Tiffany's Birth

I found out I was pg at 3w3d. I thought it would make for a long pg but it went really quickly. I never expected to get pg that month as it was my first cycle since having Robyn. I never get pg the first cycle back. Also since I was 40 I just thought things would be slower. I think my recent weightloss (103 lbs) increased my fertility too. I was very happy and excited even if I hardly could believe it.

I started my prenatal care early because my ob was gone when I was 8 weeks. With my doppler I heard the heartbeat at 9w3d. It was so clear that I wondered if my dates were wrong. I had an amnio at 14w1d. I hate the way I feel when I get an amnio. I feel guilty and worried. I did a lot of jigsaw puzzles with Rachel to help pass the time. At 17 weeks I found out the results were normal and girl. At 21 weeks I had my routine u/s and the baby had an enlarged stomach. After 2 follow ups it went to a normal size. At 33 weeks I had a u/s that said the baby was breech and a bit big but so what else was new?

I was doing terrible at staying on plan with my eating and exercise. I had hoped to only gain 25 lbs. After focusing so much on losing it was hard to do all the work and watch myself gain. I ended up gaining 37 lbs which in the end I didn't mind.

I started to get pelvic joint pain but it never got bad. After 2 pg's where I couldn't walk after 24 weeks I really appreciated how easy the pg was .

At just over 36 weeks I lost my plug. The pg had past so fast that I couldn't believe the end was so close. I started to get really strong bh's. I had my gbs culture done at 37 weeks so got checked too. I was only a finger tip. I was a bit surprised since one piece of plug was bigger than a finger tip lol. I scheduled my next appt for 37w6d because he wouldn't be there the next day.

We got everything ready since we knew it was going to be soon. We brought everything to my 38 week appt just in case. We live 65 min away from the hosp and my ob's office is right beside. At my appt I was 1 cm and baby was breech. Since we just felt her head on top that was no surprise. Right after leaving the appt I got a backache. Normally I never do. We were driving around the corner from the hosp when it hit me that it was a ctx. Sure enough I got the same feeling a while later.

We stopped for a bite then headed to Costco. We were just going to pick up a couple things and milk but like usual that didn't happen lol. I was fine. I had put the whole give birth soon thing on ignore. While driving home we noticed the new huge WM was open. We had wanted to check it out but decided it wasn't a good time.

At home I continued getting ctx. Around 6 my water broke. No more ignoring the soon part! Reg packed the cooler and I updated my online friends. Around 8 we left. Just before the new WM I mentioned that I only had 1 ctx since leaving and maybe we should go for a walk. I wanted a new Rubik's cube because my regular 3x3 lost a sticker. I had packed my 5x5. The WM was huge but walking did nothing for my ctx lol.

We stopped for Chinese. One time that worked to get the ctx stronger. Reg had all the staff nervous saying I was in labor with out 12th out in the car lol. After eating we drove to the hosp. I had a nice ctx just as we arrived. Usually the hosp scares them away!

The parking lot was almost empty so that was nice. We headed upstairs. They had recently renovated the floor. There was a little window with a bell to ring for service lol. I saw my dr sitting in there. A nurse let me in. My "pad" was tested and I was hooked up to a monitor. Baby was fine and I had a little ctx. We waited around then I got a room. The room was nice and big. Everything was new and there was a huge obnoxious clock in the corner. I made Reg take a pic of it lol. I got changed then got an iv while Reg went down stairs and registered me.

The nurse, Lisa, suggested I walk. Funny some don't want you to get up with broken water and some want you to walk. I was bored and felt fine so walking sounded ok. She said to come back in 45 min. We took a little tour but there wasn't much to see. I didn't have one ctx the whole 45 min lol. After I was put back on the monitor. Then the wait began. My dr finally ordered the pit at 2 am. They started it really slowly because I had so many babies. I understand that but it made it long. Lisa was fun to talk to. She is waiting for a little girl in Russia so send her some hurry up vibes. She upped the pit every 30 min till she left at 6. I fell asleep for 45 min.

I noticed that I got more ctx when my bladder was full. I'd start to get uncomfy then pee then I'd be fine again. Since it looked like I was having lots of ctx they'd stop upping the pit. I tried to make sure to go often. I wasn't too uncomfortable but I wondered about getting the epi. I asked and was discouraged so waited.

At 7:30 the shift changed. Lisa left early because she had done a double. Gina my new nurse was the same one I had with Robyn. She couldn't be there for the delivery because she hadn't received her OR training and I delivered in the OR. She was excited to get the chance to be there this this time. My ctx were irregular. I seem to have some when they upped the pit then not any till my bladder got full. Every time I did have some they'd slow down upping the pit. The ctx I was having weren't painful enough for me to insist on the epi so they obviously weren't strong enough to do anything. Gina didn't really agree with my theory. I finally maxed out the low dose and mr dr came by to talk about the risks of increasing. Whatever lol. I don't think I'll rupture with wussy ctx. My bh's last week at chat were a lot more exciting.

