Ain't she sweet?! Still working on the birth story! Almost there!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
a birth story, finally. grab a snack; it's a long one!
We are always so in awe of how things work out for us. The way this story unfolded (and continues to unfold) is just proof positive of the way the Universe supports us always. We are blessed beyond measure, humbled indeed, and surrounded by love!
Moving to this wonderful home and settling in just in time for the arrival of Paloma, having such loving support from our friends and family during the week of her birth; specifically Jeanine (Janet's mom), Kathleen (Janet's BFF), and Melanie (Janet's soul sister). These women surrounded us in a cocoon of love and gave gave gave us all of themselves so patiently and abundantly. It makes our eyes and hearts swell to think of them. And not to forget all the well-wishers from near and far who read the blog and kept up with us the whole week, sending loving energy and positive vibes all along. We felt you - all of you.
The week of her birth started out romantically and smoothly. We were ready for our Paloma in all aspects - the house was clean, the supplies at the ready, work was caught up, support on standby...Monday night when we went to bed, we felt something was in the works - just a 'feeling' we had. And we were correct. My labor started at 3am on Tuesday morning! I awoke to a trickling sensation, and a hugging in my belly. Candles were lit, Enya played softly on the CD player. The boys snoozed blissfully on in their bed across the room, and Tommy and I rocked and danced through the contractions. By sunrise, the contractions had slowed, and we lay down to rest. We slept for nearly two hours and awoke to more hugging in my belly. We moved into the kitchen, where we had oatmeal and talked of our baby to come that day. The boys drifted out into the house, and we told them of our news. The belly hugs came and went, varying in intensity. All day long we grooved with the belly hugs; taking lots of time to embrace through the big ones that took my breath away. By nightfall, we were confused - where was our baby? It took a great deal of patience and surrender to admit that maybe our little one would not be arriving today. We went to bed at 11pm, and tried to get some sleep.
At midnight, the belly hugs returned - in force! They were constant, intense, and thrilling. Moving from shower, to bed, to living room, to recliner, kept them coming. At one point, it was about 3am, Declan came into the living room to find Tommy and me there, working together. I would sit on the couch, eyes closed, in the 'zone' a laboring woman often retreats to between rushes. When a rush would come up, I would stand in a semi-squat and rock back and forth, inhaling deeply and exhaling with great force, over and over again. Tommy would softly encourage me from the love seat. I did not want to be touched at this point. When Declan came in, he said "What are you guys doing?" as though he'd merely stumbled upon a game of backgammon. Daddy said "Mommy's working out the baby". Declan seemed to feel this was interesting enough to hang around for, so he curled up spoon-style with Daddy to watch me. He observed me quietly from his nest in Daddy's arms for a few rushes. Then a rush came on strong, and not only was I deeply inhaling, but my exhales were noisy and loud! Declan jumped up off the couch, announced "I have to get out of here" and retreated to the bedroom. It was very funny!
Some time that afternoon, when things hadn't changed much - although the
weather was lovely, and I labored out on the grass for awhile, to the delight of
onlooking dogs and cats - we decided to..ahem, augment the process in the only
way we could think of. That's right - we put on a movie for the kids,
locked ourselves in our bedroom, and...made whoopee. We figured that the prostaglandins found in Tommy's, er, fluids, would ripen my cervix and help it to dilate. We're not sure if it 'worked', but it was fun trying, and at least we felt like we were being proactive. And we're both always up for giving something the old 'college try'. And here's some trivia for you - in the hospital, they use the prostaglandins from porcine semen to accomplish this. That's right folks, PIG SEMEN.
