Brandon's Birth Story

Ok, I have a few minutes while Brandon is sleeping, so I'm going to try to share Brandon's birth story.

On Tuesday I went in at 6am for my originally scheduled induction. They started out with a full oral dose of cydotec. After a few hours, I still hadn't made any progress. I was still only dialated 3cm, 50% effaced and Brandon was still sitting high up. Then they started me on pitocin again. After a few hours, I still hadn't progressed any. Around 4:15am on Wednesday they decided to break my water. They had to help guide his head down while breaking my water so he didn't drop too quickly and compress the cord. After the broke my water I started making steady progress. I was dialating about a centimeter an hour. I got the epidural when I was around 5cms dialated. I was expecting more pain relief, but no such luck. When the contractions really started picking up I could feel everything. In my opinion, either the epidural was put in wrong, or I just don't respond to the medicine. Basically, it sucked. They tried adding a number of boosters and other medications to the epidural, but none of them had any lasting effects. Around 7am my progression had stalled at 9cm with just a small lip of cervix. Brandon was sitting right where he needed to be, but I just couldn't get past the final little bit. By 8am I was screaming because I was in so much pain. They had called the anesthesiologist so many times for me, and there was really nothing much more they could do for me. I was SO tired and in so much pain that I was begging for a c-section just to get some relief. The nurse came in and wanted to do a few practice pushes. It still didn't help get me over the hump, but I needed to get a feel for pushing anyway. I started pushing around 8:30am and pushed with every contraction for 3 hours. After pushing for so long, the doctor gave us the option to use either the vacuum or forceps. I wan't really comfortable with either, but I felt more comfortable with the vacuum. Hospital policy is that if they try it three times and it doesn't work, then they go to c-section. I gave it my all those last three times, but he just wasn't coming out. So, our only option was to go into c-section. They prepped the room and Brian and I got ready. We went in and everything there after is a bit of a blur. Brian had to get dressed in scrubs, I was wheeled into the operating room. There were tons of people in there to assist, and I was REALLY nervous. Brian came in and sat next to me and I instantly felt better. They did the test pinches and I could feel them (more proof that the epidural didn't take) so they had to give me more meds. I could actually feel the incision, but it was more of a sharp sensation and because of all of the pain meds I was on it didn't hurt too bad. At 12:22pm Brandon entered the world and completely stole mine and Brian's heart. Brian got to see him first and got to bring him over to me. As soon as I heard him cry I started crying. Brandon's apgars were 8 of 9, and he was taken by Brian to the Transition room to be weighed and all that fun stuff. I was stitched up and then taken to post-op to be watched for about an hour. Throughout the entire labor, the epidural was making me shake uncontrollably. I also spent the entire labor vomitting, so I had to drink water so I would always have something in my stomach. It was definately not pleasant, and after the c-section, I was still shaking uncontrollably and vomitting. I was given more pain medication to help me stop shaking and vomitting. The medications were successful in getting me to stop vomitting, but I was still shaking like crazy. Eventually, they took me to the mother-baby unit where I got to meet up with Brian and Brandon. As soon as I got to hold him, I instantly stopped shaking and calmed down.

Brian and I are adjusting to parenthood as best as we can. It is really hard after a c-section because it is hard to move. Brian has been excellent and has been changing every diaper and bringing him to me for his feedings. He has been really fussy today, but I think we figured out the problem and now he is sleeping like a rock, until the next feeding in three hours.

I'm going to try to get some sleep while he is sleeping. I hope to post some more pictures and updates soon.

So, I'm home.

Which means that they decided NOT to keep me today. Here's the play by play of today's events:

8am- I wake up and call Labor and Delivery like I was told. They have no idea what I am talking about and tell me that they will call me back in a half hour.

10am- Labor and Delivery still hadn't called me back, so I called them. Apparently they got really busy all of a sudden and forgot to call me back. They said that to call back at noon and they would let me know when they wanted me to come in.

10:15am- Labor and Delivery called me back and said that they thought that they were too full to take me, but apparently I was on the list to come in, so to come in whenever I wanted to.

