Friday, January 16, 2009

Birth Story and the after belly picture.

~ The Birth Story ~

Well, I blogged most of it already, so let me put together a smaller version.

Friday, Jan 9th:
- 2:30/3pm: I had to be at hospital to get checked in and get an epidural started. Epis don't work on me (I've had 6 previous placements) so he gave me the epi, but put in a spinal block medicine with it, pretty much numbing my stomach.

- 5pm: Went to OR and the version was performed at 530pm. It was crazy. My rockstar doctor put gel on his fists to his elbows and pretty much laid on top of my belly, wedging his arms on each side of the baby. After about 45 minutes of wedging in there, he says "Okay, your baby is now cooperating." WHOA! I thought he was just getting started and he was done.

- 630pm: The first cytotek was inserted. My cervix was "think and a fingertip". I knew we wouldn't induce until morning.

- 1015pm: The second cytotek was inserted. I was now "soft and a fingertip". Hrm, that's something.

- midnight: big nasty mucus plug makes it's way out.

- 1am-3am: Regular contractions started every 3 minutes. I didn't feel a thing. Silly me thought this was real labor and the epi worked. Instead, this was pre labor, which just isn't painful, but full of heavy pressure.

- 4am: Water breaks on its own. Holy Cow! Crazy feeling #1. #2, PAIN. Immediate pain with every contraction. They tried to pump up the epi, but determined it didn't work.

- 6:30am: +1 station, 95% effaced, 6cms dilated. Pain if overwhelming, but I am NOT freaking out. Tom holds my hand and counts out the contractions on the monitor as I breathe. It's amazing how much easier contractions feel with breathing instead of crying and screaming.

- 8:30am: +2 station, fully effaced, 10cms. Yet I didn't feel the need to push and I was freaked out to do it. Pushing was always the worst for me so my nurse let me labor as long as everything we still okay with me and baby.

- 9:15am: Said I would try to push now. Doc checked and said I was overly ready. He had me do a teeny push and I moved baby.

- 9:30am: broke down table and everyone got ready. 4 pushes and Karl was born.

- 9:39am: Karl arrives. 7lbs, 8ozs, 19 1/2 inches. Apgars 8 and 9.

- Within minutes - I was whisked off to surgery where I was put under full anesthesia and intubated. I never in my life went under surgery thinking I was really going to die. This time, it's how I felt. I kissed my husband what I really thought was our last kiss. I waived goodbye to the baby I just gave birth to who wasn't even in my arms. I didn't care about the hysterectomy I may have to have. I just wanted to see my family again. The OR staff kept asking me if I had questions. I simply asked them to get me to wake back up.

11am - Back in recovery waiting for baby. Full breakdown. All my family was at the nursery watching him and I wasn't there. Tears. Tears. Tears.

11:30am - I met and fed my dear new son. I haven't been apart since.

Rest of Sat, Sun and Mon all consisted of my heart freaking out and my blood levels continuing to drop. They couldn't understand tracing and my heart rate was 150-200. After all the monitoring and whatnot, I'm given potassium, Magnesium Sulfate (yuck!) and some beta blocker. Also after an echo cardiogram ruled out even more, they think it's my lack of blood. Speaking of lack of blood, I ended up with 42% blood volume. Yeah - I was MISSING 66% of my blood. So finally a blood transfusion was given, but only 2 units, as they would risk more issues with more blood.

And that was my story. I'm home now (duh) and really tired. He said it would take 7-8 weeks to get back up to where I was, so until then, I'm going to just chill and let my blood grow. Other than that, I'm good. No episiotomy nor ripping (my ob has a stretching this he does during delivery to counter that - burns like hell, but it works) so I feel fine in that aspect. I'm just loving my life right now - trying to introduce myself with my new little man. It's tiring, more than I can ever describe, but worth it.


~ The Belly ~

Ah, the belly. When I had the first baby, I was told I'd leave the hospital at what I looked like at 6 months. Which, for reference, looked about like this:


I didn't achieve it with this pregnancy, nor with any others. It took a full week. I lots 26 lbs as of this morning! Weight was 178 at delivery and now I'm 153. 13 lbs to go to my normal good weight, another 5 to go to my skinny weight. And since I'm starting derby up again in 5 weeks, I bet I make it to skinny weight for sure.

38 weeks and then "39 weeks = 1 week post partum".


38 weeks and then "39 weeks = 1 week post partum".


That last picture on right is funny. I look like I want to be a super hero.

27 comments:

Denise said...

So glad you are home and on the mend. So was the version painful at all? I have never experienced such panic-inducing pain as when they tried to turn Nathan (even with the epi that supposedly worked).

Take it easy as much as you can. I'm super jealous of your shrinking belly. Can't wait to meet Karl!

Birdee said...

You make me laugh - (super hero) lol.

But seriously - do you get stretch marks? You look amazing.
and how the hell did you shower and look so great so soon after having a baby NATURALLY!! (j/k - I know it's possible)

Wow - come to think of it, we're now about the same size ;)

jenn said...

You do look freaking fantastic! I love the 2nd 'after' photo- the look on your face is great!

I'm glad you are back home & enjoying the babe- you deserve your time of non-stop Karl!

Jen said...

I'm so glad that you are starting to feel better. I was worried about you. I thought about you all last weekend and then of course on Monday when you told us about the heart/blood issue.

You look amazing and really really happy. I got tears in my eyes when I read about you not being able to see Karl in the nursery with the rest of your family. I can't imagine.

