An early TBT: Your birth story

[mrsdee1982]

All of this love towards J16 is making me super reminiscent.  I found the video on my phone of the moment she was born and when they placed her on my chest.  It's amazing to watch that again.  

Do you recall what the moment your LO was born was like?  Mine was very chaotic, but amazing. 

They placed her on my belly as soon as she was out, but her cord was wrapped around her neck so she wasn't crying. I just kept asking "why isn't she crying? Why isn't she crying??" And then she cried and I just shouted "Oh god! Oh god!!" Then I hemorrhage and passed out. My DH was taking pictures and thought I had just closed my eyes because he said I still had the biggest smile on my face. In this pick I am 100% unconscious. Haha. In fact, everyone else in the room was so concerned with getting my bleeding to stop that nobody noticed until after I woke up and said "umm, I just passed out". That caused them to panic a tad. Oops!

[jessila]

I started having contractions around 5pm Tuesday. I'd been having false labor for a few nights which contractions every 6-7 minutes for an hour so I thought the same thing was happening. By 7pm they were every 3 minutes. H convinced me to call the OB who said it was my choice to come in. H said we were going. When we arrived at 8.30pm I was already 6cm and my water was bulging. I was dehydrated and it took 12 tries and 90 minutes to get my IV started. When that was done I was 9cm. They broke my water. O hadn't dropped yet so my ob said 2 more hours until I could start pushing. I begged for an epidural; they gave me a double dose because I was so far. O's heartbeat plummeted so I was put on oxygen. The epidural worked and his heartrate stabalized. I got a couple hours rest. I pushed for 2 hours but he was sunny side up and they couldn't flip him because he was so big. Cue c section. I was already crying because I didn't want a c-section and I was shaking uncontrollably. They pulled him out, he cried and I sobbed. It was the best sound I ever heard. When they brought him over, I puked. I didn't hold him for almost 2 hours but when I did it was like "Oh. It's you." And finally a sense of very drugged out calm.
It sounds much worse than it was, kind of. Not what I ever expected but I'd do it again for him in a heartbeat.

Eta beginning.

[sugarkissed]

It was really strange, because I had a scheduled c-section. Everything was so calm, relaxed, and totally opposite of DD1's birth.

I was nearly 2 weeks overdue and the surgery was 8 hours delayed, so I was soooo over being pregnant.. but in the seconds before she was born I remember thinking "I'm not ready for this!!". I heard someone say "Not much hair... but BIG cheeks!" and then I heard her cry. They held her up and they weren't lying about the cheeks.

[mbjune13]

This thread is making me teary.
I was induced because of high blood pressure. My water broke about 2 hours after the cervidil and was in labour for 18 hours before I ended up having a c section. B's heart rate was dropping and then they couldn't find it so that was our deciding factor. I was 9 cm dilated at that point so I was very disappointed. While in labour I kept telling DH to take me home, I didn't want to do it anymore. I didn't get to hold B until I was in recovery because I was so sick. I remember crying when they pulled her out but not much more until we were back in our room. It was the scariest day of my life but I would do it over in a heartbeat.

[heartofglass]

I had a scheduled csection since A was breech. Besides me having an allergic reaction to the clindamycin and not being able to breath it wasn't too bad and was mostly surreal. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I remember them pulling him out by his feet and showing him to me then he went over with H to get the necessary stuff done. I was chatting about nothing's with the surgeons while they were rearranging my insides and he started crying. H brought him over and put him on my chest and I started talking to him. He immediately stopped crying and snuggled into my neck and I just felt complete (cliche I know)

The first pic of us I have on my phone

[jillywilly]

I was induced after 41 weeks. Two doses of cytotec got me into active labor, which progressed super fast. I was at 4 cm, and then my doctor came to check me herself because she didn't believe the resident when she said I was at 9 like, 3 hours later (and yes, I begged for an epidural somewhere in there). Pushed for three and a half hours, my doctor tried the vacuum, but he still wasn't budging, so she called a c-section. She looked at me and apologized when she told me we were headed to surgery, and I think I literally told her to just get him the fuck out at that point.
When they pulled him out, DS was crying and I was just so relieved. A nurse said "no wonder he was stuck, look at those cheeks!" And I got to just a minute later as H held him. They offered to lay him on my chest, but I was shaking and light headed, so I stared at him while H just kept repeating "I'm your daddy." I got to hold him shortly after in recovery, and it was the most surreal moment of my life. His birth was absolutely nothing how I thought/planned it to go, but the end result was so worth it.