That evening, after another day of pretty much the same thing - again we found ourselves confused and disappointed. We were getting very tired. Although I had been eating, napping and resting between contractions, the work my body was doing was really tiring me out. And as per my natural rhythm, the contractions returned in force that night. We spent the whole night up and down from bed to shower to chair to living room again. By morning - some time around 5am, I told Tommy I was getting really discouraged. I called my best friend, Kathleen, to remind me of what I already knew - that my baby would come, that it would be soon, and that I could rest then. I needed to hear her reflect my intuition back to me and assure me that although I was losing focus now, that it was normal and that all was fine with me and the baby. Incidentally, our beloved uncle Bob had given us a fetal heart tone monitor (like a mini-sonogram for baby heart beats) and we had been using it periodically to check Paloma's bpm. She was always between 135-145 so we knew she was just fine in there. No stress decelerations through contractions. I told Kathleen I was considering calling my friend Melanie, our doula with Declan's birth, to get some feedback. Once I heard her sleepy voice on the other end of the line, I felt like bawling. She said "do you want me to come over?" I told her that I didn't know, and then a contraction hit me hard. I put down the phone, Tommy picked it up and talked to her. He filled her in on all we'd been through and then said good bye. A few contractions later, I had him call her back and ask her to come over. She agreed and was here within a little over an hour. We also called Kathleen back to see if she'd come play with the boys and hang with them for the day. She agreed and was here very shortly. So now we had a support group! Melanie hugged me and rubbed my back through the contractions while Tommy bounced from the kids and Kathleen to me and Melanie. We walked around outside, took breaks to watch Saturday Night Live sketches that made me laugh - I was DEFinately losing my patience and sense of humor at this point - we ate and napped. By nightfall, I was DONE. Absolutely DONE. I couldn't get comfortable, couldn't keep focus, and was so so tired. I began to cry in earnest now. Bawling and shouting from the shower. I had a few choice words for my two stalwart companions who kept promising me my baby would be there soon, don't give up, it's going to be all over soon. I believe I gave them some suggestions of my own - mostly where they could shove their great ideas. At this point, Kathleen had taken Adam and Declan to her house, and they were going to just spend the night there. Kat said she'd bring them to us at any time in the night when it looked like the birth was eminent. At 9, I was able to nap for awhile. I had had a long shower (one of probably 75 showers throughout the whole labor!) and passed out in my recliner. I slept for maybe 30 minutes when contractions started up again. I jumped back in the shower. I sat on the birth ball with the water stream pointed at my lower back, and Tommy stood in the shower with me, speaking words of encouragement through the rushes. I decided to check my dilation progress, because I needed to feel like I was 'getting somewhere' - and I could not feel Paloma's head in the birth canal yet. I discovered her head very high up, and I still had at least half way to go dilation-wise. It was then I made the decision that I was going to hospital. I told Tommy and Melanie it was time, I was done, this was going nowhere, and I needed help. They wondered if I was just in transition, which is when most women at home want to go to hospital, and most women in hospital want to go home! They tried to reason with me, talk me out of the idea, but I was firm on it - and in defense of the two of them, I had begged them to take me to the hospital to get me an epidural when I was in labor with Declan, so they thought it was just a repeat of the same! I called another girlfriend, Bronwen, to see what she thought. She was very supportive of the idea, and said she loved me and that she wished she could come be with me. Hearing her voice made me feel a lot better. Melanie suggested that we call the hospital and ask them who the on-call doc was, which nurses were on staff, and what they'd do for me if I came in. She had attended births there before and was familiar with some of the staff. Tommy called and explained the situation. We were told a wonderful doctor was on-call that night, and that they'd probably just have him check me and see what they could do for me then. I started packing my bag immediately. I panted through the contractions, which still kept coming, while packing the bag and putting the car seat in the car for Paloma. It was 11:30 by now. We told Kathleen not to worry, we were headed for hospital, and she said she'd pray for us. Tommy talked to Adam and told him what we were doing, and he was very brave about it, which was good, because we were worried he'd be upset.
