36 weeks pregnant! my last belly shot.My "labor & delivery" story doesn't have anything super interesting to share, but for the sake of journaling, and for those of you who may be curious to the birth story here goes....
First, a little back story of the months leading up to her arrival...I became pregnant and immediately was considered "high risk" for pre-term labor, and with large size babies (with no gestational diabetes) I also don't gain much weight in pregnancies so they are vigilant on watching mine and babies growth. Around 17weeks I had a "emergency cervical ultrasound" because I was already showing signs of contractions, and progression. That is the appointment where I found out she was a SHE! I was told to be resting often, and on "moderate" bed-rest. Whatever moderate could be chasing 2 kids around...
By 23 weeks I was in the hospital for pre-term symptoms and put on a monitor, given fluids and sent home. From 23 weeks til 34 weeks, I had a doctors appointment every week along with a ultrasound, and FFn test (fetal fibronectin test) read here for info on that>>>>FFn
My cervix was holding pretty solid for most ultrasounds until I hit 30 weeks. Where the ultrasound tech stated "it had shortened, and also baby was dropping and measuring large"
During this pregnancy I was in pain..constant. I had pains that felt like my appendix would burst, and I would be doubled over for hours, to days at a time, my pelvis, hips and back were in a constant state of aching, and agonizing pain. I had lots of tests run to check white blood cell counts, or disease with no answers. Basically told things would most likely resolve with the birth...nice. Anyway...fast forward...
33+1 day pregnant, McKenzie was in a horse show, I felt pretty lousy waking up that morning, but wouldn't miss her show. Jake brought plenty of snacks and waters, and a chair for me. I sat and relaxed while watching the show. Around 3pm that day I knew I was contracting. I drank a large bottle of water, and laid in bed. I couldn't get comfortable and things seemed to be progressing. After telling Jake I think I need to go to the hospital, I decided to take a warm shower and give myself another hour before going in. In that time Jake called his parents and let them know we were maybe going to be dropping our kids off with them to go get me looked at. Half way through my shower I got very nauseous, bent over in pain and yelled to Jake that we needed to go NOW. So while I got out of the shower and dressed he loaded up the kids, we drove them to his parents house (luckily only 7 mins away) and then headed to the triage. Once in triage they immediately checked me and told us I was dilated to 3cm and was 50% effaced with contractions 2 mins apart. Within about 5 minutes time, the on call OBGYN from my dr's office came in and said I would be admitted for pre term labor and they would try to stop progression of labor immediately. I was taken to my room and hooked up to all kinds of fun stuff. The drug given was called Magnesium Sulfate. I was also told it was going to make me feel like I was hit by a truck. I think I would have preferred being hit by a truck, I was on the mag sulfate for just over 36 hours, and they were the worst hours of My LIFE. I felt seriously as though I was circling the drain, I would cry for hours in hours in pain, my eyes would focus, I had the "headache from hell" and every part of my body felt like flu like pain symptoms but 100X worse. When they told me I was going to be weaned off of it I was SO HAPPY. Unfortunately my contractions stayed hard and strong for about 16 hours after being medicated, and almost had a baby that day.
Luckily things quieted down, and I was put on a oral medication and stayed 2 more days in the hospital. I was on the oral medication until 36 weeks, and monitored closely for contractions and dilation. By my 36 week appointment I was dilated to a 4 and 70% effaced. it freaked me out a bit to be that far along, especially on baby #3. I was afraid to deliver in the car!
After being discharged from the hospital for pre term labor I was put on STRICT bed rest. Like only get up to pee...are you kidding!? With 2 kids! yikes. So I called in reinforcements. My sister in law Natalie flew in with in about 3 days of my discharge and became my nanny! I'm SO grateful and SO lucky! (and she is STILL HERE! yay!)
Even while on bed rest, I felt as though I was constantly laboring, contracting, and in constant agony and pain. I don't think this little girl was happy at all to have been drugged to stay in, when she was trying to get out! But we were SO grateful we made it to 37 weeks.