Eta pic -

[missjenniebean]

I know I've lurking a lot and not posting but I can't believe it's been a year. All these stories are making me have the feels. What wild rides we had.

[tjanca22]

I remember everything moving very quickly.
We got to the hospital at 12:30am, got up to our room at 1, saw the resident (very weird guy btw) was at 3cm, he went to get the OB while I asked for an epidural because I remember them telling me things would probably pick up in the morning and I should get some rest, so I felt like I'd never be able to rest without the epidural and I'd need it to really get some sleep before a long day ahead of me. Epidural came around 2:30am, weird resident and OB came back at 3:30 to check me again, now at 7, they broke my water and left. They made it no more than 5 steps down the hall before I turn to H and tell him I think I need to push. Nurse grabbed the doctors and sure enough E was right there and ready to be born. 12 mins of pushing and he was here!

[dogmama22]

We were scheduled to be induced the night before my EDD (Friday) because of high fluid. My water started tricking around 11pm Monday, had super mild contractions, but headed to the hospital around 3am since my OB was on duty. I woke up my husband to take us and he said "but it's not Thursday" haha. That's one of my favorite parts.
I was given cervadil around 5am, at about 1/2cm dilated and labored for several hours. Jumped to a 7, got the epi. A little while after that his heart rate dropped. She gave me the option of laboring another hour or doing a CS. I was scared, so I called it and we were in the OR very shortly after that.
They pulled him out and there was no cry. My husband kept telling me everything was fine, but it felt like an eternity. Seven minutes later, they said "we have a heartbeat" and three minutes after that he cried. Sweet relief! He was completely fine, but spent the night in special care for monitoring, working on his glucose levels. I finally got to see him a couple of hours after they stitched me up.

[mirage86]

You know, every time we look back at our babies being born I spend about a month worrying I'm pregnant again!
My water broke in the evening, I got to the hospital about an hour later and labored for about six hours before two really bad contractions helped me decide that an epidural was for me. I was ready to push once it was placed and 56 minutes later E was here.
I was so focused on trying to get his head out that it was a shock when suddenly they were laying him on my chest. He was crying and I remember saying "oh baby", kissing his forehead and comforting him. He stopped crying and just rested while I held him until they took him to be measured and swaddled. The whole experience - laboring all night, the waiting, the pain, the relief - it still feels vivid but very surreal.

[dogmama22]

The mountain picture is stunning madymoiselle!

[blueskiessmiling]

This has been almost a full year ago for me since DD came a little early. I started having contractions around 8pm at 37 weeks, 2 days. After multiple scares of preterm labor, I was just happy to make it this far. I stayed up (by myself, thanks DH!) and just walked around the house timing my contractions until 3am (with a stop in the nursery to ball my eyes out that my rainbow was finally coming and I would finally be able to put a baby in a crib that had sat empty for over a year). Was admitted to the hospital after some monitoring at 6am. After a completely useless epidural that they ended up turning off due to dips in DD's heart rate, I got to experience a lovely natural birth that I totally had not planned. H puked when they broke my water (way to hold it together, pal). I pushed for an hour, and at 1:07pm, she was plopped on my chest and I just keep yelling "She's here! She's here!". H sobbed like a baby. I've never felt more accomplished and in absolute love. After feeling like my body had utterly failed me in losing our son, it was incredibly cathartic to VBAC.

[carolyngrace]

In retrospect, my labor (up until pushing started) was easy. I felt powerful and in tune with my body. I had everything else shut out and even though it was incredibly painful it felt like progress was being made. I labored for about 8 hours before pushing.

I pushed for about 3 hours. I was on my back and side for most of it, and it SUCKED. I was screaming, losing all of my energy, almost blacking out. I got oxygen, and my midwife coached me on how to push better. He was crowning for ages. Finally they said I had to switch positions - hands & knees, or sitting on the toilet. I chose the toilet because I was too tired to hold myself up.

