{this moment} midwife boy

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Inspired by SouleMama.

Sprout's Birth Story

Warning: This is a long one.  Settle in...

 

So, about three and a half hours after my 41 week update, my water broke.  I was in bed, rolling over, trying to get comfortable, and I felt it break.  I said to Jen, who I was farily sure was awake, what with all my tossing and turning, "Either I peed the bed, or my water just broke."  I knew though.  I'm sure Jen did too.  I got up and went to the bathroom, thinking to myself, "This is when they tell you to rest.  I need to sleep.  It's going to be a long day."  I wasn't back in bed for long before deciding that sleep just wasn't going to happen and decided to get into the shower.  The warm water pretty much instantly made the pain of the contractions I was having stop hurting.  I spent all night sitting in the tub with the shower on.  (Because of my GBS positive status, the midwives advised against taking a bath when we called to update them.)  At my request, Jen stayed in bed and slept off and on throughout the night. 

 

At 5:00am, after what seemed like a lifetime of waiting, I called Jen's parents, who were planning on coming up later that morning, if they might be able to leave a bit earlier.  I could tell from her mom's voice that she was surprised and excited.  (I think we'd all pretty much been thinking that things wouldn't happen until I was induced on the 27th.) 

 

The Bean, who had been sleeping later, was up at 6:00am.  It's like he knew something was going on.  Jen took care of him while I continued to labour. 

 

The plan was that the backup midwife (F) would come and administer the antibiotics I needed in the morning because the 23rd was my primary midwife's day off.  We got a call at about 7:30am, saying that a different midwife (J) was on her way over, as the F was quite sick.  We waited and waited and at about 8:30am got call from J asking us to meet her at the hospital, as one of her clients had gone into labour and she needed to be there.  We called my aunt to come over and watch The Bean until Jen's parents arrived.  She willingly obliged. 

 

We left for the hospital just after 9:00am.  The Bean was not happy to see us go.  We had the suitcase by the door and told him we were going to the doctor and would see him soon.  He grabbed the suitcase handle, and told us "I go doctor".  Poor kiddo cried as we passed him off to my aunt and headed out the door. 

 

According to the clock in the car on our drive to the hospital, my contractions seemed to be about 3-4 minutes apart and lasting just under a minute.  I felt fairly sure that we wouldn't be returning home from the hospital. 

 

When we got there, we eventually got settled into triage where J administered the antibiotic and hooked me up for a non-stress test.  The NST showed regular contractions and I was measuring 3-4cm dialated.  We made the decision to stay at the hospital.  I couldn't imagine driving home and back again for more antibiotics in another six or seven hours, really all I wanted to do at that point was get back into a hot shower. 

 

 

We got set up in our labour and delivery room and I got into the shower.  The contractions continued to get stronger.  I was quite uncomfortable, and kept shifting position, getting up and down, adjusting the water, etc.  Jen stayed with me the whole time, rubbed my back and was just generally awesome and reassuring.  (She was proud when she saw in the J's notes that she had provided "excellent support", though I would have told her the same thing.)  J would pop in and out of the bathroom, monitoring the baby's heart rate, which remained strong and steady the whole time.

 

 

At 2:15pm I got out of the shower and into bed.  The contractions were getting strong and more painful, but the baby continued to do well.

 

 

At 3:10pm I made the decision to get some pain medication.  At 4:00pm they gave me a shot of morphine and a shot of gravol (to counteract the nausea morphine can cause).  At 4:15pm I got up to use the washroom and ended up throwing up into the sink.  By 4:30pm the morphine was starting to kick in.  I still had a lot of pain, especially on the left side of my low/mid back, but the morphine allowed me to rest at little bit, which I really needed at that point. 

 

At 6:20pm I received my second dose of antibiotics (I needed to get them every eight hours) and also had a catheter put in, in anticipation of getting the epidural.  I still was holding out hope that I had made progress.  I remember thinking if I were at 6 or 7 that I could make it through the last little bit without it.  Again, I tried to rest. 

 

At 7:30pm they checked me again and said that there was no change in dialation.  To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.  I decided to get the epidural.  It was administerd at 9:30pm, after 21 hours of labour with no progress.  Not surprisingly, it slowed down the contractions, and at 10:00pm they started me on Oxytocin.