The car ride to the hospital was almost comical. Tommy drove, Mel sat up front with him with her hand on my back, and I crouched across the tiny backseat of my Prius. The space between our home and the hospital, although a short distance (about 10 miles), is filled with twists, turns and switchbacks. Let me just say, it was an experience for all of us whipping through the foothills in that little car with a ban sidhe screaming bloody murder in the back through what were now unbearable contractions. We got to the emergency room entrance in probably 12 minutes, no kidding. Melanie came in with me while Tom parked the car. They had been expecting us, and we were relieved to find ourselves the only ones in the waiting room. I walked around, panting and working, and they called for the OB nurse to come get me. She got there very soon with a wheel chair, which I was relieved to hop right into - until we got to the elevator and a contraction hit me. I told her I needed to stop and get out - she said I couldn't (!@&^%#^$!*&#*!!!!!) because she didn't want me to 'have the baby in the elevator'. I think I said something like "And I so wanted to like you, Robyn." That contraction in the wheel chair was HORRIFIC. Soon we were up on the second floor. She wheeled me into room 232 and I launched out of that chair toward the bed. It was a lovely room, as hospital rooms go. It was really big and private and dimly lit. Leaning on the bed, I did my birth dance for a few contractions while the nurse instructed me to strip and put on a gown. I did so in the bathroom, and came out during another contraction - they were really close at this point. The nurse strapped on a fetal heart monitor and a contraction monitor and told me she'd want to check my dilation. I jumped on the bed and told her to get on with it - another contraction was about to hit, and it's not fun being 'checked' during a contraction - but alas, I was not fortunate enough to escape that experience - yowch! She proclaimed that I was minus two station (meaning, the head was still pretty high up in my body), and that I was only 7 cm dilated (10cm is full dilation and open enough to push), but 8 cm when having a contraction. This was good news to me - here I thought she'd say I was only at 5 or some other such terrible news. Melanie was excited for me - she kept saying "8! You're at 8! Your body's doing all that!" The other thing she said was that she couldn't feel the fontanels - the soft spots on the baby's head - so she couldn't tell which way Paloma was facing. And she said she also didn't think my bag of waters had broken yet. Although there was never a big discernible gush, I had been leaking fluid since early Tuesday morning. Possibly, there had been a tear in the bag, and it was not causing enough pressure on the cervix to dilate it as quickly as it could have...? The next thing to do was wait for the doctor, who we were told was on his way. When he arrived soon thereafter, I was really working hard to stay on top of the contractions. I think it was tough to get used to being in this foreign place. He did an ultrasound and lo! We discovered little Paloma was face up! This meant her head was not engaging in the pelvic outlet as needed for a 'proper' descent. If you read my earlier post regarding my concern for her ROP presentation, you know that I was already well aware that this could be a problem! So herein lay a challenge. Doc checked me, and as he did, my water broke! He said that because she was still posterior, I might have some work to do to get her out. He suggested they get some bean bags and put me in some positions that would encourage her to turn face-down. I told him if that were the case, he better get me some pain meds RIGHT NOW because I was so darn tired, I didn't think I could go on with that plan of his. The nurse came in with a set up for my IV and fenergan shot. I got up off the bed so they could change the sheets and blankets. As I did, Melanie gently said "I just want to let you know that now that your bag is broken, your contractions are going to be felt more intensely." No sooner had the words escaped her lips, than a freight train came rushing through my body. It started at my chest and barrelled down through me like I will never be able to explain. I leaned on the bed and SCREAMED as though I were being gouged from the inside out. The urge to bear down was so intense, I had to go with it. I yelled "I'm pushing!" and the nurse came running in. She was worried that pushing when Paloma was so high up, and my cervix not fully dilated, would swell my cervix and make it really difficult to get her out. I couldn't stop, though. I had contraction after contraction like this - I think probably five in all - where the train was rushing through me, and I was involuntarily pushing with all my might. I screamed and yelled obscenities - always apologizing afterward, might I add - and hollered that I was PUSHING! Meanwhile the poor nurse was making mince meat out of my hand trying to get me to hold still for the IV insertion. We barely had time to get the painkiller in the tube! Soon, I felt her head bulging down! I yelled to everybody within earshot that "The head's coming!" and they came running from miles around. I was directed to get on the bed. Yeah, right. I could have killed them for that request. Next thing I knew, I was on my side on the bed, with Melanie holding my left leg, a nurse holding my right leg, Doc at my