Anyways I'm glad you are doing better now. Karl is so dang cute!

Thanks for sharing this with all of us.

~Thanks for your comment on my blog yesterday. I wish you could come over too, we would have fun~

Shea said...

You look great Nancy! Congrats on everything.

Paz said...

Love the photos, enjoyed the blow by blow. 46% blood volume? Geez, that seems, uh, fatal, no? Well you are obviously doin' well, we have photographic proof. Enjoy your babe. Say hi for me.

Mommyof2boys said...

The part about you thinking your kiss to Tom was your last got me teary eyed :(
I'm so glad your home with your family Nancy !

areyoukiddingme said...

Might want to wait that 7-8 weeks before starting derby again. C-section recovery instructions can be ignored, but blood loss and transfusion is probably going to kick your ass for a while. Take it easy...

Your belly shots are awesome.

Mandy said...

YOU LOOK GREAT!! SO JEALOUS! Glad everything is slowly getting back to normal. Take care of your family, and mostly yourself-you deserve it!!

nancy said...

oh, i am waiting until I start derby again. Probably 8 weeks. (and i didn't have a c-section)

Crunchy Green Mom - Suzanne said...

YAY... no c-section... YAY!!

Ok.. I start volunteering for the Derby girls here in Denver on Sunday for the scrimmage. I am gonna learning the sport before I toss myself in :)

You look great! Can't wait to see you out there!

Jenn BG said...

Hey Nancy. I am so glad you are home with your beautiful family. Also, it is great that you have been able to BF!!

You haven't mentioned the girls. What do they think of their brother? Is Tom excited to have a son. I am still in denial that I am going to have 3 sons. Please tell me how to get a daughter...not that we could afford to try for #4.
Jenn

Mareike said...

Nancy,
You ARE a super hero (hence the masses that actually DID need appeasing.) Lest we haven't put enough pressure on you I wanted to ask if anyone records the derby matches? I'll NEED to see them when you start up again.
I'm off now to study up on roller derby since I only have a vague memory of some films I saw a long long time ago.

Heather said...

Nancy, you have more balls than I do. I would of NEVER taken an after pic. Though I should of just to see. Super Hero?? I thought maybe it looked more like a super model pose. I am glad you are on the mend and Karl is very HANDSOME!!

Anonymous said...

What an ordeal! The version sounds CRAZY. I can't imagine having one done without any pain meds/epidural/spinal etc. Even with, I'm sure there's a lot of pressure and I imagine it isn't super comfortable. I'm just glad it worked and it wasn't for nothing!

Take it as easy as possible while you recover!! I can't imagine how scary the whole heart issue/emergency surgery/blood transfusion thing was...

For sure you know how *truly* blessed you are to have come out of this whole craziness with a perfectly healthy baby, with your own life for crying out loud, andall your 'lady parts' as you call them. Even though you don't plan to have more children, I'm sure it's still comforting to know all your body parts are intact.

Count your blessings and enjoy your new family!! Keep the Karl pics coming :)

Erin said...

Wow, what a story. I am glad I have it to read, looks like we might be heading to induction because of the hep...

You look great by the way, I think you look less than six months pregnant.

Sara said...

Wow, look at your little belly. It looks all firm, not jiggly. Very impressive.

What a dramatic birth story - I am so glad that in the end you are home with a healthy baby.

Doesn't that mag suck? It was the worst physical feeling ever - I sure hope I can avoid it this time around!

Can't wait to see more pics of Karl!

Kelly said...

You look fab! Take care of yourself! Losing that much blood, even with the 2 units replaced, is a huge obstacle to overcome/deal with. Karl is a cutie!!

Anonymous said...

http://suziepetunia.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-is-baby-rhodesbud.html

http://abbyjean.blogspot.com/2009/01/buy-for-baby-rhodesbud.html

I saw this and thought you might be interested in posting it. I know a lot of your readers are probably in the same boat though.

I hope you are feeling better.

Geohde said...

I have every confidence if your shrinking superpowers ;)

J

Eden Riley said...

Fuck fuck fuck.

I'm in love with you, you are so fucking hot, will you marry me? You ARE a fucking superhero!! AHEM.

Karl is here. Karl is divine. I love Karl. Can Karl marry me?? ;)

Mate, when someone down in here in Australia has been through a rough time we say maaaaaaaaaaaaaaate.

What a birth story. So, SO glad you are home safe. Your whole face has changed!! Amazing.

Hope you guys are going really well, have been thinking of you heaps. MWAH XOXOXOXOX

Tara said...

Maybe you *are* a superhero, after all you went through.

PS: Ruby has the same red striped socks as you. I'm going to post a pic today.

Glennformer said...

Got all teary-eyed hearing the story again!

Yes, definitely a super hero pose--fighting for truth, justice, and motherhood--The Fertilerator!

Anonymous said...

You look amazing! Wow!


xxx

Anonymous said...

Those pictures rock. You look awesome. Thanks for writing the birth story out.
~~HUGS~~
Velma

MrsSpock said...

OK, I am so late in the game to commenting, but wanted to say, of course you're a superhero! You had a version, natural birth, freaky emergency surgery, crazy heart rhythm, blood transfusion, and you STILL have time to post.

Nico said...

Just wanted to say congrats on the birth of your son. Better late than never? Sounds like it was a bit of a scare - I'm so glad you both pulled through okay!