I pushed 3 or 4 times on the toilet before I felt the ring of fire. Then I thought to myself "I'm going to fucking give up! They'll have to cut him out of me! I quit!!" quickly followed by "Just get it over with!!" and one huge push. He popped out face-forward and screamed immediately. DH said his purple face screaming as it popped out was simply terrifying. One more push and he was out. Somehow I stood up while pushing and then plopped back down on the toilet. I didn't feel anything but exhaustion then. I finally walked over to the bed, holding my baby, and laid down. After a few minutes I ran my hands over his body and finally took a good look at him. I said ".... HOLY SHIT" and DH and I just started laughing like crazy. It was nuts.

I had a similar post-birth experience to @scoop. Huge blood clots, and I felt the placenta practically rip out of me. I screamed worse than while pushing (says my H). They sent my family out (who had come in to meet O at that point). I had to get an IV, drugs inserted into my bum, and they kept talking about transferring me to the hospital if I couldn't quit bleeding. Luckily I did. But that part gave me some PTSD like flashbacks for months after the birth...

But anyway, to end on a happy note we got to snuggle in a big bed all night with Oscar, and that was the first night of the rest of our lives!

[carolyngrace]

May 4, 2016 20:42:57 GMT -5 @scoop said:

carolyngrace I get really uncomfortable and scared for the next when I think about that part of the experience. I specifically remember the look of concern and seriousness on the faces of my nurses and doctor.

Yeah I remember really understanding that things were going wrong... It was a scary feeling! Plus the PAIN. Awful part of the experience... DH said it was the worst too. He could see all of the blood, which I couldn't see. 

[Bluedaisy]

Mine was a c-section after a 36 hour failed induction where my water broke one hour in. Since my water broke so early I needed antibiotics, etc. The c-section was pretty routine and the doctor pulled him out and said "No need to throw this one back, he's ready for school."

[thecatsmeow]

Poof

[mrsdee1982]

@scoop & carolyngrace, as I mentioned, I had a very serious bleeding issue too. OB had to pull out the placenta, I had a nurse squeezing my uterus (massage my ass) like 2 minutes after giving birth (ouch), had the drugs put in my bum too. My DH told me later that once he got a good look at C, he realized there was quite a commotion going on in my ladybit region, so he looked to see what was going on. He told me there was so much blood on the OB, nurses and the floor that he was afraid I was going to die. I am so thankful that they got it under control. I asked my OB at my 6 week appointment "um, so how bad was the bleeding?" and she told me "well, it was bad. It was really bad. I was this close to taking you into the OR". It frightens me too for the next round.


madymoiselle, those two pictures are seriously gorgeous. Like, wow. Thank you for sharing with us.

And, to help lighten the feels, here is a funny story about my birth:

I had been pushing for 1 1/2 hours after laboring for 47 hours. I was fading fast and didn't think I could do it anymore. My DH asked them to get the mirror so I could see. They set it up and while I was pushing my DH and my doula kept shouting "She's right there! Look at her head. She's crowning!" and I didn't see anything. I actually started yelling at them "You're lying to me. Stop lying to me!". They swore they weren't. So one the next push I looked really hard to try and see what they were seeing. And then I realized what was wrong. "Um, guys, can you angle the mirror up a tad? I'm no doctor, but I don't believe she's coming out of that hole." Haha! I had been staring at my butthole. In my defense, I wasn't wearing my glasses and I was EXHAUSTED so things were very blurry.

[ashbash]

I was in early labor for 6 days, mild contractions 10 minutes occasionally spacing out while I slept. Then on the 7th day at 4:12 am I jolted out of bed with a crazy strong contraction. Went to the bathroom - blood and mucus plug. Labored at home on the yoga ball in my room beside a sleeping DH for 2 hours. Snuck into DDs room so see my "only baby" one more time. Headed to the hospital, went through transition in the car. Got checked in, 9 cm with a bulging bag. My water broke on my first push. I pushed for about 15 minutes standing up with one leg up on the step stool and out he came. I got into bed and held him on my chest and was so incredibly at peace, like I was meeting an old friend again.

[tiffbot]

I am coming back to this thread to read everyone's. But I am currently in the process of editing names out of from what my non-social media using H put on Facebook a couple days after she was born. I laughed and cried through the whole thing then, and am doing it again right now.

I shared it once here right after she was born but there's so many new people and there was so many different posting back then I hope it's new and not a big repeat for you!

[tiffbot]

Ok I just screen shot his post. Remember this is my H's version of the story.