feet and Tommy near my head. Doc asked Tommy "Would you like to catch your baby?" And I heard Tommy say "I'd be honored!" So he went down to the foot of my bed. I was still pushing with each contraction. I felt her head crown and kept on pushing. There was no stopping it. I looked up to see 40 faces (okay maybe that's an overstatement, but that's what it looked like to me) yelling "PUSH PUSH PUSH as hard as you can!" It was like something out of a sitcom or movie. I nearly laughed! Then Tom said "The head's out, Mama, do you want to touch your baby's head?" I said "NOOOOO!!!" I was really in another world. I regret not doing it now - Tommy was awesome to ask me if I wanted to. He was such a calm presence at my feet, smiling and encouraging me gently. Then the cheerleaders resumed their chanting to PUUUUUSSSSSH! And so I did - and I did and I did and I did. Next thing I know, there's a baby on my chest! 12 minutes from the time he broke my water, the baby was out! Whew! What a relief. Still in another world, it took me a second to register what had just happened. I looked down at the little black head on my chest. A nurse was wiping the copious vernix (a creamy lotion-like substance that covers the baby in utero) from her face, and my Paloma started to stir. Little gurgling noises at first and then a wail - she did NOT like being wiped like that. It seemed like everybody in the room just faded away and it was only me and my baby. She was just beautiful - all pink and soft and squishy. She was big - not as big as the boys, but she was definitely healthy sized. I examined her fingers and toes and kissed her over and over again. I said "She's here! I can't believe she's here!" What a dreamy girl! She hardly said a word, just stared around at everything. A nurse appeared and told me to unbutton my gown - that we should be skin-to-skin. I placed her warm body against mine and was just in heaven. She latched on within a few minutes of birth - Tommy got it on video - and before I knew it was nursing away sleepily. The placenta delivered with no fuss about 8-9 minutes after the baby came, and suddenly, I was alone with my baby and laboring partners. By now it was 2:30 in the morning. We were all exhausted, but so high on the birth vibe. We talked about Paloma, the labor and birth. We agreed it had gone really well considering it wasn't in the place of our choosing. We were glad that they were open to our refusal of the standard newborn procedures they usually give - a shot of vitamin k, erythromycin jelly in the eyes, a heel prick blood draw, and various other (what we feel are) unnecessary and actually quite painful things. They even wrapped up my placenta to take home! Tommy was told he could stay the night, and given a menu for his breakfast choice. He and Melanie left to take her to get her car at my house, and he came back around 5. I had just fallen asleep when he arrived - I couldn't stop staring at my little chicken long enough to fall asleep! It was actually really nice being in the hospital then - all was dark and quiet and there were no expectations any more. Just her and me in our little bed together. We were released at 1 that afternoon. No muss, no fuss. I will never forget what the doctor told me when he released me "I am always in awe of what you women can do! It never ceases to amaze me!" I could have kissed him for that.
I could keep writing all about what happened next and what's happening since, but this is supposed to be a birth story, so I will keep it at that. Thank you for reading. And please stay tuned...
Moving to this wonderful home and settling in just in time for the arrival of Paloma, having such loving support from our friends and family during the week of her birth; specifically Jeanine (Janet's mom), Kathleen (Janet's BFF), and Melanie (Janet's soul sister). These women surrounded us in a cocoon of love and gave gave gave us all of themselves so patiently and abundantly. It makes our eyes and hearts swell to think of them. And not to forget all the well-wishers from near and far who read the blog and kept up with us the whole week, sending loving energy and positive vibes all along. We felt you - all of you.
The week of her birth started out romantically and smoothly. We were ready for our Paloma in all aspects - the house was clean, the supplies at the ready, work was caught up, support on standby...Monday night when we went to bed, we felt something was in the works - just a 'feeling' we had. And we were correct. My labor started at 3am on Tuesday morning! I awoke to a trickling sensation, and a hugging in my belly. Candles were lit, Enya played softly on the CD player. The boys snoozed blissfully on in their bed across the room, and Tommy and I rocked and danced through the contractions. By sunrise, the contractions had slowed, and we lay down to rest. We slept for nearly two hours and awoke to more hugging in my belly. We moved into the kitchen, where we had oatmeal and talked of our baby to come that day. The boys drifted out into the house, and we told them of our news. The belly hugs came and went, varying in intensity. All day long we grooved with the belly hugs; taking lots of time to embrace through the big ones that took my breath away. By nightfall, we were confused - where was our baby? It took a great deal of patience and surrender to admit that maybe our little one would not be arriving today. We went to bed at 11pm, and tried to get some sleep.
