[Nicole]

It was completely my choice, I was very happy to come home. Being re-admitted was not such a big deal in the long run as Hugo had to get to the city for his course and it took a week for Trixie and my issues to appear.

Jenny, The Twins were very briefly in NICU but only for their prematurity and at 5 lb each they looked like frauds. I agree about the Mids though, amazing.

Jay, in the car park? Wow, how were your after pains?

I have a friend that has hers very fast, last two in the shower, with very little notice, but her after pains are terrible.

Trixie’s was a good birth, but I remember telling Jed 10 hours into it, I am sooooo glad this is the last time I am doing this.

[Jess M.]

I’m so excited for you Nicole! Whatever are you going to call them all now that there are 6?

Luckily Jaundice and BP are fairly quick fixes! I had BP issues too, and had to take meds after birth. Maria was in the NICU for a long time because she had a major birth defect and a few other issues, so even though I was a caesarian, they discharged me on day 3 because she had been transferred to a different hospital across town. ( I also love how new babies bring out all the birth stories!)

Lots of hospitals now send you home within 12-24 hours for a fairly uncomplicated vaginal delivery.

Patricia—glad you are safe! We have some friends in the Sunnyvale area! Earthquakes terrify me! we lived on the Gulf Coast for many years, so hurricanes were our biggest issue—I much prefer those over Earthquakes (says the girl who now lives in between Volcanic Mountain ranges lol)

[Nicole]

Thank you Jessica!

Anyone want to share a birth story? Blog link or what you can remember 😉

I love reading them.

[jay_1965vw]

I’m happy to share mine.

Audrey had a pretty fast birth, we were only in the hospital for an hour before she was born.

With Josephine my waters broke at 4.30 am, I didn’t start having contractions until 9 though, and I was able to knit and talk through them. My doula came to sit with me, and we sat around and chatted until just before midday. That was when they got strong. We were in the car within 10 minutes, and off to the hospital. I was in my doula’s car, as we had a booster seat and a capsule in the back seat, and there’s no way I was going to be strapped in the front seat. Chris was about 10 minutes behind, as he was trying to contact my midwife when we left.

It’s a 25 minute drive. I went through transition about 15-20 minutes in, and spent the last bit of the drive head down, bottom up, saying “No pushing, no pushing”.

We parked right outside the doors, and within 5 minutes she had crowned, there were still no midwives there, so my doula caught her head. The paediatric registrar arrived just in time to catch her, and by the time Chris arrived, we were upstairs in the delivery suite. He had no idea what had happened, and went looking for us in the Birth Centre, where I was supposed to give birth. The midwife said “oh, she’s over here in delivery, I’ll walk you over”, then said “so did the midwives arrive in time, or did you catch the baby?” It took him about five steps to register that it was me AND the baby over in the delivery suite.

Moral of the story – when they say “go to the hospital when the contractions get strong enough that you can’t talk through them”, it doesn’t apply to me 😀

My only regret is that Chris missed it. It was a fantastic birth!

[Tamara]

With Imogen I was ten days overdue and going in daily to be monitored. So the Thursday night they had me in to be induced with prostins not drip and they gave me two lots thanks very much! I could see ladies having thei subsequent children still pacing the halls with their drips so I didn’t completely think it was fair. Anyhow I remember shouting at the nurse coming on duty when she asked if I wanted pathadine to which I said no way give me epidural but I wasn’t far enough so they showed me how to use the gas – apparently I ripped off the walls a few times during the night. Anyway, epidural administered I was ready to do my thing but then baby started stressing and she was a facial presentation (meaning she was looking down the the birth canal face first) so they took me to theatre kept monitoring and then said no we have to get her out because she was stressing (and the whole meconium risk etc) so they got her out in a fair hurry but of course I couldn’t see her head so here I was thinking she didn’t have one (the drugs they give pack a punch and really you do not think straight AT ALL!) but it was definitely there. Poor little girl had swollen eyes because of her face pressing on the bones! They actually lost two babies that same week so I am thankful they acted without hesitation despite my disappointment at not being able to deliver her myself. She was a 9lb 4 oz baby so it would have been a bit uncomfortable anyway.