 

The epidural allowed me to get some rest overnight and regular contractions resumed with the Oxytocin. 

 

At 5:30am they checked me again.  I was told that my cervix was about 60% softened, but there was still no change in dialation. 

 

At 7:30am the midwifes got the the doctor to change the order on the Oxytocin to the maximum dosage (I had been receiving 20cc and had it upped to 30cc, which is the most that they will ever give). 

 

At 9:30am I was about 90% thinned out and my primary midwife, B, who had arrived a little earlier, told me that I was about 4cm dialated, but that she could stretch me to about 5cm. 

 

I continued to rest through the morning.  I wasn't feeling great that I had only progressed a few centimeters since arriving nearly 24 hours earlier but hoped that the Oxytocin would continue to help. 

 

Sometime after noon, B checked me again and said that there still hadn't been any change.  I was experiencing a lot of pain on the right side of my abdomen and it was spreading to my back.  B called in the attending OB, I think because I was GBS positive they were watching the clock more than they might have otherwise.  The OB was very calm and kind.  We filled her in on the details of the labour to that point and she asked if she could also check me.  When she was done she said I was only 3cm.  I know you can't go backwards, and had a hard time processing that according to what she said, I had made NO progress since my arrival the day before.  I wondered why B would say I was 4-5cm, if she was trying to be encouraging, or if she was just interpreting things differently, or what.  I was also very upset when the OB looked at my catheter, asked if it had been amber (indicating blood) the whole time, which it had been, and if it had been emptied, which it hadn't been.  She immediately removed and redid the catheter and my bladder started to empty.  It had been put in poorly and despite my complaints of a sore abdomen and back, B hadn't thought to check it.  I was very upset at this point, doubting B's competence, which I never had before. 

 

With the news that I was only 3cm, and already receiving the maximum dosage of Oxytocin, the OB said that she would recommend a Cesarian.  I felt like that was probably the best option at that point, consulted briefly with Jen, and then told her that we would go ahead with it. 

 

From there things happened quickly.  They gave Jen a gown and cap to wear and asked her to wait outside the OR until I was prepped.  I also got a gown and was moved to the OR.  The doctors explained what would happen --they'd put up a screen, sterilize my stomach, give me oxygen, cut into my abdomen, that I would feel pressure but that it wouldn't hurt, and that soon our baby would be born.  Jen came in and sat up by the right side of my head.  I was anxious, but felt that we had made the right decision and was excited to meet our baby girl. 

 

I could feel a lot more than I expected to during the surgery and when they were pulling the baby out remember saying "I can feel it!  It hurts!!", at which point the anesthetist asked me if I wanted laughing gas, to which I agreed.  It helped a lot.  With the gas I was able to hear what was happening still but dissocciate enough not to be so focussed on the pain.

 

At 3:52pm Sprout was born.



 

 

The first thing I noted about her is that she was loud.  (She got 9 and 9 on her Apgars.)  I couldn't see her as they cleaned her off and weighed her, but I could hear her!  She certainly didn't have that bleating little newborn cry.  Jen went over to see her and take some photos right away.  And then brought her back over so I could finally meet her.  

 

 

 

 

 

I was so happy and so relieved.  I remember smiling so big and crying tears of joy.  I wanted to hold her, but they wouldn't let me do that right away.  They finished putting me back together (14 staples) and then moved us into the recovery room. 

 

The nurse there was very kind.  She explained that I would be quite swollen from labouring and all the fluids I had received.  We chatted about babies and life and her love life, which was a welcome distraction.  After a little bit I told Jen she should go home and help put The Bean down for bed.  Grandma and Grandpa had been doing a great job taking care of him, but it was clear that he missed us and now that Sprout had arrived, I felt okay with her taking a few hours to spend with him and get him settled.  She wasn't going to miss anything major by going home for a little bit. 

 

 

So she went home and I was moved into a post-partum room.  There was another family there, but they were very respectful and quiet.  I got to hold Sprout and try feeding her.  She was a natural.  Jen came back and we dozed in and out of our first evening and night --Christmas Eve-- together. 