At midnight, the belly hugs returned - in force! They were constant, intense, and thrilling. Moving from shower, to bed, to living room, to recliner, kept them coming. At one point, it was about 3am, Declan came into the living room to find Tommy and me there, working together. I would sit on the couch, eyes closed, in the 'zone' a laboring woman often retreats to between rushes. When a rush would come up, I would stand in a semi-squat and rock back and forth, inhaling deeply and exhaling with great force, over and over again. Tommy would softly encourage me from the love seat. I did not want to be touched at this point. When Declan came in, he said "What are you guys doing?" as though he'd merely stumbled upon a game of backgammon. Daddy said "Mommy's working out the baby". Declan seemed to feel this was interesting enough to hang around for, so he curled up spoon-style with Daddy to watch me. He observed me quietly from his nest in Daddy's arms for a few rushes. Then a rush came on strong, and not only was I deeply inhaling, but my exhales were noisy and loud! Declan jumped up off the couch, announced "I have to get out of here" and retreated to the bedroom. It was very funny!
Some time that afternoon, when things hadn't changed much - although the
weather was lovely, and I labored out on the grass for awhile, to the delight of
onlooking dogs and cats - we decided to..ahem, augment the process in the only
way we could think of. That's right - we put on a movie for the kids,
locked ourselves in our bedroom, and...made whoopee. We figured that the prostaglandins found in Tommy's, er, fluids, would ripen my cervix and help it to dilate. We're not sure if it 'worked', but it was fun trying, and at least we felt like we were being proactive. And we're both always up for giving something the old 'college try'. And here's some trivia for you - in the hospital, they use the prostaglandins from porcine semen to accomplish this. That's right folks, PIG SEMEN.
That evening, after another day of pretty much the same thing - again we found ourselves confused and disappointed. We were getting very tired. Although I had been eating, napping and resting between contractions, the work my body was doing was really tiring me out. And as per my natural rhythm, the contractions returned in force that night. We spent the whole night up and down from bed to shower to chair to living room again. By morning - some time around 5am, I told Tommy I was getting really discouraged. I called my best friend, Kathleen, to remind me of what I already knew - that my baby would come, that it would be soon, and that I could rest then. I needed to hear her reflect my intuition back to me and assure me that although I was losing focus now, that it was normal and that all was fine with me and the baby. Incidentally, our beloved uncle Bob had given us a fetal heart tone monitor (like a mini-sonogram for baby heart beats) and we had been using it periodically to check Paloma's bpm. She was always between 135-145 so we knew she was just fine in there. No stress decelerations through contractions. I told Kathleen I was considering calling my friend Melanie, our doula with Declan's birth, to get some feedback. Once I heard her sleepy voice on the other end of the line, I felt like bawling. She said "do you want me to come over?" I told her that I didn't know, and then a contraction hit me hard. I put down the phone, Tommy picked it up and talked to her. He filled her in on all we'd been through and then said good bye. A few contractions later, I had him call her back and ask her to come over. She agreed and was here within a little over an hour. We also called Kathleen back to see if she'd come play with the boys and hang with them for the day. She agreed and was here very shortly. So now we had a support group! Melanie hugged me and rubbed my back through the contractions while Tommy bounced from the kids and Kathleen to me and Melanie. We walked around outside, took breaks to watch Saturday Night Live sketches that made me laugh - I was DEFinately losing my patience and sense of humor at this point - we ate and napped. By nightfall, I was DONE. Absolutely DONE. I couldn't get comfortable, couldn't keep focus, and was so so tired. I began to cry in earnest now. Bawling and shouting from the shower. I had a few choice words for my two stalwart companions who kept promising me my baby would be there soon, don't give up, it's going to be all over soon. I believe I gave them some suggestions of my own - mostly where they could shove their great ideas. At this point, Kathleen had taken Adam and Declan to her house, and they were going to just spend the night there. Kat said she'd bring them to us at any time in the night when it looked like the birth was eminent. At 9, I was able to nap for awhile. I had had a long shower (one of probably 75 showers throughout the whole labor!) and passed out in my recliner. I slept for maybe 30 minutes when contractions started up again. I jumped back in the shower. I sat on the birth ball with the water stream pointed at my lower back, and Tommy stood in the shower with me, speaking words of encouragement through the rushes. I decided to check my dilation progress, because I needed to feel like I was 'getting somewhere' - and I