Posted by Emily on February 25, 2010
I pulled this together from a few emails I sent people asking specific questions….
It really was smooth sailing until after the actual birth. I went in Wed night to be induced Thurs morning at my drs insistence, but I went into labor Wed night while at the hospital. Which I was really happy about because I was terrified to be induced! They gave me an ambien, but that was a joke, you can’t sleep through that. I think it put me out for two hours before the pain would not be ignored. Ha.
Around 6am I started having what I thought was back labor, but now I know that there literally wasn’t enough room in there (small uterus….) for her to change from the great birthing position she was already in. I think that when she dropped a little lower it aggravated my tailbone. Holy hurt! I was having hard, fast (about a minute and a half apart), often double peaked contractions and I was so exhausted that I would fall asleep for like 20 seconds in between them, only to wake up startled by the pain every time. Not super pleasant. It quickly got to the point that I couldn’t walk during contractions and David putting counter pressure on my lower back while I held onto the rails of the bed for dear life only got me so far.
At 9am I decided that nothing was worth feeling contractions, that BACK PAIN, and being startled by it every time (I think that’s what really got me, it was making me lose my mind… seriously, you don’t want to be startled by that kind of back pain over and over again). Got an epidural. I still had a lot of sensation. I could tell the difference between hot and cold and move around without any issues, not that they would let me, but I didn’t think I was dying anymore.
I had the urge to push before they would let me, they tell me that because of the way everything was going in there, that if I hadn’t had the epidural that I wouldn’t have been able to help myself, would have pushed, she would have come even faster, and I would have hemorrhaged my cervix. Clearly that would have been a disaster since the placenta thing was inevitable, and I’m sure it would have taken them longer to a) figure out that I was hemorrhaging in two places and b) get both places to stop bleeding… but will get to the placenta thing.
At around 2:10 I started pushing and 2:28 she was out. They tell me that the epidural slowed down my labor- a lot, but really, it’s not like it was very long.
This next part of the story took about forty minutes from start to finish. However, I’m a little hazy on things from that point on… and you’ll see why.
The problem began after that when the cord broke off and left the placenta in my uterus. Turns out I have a funny shaped uterus (unicornuate?), which would have been the source of my first trimester woes, anyway, the placenta was stuck in a little nook of uterus. They had to scrape it out (emergency d&c), some of it in bits, and call in a specialist. As this was happening, basically they were just giving me more and more drugs because… it hurt! I can’t imagine the pain if I hadn’t already had something going in my system.
(obviously this part was an explanation to someone’s question) When they give you an epidural they give you a big dose and then little doses to keep it up. What I mean by flushing is that they gave me two big doses (along with two shots of another narcotic- fentanyl) while I was lying there getting scraped out.
I know that they shot something into my leg too, I think it was something to try to stop the bleeding, and gave me antibiotics because a couple of people had to dig around in me…. but by that time I was pretty out of it….
Other than that, everything was great! 
Also, turns out my placenta really was weird and they sent it off to the lab.
So two very good reasons to have been drugged up. Who knew? Well, clearly the Lord did. My husband is convinced that I fell down the stairs and busted up my tailbone so that I would have to get an epidural. Personally, I would have liked the Lord to send a postcard, but I’m sure He had his reasons and I’m not upset in the least.
I still think the fewer interventions the better generally, even though it may never be an option to me with what we know now about my body, but how can I really be anything other than grateful? Modern medicine totally saved my butt.
On a lighter note. No hemorrhoids, no stretch marks. I call them my consolation prizes.
Posted by Emily on February 18, 2010
So I went into labor last night. And holy cow is it a long story. Yeah for not having to be induced though. Apparently dr knew what he was talking about that it could be any time.
20 inches
7lb. 4oz.
Posted by Emily on February 16, 2010
It frankly bothers me that women are induced so often. Really, it does. Now I understand more why that happens though, because guess who just lost the induction battle? My plan: Be induced if nothing is happening a week after the “due date.” My doctor’s plan: Be induced Thursday.
Skipping the details of my lost battle, basically here’s the super appreviated version of how I lost.
Went to the dr, we had already talked about inducing if I was a week late. Suddenly he wants to induce Thursday, what the heck? Turns out that since the last visit my cervix area went from “looks like nothing is happening” to it looking like any moment could be go time. That combined with my dr having major issues with the belief that you should never go over because the placenta starts to deteriorate (and considering the placenta issues we’ve had I suppose I don’t blame him in this instance), pretty much put me at the front of the line for induction candidacy.
I still resisted, but hubby and dad were both pro “listen to the guy that’s been delivering babies for over thirty years.” They had many arguments on the pro side, including, ‘How about avoiding coming in for a test on Friday that will cost you 1k, just so that you can wait to be induced on Tues.” OK, that’s pretty motivating…
My mom had a different tactic and pretty much just went through a small list of questions. “Has your cervix thinned out?… Are you dilated?… Is the baby in position?” The answers being yes, yes, and oh yeah, respectively. Then she informed me that with that taking into consideration she saw no reason to put it off as induction would be perfectly safe. It was pointed out to me that if I’m walking around like that, that this could be a stupid conversation as I could very well go into labor in the next few hours.