Around 2 I decided on the epi. The ctx still weren't painful but I was getting more and more nervous. Gina told me that the anesthesiologist I was getting was a really good one. He came in and asked me if it was my first lol. I pointed to the pics and said no 12th. He was a bit surprised but like everyone so far it was a happy surprise.

With the epi I was suppose to lie on my sides and turn every 30 min. I had thought I would finally get some sleep. As soon as I laid down the monitor couldn't pick up the ctx. They refused to increase the pit without seeing the ctx. Suddenly I no longer had to lie on my side lol. So much for sleeping.

Time was passing incredibly fast. My dr was leaving at 6 and it was starting to look like he wouldn't be there. I wasn't as worried as one time because I knew the dr replacing him. I had him with Sandy and he would also be willing to deliver the baby breech.

Around 4 I was checked again and declared a 5. Finally things were starting to happen. My dr warned my new nurse that I might go fast. She started to get everything ready. My ctx all but stopped again. My dr came back and we teased him for scaring the nurse as she stopped upping the pit. He said shit and left lol. Nurse came back looking a bit sheepish and upped the pit. A few minutes later a new nurse arrived. At first I was mad since since I knew it was going to be soon and we had already gotten used to the other nurse. She seemed grumpy but turned out to have a great sense of humor.

At 5 I was checked again and was 7-8. Dr mentioned the baby was high. I said it didn't matter since once at 10 I'd push and she come right down. He got this idea to make me try pushing to see if she'd come down. I wasn't too sure but gave it a shot. I found out that if there is nothing to push there is no point in pushing lol. He said he come back to check before leaving.

At 5:45 I felt pressure. I told Reg but I wasn't sure. After a couple more ctx I was sure. Reg told the nurse. She called the dr then wondered if she should check. I said well if we are wrong then he is coming anyway. Next ctx I told her she better check lol. I asked for my epi to be topped up. She started to rush around. The med students and student midwife arrived. They got everything ready including the bed. Still no dr. 6 came and went. Finally at 6:10 my dr arrived in his street clothes and the other dr in scrubs. He joked that I almost made it. I said well you are still here and she'll be here in 2 min so you don't have to miss it. He stayed.

The other dr asked for piper forceps. Reg said he needed a catchers mit not forceps. I was asked to push and she started to come out. My epi was just starting to dull the pain. I was uncomfy but not in pain. It was a relief when the dr helped the legs out. I pushed for 2 min and 30 secs. She was placed on my belly. She was alert and let out a little cry. Reg said it was my turn to cut the cord so the dr passed me the scissors. My dr said congrats and good-bye.

She was having trouble breathing so the nurse wanted to bring her to the nursery. Reg told her to let me hold her first. She seemed tiny but they all do to me at birth lol. While holding her the dr collected the cord blood. Quebec has a public bank and my hosp is one of the 2 that collects for it. After holding her she still wasn't breathing easily so Reg went with her to the nursery. I was very happy to have held her. I assumed the breathing trouble was from being breech and the fluid getting stuck in the lungs. I was right.

My nurse cleaned me up and put my bed back together. The room was suddenly quiet. Reg returned after not too long. Tiffany was fine. She was only 6lbs 9oz. She is our smallest baby. I was pretty surprised but I had felt like she was too small to be born. The u/s had predicted she would be a bit bigger. I wasn't too bothered that she wasn't with us. Either it was the holding or I was still in denial that I was pg lol. I was transferred to my room. Reg stayed till I got everything set up. After he left they finally brought Tiffany back. Turns out they decided to kept her because my water was broke over 24 hours. It was only 20 min sigh.

The night went ok. Tiffany nursed pretty well. She was tiny and I'm not lol. In the morning I had a nurse from last time. I really liked her. She is part of the team making the hospital WHO Baby Friendly. They have been working on it since 2002. I have noticed a lot of positive changes. She's hoping that they will be designated in 2007. The nurse also gave me her health booklet. It was then I found out that she was very long for her weight. She was 21.5". No wonder the u/s said she was big.

After the nurse left a women from Hema Quebec came by. We had fun talking too. I found out that the cord blood was accepted. Only 25% have enough fluid and cells. She needed to take some of my blood. I was happy it was accepted. I told her about my friend kmom's dd Carrie. Actually every time cord blood came up I mentioned Carrie lol. Carrie is cancer survivor because of a bone marrow transplant. It would have been much easier on the whole family to have used donated cord blood.

The birth took a long time but I have to say it was my most fun birth. I don't think I can explain why except everyone was fun to talk to and was positive about the baby being our 12th and even being breech. My dr didn't deliver but the one that did was great.

Tiffany is now 4 days old. She is nursing and doing well. The other kids really like her. I was surprised by Robyn's (19m) reaction. She was very excited and tried to pull her out of her carseat right after we walked in the door. She loves holding her and isn't jealous at all.

Catherine (mabear)

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