could not feel Paloma's head in the birth canal yet. I discovered her head very high up, and I still had at least half way to go dilation-wise. It was then I made the decision that I was going to hospital. I told Tommy and Melanie it was time, I was done, this was going nowhere, and I needed help. They wondered if I was just in transition, which is when most women at home want to go to hospital, and most women in hospital want to go home! They tried to reason with me, talk me out of the idea, but I was firm on it - and in defense of the two of them, I had begged them to take me to the hospital to get me an epidural when I was in labor with Declan, so they thought it was just a repeat of the same! I called another girlfriend, Bronwen, to see what she thought. She was very supportive of the idea, and said she loved me and that she wished she could come be with me. Hearing her voice made me feel a lot better. Melanie suggested that we call the hospital and ask them who the on-call doc was, which nurses were on staff, and what they'd do for me if I came in. She had attended births there before and was familiar with some of the staff. Tommy called and explained the situation. We were told a wonderful doctor was on-call that night, and that they'd probably just have him check me and see what they could do for me then. I started packing my bag immediately. I panted through the contractions, which still kept coming, while packing the bag and putting the car seat in the car for Paloma. It was 11:30 by now. We told Kathleen not to worry, we were headed for hospital, and she said she'd pray for us. Tommy talked to Adam and told him what we were doing, and he was very brave about it, which was good, because we were worried he'd be upset.
The car ride to the hospital was almost comical. Tommy drove, Mel sat up front with him with her hand on my back, and I crouched across the tiny backseat of my Prius. The space between our home and the hospital, although a short distance (about 10 miles), is filled with twists, turns and switchbacks. Let me just say, it was an experience for all of us whipping through the foothills in that little car with a ban sidhe screaming bloody murder in the back through what were now unbearable contractions. We got to the emergency room entrance in probably 12 minutes, no kidding. Melanie came in with me while Tom parked the car. They had been expecting us, and we were relieved to find ourselves the only ones in the waiting room. I walked around, panting and working, and they called for the OB nurse to come get me. She got there very soon with a wheel chair, which I was relieved to hop right into - until we got to the elevator and a contraction hit me. I told her I needed to stop and get out - she said I couldn't (!@&^%#^$!*&#*!!!!!) because she didn't want me to 'have the baby in the elevator'. I think I said something like "And I so wanted to like you, Robyn." That contraction in the wheel chair was HORRIFIC. Soon we were up on the second floor. She wheeled me into room 232 and I launched out of that chair toward the bed. It was a lovely room, as hospital rooms go. It was really big and private and dimly lit. Leaning on the bed, I did my birth dance for a few contractions while the nurse instructed me to strip and put on a gown. I did so in the bathroom, and came out during another contraction - they were really close at this point. The nurse strapped on a fetal heart monitor and a contraction monitor and told me she'd want to check my dilation. I jumped on the bed and told her to get on with it - another contraction was about to hit, and it's not fun being 'checked' during a contraction - but alas, I was not fortunate enough to escape that experience - yowch! She proclaimed that I was minus two station (meaning, the head was still pretty high up in my body), and that I was only 7 cm dilated (10cm is full dilation and open enough to push), but 8 cm when having a contraction. This was good news to me - here I thought she'd say I was only at 5 or some other such terrible news. Melanie was excited for me - she kept saying "8! You're at 8! Your body's doing all that!" The other thing she said was that she couldn't feel the fontanels - the soft spots on the baby's head - so she couldn't tell which way Paloma was facing. And she said she also didn't think my bag of waters had broken yet. Although there was never a big discernible gush, I had been leaking fluid since early Tuesday morning. Possibly, there had been a tear in the bag, and it was not causing enough pressure on the cervix to dilate it as quickly as it could have...? The next thing to do was wait for the doctor, who we were told was on his way. When he arrived soon thereafter, I was really working hard to stay on top of the contractions. I think it was tough to get used to being in this foreign place. He did an ultrasound and lo! We discovered little Paloma was face up! This meant her head was not engaging in the pelvic outlet as needed for a 'proper' descent. If you read my earlier post regarding my concern for her ROP presentation, you know that I was already well aware that this could be a problem! So herein lay a challenge. Doc checked me, and as he did, my water broke! He said that because she was still posterior, I might have some work to do to