So, here's the delivery story..... I was 37 +1 day pregnant. It was Sunday. I had an appointment the Friday before so 2 days prior, and was still 4cm, 70%, but doc said my cervix was much softer. She also gave me the ok to get out of bed! whoo hoo! But I was exhausted and still in pain, so I would get up and around the house but never went anywhere.
Sunday afternoon, as usual I was contracting, but thought nothing of it, except that it was annoying... around 6pm I started getting harder stronger contractions that kept me from walking, so I sat on my big red birthing ball and closed my eyes to relax. While doing this I jokingly texted Jake at work "wana have a baby tonight?" he texted back "is it go time!?" of course I didn't think so, but within a half hour things were definitely progressing, so I finally decided I better call him home. (he works about 45 mins away) I came out into the living room in pain and said to my sister Natalie "uh I think this is really it! where the freak is Jake? he needs to drive faster!" she just laughed and said "he probably stopped to get gas" funny thing, Jake walks in the door as I'm now in a good amount of pain, and say "what took so long!?" "I had to get gas.." HAHAHA. Except SO not funny at the time, I told him seriously we need to go now, so he loaded up our bags and we were off! We got to triage fairly quickly, and I was checked, I was now at 6cm and 70% effaced. While sitting there my contractions went from 3 mins apart to about 5 mins apart. So the doctor decided to admit me, but didn't want to let me get an epidural yet, in case I stopped progressing, plus this way I was able to walk. So in triage they sent in my favorite people...the blood draw girl and the IV person. (sensing my sarcasm?)
Well after two IV pokes and two blown veins, a blood draw and the 4th attempt to get my IV placed I was having panic attacks, and my contractions went to 2 mins apart! A blessing I guess, because once in my delivery room, my anesthesiologist was waiting for me to give me my epidural, so we knew we were there to stay, which after the many visits to the hospital was a relief to finally stay and know we were going to have a baby! We were admitted around 10:30pm Sunday night April 3rd, so we knew we would be having our lil girl on the 4th.
I was progressing pretty good, so they weren't wanting to break my water, or push pitocin. Kaitlyn was still pretty high up, so they decided to let me sleep since it was late, and see what my body did. So after a WONDERFUL epidural, Jake and I just slept. We didn't even call anyone for a few hours. Around 3am, I was checked and had only progressed to 7cm. So they gave me the "peanut ball" yes it looks like a huge peanut that goes between your legs as you lie on your side, to help baby progress down into the birth canal. around 5am, they started pitocin, and about 9am my water broke on it's own! Jake was downstairs having breakfast when my water broke, and I freaked out! It felt like a huge rubber band snapped inside me and then I was in flood waters! Jake's mom was in the room with me, and her and I were both texting and calling Jake to come back but couldn't get a hold of him! I started panicking because once my water broke I progressed in a matter of minutes! I could feel pressure HARD in my bum, my epidural at this point had stopped working and I was IN PAIN. I have never felt labor pains like this, and I was almost complete. (wow to you moms who go natural, right on! I was dying!) So Jake finally got our calls and texts and was running back to our room. my cervix was checked again, and I was at 9cm. I still had time but I was in some real pain, and felt like my bum was going to explode...(sorry tmi) so as im yelling and crying, the nurse called the anesthesiologist back in and drugged me back up. He said it would be about 20 mins before I felt it, and he was SO right. In the time he gave me the dose, to the time it took effect, I became complete, and was READY to push!
So the crew came in and readied the room, the doctor came in, and we were ready to rock and roll. Except me! I wanted her out, but I was hurting so bad I was panicking, I wanted to be numb first! (selfish) Anyway, So I pushed through one contraction not numb, and it was like the movies, ain crying, screaming, sweating...traumatic for me. But by the second contraction I looked t Jake and said, oh my gosh I'm numb! lets do this! With that contraction I pushed twice and she was half out, the doctor said to stop pushing so she could manipulate the babies body out in a way where I didn't need a episitomy, or tearing. Which she did fantastic! Lucky me had no cuts or tears, and at 10:42am Kaitlyn Marie Butler was born! 8lbs, 8 oz and 20.5 inches long!!!By 23 weeks I was in the hospital for pre-term symptoms and put on a monitor, given fluids and sent home. From 23 weeks til 34 weeks, I had a doctors appointment every week along with a ultrasound, and FFn test (fetal fibronectin test) read here for info on that>>>>FFn
My cervix was holding pretty solid for most ultrasounds until I hit 30 weeks. Where the ultrasound tech stated "it had shortened, and also baby was dropping and measuring large"
During this pregnancy I was in pain..constant. I had pains that felt like my appendix would burst, and I would be doubled over for hours, to days at a time, my pelvis, hips and back were in a constant state of aching, and agonizing pain. I had lots of tests run to check white blood cell counts, or disease with no answers. Basically told things would most likely resolve with the birth...nice. Anyway...fast forward...