 

 

Christmas morning came and the nurses were encouraging me to get up and move around.  I didn't really want to, but since they said it was best for recovery, Jen and I took a short and very slow walk around the floor.  I was swollen and sore. 

 

As we rounded a corner, Santa and some firemen were entering the ward with toys for all the babies.  They gave Sprout a polar bear stuffed toy and we got her first Santa photo taken in front of the tree by the nurses' station.  

 

 

During visiting hours that afternoon, Grandma and Grandpa came by with The Bean to meet Sprout for the first time.  We had wrapped a gift, from Sprout for The Bean --a children's flashlight.  It was a big hit!  He seemed much more interested in the flashlight than the baby, but that was okay.  He and Grandma played.  Jen traded off with Grandma so she could get some time holding Sprout too. 

 

The Bean seemed very cautious around me, and wouldn't look me in the eye when he first came into the room (just as I was exiting the washroom).  Though I know Jen had told him I had a sore tummy and wasn't feeling well, and he was likely just worried and trying to process things, it still broke my heart.  The next day when he came back for another visit he seemed to warm up a lot more quickly, though he didn't like that he wasn't allowed on the bed with me.  I made a point of not holding Sprout while he was there, so he wouldn't feel that I was favouring her over him.  When we returned home on the 27th he seemed more himself and now (fortunately) you'd hardly know that eleven days ago his little world was turned upside down. 

 

 

It's been a busy eleven days, but each day I'm feeling a bit better.  Sprout has been a great baby, eating and sleeping most of the time, and despite what it may seem from the photos, does not cry much or for long.  The Bean is adjusting better than we though he would to his new role of "big brother".  Jen has been AMAZING taking 99.9% of the responsibility of caring for The Bean and the household, as well as helping me out and taking care of Sprout.  In fact, she's resting with Sprout in her arms right now.  It is one of my most favourite sights. 

 

There is a lot to update on still --Christmas, life with a newborn, and at least a zillion more photos, but I have rambled on long enough.  I look forward to sharing more about our life as a family of four with all of you soon. 

 

xo,

-Allison.



*Navalgazing* Reflections at 41 Weeks Pregnant

We're still here.

I'm still pregnant.

This week was tougher than I expected it to be.  Physically things are difficult, and only continue to get more difficult, but beyond that, emotionally I been a bit of a mess. 

People, understandably, keeps asking if Sprout has arrived yet.  We've said we will keep everyone updated, but there are still calls and emails daily.  While I appreciate that we're in peoples' thoughts, it's also a constant reminder that we are still waiting. 

I'm not able to get around easily, so I've mostly been at home, wondering when/if I am going to go into labour.  I try to distract myself.  The reminders don't make that any easier. 

Last night she didn't seem to be moving around as much as usual.  I said something to Jen about it and she asked if things were okay.  That got me worrying that they weren't.  I ended up sitting up in bed, in tears, hands on my belly waiting for some of the big kicks that she usually gives me in the evenings.  Eventually she did, but I was a mess waiting for them.  Thoughts of a long-time family friend who's son was stillborn at full term kept running through my head.  I wondered if I should be calling the midwife or going to the hospital or having an ultrasound just to make sure things were okay.  I worry that she would be better off outside than in, at this point.  I worry about the cord wrapping around her neck.  I worry that she'll grow to large for me to have a vaginal birth. 

I talked to my midwife and she agreed to an induction on the 27th.  I don't really want to be induced, but they would do it by the 30th anyway.  And I feel ready to meet this little one now.  I am confident that she is grown and developed and that those three extra days would not make a difference to that.  I also don't feel like those three days would make the difference of NOT needing the induction.  Plus, Jen's parents were going to stay until the 26th and then come back for the 30th.  That seemed silly.  With the induction scheduled for the 27th they'll just stay here until after the birth.  I feel better not worrying about them travelling 6+ hours to and fro on winter roads. 

Accupuncture this week was slightly more painful that in has been.  I probably won't make any more appointments.  The 24th and 26th would be the two days my accupuncturist is available and I already have a midwife appointment on the 24th.  I feel like if the accupuncture were going to make the baby come, it would have happened by now, though I do still hope it's helped my body prepare.  My midwife suggested inserting the Evening Primrose Oil and perhaps trying Castor Oil, but I think I'll just be to disappointed to have put myself through the discomfort if it turns out that those methods don't help.  So basically I've decided to just wait.  I'll keep taking my EPO and homeopathics,  I'll try to walk when/if I feel up to it, but I'm not going to start anything else. 