get her out. He suggested they get some bean bags and put me in some positions that would encourage her to turn face-down. I told him if that were the case, he better get me some pain meds RIGHT NOW because I was so darn tired, I didn't think I could go on with that plan of his. The nurse came in with a set up for my IV and fenergan shot. I got up off the bed so they could change the sheets and blankets. As I did, Melanie gently said "I just want to let you know that now that your bag is broken, your contractions are going to be felt more intensely." No sooner had the words escaped her lips, than a freight train came rushing through my body. It started at my chest and barrelled down through me like I will never be able to explain. I leaned on the bed and SCREAMED as though I were being gouged from the inside out. The urge to bear down was so intense, I had to go with it. I yelled "I'm pushing!" and the nurse came running in. She was worried that pushing when Paloma was so high up, and my cervix not fully dilated, would swell my cervix and make it really difficult to get her out. I couldn't stop, though. I had contraction after contraction like this - I think probably five in all - where the train was rushing through me, and I was involuntarily pushing with all my might. I screamed and yelled obscenities - always apologizing afterward, might I add - and hollered that I was PUSHING! Meanwhile the poor nurse was making mince meat out of my hand trying to get me to hold still for the IV insertion. We barely had time to get the painkiller in the tube! Soon, I felt her head bulging down! I yelled to everybody within earshot that "The head's coming!" and they came running from miles around. I was directed to get on the bed. Yeah, right. I could have killed them for that request. Next thing I knew, I was on my side on the bed, with Melanie holding my left leg, a nurse holding my right leg, Doc at my feet and Tommy near my head. Doc asked Tommy "Would you like to catch your baby?" And I heard Tommy say "I'd be honored!" So he went down to the foot of my bed. I was still pushing with each contraction. I felt her head crown and kept on pushing. There was no stopping it. I looked up to see 40 faces (okay maybe that's an overstatement, but that's what it looked like to me) yelling "PUSH PUSH PUSH as hard as you can!" It was like something out of a sitcom or movie. I nearly laughed! Then Tom said "The head's out, Mama, do you want to touch your baby's head?" I said "NOOOOO!!!" I was really in another world. I regret not doing it now - Tommy was awesome to ask me if I wanted to. He was such a calm presence at my feet, smiling and encouraging me gently. Then the cheerleaders resumed their chanting to PUUUUUSSSSSH! And so I did - and I did and I did and I did. Next thing I know, there's a baby on my chest! 12 minutes from the time he broke my water, the baby was out! Whew! What a relief. Still in another world, it took me a second to register what had just happened. I looked down at the little black head on my chest. A nurse was wiping the copious vernix (a creamy lotion-like substance that covers the baby in utero) from her face, and my Paloma started to stir. Little gurgling noises at first and then a wail - she did NOT like being wiped like that. It seemed like everybody in the room just faded away and it was only me and my baby. She was just beautiful - all pink and soft and squishy. She was big - not as big as the boys, but she was definitely healthy sized. I examined her fingers and toes and kissed her over and over again. I said "She's here! I can't believe she's here!" What a dreamy girl! She hardly said a word, just stared around at everything. A nurse appeared and told me to unbutton my gown - that we should be skin-to-skin. I placed her warm body against mine and was just in heaven. She latched on within a few minutes of birth - Tommy got it on video - and before I knew it was nursing away sleepily. The placenta delivered with no fuss about 8-9 minutes after the baby came, and suddenly, I was alone with my baby and laboring partners. By now it was 2:30 in the morning. We were all exhausted, but so high on the birth vibe. We talked about Paloma, the labor and birth. We agreed it had gone really well considering it wasn't in the place of our choosing. We were glad that they were open to our refusal of the standard newborn procedures they usually give - a shot of vitamin k, erythromycin jelly in the eyes, a heel prick blood draw, and various other (what we feel are) unnecessary and actually quite painful things. They even wrapped up my placenta to take home! Tommy was told he could stay the night, and given a menu for his breakfast choice. He and Melanie left to take her to get her car at my house, and he came back around 5. I had just fallen asleep when he arrived - I couldn't stop staring at my little chicken long enough to fall asleep! It was actually really nice being in the hospital then - all was dark and quiet and there were no expectations any more. Just her and me in our little bed together. We were released at 1 that afternoon. No muss, no fuss. I will never forget what the doctor told me when he released me "I am always in awe of what you women can do! It never ceases to amaze me!" I could have kissed him for that.