With Noah I went to the private hospital and was actually in for a brief stay before and then spent the following weekend in just before I had him. That Monday I wasbeing prepped for another induction when the gynaecologist came in and stated we were “in for a big one” so we went for plan b which was no labor and a c section. Unfortunately, when they were prepping me for the epidural I had the pediatrician wanting to talk with me about diabetes – NOT a good time for such a conversation let me tell you! But it was a straight forward c section delivery (and this time I saw his head). When we got back to the ward though the nurse (I had a male midwife!!) wanted to check Noah’s blood sugar but because we fasted we had to feed first so after that he was fine – they forgot we were fasting!! He was born at 3.02pm and Imogen at 8.02am.

This time around it will be another no labor c section – they won’t let me have a go because of potential uterine rupture (2 already and all that). I want to go to the private hosptial again (because they took better care of us and I couldn’t hear every woman in labor). The aim is to NOT have an 11lb 4 oz repeat! And so far we are going alright. But I am thinking I actually get a choice at the date – and am tossing up the pros and cons of a New years Eve birthday.

[katybellabug]

Can I share?

I was 13 days overdue and booked in for an induction when Boo started off naturally. Labour started on Wednesday afternoon. Jay was at work and I ran a bath and called him on his work mobile. He was in the middle of a crisis. A fire had broken out on site at his warehouse and he was 2nd in command. I rang just as he was dealing with the fire chief and was apparently in the car park surrounded by staff, firemen and hoses everywhere. So I dropped the bomb that I was in labour and his boss said he had no choice but to get him off site because he was flapping about and losing the plot. Meanwhile I was soaking in the tub!

By midnight the contractions were getting quite strong and it was time to call the CMU to let them know we were coming in soon. When they were 5 mins apart we left home and got to hospital at 5am Thursday.

We were moved down to the labour ward at 1pm and I had an epidural. I was only 4cm dilated (so frustrating). I couldn’t have eaten a thing but Jay nipped out and brought back fish and chips for himself and my mum!

Things were moving too slowly and so the decision was made at 9pm to go in for an emergency c-section. I was in theatre by midnight and Boo arrived at 00:30 Friday morning. In total I had pethadine, gas & air, an epidural and a spinal tap. I pretty much had my quota!

Labour with L was very different. I kept shrugging off claims that I was in labour. I had way too much to do before baby came and it was only my due date so I thought I was still ok for a while. By 6pm I was very much in labour and we were trying to sort out for Boo to be collected and taken to my Aunts house. We pottered about for a while and then I looked at Jay and said “I need to push”. His reply was to grab the keys and help me into the car. My contractions were thick and fast at this point and the car journey was stressful. We got there in time though. I only made it about 6 steps each time before I had to stop and ride out another wave. I remember the waiting room being full and me gripping onto the counter while the nurse was getting all the info from Jay. My show arrived when I was taken to the toilet and when they got me on the bed for an exam I was 7cm dilated and rushed to a room. Half an hour was all it took. I had a quick suck on the gas and air but was too busy pushing to bother.

I nearly took the midwife’s head off with a foot jab when she let go during a contraction. Jay said it was like watching The Matrix. It all happened in slow motion and she caught my foot in midair. (I felt awful afterwards!)

The chief midwife was assessing me and because for some reason there was a lull in the rhythm of things, I heard her say something about forceps and she was reaching for the tray of instruments. Something in my head said ‘”I don’t think so” and on the next one I bore down for all it was worth and out she came! Wrapped neck to foot in her cord and very fast down the chute! She was born at 9:45pm

We were on the phone to my parents about 25 minutes later and L was clean and wrapped up on a warming station while I was getting all my stuff together. I stayed overnight and Jay arrived at 11am with an overexcited toddler to meet her little sister! They let me go as soon as they could see her feeding properly so this time I only had to wait a few hours instead of staying in the whole weekend.

Such exciting memories with both births!

[dubhels2003]

I am due in less than three weeks and all of these stories are making me cry, blooming hormones!!

It is a brilliant reminder that babies enter this world in all kinds of weird and wonderful ways, some of them as hoped for and others in ways which you would probably never have chosen, but at the end of the day once they are here, that’s all that matters.

[cybele727]

With A, I was induced the night before my due date, since the sono was measuring him at 10 lbs. I am only 5ft tall and my pelvis ligaments did not loosen during pregnancy. I had undx’d gestational diabetes. He came out all jittery from the sugar. I ended up having an emergency c, being in full blown labor and dilated a mere centimeter. The funny part is that he ended up being born on his due date, which almost never happens.