12pm- We get to Labor and Delivery (I had to get ready first) and they send me to the room and hook me up to the monitors.

12:45pm- The doctor comes in and says that baby is looking great on the monitors and that I am still not having contractions. She checks me and I am still only 3cm dialated. She strips my membranes and says that I can come back tomorrow.

Here is where it gets frustrating.

I asked her, since she was the one that was going to be working in Labor and Delivery tomorrow what the plan was. She said that she was going to start out with pitocin because my cervix is soft enough for it to work. I asked her what would happen if the pitocin doesn't work. She said that she couldn't really tell me. So, I said, "Well, I will be leaving here with my baby, right? You wouldn't send me home, right?" She said that it just depends on what my cervix does and if I am making any progress at all. I asked about them breaking my water, and they said that because he is still high, if he doesn't move down any more that they would not be able to break my water because when pushing, his head could squeeze the umbilical cord causing the oxygen he is receiving to be cut off. So, that may not be possible. Ultimately, a c-section sounds like the only thing that is going to get this child out of me. It's not what I want, but it is looking like I don't have much choice in the matter.

SERIOUSLY?!?!?!? OMG. I just may murder someone if they try to send me home without my baby!!! I am FREAKING 10 days OVERDUE!!!! So, basically, if they TRY to send me home before Brandon is born, I am simply going to refuse to leave. I will tell them that they can either give me a c-section, or have security escort me out. This is beginning to get ridiculous. It is NOT healthy for a baby to be overdue by so much. Eventually, the placenta starts deteriorating, and baby gets so big that a vaginal delivery is impossible. So, I am trying very hard to be positive and hope that the pitocin will actually do what it is supposed to tomorrow.

Thank you to everyone that has been praying and thinking of us. We are trying very hard not to get upset about all of this, but we are ready to meet our baby. We do appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers!! Hopefully, the next update will be letting you all know that Brandon is here and all is right with the world.

Tomorrow's plan.

I wanted to post a quick blog about tomorrow in case I am unable to get online for a couple of days.

Yesturday, the doctor told me to go in anytime tomorrow to have Brandon monitored for a little while, to have my cervix checked to see if I've made any progress, and to have my membranes stripped again. After getting home, I started thinking that there really is no point in me going in tomorrow afternoon/evening, just to be sent home and to go back at 6am Tuesday morning. So, I called labor and delivery and asked them if there would be anyway that they could just get things moving tomorrow evening instead of having me make two trips there within such a short amount of time. I told them that I didn't know how much difference a few hours made. The lady on the phone was very nice and checked the calendar and informed me that there was very little going on Monday, and that they may decide to keep me just because they are so empty. So, I'm hoping to go in and just have the induction started tomorrow instead of Tuesday. There is no guarantee of that happening of course, but I can hope right?

So, hopefully, I have made some progress on my own and they decide to just keep me tomorrow and get things rolling. I hope that the next time I post I will either have already had Brandon, or will be in the process of induction. Wish me luck!!!!

Still pregnant.....again.

