A Birth Story
We had a pretty difficult pregnancy being border line for having preeclampsia and then being diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I was nauseous and threw up most of the pregnancy. I had to follow a strict diabetic diet and check my blood sugar four times a day. We had a growth ultrasound in July and found out I also had an excessive amount of amniotic fluid. I was told by my OB that I would not be allowed to go past 39 weeks pregnant because of the diabetes and the medicine I had to take before bed time because my sugars spiked when I was sleeping. We had to go to twice weekly OB visits and get non stress tests done each time. Gunnar always passed those which relieved a lot of worry. We were told we would be induced at 6 am on August 19th, the same day as the kids’ first day of school. I tried to get another date but that put us at 39 weeks and two days and our OB would not budge.
Monday morning we checked into the hospital at 6:00 am. I had to get an IV in each arm, one for fluids and Pitocin and the other “just in case” since I was having another VBAC and it was Arkansas law. About 8 am our OB arrived and started me on a low dose of Pitocin. The OB also but an internal monitor on my cervix which meant I was confined to the bed and got to use a lovely bed pan. Dr. Dittmeyer (our awesome OB) broke my water around 9 am. I have never seen so much amniotic fluid before I literally soaked through a dozen towels and hospital disposable towel pads. Dr. Dittmeyer said he must have been swimming around in there like Michael Phelps. Each contraction that I had I would get another gush of water. T was great support changing my towels and emptying my bedpan. Once all the fluid was out which took at least an hour if not more my stomach literally ¼ of the size it was. While having an intense contraction two nurses and a cop came in and delivered three sets of gorgeous flower arrangements from my mom, Anne and Kristi. It took my mind off the pain for a little while. I managed to calmly breath through the contractions but as they upped my Pitocin dosage each time they were getting more intense and around 1:00 or 2:00 I decided to get an epidural. The epidural felt great for the first hour and then I could still feel the contractions which with this baby were very low. I stayed at a 4-5 for quite awhile and then around 8 pm a nurse checked me and I was fully dilated. I had told T to go home and check on the dogs so he rushed back to the hospital. We didn’t start pushing until a little after 9 pm because my OB was delivering another baby. I pushed for what seemed like hours ( but was only about 45 minutes). We had problems getting him under my pubic bone and the OB commented that he would probably be my biggest baby yet. Finally one last push ( as OB said PUSH Coral PUSH) Gunnar Thomas was born at 10:03 pm. As soon as I saw the OB catch him and hold him up and the baby was crying I started to cry in awe that we was so beautiful and healthy. Gunnar decided to pee on Dr Dittmeyer and T was supposed to take photos but he was in shock and just stared at our sweet miracle baby. Finally he came back to reality and got to cut the umbilical cord. Nothing can compare to the first minute he is placed on your chest directly after birth. He was so alert already and just stared up at me with his big eyes. He weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces and was 21 inches long. He had perfect agpar scores. After we enjoyed holding him and his pediatrician had checked him over the nursery needed to take him for his bath. I had already fed him and asked that he NOT be given a bottle. We had to change rooms and when they brought him back they said he had low blood sugar and had given him a bottle. It was around midnight and since it was already done nothing we could do. I woke up to Gunnar choking around 1 am he had spit up the formulas and was gagging. It was very scary needless to say I didn’t sleep that night. The next morning we were told that Gunnar would need an IV to help with his blood sugars. I nursed him every two hours and all through the night waking him and the next day we were able to have the IV removed. Finally four days after his birth we were allowed to go home. Tadd and I were in love at first sight he is worth the two year wait and so much more!
No comments:
Post a Comment