pinked' up all the way.
Born at 10:51 a.m. 7 lb 12 oz and 21.5 inches long. Brown hair.
Lincoln, Jessi and Dr. Knowlton - she's a family doctor, so she's my dr and Lincoln's pediatrician too.
Snuggled up and warm.
Lincoln's first visitor - Oma! She arrived within an hour of his birth and was able to help us move from Labor and Delivery to the Post-Partum room. I got a wheelchair ride and got to hold Lincoln. Mom and James had all our 'stuff.' We stopped in the hallway to listed to Lincoln's lullaby. The hospital plays about 30 seconds of a classical lullaby to celebrate each birth.
First diaper change...
Proud Daddy! Lincoln timed his arrival so perfectly. James was able to get a little sleep and then participate in the birth. Got settled in the post-partum room and then headed off to class. So grateful that James won't have to make up any school time! It was probably really hard to leave the hospital and his wife and brand-new son to go to class, but he did it anyway. And then he came back and slept in yet another hospital pull-out.
Sometime before bed, we were having problems breast feeding. Lincoln just didn't seem to be 'sucking' and he hadn't had any wet diapers. The nurse was concerned enough that she suggested supplementing with formula and having me pump (the sucking is necessary for the mom because it helps the uterus contract and get back toward normal). So for just one feeding we used a syringe and a tiny, tiny tube to put a bit of formula and try to restart Lincoln's sucking reflexes. It seemed to work and when he woke up next, he had a wet diaper and latched on just fine. Yay!
Happy 7th birthday Carter!
Saturday, September 10, 2011 - Lincoln's actual due date. James was right, Lincoln did come a little early. :) We were determined to go home today. We knew there was a lot to do, Dr. K was going to come and check on us and do the circumcision. Lincoln needed his first bath, blood drawn for neonatal screening and bilirubin test, and all the education on the nurse's checklist. We hoped to be going home shortly after lunch. It was after 7 pm when we finally got to go. Everybody seemed surprised that we wanted to go home so soon. I am surprised anyone wants to sleep more than one night in a hospital bed. His bilirubin count was on the high-side of normal, so we've got instructions to go in on Monday for another blood draw. Lincoln passed his hearing test and doesn't have anything else that concerns the doctor or the nurses now that he's breastfeeding well.
Lincoln's first bath
Getting his footprints...
Homemade hat! We get lots of compliments on this hat. And even more on this boy.
Finally on our way home!
And then nap time! Naps are contageous, right Oma?
Our Little Bandito is finally here! Lincoln James is a really mellow baby. We're grateful that Oma is here to help us adjust to having a newborn. We don't know much, but we do know that our baby is very cute. And that tiny little newborn cry, so very cute! We're going to keep him.