The tl:dr is 3.5 hours after I woke up feeling a bit sick to my stomach, I had a new baby girl on my chest in the hospital that is about an hour away once you get to it! Huuge whirlwind! ERa; I was incredibly calm through the whole process, and getting to hold her immediately and take her to the room still chokes me up. I never got to do that with DS as he went to NICU for 2 weeks.










And then this is the pic he posted:


And here's our first pic together at 19 minutes old

[wegrowsheep]

I posted Thor's story after he was born, so here's a tidbit from DD's birth..

I started contractions precisely at midnight on my due date. 19 hrs later, I got checked in L&D and they told I was still at a 2. However, since I was tired from laboring all day, they gave me an Ambien, saying if it was false labor, this should help the contractions mellow out, and if it was real, it should help me get some sleep and relax enough to dilate better.

LIES.

Turns out hallucinations are a side-effect of Ambien. I was completely out of it all night AT MY IL'S. DH said he's never seen me so loopy, I could barely stand up and walk. And then there were little green men on the floor of the guest bedroom building furniture, which made me really pissed because I wanted to lay down but they were in the way. And whenever I went to the bathroom (which was a lot) they were in there telling me to poop out green tractors. I couldn't figure out why everything hurt so fucking bad because I forgot I was pregnant or something. DH was unable to talk to me. I was in my own, miserable fucking world full of little green bastards.

But by 6am I was at a 5 and fully aware of the situation, so maybe they weren't totally full of shit....

[purple]

I haven't told my birth story before.

I had to have an planned section for medical reasons. I was devastated when I was told, but at least I had time to prepare mentally.

The section was planned for 38 weeks 3 days, so they wanted me to have steroid injections to strengthen the baby's lungs. I had to be hospitalised because the injections can cause blood sugar levels to get dangerously high, and we're forty-five minutes from the hospital.

Being me, the injections had the opposite effect and caused my blood sugar to get dangerously low. It was a crazy few days.

They finally agreed to let me go home for the weekend. It was my birthday on the Saturday and the oddest birthday ever. The whole weekend felt like some kind of limbo.

On the Monday they had asked us to arrive by seven o'clock. In the event my op was delayed because of a couple of emergency sections, so we had quite a lot of waiting around.

In the end we went into theatre and they started placing lines for drips. H fainted when he saw one of the needles (I was still conscious) so they brought in an extra midwife to look after him! They moved him so that he was next to my head and couldn't see anything that might be problematic.

We were on first name terms with the anaesthetist and the obstetrician, which helped a lot. I was able to choose the music I wanted, and I chose Smetana's Má Vlast, which I walked down the aisle to.

The op itself seemed to take ages. The obstetrician, Brian, told us later that Laura was wedged head up under my ribs and that getting her out without damaging anything was a challenge!

At last they held her up for us to see, covered in blood and not looking her best. They gave her a quick clean up and put her on my chest. I managed to tell everyone that her name was Laura Katherine, but then I started vomiting and talking nonsense. So they put her down H's scrubs for skin to skin whilst they sorted me out and stitched me up.

Then they wheeled me round to intensive care and a special care baby nurse came to monitor Laura for the first twelve hours, and the next few days were a bit of a blur!

Here's H giving minutes-old Laura skin to skin whilst I was being poorly. She looks a bit cross!

[Widget123]

I love reading everyone's stories especially the ones who haven't shared theirs before and wegrowsheep 's Ambien experience.

I've told my story before, but a quick rehash... LO had to be induced for the same medical reason as DD, but the most upsetting part for me was that I was at radiology getting a scan to check how things were going and they sent me to the hospital without me talking to or seeing an actual doctor, so when I walked in the door, I wasn't sure if I was just being monitored or what the deal was. After I got settled, it was a bit of deja vu but some parts of the experience were very different. Overall the induction was much quicker than my first and I was much more aware of what was going on and felt more due to less drugs. MIL and FIL decided they were going to come to the hospital to see us, thinking that we still had a lot longer to go, but right when I was ready to push they showed up, which was another deja vu moment. But seeing LO's face and holding him against my chest... it was so surreal.  All and all it was a big sigh of relief for me that he was out and perfectly healthy, and I was doing well.  He is still very much the same sweet little boy.

