Robyn's Birth

I had been having a lot of bh's and losing a lot of plug all week. Then Friday they slowed down and Saturday I had hardly any. I was 2-3 cms at my appt Thurs. I knew it was going to be soon. Suddenly around 5 pm on Saturday I felt a pop. I had been saying that I thought she had less fluid since I my belly was smaller this time but after 6 wet towels I started to wonder lol.

I quickly posted to tell my online friends then got ready to go. We had everything packed and waiting so it didn't take long. The only thing I never got around to doing was installing the carseat. Ugg. I tried to get it in quickly but it doesn't install that well. Why didn't I do it 2 weeks ago?

We finally left. The roads were nice. Since it was Saturday the traffic was light. We made it to the hospital just before 7. We got a parking spot right in front of the door. They moved L&D 2 weeks earlier but by habit we walked to the wrong elevator. Half way there I reminded Reg that they moved. I could walk ok. I had some pain from installing the carseat.

When we arrived at L&D we were asked if we needed help. I told them that my water broke. She asked if it was my 1st so I just said no. She asked if it was my second so I said no. She asked 2 more numbers before giving up and asking how many lol. She didn't believe me so I got out the pictures.

After everybody ohhed and ahhed the pic we were brought to triage. The triage nurse turned out to be Michelle. She was our nurse when Colin was born. She is the oldest of 9. We've seen her at the last 2 deliveries but she wasn't our nurse. I got put on the monitor. She just took our word that my water was broke and said the dr would want to examine me anyway. She did test my pad. Even after 6 towels there was still lots of fluid for the test to turn pos right away.

I was brought to room 13. I said good since I had 3 kids born on the 13th that it was a good number for us. The room was bigger but not as big as I was imagining. Now its just a small room instead of a tiny room. The old L&D rooms were made as just labor rooms. People were transferred to a large delivery room. Then they started delivery babies in the room. There was no room for all the stuff so they'd keep some out in the hall so the dad could have a place to sit lol

I changed into a gown and had my iv started. I mentioned my new annoying allergy to tape so they used op-sites. I wanted an epi so didn't mind the iv also I was counting the iv fluid as part of my water challenge lol. A med student came in to take my history. He wanted all the years of births and the pg lengths. I know the years when asked in order but I mess up the days with all the babies born at 38 weeks lol. He was nice but we knew he wouldn't be there for the birth as his shift was over at 8:30.

I was told my dr would be in soon but he didn't get there till 11. I was worried something was wrong. I was also worried since the induction took 15 hours last time and they never stopped the pit because they were busy. If they got busy it could take even longer. They said they were busy but we never saw anyone else lol. We passed the time talking with my nurse, Karen. She had 4 girls all born without pain meds.

I told him I was having no contractions at all except a couple little bh's. Karen had noticed one and said I might be starting on my own. I didn't want that to be the thinking. Even in the car I only had 2 bh's. Our road is really bad so normally I have 2 before we even get down the street. Oh that reminds me that we stopped at DQ on the way to the hosp. If I was having lots of bh's we wouldn't have lol. My dr examined me. He said I was 3-4 cms and that the baby was head down. I was fairly certain she wasn't but thought he was still playing the ignore the breech game.

Karen started the pit right away. Then came the long wait for contraction to get strong. I'm really nervous about not getting the epi in time but I was also nervous about the labor taking too long and my dr leaving before the birth. After the pit was started Karen's shift was over. I had a new nurse but she was wearing some kind of perfume that I was allergic too. She was switched with Catherine. She put an allergy bracelet on me. She had an instructor with perfume allergies so understood.

Catherine came in every 30 min to up the pit. We ended up talking almost every time. Some times she'd wait because it would need to be upped in a few min. lol. We were pretty excited so didn't get sleepy till close to 4 am. I was fairly uncomfortable. I find it very hard to move in bed with my pelvic joint pain normally. The delivery bed isn't very comfortable anyway.

Around 5 I started finding the contractions getting uncomfortable. I was getting a couple close then a 4 min break. 2 of us asked for epis so Catherine thought it was more likely the anethetist would show up fast. We were the first 2 all night so she'd be well rested too lol. She did come fast but I was second. I didn't mind as I was just getting uncomfy. It's funny how I wanted the pit turned up quickly until the ctx started to hurt then I didn't want any pit at all.

Catherine asked to have Reg stay for the epi because she didn't want me to react to her if she had to help hold me still. It was Reg's first time to stay. I'm glad he did as I was more comfy grabbing him than a nurse even if really nice. The epi went really well. I worried a bit about it falling out since they were trying to not put too much tape. I thought a rashy back or no epi I'd take the epi lol. I got a rash anyway but maybe not as bad

A couple hours after the epi Catherine decided to check me. She couldn't reach the cervix and the baby's heart rate was being picked up really high. She started to think that the baby was breech. She went to find the dr. I noticed a new bulge on my belly and wondered if the baby had moved. She came right back. Another suggested emptying my bladder first. I had gone about 2.5 hours earlier. I peed and peed. They measured it at 1600 cc (53 oz). oops lol. I knew I had a good bladder. They gave me extra IV fluid for the epi and I was drinking a lot of water because the room was dry from the ac. Suddenly the mystery bulge was gone and the baby was back in place.

Catherine's shift was over and she introduced us to her replacement, Gina. The dr examined me and said the baby was now breech that my full bladder must have caused her to flip. ya right. Her head was right where it always was. I argued with him but he is about as stubborn as me so that was pretty useless lol. We chatted a bit about roller coasters, bungee jumping and parachuting then he went off to get a coffee.