33+1 day pregnant, McKenzie was in a horse show, I felt pretty lousy waking up that morning, but wouldn't miss her show. Jake brought plenty of snacks and waters, and a chair for me. I sat and relaxed while watching the show. Around 3pm that day I knew I was contracting. I drank a large bottle of water, and laid in bed. I couldn't get comfortable and things seemed to be progressing. After telling Jake I think I need to go to the hospital, I decided to take a warm shower and give myself another hour before going in. In that time Jake called his parents and let them know we were maybe going to be dropping our kids off with them to go get me looked at. Half way through my shower I got very nauseous, bent over in pain and yelled to Jake that we needed to go NOW. So while I got out of the shower and dressed he loaded up the kids, we drove them to his parents house (luckily only 7 mins away) and then headed to the triage. Once in triage they immediately checked me and told us I was dilated to 3cm and was 50% effaced with contractions 2 mins apart. Within about 5 minutes time, the on call OBGYN from my dr's office came in and said I would be admitted for pre term labor and they would try to stop progression of labor immediately. I was taken to my room and hooked up to all kinds of fun stuff. The drug given was called Magnesium Sulfate. I was also told it was going to make me feel like I was hit by a truck. I think I would have preferred being hit by a truck, I was on the mag sulfate for just over 36 hours, and they were the worst hours of My LIFE. I felt seriously as though I was circling the drain, I would cry for hours in hours in pain, my eyes would focus, I had the "headache from hell" and every part of my body felt like flu like pain symptoms but 100X worse. When they told me I was going to be weaned off of it I was SO HAPPY. Unfortunately my contractions stayed hard and strong for about 16 hours after being medicated, and almost had a baby that day.
Luckily things quieted down, and I was put on a oral medication and stayed 2 more days in the hospital. I was on the oral medication until 36 weeks, and monitored closely for contractions and dilation. By my 36 week appointment I was dilated to a 4 and 70% effaced. it freaked me out a bit to be that far along, especially on baby #3. I was afraid to deliver in the car!
After being discharged from the hospital for pre term labor I was put on STRICT bed rest. Like only get up to pee...are you kidding!? With 2 kids! yikes. So I called in reinforcements. My sister in law Natalie flew in with in about 3 days of my discharge and became my nanny! I'm SO grateful and SO lucky! (and she is STILL HERE! yay!)
Even while on bed rest, I felt as though I was constantly laboring, contracting, and in constant agony and pain. I don't think this little girl was happy at all to have been drugged to stay in, when she was trying to get out! But we were SO grateful we made it to 37 weeks.
So, here's the delivery story..... I was 37 +1 day pregnant. It was Sunday. I had an appointment the Friday before so 2 days prior, and was still 4cm, 70%, but doc said my cervix was much softer. She also gave me the ok to get out of bed! whoo hoo! But I was exhausted and still in pain, so I would get up and around the house but never went anywhere.