Please continue to send all your baby-come-soon thoughts out to the universe on our behalf. 

One way or another she will be here with us by next week. 

And we'll keep you updated.  Promise. 

41 week belly:

*Navalgazing* Reflections at 40(+2) Weeks Pregnant

This will be a very quick update as a wolf down a sandwich and get ready to go to my accupuncture and midwife appointments. 

 

I was hoping that I wouldn't be making this update, that we would have a birth announcement to post by this time, but here we are, still waiting. 

 

I continue to grow more and more impatient.  I worry about going to 42 weeks and being induced --something I'm sure my midwife will be discussing with me today.  I continue to become increasinly uncomfortable.  The Braxton Hicks seem to have increased in both frequency and intensity.  Not enough to believe that they are "real" contractions, but enough for me to now wince and have to sit down.  I feel bad that I can't be more productive.  I especially miss being able to play with The Bean the way I would like to in the evenings.  (Evenings are worse.)  But again, there's not much that can be done. 

 

On a lighter note, Jen and I went out for what will likely be our last pre-Sprout date on Saturday night.  Our favourite band, the band that brought us together, is on tour supporting another larger band.  The show that they had scheduled here was cancelled because the lead singer of the other band was sick, so they quickly booked their own headlining show.  It was my due date, so we didn't have tickets to the original show, but with no signs of imminent labour, we bought tickets to the last-minute show.  It was awesome.  We haven't seen them since Jen was pregnant with The Bean.  Sprout kicked up a storm so we figure she either loves them or hates them, but being in this family, I'm sure it's the former. :)  We got to go backstage afterwards and the girls wished us well, telling us it's likely they'll be back soon, perhaps with a family-friendly show scheduled.  We'll be looking forward to it almost as much as Sprout's arrival.

 

Here's the (huge) 40(+1) week belly:

 

*Navalgazing* Reflections at 38(+1) Weeks Pregnant

Getting there! 

I'm happy to say that it's starting to feel like the end is in sight.  I'm eager to meet our little girl and, as I've said before, ready to not be pregnant anymore, though I'm sure there are aspects of it I will miss.

This week was slightly better than the past few.  My rib wasn't giving me as much pain.  I think the baby may have dropped a bit, as I've been feeling slightly less heartburn.  I even got a few stretches where I was able to sleep 3 hours at a time vs. the 1.5-2 I was averaging before.

The midwife did her home visit on Tuesday and all went well.  She prescribed an alternative antibiotic for me to use during labour because of the GBS.  I tried taking it to the local pharmacy to have filled, but it looks like I may have to go to a hospital pharmacy.  She also did a urine test because of my UTI suspicion, but so far I haven't received any results from her.  In the mean time, I've been drinking lots of water and cranberry juice, hoping that it clears up quickly.  I'm not sure that it is. 

We got a bunch of our baby gear back from my sister yesterday, and are starting to set things up in preparation for Sprout's arrival.  We had loaned her our infant carseat and she returned it without the Canadian compliance sticker, which poses what we consider to be a pretty big issue, especially with all the border-crossing we do.  She doesn't know what happened to it so now we're left trying to contact the manufacturer to see if they can reissue a sticker to us.  I really hope they can.  I hate to have to buy a new carseat just because the sticker came off.  (Who knows how, those things are IMPOSSIBLE to remove.)  Otherwise everything seems pretty good. 

The Bean is napping right now, and if I want to get my nap in I should get going!  I have another appointment tomorrow, but I suspect everything will still be status quo. 

Here's the belly shot for this week (taken yesterday).  Jen and I were looking back through the photos and there is such a HUGE difference from Week 5 that it's almost impossible to believe that they're both me.  I wonder if I'll ever look like Week 5 me again...

GBS Positive

Our midwife is coming over for a home visit today.  I called her yesterday because of my concern that I might have a UTI.  She was glad I called and said that she'd bring over a test kit to double check.  She also told me that I tested GBS positive.  At first I wasn't overly concerned as I know it's not terribly uncommon and is reasonably treatable.  (My sister had tested GBS positive too and there didn't seem to have any complications as a result of it.) 

