I'll start with the day BEFORE he was born because that is really when it all started. Monday, April 25th was my official due date. I had been having sporadic, unproductive contractions for a few weeks. I was dialated to a 2 but had not progressed past that at all. So I went to my 40 week check up that afternoon and asked the doctor if I was going to be induced (I had been with both other boys). He said he would induce me on Friday--fine, but then he check my blood pressure again and said he could move me up to Tuesday(the next morning). That was great news because I was miserable and pretty certain that Joe had decided he was never going to come out on his own. Before leaving the doctor's office, I AGAIN expressed my concern that the baby was turned the wrong way. I was sure that I was feeling a head up in my ribs. The doc AGAIN assured me he was head down and he was just really high still. Alrighty, if you say so!
So the next morning Jeff and I check in to labor and delivery around 7AM. We get settled in quickly and things begin moving right along. The doc comes in to see how I'm doing and breaks my water. The pitocin is working like it should. Then the anestiologist comes to do the epidural. Well I hate epidurals and wish I was brave enough to labor without one. I've never had a not horrible experience with one and this was no different. Actually it wasn't too bad getting it this time, but it didn't really work. Well it worked on one side but not the other. The nurse kept telling me to push the pain pump and lay on my right side and it would start working better, but this did not help. So I pretty much labored through it all numb on my left side and feeling EVERYTHING on my right. It's actually kind of a strange sensation only feeling half a contraction. As things progressed we figured I'd be ready to start pushing around 1PM or so. About that time the nurse came in because she couldn't get Joe's heartbeat to consistently show up on the monitor. So she started moving the monitors around and after a few minutes she still couldn't get a good read. He had a heartbeat but she couldn't get a steady reading. So she tried the internal monitor and that's when she noticed a BIG problem. The internal monitor is suppose to attach to the baby's head and it wouldn't work because it wasn't his head. It was his butt. That's when she called the doctor.
Well the doctor came in and examined me and said the baby was breech and he must have turned while I was laboring. I was really mad b/c I thought he was breech all along and NOBODY LISTENS TO ME! And that's just what I said. I slammed my hand down on the bed and firmly (not quit yelling) told the doctor "I told you that yesterday. Just yesterday I sat in your office and told you this baby was turned the wrong way. I told you that yesterday!" Well the doc just kind of stuttered about how he's sure the baby was not breech eariler and that this must have just happened. Yeah right. At that point it didn't matter b/c it was time for an emergency c-section!
So they prep me for the c-section and wheel me into the operating room. I don't remember much after that b/c they had to knock me out. Jeff said it was b/c I kept yelling that I could feel them cutting me (even though they hadn't started yet). All I remember was going in there worried that my epidural wasn't working and I'd need something else for the surgery. Jeff said I kept yelling at the doctors for more pain meds and then the anestiologist gave me something that put me to sleep. He said I was snoring while Joe was being born. Yes I slept through the birth of my child. What a great mom! So while I was sleeping this happened....
When I woke up I was being moved from the operating table to my bed. It was the most excuritating pain I've ever felt. I didn't feel the least bit bad yelling and crying. It felt like I'd been sawed in half. They gave me more meds (obviously they didn't work very well) and took me back to my room. For the next few hours I was in A LOT of pain and shaking really bad (side effect of the epidural) so I couldn't really even hold Joe. Jeff was awesome though. He handled everything perfectly. He spent the next week taking care of me and the baby. My mom and dad were great too. They took care of my other boys and me too. It was a rough day and a rough recovery. Six weeks later I'm still not 100% but I'm getting there. In the end all that matters is this...
Joseph Daniel Orwin was born on April 26, 2011 at 1:54PM. He was 8lbs 4oz and 21 inches long. He has red hair and blue eyes and is healthy, happy, and perfect and we love him very much!Welcome to the world Joe!!
2 comments:
Congratulations on your new bundle!
I do have an opinion on this, and I am going to be as sensitive as possible:
1. You have amazing instincts as the mother of your children. I wish your doctor would have trusted you. You know your body and your baby inside of you.
2. You totally could handle natural labor. Pitocin induced contractions are WAY harder, stronger and longer! If you have more children, whether VBAC or repeat C/S give me a call. I'll be your doula! Even if you only need to talk to someone prenatally who will back you up or be a listening ear. As a doula, it's not my job to tell you what you should or shouldn't do. Doulas help empower mothers and give them courage to communicate with their providers. With a doula it's all about YOU. It's YOUR birth experience.
Please forgive me if I am coming across badly. I don't mean to. I just wanted you to know that I believe in you. I believe in your instincts as a mother (which you proved when you KNEW your baby was breech) AND I believe in your ability to have a natural labor (should you decide to VBAC if you have more children)
And btw thank you for your encouraging comments on my blog when I get down about parenting sometimes. This whole motherhood gig is hard sometimes.
Oh my ....ok if I were a swearer I'd totally drop some words hear. That doctor needs a swift kick in the butt! If I were you I'd find an attorney. I am not a sue happy person but the fact that he couldn't be bothered to even check you is a sign of laziness at best and malpractice at it's worst! Maybe you could get out of the bill at the very least that HE caused! I had epidurals with all of mine and pitocin with all of mine. Luckily I also had doctors and nurses who listened to me. I nearly died with them all and they all nearly did too. This birthing thing is too risky for a doctor to be so nonchalant about your concerns. I pray that if you have more you can find a better dr. Good luck with recovery.
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