I have to say, I really thought my mom would back me up on this, but instead she was honestly the one that killed my spirit. If the lady that’s given birth six times isn’t with me, really, what do I have?
Some might wonder why I gave up so easily. It’s not like four against one in opinion has stopped me before, but when three of those four are the three people that I trust most in the world, well, it’s easy for me to say that maybe I’m a little emotional and everything will be just fine. So bring on the baby!
Being induced bright and early February 18th.
Posted by Emily on February 4, 2010
Since I doubt I would be able to bargain going more than a week late these days, it’s pretty much a given there will be a baby here in the next three weeks. Two weeks and on or close to the “due date” wouldn’t be bad. Mostly I want to avoid going late so that I don’t have to deal with people going on baby watch. “Have you had her yet… let us know when something happens… do you have our number… feel any different?” We’re excited, trust me, we’re not going to forget to announce the presence of our gorgeous baby.
Here’s the deal:
38 weeks
No stretch marks
No barfing
No sleep
No recent ER trips
I’m actually down with her holding the stomach fort as long as she wants, though that’s probably because I’m not throwing up anymore.I think most women are ready to go at this point because of the aches and lack of sleep. I don’t really mind it because anything is better than going for months and months…. and months feeling like you have the flu, and I already had trouble sleeping. No flack off my back. Cook as long as you need, baby girl.
You know, it’s probably the swelling, too, that really gets to people about this time. I bought my rings at a size 4 1/2, which is too big for me, and they have only just gotten to the point where they fit me the way a ring is supposed to fit. So obviously I’m not exactly suffering on the swelling standpoint either. And yes, Amy, I do feel a little triumphant about the ring.
Posted by Emily on January 11, 2010
What?
Just kidding! I actually don’t feel huge or anything, it’s just a little awkward to roll out of bed with a hurt bum.
How cute is that whale? OK, I’m a little freaked out by the clear fin, but I’m not even sure I should admit that.
Posted by Emily on January 5, 2010
As I have alluded and linked to, I fell on my bum last week- hard. I’m still avoiding sitting with all my might. Also, getting up from a sitting position is pure torture, if for some reason I have to do that a few times in a row, I start to believe I’m dying a slow death.
In what’s going to seem unrelated, this made me afraid to go in for my OB appointment today. I know that many drs aren’t willing to mess with it, and if you have a banged up tailbone, they want you to have a c-section, no questions asked. I voiced this fear to my father, who knows my doctor because he has on and off been my mother’s doctor, and my dad said, “Dr. _______ won’t do that to you, he might recommend that you have an epidural though.”
I’ve been planning on going natural, as my dr well knows. He’s been very supportive and has talked about why it’s better for them (the drs), me, and the baby, to do so. Such taboo things to say these days. Which actually drives me crazy. If I hear one more woman throw around the words, “no increased risk,” I think I’ll have a hernia on top of everything else. I don’t care if you plan to have an epidural, but for goodness sake, please at least know what you’re talking about. Maybe not of death, but there’s all sorts of “increased risk,” that people have just started thinking of as a normal delivery.
Off the soap box.
So at the end of every appointment he usually says, “the plan is still to go natural, right?”
All of the sudden today it changed to, “so the plan is to go natural while keeping our epidural options open, right?”
And, of course, I agreed with him, because if it’s banged up bad enough that I still feel like this next month (please don’t be, please don’t be, please don’t be)… I’m just not sure I see any other reasonable way to go.
I’m disappointed that such an outcome is so real, but determined to feel as I’ve always said I would if something unexpected comes up; simply grateful for modern medicine.
But if you’re interested in popping your bubble, here’s a pretty good list of epidural side effects. Click Here Personally, I’d rather go through the pain upfront for myself instead of doing something that will slow down recovery, and 10%-15% is high for fetal distress. This is not my number one way to go. ( forceps, episiotomies, c-sections! Nooooo. Must Not Think About It)
Being grateful over here!
Posted by Emily on January 3, 2010
At least, that’s the plan. Interesting thing is that she could be born in the end of January, or the beginning of March, and still be considered “term.” (37-42 weeks) Way to keep up the mystery.
We now have enough baby stuff that I think we could get by, other than picking up diapers and wipes (call me the devil, but I love disposable). Yes, life will be better if we have more sheets and clothes, which I’m sure we will, but I at least don’t wonder if we’d just have a naked baby if something unexpected happened. And considering the massive fall I took last week, I’m taking the unexpected a little more seriously. And yes, my tailbone is still killing me. And yes, promises have been extracted that I will stop busy-bodying up and down and all around the stairs.
Other than gifts, we pretty much got everything used, because really, why spend a ton of money on something she’ll spit up on and grow out of in perhaps weeks? There’s some very nice children’s consignment shops around here, like super nice. As cheap as goodwill, but clean and new looking! The only exception is a car seat and crib. It’s never recommended to get a used car seat unless you know the person you’re getting it from.