poof

[ashbash]

tiffbot lol at a Tony Braxton

[sabrinaml]

I never shared my story. It's quite long.
I'll start at my 36 week Dr visit where I was swollen everywhere from my waist down. Elevated BP and protein in my urine sample. That lead to my OB telling me I couldn't work the next day because I had to do another 24 hour urine collection. She wanted me to go to the lab and have blood work done, a NST, and another ultrasound to make sure baby was growing properly.
After finally leaving the OB (about 2.5 hours after my appointment) I went home.
Thursday was pretty uneventful. I did some yard work and hung out around the house. I had just gotten out of the shower when my OB called. She finally got the results of my blood work and my platelet count was a little low for her liking (136.) that I needed to pack my stuff and bring my urine collection to the hospital. No big rush, just to get there as soon as I could. (DH was an hour away and still needed to shower, hospital was 40 min away) but chances are I was being induced that night. She thought I was suffering from HELLP.

DH and I arrive at the hospital around 5:30. It's around 6 when we finally get admitted and to our room. They hook me up and monitor baby, do an ultrasound, another blood draw (platelets still at 136) and I'm to continue my urine collection. Nothing eventful the rest of Thursday evening.
Friday morning we're just waiting to find out what's going on. Are they going to induce me or can we go home.). Another blood draw and finally the 'big guy' comes in (around 11am) He said everything seemed normal to him and we would be free to go home. I looked at him and said 'really, I was watching my BP all night long. It was pretty elevated for me.' He left to go double check. 2pm he finally comes back saying 'you're right, you're blood pressure was a little elevated for you. And I didn't realize they did another blood draw this morning. Your platelets have dropped to 111. We're going to start induction tonight as soon as we can get you moved to a L&D room.'
Finally got moved to a new room at 6:30-7ish (Friday evening.) They started cervidil at that time. I was barely at a 1. 12 hours of cervidil and they removed it (still only at a 1) and let me get up and shower then on to pitocin. 8 hours of pitocin later and still no big change (now at a 2) They wanted to to another round of cervidil. I cried and said I would rather have a C-section. They agreed to let me eat dinner and get up and walk around for about an hour and a half. After a few laps in the hall I stopped by the bathroom and then went to sit with DH on the couch. A minute or 2 later it felt like I was peeing my pants. Went to the bathroom and cleaned myself up. Called the nurse because I though my water was leaking. It was confirmed my water was leaking (started at 6:45 Saturday evening). Because it was my water they didn't want to do cervidil again, back to pitocin. I opted for an epidural around 8 (mostly because the pain from removing the cervidil was so bad and they didn't know how I would do with contractions). Pitocin started at 8ish as well. Changed positions every 30 minutes all night long. I was checked again around 9am (Sunday morning) and still barely at a 2.5. Since it had already been 14 hours since my water broke they told DH to go down and get some breakfast (he hadn't left my side since Thursday when we checked in) and they were going to start prepping me for a C-section. Someone else was in the OR and I was next as soon as it got cleaned up.
They wheeled me in around 11 and C was born at 11:22. He came out peeing on the OB. They brought him over to weigh him and take their measurements. DH cut the cord and then C was wrapped up and placed on my chest. He laid there for probably 10-15 minutes while I was being put back together. Eventually I asked DH to take him because I was freezing and starting to get really tired.
That's really about it.

[mrsmonogrammed]

Tl;dr at the bottom!

I was induced at 38+6. I had GD and was insulin dependent and my sugars STILL were not cooperating. My BP was also getting slightly more elevated at each appointment but never reached a "critical" number.

Went in at 6pm Sunday June 14th not really dilated at all. I took 1/2 a dose of oral cytotec at 7pm and never got to take off the belly monitors because DD wasn't behaving during any of my labor.

Originally it was only going. To be me and H in the hospital but H worked Sunday so I had my mom drive me to the hospital for the paperwork part and DH joined me around 7:30. My mom was a labor and delivery nurse for 10 years and was NOT very comfortable with the way C's heart rate was behaving on the monitors. To her credit, she left us at the hospital like we had asked, though.

About 30 min after she left the nurse came hustling into my room, turned me on my left side, and put me on oxygen. She was acting like it was "normal" but I knew better. Texted my mom and she asked if it was ok to come back to he hospital. She said she would just sit in the waiting room and not bother anyone but that she just has a feeing she shouldn't be too far away from us. (Totally crying as I write this!)