Sunday afternoon, as usual I was contracting, but thought nothing of it, except that it was annoying... around 6pm I started getting harder stronger contractions that kept me from walking, so I sat on my big red birthing ball and closed my eyes to relax. While doing this I jokingly texted Jake at work "wana have a baby tonight?" he texted back "is it go time!?" of course I didn't think so, but within a half hour things were definitely progressing, so I finally decided I better call him home. (he works about 45 mins away) I came out into the living room in pain and said to my sister Natalie "uh I think this is really it! where the freak is Jake? he needs to drive faster!" she just laughed and said "he probably stopped to get gas" funny thing, Jake walks in the door as I'm now in a good amount of pain, and say "what took so long!?" "I had to get gas.." HAHAHA. Except SO not funny at the time, I told him seriously we need to go now, so he loaded up our bags and we were off! We got to triage fairly quickly, and I was checked, I was now at 6cm and 70% effaced. While sitting there my contractions went from 3 mins apart to about 5 mins apart. So the doctor decided to admit me, but didn't want to let me get an epidural yet, in case I stopped progressing, plus this way I was able to walk. So in triage they sent in my favorite people...the blood draw girl and the IV person. (sensing my sarcasm?)
Well after two IV pokes and two blown veins, a blood draw and the 4th attempt to get my IV placed I was having panic attacks, and my contractions went to 2 mins apart! A blessing I guess, because once in my delivery room, my anesthesiologist was waiting for me to give me my epidural, so we knew we were there to stay, which after the many visits to the hospital was a relief to finally stay and know we were going to have a baby! We were admitted around 10:30pm Sunday night April 3rd, so we knew we would be having our lil girl on the 4th.
I was progressing pretty good, so they weren't wanting to break my water, or push pitocin. Kaitlyn was still pretty high up, so they decided to let me sleep since it was late, and see what my body did. So after a WONDERFUL epidural, Jake and I just slept. We didn't even call anyone for a few hours. Around 3am, I was checked and had only progressed to 7cm. So they gave me the "peanut ball" yes it looks like a huge peanut that goes between your legs as you lie on your side, to help baby progress down into the birth canal. around 5am, they started pitocin, and about 9am my water broke on it's own! Jake was downstairs having breakfast when my water broke, and I freaked out! It felt like a huge rubber band snapped inside me and then I was in flood waters! Jake's mom was in the room with me, and her and I were both texting and calling Jake to come back but couldn't get a hold of him! I started panicking because once my water broke I progressed in a matter of minutes! I could feel pressure HARD in my bum, my epidural at this point had stopped working and I was IN PAIN. I have never felt labor pains like this, and I was almost complete. (wow to you moms who go natural, right on! I was dying!) So Jake finally got our calls and texts and was running back to our room. my cervix was checked again, and I was at 9cm. I still had time but I was in some real pain, and felt like my bum was going to explode...(sorry tmi) so as im yelling and crying, the nurse called the anesthesiologist back in and drugged me back up. He said it would be about 20 mins before I felt it, and he was SO right. In the time he gave me the dose, to the time it took effect, I became complete, and was READY to push!
Kaitlyn was lethargic immediately after delivery and her blood sugar was VERY low, she was taken to NICU and given and IV. Jake was able to feed her 20cc of formula in NICU and it brought her blood sugar up enough where within an hour she came back to my room :) I WAS SO happy! Brady had been in NICU 8 days, I never had him in my postpartum room with me, it sucked.
They did check her blood sugar every hour for the first 12 hours, and then the pediatrician released her to our full care. We were super excited, and happy she was healthy.
She came home with me on day 3, and has been a pure joy. She is quiet, and CUTE! She sleeps like a newborn, often... except at night...haha. McKenzie is the best big sister, and although Brady is young and doesn't quiet understand, he is so curious, but SO sweet, and soft and gentle around her. He perks up when she cries, and he started this week saying "sis sis" when he see's her.
Being a family of 5 is a huge shock, but I already can't imagine life any different :)
moments after birth, she was very bruised in her face for few days because of her quick delivery! 8mins start to finish she was out!
postpartum room, our first family of 5 picture :)
5 comments:
YAY! You are awesome!
Congrats, on your new baby girl. I can't believe you have 3 kids now. Craziness!
Wow what a story! That sucks that you had to go through all that pain, but at least you have a pretty baby now! =) Good job! Congratulations to everyone!
Congratulations! I had lost touch on your pregnancy when I ditched facebook, so it's good to hear that everything turned out well! I can't wait to hear how having three is going...I want another one! ;)
So Cute! I thought that you had a more normal pregnacy this time because you hadnt really said any thing on your blog. Ya not so much. Glad she ended up coming at a good time and is heathy.
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