I heart my anesthesiologist. I had complications to various drugs, such as cervadil and the epidural. I tend to be really drug sensitive. Over 24 hours I went in and out of full labor about 3 times, thanks to drugs that are clearly NOT MY FRIEND.

My c went from urgent to emergency pretty quickly at the end, and my drug options were limited. There was no time between my contractions, but my cervix was not dilated. They aren’t supposed to give you a spinal during contractions but my options were spinal during a contraction or general anesthesia, which I didn’t want. My Korean doctor, said, “I am Dr. Hur. You call me Ben Hur. I am the best in the world.” He was really funny. Then he placed his thumb on my back and using accupressure relieved all the labor pain. Did the spinal with the nurse freaking out because my contractions were so intense (but I didn’t feel them) and less than 5 minutes later, my son was born.

My birthday is on the 27th, and so is my husband’s. Different months. My husband was over the moon when the due date was a 27. I said, it never happens that way. And to prove me wrong, it did. So A was born on the 27th.

With WeeGee, she was due mid month. My husband begged me to ask them to schedule my c on the 27th so it could all work out the way he wanted. I was like, you are crazy! They don’t schedule you 3 weeks early or 2 weeks late.

I went to the doc on Christmas Eve and said, I think I lost my plug. The doc said, no you are tight as a drum, you’ve got weeks yet. The nurse looked from me to the doc and said, she’s only 37 weeks and measuring 45 weeks (I am not a pretty pregnant lady) across the belly. That can’t last much longer. Let’s look at the lungs. So at 12 pm on Christmas Eve when nothing is open, they said, “here, you need to get a sono today.” I asked where, and they said, “don’t know.” My best friend called me to find out how my appointment was and I was sobbing. Who can get an unscheduled emergency sono at 2 pm on Christmas eve? She said, I will get you a sono. She called her dad, who is a radiologist, who called the local hospital where he has privileges and they did me at 2 pm. She said the report wouldn’t be delivered to the doctor’s until the 28th because of the holiday and the weekend. But she said, “how far along are you and do you know what they want to know.” I said 37 weeks and lungs. She said, “unofficially, so you don’t have to worry… the lungs are fine, you can go at anytime. 37 weeks, huh? God I hope you don’t have to go three more, this baby is huge already.”

So on Dec 27th, I went to the bathroom. (TMI but relevant). I then shuffled onto the couch. I sat down and my water broke. When I called the doctor, I was like, um… the water broke. They told me it was too early (3 weeks) and I likely urinated on myself. I told them I was certain that wasn’t it. (I didn’t have a great relationship with that doctor… since I had only seen them twice. My OB office closed when I was 7 mo pregnant. Try getting a new doc at 7 mo.) And they weren’t that happy having to deliver a C on a sunday night just after Christmas. Although considering I had the swine flu during my pregnancy and 2 life threatening illnesses as a result, it shouldn’t be a surprise.

Off to the hospital for the c section. I am in the recovery room, and the phone rings. I hear the person on the other side saying, “don’t tell the parents but we had to rush the baby to the NICU.” I was literally the only patient there. It was 11:30 pm on a Sunday between Christmas and New Years. Nobody was there voluntarily.

The nurse looked at me and said into the phone, “too late. Better come up here and explain to the parents what they just heard you say.”

So, every baby is born with a hole in their heart. It is called for foramen ovule. In utero, the oxygenated blood goes through the umbilical, through the body into the wrong side of the heart, through this hole, and the heart pumps it through to the rest of the body until the unoxgenated blood gets to the umbilical cord. Usually it closes upon birth. That is one of the reasons they gasp and then cry. It closes and works properly. However if it remains open the unoxgenated blood goes through the hole and gets pumped through the system again.

So even though her lungs and diaphragm were working properly and her heart was beating properly, the outside air pressure had not taken over and forced the heart to get the oxygen from the pulmonary arteries, and instead was recirculating “used” blood.

I think she had 4 blue spells in the first 48 hours. Now she has periodic echos and sonos to measure the hole. It has shrunk to pin sized at the last visit (from one centimeter at birth). The other day, when she slammed her poor thumb in the door (and had to have her thumb nail surgically reimplanted in her finger bed– she’s going to kill me with all her bumps and stuff), they put the finger oxygen thing on her at urgent care. I expected 93-95s, since some blood still goes through that hole, and I have to explain why it is low and that is “normal” for her. It was 100%. My husband and I looked at each other with huge smiles, which they thought odd, but that likely means that the hole is finally closed, which is what we will find out with her next appointment and she will get “discharged” from cardiology!