Somewhere in there they've also started me on pitocin so now I'm laboring with pit contractions without being able to move from my left side even a little bit thanks to the oxygen and the monitors for C's heart. Definitely begged for an epi! She checked me and I was at a 4 so she put the request in. My water broke on its own when I went to get up to go to the bathroom. I believe my words were "either I just peed myself or my water broke" ha!

Anesthesiologist came in, had to re-place it THREE times, but eventually got it to work. Took him over and hour (and they don't allow anyone in the room so my DH and mom were in the waiting room at 3AM the whole time) Much relief wth the epi!

FINALLY was able to "rest my eyes" for about 2 hours (5-7AM) before I felt C moving down. Called the nurse to tell her it felt like she was at the bottom- she checked me, had me do some practice pushes, and the called the OB.

There was some confusion bc my OB was in the middle of a C section so they had the nurse practitioner suited up and on standby. Luckily OB made it to my room where I pushed about 45 min? And C was born at 8:53AM. Ring of fire was a bitch but they kept saying "oh she doesn't want a cone head, she keeps spinning!" And "look at all that hair!"

It's blurry after she was actually born but I love our 1st pictures even if nobody but immediate family has ever seen them

POOF


Tl;dr- I had a baby girl after a crazy(ish) labor where I didn't get to sleep and my epi had to be placed 3 times. She's worth it though;)

[erbear]

I never wrote my story, either, because I feel it was pretty boring.

I was induced at 38 + 4 due to pregnancy induced hypertension. Went in that night to terrible thunderstorms and flood warnings and everything. My OB wanted to start me on misopristol, but when she went to put it in, I was already 3 cm! Whoops. (This was Sunday; I was fingertip dilated on Friday.). So they started me on pitocin Sunday night.

H and I slept as much as we could. They kept checking me and asking if I was alright, and yeah, I felt nothing. I could see the contractions on the monitor, but they weren't huge and I felt no pain. In the morning, my new OB came in and said we'd have to discuss what to do next since I hadn't progressed (still at 3 cm, no big contractions). I sent H off to get breakfast and then I felt this huge gush. I remember pressing the nurse button all, "uh, I think my water just broke?" My OB confirmed it and holy hell, did my contractions take off then. I made it about an hour before I broke down and begged for an epi. I bounced on a ball, watched Friends...nothing relieved the pain. Once the epi was in, I actually fell asleep and slept a lot, like for three hours.

I woke up around 3:45-4 and was all, I need to push or I need to have the biggest poop of my life! My OB checked me and said I was like 9.75 cm and I could push or I could wait until I was fully 10. I chose to wait and it was hard to not push! My OB was supposed to be gone at 5 and another OB/midwife team came in to meet me while I was starting to push - awkward! My OB decided to stay and deliver, thankfully. My nurse, brenna, was phenomenal. She had a nursing student shadowing her and she kind of faded into the background, honestly. After about a half hour of pushing, baby was born at 5:26 pm. Her little cries made us cry and she was on my chest almost immediately. I remember just saying, "hello, beautiful!" To her.

And now I'm crying, thanks!

[beersandweirs]

FFThC: I have fonder memories of giving birth than I do of the first few months of her life... Her birth went pretty much as planned. And her first few months... did not.

I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for months, so when I was having contractions Tuesday night I wasn't sure if it was the real thing, but it was. I went to work on Wednesday and worked a half day. I was in active labor for about 5-6 hours. I was feeling the need to bear down, but they thought I wasn't ready because I hadn't been laboring that long. So they decided to check me, turns out I was almost fully dilated and was allowed to push. 8 minutes later little girl came out and I exclaimed "oh boy!" I had lost more blood than they would like (which I guess can be common in redheads) so I got a shot of pitocin after delivery. I had to get one stitch, also.

I really can only hope the next one goes as smoothly.

[beersandweirs]

I came in to this thread all cavalier, like "I'm not going to cry!" Proved myself wrong!

[erbear]

May 5, 2016 10:26:00 GMT -5 beersandweirs said:

I came in to this thread all cavalier, like "I'm not going to cry!" Proved myself wrong!

Yep. I started reading and then I remembered the weight of her on my chest and I teared up. Just did it again!