I went in on Friday hoping to be induced, but as most of you know it was kind of up in the air because they wanted my cervix to be "favorable." At my appointment before Friday, I was at 1cm, 50% effaced and at a -2 station. Friday morning at 6am, I was still the same, but the doctor decided to try anyway because she was hopeful that we could work with it. So, I got the IV and signed all of the forms and got settled in the room. Around 8am they inserted a foli-bulb(sp?) to try and get my cervix to dialate some more. It was successful, and I dialated to 3cm in a few hours. After that, they started me on a pitocin drip. That did pretty much nothing. I was having contractions, but they weren't regulating or strong enough. They continued to up the dose and it still didn't do anything. So, around 8pm they decided to take me off the medicine, let me eat and get some rest and they planned on starting up around 4-5am this morning with more pitocin. So, this morning they checked me and I was still at 3cm, 50% effaced and at a -2 station. They hooked me back up to the pitocin around 5am. They continued increasing the dose all day until I reached the max, and I still wasn't having regular or painful contractions. The doctor came in and said that they wanted to try to insert the cydotec (sp?) pill but had to wait for an hour after the pitocin to see if my contractions would slow down. Apparently, the cydotec (sp?) cannot be given if you are having more than 2 contractions every 10 minutes because it can cause contractions to come on too quickly and cause distress to the baby. So, after waiting the hour, I was having exactly 2 contractions every 10 minutes. They gave me the cydotec (sp?) and said that it could take anywhere from 4-6 hours to start working. So, four hours later, I was having ZERO contractions. Nothing. So, the doctor decided that I just wasn't ready to have Brandon yet. She decided that it would be best for us to go home. She said that technically, there is no medically necessary reason to do a C-section and if they keep pushing the induction methods it could cause uterine damage, and distress to Brandon. So, the plan is to go in on Monday and be monitored for a couple of hours, have my membranes stripped, and if no progress has been made I will leave and come back on my originally scheduled induction date of the 29th. On the 29th, I will officially be 41weeks 3 days. She said that at that point, it would be medically necessary to try every angle to induce and if I fail induction then they will be forced to do a C-section. So, on Tuesday, she will start the entire process that I just went through for the past 2 days all over again with hopefully a better result and if that fails, C-section it is. I cannot begin to express how upset I am. I NEVER in a MILLION years thought that we would be leaving the hospital without our baby. I know that he "will come when he is ready" but that just does NOT make me feel better about the whole thing. All I can do is wait, which I am NOT very good at doing. So, that's my update. I'm a sad panda.

Still pregnant.

Hello everyone!!!! Brandon still isn't here yet. We are actually still in the hospital. This morning when they checked me I was still 1cm dialated, 50% effaced and Brandon was still at a -2 station. Luckily, the doctor on call decided that they could work with that. So, I was set up with an IV and later they inserted a Foli-bulb(sp?) into my cervix. A foli-bulb(sp?) is basically a balloon that they insert into the cervix and inflate with water to put pressure on the cervix to help it dialate. It took a few hours, but it got me to 3cms. Around noon, they started me on a pitocin drip. It didn't really help me dialate much, but I could sure feel some contractions!!! They were VERY uncomfortable!!!! I slept on and off all day while they monitored me and Brandon. Around 7pm they decided to wait until 8pm to let the pitocin work in my system for 8 hours. At 8, they decided to take me off of all of the monitors and medicine and let me rest for the night. They plan on starting the pitocin back up tomorrow morning around 4am and are hopeful that with some rest my body will respond better tomorrow. So, we're still here and hopefully our little guy will be here tomorrow!!! Thanks to everyone for all of the wonderful and kind words that you have sent us!!! Also, thanks for keeping us in your prayers!!! We are just so blessed to be experiencing this wonderful event!!! We will post pictures of Brandon as soon as we can. Take care!!! We love you all!!

Please, oh please!

At my last appointment, Dr. Holland changed my induction from the 29th to the 25th. The conditions are that the doctor on Labor and Delivery must feel comfortable with the condition of my cervix in order to induce. At the last appointment, Dr. Holland said that I was on the border of being favorable. So, tomorrow morning I am supposed to call Labor and Delivery at 5am to let them know that I am coming in and I am to arrive by 6am. Once there, the doctors that are working will examine me and determine if my cervix is favorable enough to induce. If so, then they will start the induction process. If not, they will send me home. I am SOOOOOO anxious!!!! I am REALLY hoping that my cervix cooperates and that everything that Brian and I have been doing (walking, sex, birthing ball) have paid off and things have progressed a little more. I just don't know if I'll be able to handle it if they send me home tomorrow. It wouldn't be a huge problem if family wasn't coming on the 1st for three weeks. I DO NOT want to be in the hospital up until the day before family comes. I would like to have a few days at home alone with Brian and Brandon before having to entertain family. So, please keep us in your prayers and hope that little Brandon decides that tomorrow is the day he is ready to meet the world!!!! If I don't post anything tomorrow, chances are that I am in the hospital having our baby!!!! Wish me luck everyone!!!!!!! We are SOOOO ready to meet our son!!!!!

I swear I'm going to be pregnant forever!