I do remember with my first one, the nurse midwife asked me what my birth plan was. I said to her, “well, the result I want is a healthy baby and a healthy me. How we get that to happen is mostly in yours and God’s hands. The goal is more important to me than the path.” With number two, I said, “no vbac, just a section.” It is always the end result that matters. Healthy mom, healthy baby!

[jay_1965vw]

I love hearing other people’s birth stories!

Oh, and Nicole – I forgot to say, I don’t have horrendous after pains. I can’t really remember them, so they can’t have been that bad. I had a natural third stage with Josephine (no synto shot to expel the placenta), I’m not sure if that makes any difference.

[Nicole]

These are great!

I just blogged mine, so I will link it as it is rather long. You had best make a cup of tea (or pour a wine)

http://fiveandcounting-motherof5.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/beatrix.html

[jay_1965vw]

I can’t seem to add a comment on your blog Nicole, so I’ll say it here – like so many others I am teary too. Congratulations on the safe arrival of Beatrix!

[cybele727]

Wait, what is this shot to expel the placenta? Even after my c, they closed me up and then some meanie nurse came over and said take a deep breath, before I could ask why, she did a Heimlich like manoeuvre on my belly and out that sucker came. I was displeased.

I never did understand why they didn’t take it when they did the C….

[vothgirl]

What a lovely birth story, Nicole!

After my experience with Olivia’s birth, I’m terrified of getting another epidural. I just don’t think I can handle a headache like that for that long again. But I’m also terrified of going without one, which leaves me in quite the quandary since I want at least one more baby (tho I will have to convince my husband on that)! Since both my girls came quickly (8.5 & 7 hours from waking up to discover my water had broken) and I’m guessing any future baby would come fast too, I’m leaning towards not getting an epi next time. I think with enough mental preparation (& Ben there to hold my hand), I could make it without, perhaps with just a shot of IV painkiller partway thru to take the edge off for a bit. But it would take a lot of preparation.

[jay_1965vw]

I would be too scared to have an epidural, but that’s just me! Patricia, I highly recommend doing the mental preparation beforehand, especially if you have fast births. I did prenatal yoga, and did a LOT of reading before both births. I highly recommend reading Ina May Gaskin’s A Guide to Childbirth. It’s a bit hippy, but very enlightening.

Cybele, the injection is Syntocinon, the same as used for inductions. It helps the placenta come out quickly. I just don’t like using any more drugs than are necessary. With Audrey’s birth I was bleeding too much and they said I needed the injection. With Josephine, I was able to do the physiological third stage. It took about 40 minutes though, and only happened after she started breastfeeding.

I don’t like the sound of the Heimlich manoeuvre on your belly though! Both of mine I had to push the placenta out.

[Jess M.]

Loving these stories!

Cybele—was she born on the 27th??? I got so wrapped up in the rest, that it wasn’t clear! LOL. Hubby’s family is like that. His mom and dad were born on the same date 8 months apart. Him and his brother were born on the same date 8 months apart.(all of that by dates only, not by years!) That is also funny you mention the due dates. My cousin (who is 8weeks younger than me) was pregnant at the same time as me. We had our daugthers the same day. It was her due date, and I was 37w. (This cousin was also born the same day as another cousin but 4 years later)

Those pesky ASD’s! Maria had that as well, and had to take medications to close it up (my mom is still horrified by that. Because the hole was open, she developed Pulmonary Hypertension (high blook pressure in the artery that leads from the heart to lungs) and one of the meds they give is a popular ED med you see all the commercials for. LMAO. We’ve since been discharged by cardiology.

Also, holy hell how did they not take the placenta when they were rooting around in there anyway? Or did you have a piece leftover? Sometimes they can’t get it all, even in surgery. I would’ve smacked the pee out of the first person that tried to heimlich me after a section! It was bad enough having the docs and nurses poked and prod every so often.

OMG, I wanted to hug the doctor that did my spinal! It didn’t hurt at all, and the meds they gave me before it came out…..GLORIOUS! Plus, she was like, “Oh, you’re a red head, here let me tweak it a bit!”