I ended up with a new nurse, Julie, since it was likely that I would deliver in the OR since I was "now" breech. Julie had OR training. I didn't mind as she seemed really nice. She asked if I wanted my epi topped up so I explained that I really wanted it toped up at the birth. I told her I no problem pushing but I had pelvic joint pain. She said she had something perfect that she'd ask the anesthetist. She was quickly becoming my new best friend lol

I tried to rest but suddenly my ctx got very painful. I looked up at the epi pump and it was off. Julie fix it up and gave me a top up. I had sat up because my arms were getting tingly but now my butt was very numb so I laid back down. Also the ctx seemed less intense when I laid down. I started to notice some pressure. I wasn't sure if it was because I felt numb. After a couple ctx I told Reg that I thought I was having pressure since it was time.

The med student examined me and said I was 9 since there was a lip. I had another ctx and I said I wasn't 9 anymore. My dr checked me and said I was 10. They started to transfer me. I'm glad the epi was working or I would have wanted to push. Last appt my dr was telling me about the wonderful transfer system they had. Well I'm glad the baby wasn't in distress as it was more of a mess than wonderful. Someone called the elevator but no one brought their key. Everyone had a pass for the OR. Julie ran back to get the key but then the lock on the elevator turned off so down we went. They were happy but I was sad to see my new best friend being left behind.

The OR was suppose to be set up but they had no monitor down there. Other things were missing or not working. The staff was getting frustrated. Julie showed up so I was happy lol. I asked about the top up and she came back with syringe. Finally things are set up and he asks me to push. As soon as I did he asked me to stop. Reg had just started filming and you can see me rolling my eyes at his request. Julie laughed. Earlier I told her station 0 wasn't high for me. Guess he needed to be reminded too. The xylocaine top up was working nicely so I didn't mind. Robyn's heart rate was good so she didn't mind either. He asked me to push again but then asked me to stop so he could check the position of the head.

One more push and she was out. He unlooped the cord from her neck. It was wrapped 1.5 times. The first thing I noticed was her big round, almost bald, blond/pale head. I never had a baby that bald or blond before. Reg passed me the scissors and I cut the cord. The videos showed that he had done the last 2 so it was my turn. She was pretty blue but I had seen her move her arm. Julie put her on the warming table and the dr asked if they wanted the breathing team that was waiting just outside. The came in and started working on her. I couldn't see as they were behind my left shoulder. I wasn't worried. I really felt like she was fine. Soon she let out a cry.

The placenta came out easily. I didn't have any tears. I got cleaned up and the bed put back together. Robyn's 10 min apgar was 8 so she was doing ok. They couldn't get the O2 monitor to work so they decided to transfer her to the ICN. I told Reg to go with her.

I got brought back up to my room only to get switched to a stretcher and get put in recovery. There were 2 other women there. The only reason they were there is because there were no rooms available. ugg! I hadn't even held Robyn yet. Here I was stuck on a stretcher.

Julie came back in and I told her it sucked. She started describing what Robyn looked like. She didn't even sound like one of mine but it was really sweet to hear what she was like. Reg came back with the camera full of pictures and videos. Suddenly I really thought the camera was cool. We had just bought it 3 days ago. It can take videos. The little screen is 2.2 inches. Robyn had tons of vernix. I thought maybe thats why she was so pale looking on top of her head. The pics showed that the back of her head had dark hair.

We asked if she could come up. No but we could go down. I wasn't certain at first. My legs were still numb. She didn't want me to walk anyway. Reg rolled me down. We gowned up and went in. Almost as soon as we saw her a nurse came over and said oh good you are here to feed her. I just wanted to hold her but feeding would work lol.

After holding and feeding her we were told she was ready to go up to my room. I told them I didn't have one. We went back up to see if a room was ready. It wasn't. We ate some food. Reg took a pic of me and my-new-best-friend Julie. I was so tired that I was having a hard time to think straight.

Finally they had a room and a private one to boot. I was starting to hope it wasn't just so I'd have an excuse to leave. We got settled into the room. We asked about having the baby brought up and the nurse said she check into it. We tried to get the calling card to work so I could let kmom know about the birth. We forgot the pin and cs couldn't help us as it was Sunday. I tried to get the lap top to work but I couldn't remember how to get it to dial 9 first. I needed a nap really badly!

Reg opened up his bed and we fell asleep. Soon a nurse came in with the baby. I held her and Reg took some pictures but she was sound asleep. I was nodding off holding her so I put her back in her bassinet. After some more sleep I was able to get the laptop to work but my isp refused my pw. Reg called them and they had a new number on their answering machine. Finally I could connect.

I told Reg to go and I would stay the night. After posting an update with a picture and chatting with Still I went to sleep. The night wasn't that bad. Robyn and the nurse seem to wake me up at the same time. I felt really tired when Robyn woke up when it was starting to get light out. I laid down with her and we both went back to sleep. I got woken up for a blood test. I had no clock so no idea what time it was. My dr popped in to say hi and said he was surprised I was there.

Reg called so I knew it was 9 lol. He was going to eat then come and get me. A bunch of people started showing up. The latest new one is the glove person. A couple of sweet older volunteer ladies came by. Everyone loved the pic and seemed very positive about so many kids.

I'm glad I stayed because I wouldn't have to go back. In the past they made everyone come back a couple days after leaving. Since I stayed 24 hours they could do the pku test. Normally I get the pku done when I have to go back.

A lot of things didn't go right but I feel like it was a positive experience. I really liked my nurses. I think it makes a huge difference. I was really bothered by not being able to hold Robyn but now that I have her at home I don't care anymore.

Catherine (mabear)

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