I could keep writing all about what happened next and what's happening since, but this is supposed to be a birth story, so I will keep it at that. Thank you for reading. And please stay tuned...
Friday, January 30, 2009
drum roll please...!
After nearly 72 hours of labor - born at 1:12am today, we finally have our little dove! Please prepare to be astounded at our newest addition, Paloma Jean Harmony Sellers! Weighing in at 8lbs, 12oz, and 20 inches long (with a head circumference of 14.25 inches, thank you very much), she's just gorgeous (of course), healthy as can be, and the self-proclaimed queen of nursing!
Birth story to follow. We're a bit tired and aren't even sure what planet we're on sometimes.
We couldn't have done it without the love and support we received these past week and we want to thank everybody who sent well-wishes and prayers.
See you soon!
The Sellers
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Resting agian for now
Right now Janet is resting from the last several hours of laboring. Babies heart rate is still normal and she's not in a place of stress. All we can do is wait for consistant contractions to come back to help move baby further down. Meanwhile mama is getting some well deserved sleep. These contractions seem to really like coming around at night. Sleep well...
janet here
paloma still inside.
i am still working through these contractions, knowing they are doing their job - albeit a ton more slowly than i would like!
my girlie's heart tones are perfect, she's moving, hiccupping, re-arranging herself as needed, and I am starting to feel lots of pressure and leg cramps. hopefully i will start shaking and barf soon - that will mean transition, and that is just before pushing! and then we'll have a baby, and I can sleep for a WEEK. If you think i am kidding, just know that I am not, and have already made arrangements for this to happen. ; )
sense of humor intact, and a baby in her belly,
janet
i am still working through these contractions, knowing they are doing their job - albeit a ton more slowly than i would like!
my girlie's heart tones are perfect, she's moving, hiccupping, re-arranging herself as needed, and I am starting to feel lots of pressure and leg cramps. hopefully i will start shaking and barf soon - that will mean transition, and that is just before pushing! and then we'll have a baby, and I can sleep for a WEEK. If you think i am kidding, just know that I am not, and have already made arrangements for this to happen. ; )
sense of humor intact, and a baby in her belly,
janet
Almost there
I just wanted to mention that Adam and Declan have been just amazing throught this whole thing. I am so proud of how much they really love their Mom. Our dear friend Malanie (she was our doula during Declan's birth) has come over this morning to be with my sweety and give such wonderful words of encouragement. Just to be able to bounce ideas and discuss ideas with her has allowed Janet to relax quite a bit more between contractions. Janets' other great friend Kathleen is here playing with the boys outside and in and is being such a tremendous help. Thank you, both of you from one tuckered dad. I'm not even the one giving birth!
She's still on her way!
She's still on her way!
Good day to ya'll
Everything is still o.k. Janet is such an amazing woman. It takes alot of patience and endurance to do this as long as she has. Baby is right at the birth canal, but she seems to want to do it just right. Her head is slightly to the side, so I think she's taking this time and using contractions to try and turn her head just a bit. After that she should be home free. We love you all and pray that you're not worried. She's doing fantastik.
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