I had my 40 week appointment today. It started with the usual weight and blood pressure check. All is well with that. Then, it was off to see Dr. Holland, my regular OB. The nurse asked me if I wanted to be checked for progress and of course I did. Then she asked me if I wanted the dr to strip my membranes if he could, and again I said yes. She proceeds to warn me of Dr. Holland's notoriously large hands and painful membrane stripping reputation. So, I braced myself, but NOTHING could have prepared me for what I was about to experience. Dr. Holland comes in and does the usual measuring of the uterus and heartbeat check. All is well and then we move on to the internal exam. All I can say is OUCH!!! He had a really hard time stripping my membranes because apparently I am barely dialated to 1centimeters. Blah. I was hoping for more progress than that, but no such luck. After a quite intense exam, I get dressed and go to his office to discuss our options. As of my 39 week appointment, my non-stress test was scheduled for the 25th and induction was scheduled for the 29th. Well, after asking Dr. Holland if there is anyway that we can bump it up a little, he agreed to induce on the 25th. YAY!!!!!!! Well, there is a bit of a catch. If I go in on the 25th and the doctor that is on call to induce doesn't feel comfortable inducing because my cervix is still being stubborn and not cooperating, then there is potential that I can be sent home.....baby-less. So, needless to say, if that happens, I will be one sad panda!!! So, if you could, PLEASE pray, chant, hope, wish, whatever means necessary, send me all the good luck and "favorable cervix" vibes possible. I know it's weird to request favorable cervix vibes......but, hey....I'm desperate!!! lol So, that's my update. I will post another update if anything happens....well, IF I have a chance to post I will. Hopefully, next time I blog it will be AFTER Brandon has made his entrance. Although, I'm sure if he is anything like his parents, he will be "fashionably late" as we are NEVER on time!!! lol

39 weeks!

I just got back from my 39 week Dr. appointment. It was relatively uneventful. I am still 1cm dialated, 50% effaced, and Brandon is still at a -2 station, so pretty high up. Basically, I've made no progress in the last week. The doctor stripped my membranes, but last time that was ineffective, so I'm not getting my hopes up that it will do much this time around. Boo. That sucks. There isn't really anything new to report except I have scheduled my non-stress test and induction in case he isn't here by next Saturday. At my non-stress test, they will monitor Brandon and make sure that he is doing ok in utero and that the fluid levels are ok for him. That is scheduled for January 25th. If Brandon STILL hasn't decided that he is ready to meet the world, I will go in on the 29th at 6am for induction. We are really hoping that he decides to come before then because we have to meet my family at the airport on February 1st, and I will not be released from the hospital until the 31st, so that doesn't give us any time at home with Brandon before family comes to visit for the next 3 weeks. My 40 week appointment is Thursday January 17th. I'm kind of hoping that I don't make it that far. That's all for now!!! I will update again after my 40 week appointment, if I make it until then. (Hopefully I won't)

38 week dr appointment....

I had my 38 week dr appointment today. It went well. My GBS came back negative and my thyroid level is staying constant, so that is good. My blood pressure was high when I went in (155/80) and so the dr was a little concerned, but said that she would recheck it after the exam. We listened to Brandon's heartbeat and it was in the 150s, so very good. Brandon is still head down and when I asked her to guess his weight, she said between 8 and 8.5 pounds! Eeek!!! He's going to be a big boy!!! Then came the fun part. It was my first internal check, so I was VERY excited to see if I had made any progress. It's not much, but I am 1cm dialated, 50% effaced, and he is at a -2 station. So, he's still pretty high up there. The progress is decent. She stripped my membranes (without asking or telling me first) so we'll see what happens from that. I'm a little crampy, but nothing major. I doubt that it is going to do much. I was kind of hoping to wait until next weeks appointment do to any membrane stripping because tomorrow we have to drive an hour and a half away to pick up some friends at the airport. Oh well, I guess we'll figure it out, but I doubt anything is going to happen, especially with him being so high. So, overall, a good appointment. Oh, and my blood pressure went back down to 127/70-something after the exam, so all is good with that. I will post another update next Friday after my 39 week appointment unless something happens before then!!!