OK, well that’s not happening. Everyone is still using them…
Then there’s the crib, which we originally intended to buy used, but after a ton of recent recalls and a big hoopla about whether or not drop-sides (which is just about all you can find used) should be pulled from the market completely, we decided that we’d go ahead and buy a new one. We got one that can be found at babies r us, who doesn’t even sell drop-sides any more. Phew, it’s been a process.
Among all the adorable baby things floating around here, I just want to make mention of two blankets. The pictures don’t do them justice! (particularly poor winnie the pooh…)
This was made and given to me by a friend at church. Honestly, the top is so divinely soft and the underside is so delectably silky, I don’t know how she expects me to let a baby lay waste to it. Don’t worry though, I will manage it 
Enlarge to see Winnie the Pooh!
This one is made to be a little studier. My mom made blankets for each of us. We all loved having a blanket that mommy made, so she helped me make this one for my little girl from fabric that I had picked out years ago. Hubby and every one of my siblings tied a little bit of it:)
Also, I got the dress below for $5. Holy Cute!
Posted by Emily on December 30, 2009
I just got another point. The rash on my belly is completely GONE, and I didn’t even put anything on it.
So, for anyone that’s counting, that would be …
Pregnancy: Billion and two
Pregnant Lady: 5
Can’t hold me down.
Posted by Emily on December 23, 2009
“Oh, I’m sorry you weren’t feeling well, I had heartburn during my third pregnancy so I know how you feel.”
That’s right, the woman just compared normal heartburn to my ulcerated stomach. It was in an email and I didn’t know how to respond to it. So you can understand my bafflement; let me tell you what it feels like… having felt both. It’s kind of like being stabbed in five different places at the exact same time, but the pain of the initial impact lasts for hours.
Trust me, it doesn’t feel related to heartburn in the least.
Posted by Emily on
So you shouldn’t fear if you’ve never been pregnant that you’ll be like me. I’m weird.
Here’s the latest and greatest:
I have planter fasciitis in my right foot.
OK, that’s true, but not the latest and greatest.
I was in the hospital for approximately, um, I don’t know, EVER yesterday.
I went to my regular appointment yesterday, and it so happened that while I was there I was having some pain that has been coming and going for the last week. Upper abdominal, chest, and upper back pain. Like, searing pain.
I came in and their first red flag was that my blood pressure was 20 pts above my normal(and take into account that I’m often not feeling well when I’m there), even though I hadn’t moved in 20 minutes. Making it a whole 120/80. Yeah, I’m a high roller. Then they noticed how much trouble I had moving.
It was all downhill from there. After short discussion, I was being sent to the women’s center at the hospital for evaluation, but wait, I can’t go the the hospital across the street because I’m at 31 weeks and what if I’m in labor? I tried to talk them out of sending me to any hospital; I tried to talk them out of sending me to Atlanta.
Apparently you’re not very convincing when you are in so much pain that you can barely walk.
But bless my mom for dropping everything and not only driving me down there, but hanging out with me once there.
It’s a flurry of tests and I was hooked up to a bunch of monitors. Their top list of things it might be:
- Preterm labor
- Gallstones
- Expanding ribcage (really?)
- Air trapped under ribcage (a nice way of saying gas gone amiss)
I’ll confess that I did not know what it was, but I knew it wasn’t as serious as the first two, or as trivial as the last two.
I’ll spare you all the fun things, but I have to give a couple of highlights:
- Having a urine sample taken by catheter. BTW, I was ticked about this. They didn’t ask me, and catheterization is personal reason (as opposed to baby reason) #52 why I want to avoid an epidural. Every time you have a catheter it ups your chances of urinary incontinence and infection.
- Not being allowed to eat for 11 hours, and all I had eaten was a yogurt that morning.
- Finally going down to get my gallbladder checked and there’s no order for me. Waiting all alone, goodness knows where in the hospital, for them to get the order faxed down. Then the girl mentions checking my bladder and kidneys. “Um, not to be trouble, but that’s not what I’m here for.” Waiting all over again, alone, did I mention half naked, while that’s worked out.
- Day time TV. Oh dear.
- Finally being served a dinner, and it’s hospital salmon. Possibly one of the most nauseating smells on the planet. Even my mom, who likes fish, couldn’t stomach this, this… thing. Extreme. Disappointment.
Anyway, before most of the billion tests were performed, but after many hours of waiting, I was able to talk to a doctor. Within 5-10 minutes of discussion he was pretty sure I had some form of acute gastritis. An ulcer or herniated-somethin-somethin pushing up into my diaphragm, causing “pain episodes.”
Yes, apparently my heartburn is severe heartburn. I didn’t know! I have nothing to compare it with! I’m sorry I was never concerned, but the word burn is in the name. That tells me it’s supposed pretty stinkin bad, right?
So this severe heartburn has now done enough damage to my innards that it’s causing all sorts of addition pain, even when I’m not having heartburn. Not to worry, if I take this prescription proton pump inhibitor, it should heal itself right up. 
Oh, and my gallbladder is fine, and every nurse that looked at little girl’s heartbeat monitor raved about how perfect it was in relation to her movement. I know, right? 
The Story