Then I started Googling.  I'm allergic to penicillin and wanted to find out what alternative anitbiotics are typically given.  What I found out was that having a UTI increases the risk to the baby. 

I know of all the things that could potentially go wrong, this is minor, but I still can't help but worry that I'm going to make our baby sick. 

THis is NOT the kind of update I want to get three-weeks from our due date, but I suppose there's not much that can be done.

:/

*Navalgazing* Reflections at 30 Weeks Pregnant

Monday was my midwife appointment.  Everything continues to be fine.  I got back the results from my glucose screening.  They were well below the level where there would be any concern, which I was releived to find out.  Though I've limited myself, I have definitely craved sweets throughout a good bit of this pregnancy and even though I've been told my weight gain is fine, I have found it somewhat concerning to gain so much.  The past two weeks I only went up 1/2 a pound, so maybe it'll slow down for a little while now.  My blood pressure was still nice a low.  The baby's heartrate was about 150bpm and she was lying with her back curved to my left side. 

Monday afternoon I went down to one of the local universities that trains midwives, to volunteer.  They were looking for pregnant women for their second year midwifery students to practice palpations on.  I didn't have other plans for the day and I think it's really important for people to get hands on experience in their field.  When I was doing my teacher training, actually being in the classroom was what I found most valuable, and so I sort of thought of this as a way of giving back.  The students were super excited as this was their first experience working with actual pregnant women (there were four of us).  They took turns feeling for the baby's position, measuring fundal height, and looking for the heartbeat.  I was there for three hours and had about 30-someodd ladies poking at my belly.  It was fine, but by the end of it I was DONE.  I think Sprout was too.  She got pretty fiesty towards the end and kept kicking me on the way home. 

On Tuesday I kept the car so that I could go pick up some used baby clothes.  Back in the summer a lady had listed a bag of her daughter's old clothes for a very reasonable price.  We purchased them and were really happy after bringing them home and taking a closer look through them, so I told her if she wanted to contact us directly in the future, we would buy from her again.  So, I guess they were done with most of their summer stuff and she emailed to let me know she had another bag ready.  It was as great as the first one she gave us.  I'm really, really happy to have her as a contact.  Hopefully she'll continue to stay in touch.  Another friend came by to visit, and even though her daughter is seven, she dug up some little sleepers and outfits she had found from her baby days.  I'd say we're doing quite well! 

My sister and an old friend have also decided they are going to host a welcome baby celebration for us at the beginning of November.  Both Jen and I were reluctant as didn't want a shower, but they were fairly insistant and it will be nice to get together with some family and friends to celebrate this little one's upcoming arrival. 

And now for the belly shot, taken today: 

Notice how my lower back is all archy?  I have to work on that. 

*Navalgazing* Reflections at 27 (+2) Weeks Pregnant

I did intend on having a photo taken this weekend and writing this update on Saturday (which feels like it was a week ago), but the days were too busy with lovely fall outtings and visiting friends and family so, here we are. 

It was a good week pregnancy-wise.  I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that it's likely I will feel crappy in the evening (heartburn) and have a hard time overnight (peeing every two hours and Charlie horses every third night or so).  Not having many set obligations in the day and the ability to lie down for an afternoon nap, if I so choose, makes things easier.  I'm still heartbroken over losing my job, but I have thought many times about how exhausted it's likely that I'd feel if I were there right now.  Silver lining?

I had a midwife appointment this morning and met Bianca, who will be our primary midwife from here out.  I was a little worried about not liking her as much as Kirsten, who took care of us with The Bean, but she seems LOVELY.  My weight gain (27lbs) and fundal height were both deemed "perfect" though I am somewhat concerned about gaining too much.  Baby's heartbeat was a nice steady 140bpm and she is, as I suspected, head down now. 

I was given the choice of doing a blood glucose screening, so I am going to book that hopefully for sometime next week.

I'll have to get Jen to take a photo this evening, so hopefully I'll be able to post it along with the photo challenge photo.  Hope everyone's week is off to a good start.