New life

I have been meaning to blog about Norah's arrival and since she is almost six months old and currently napping I have decided today is the day.

My pregnancy went remarkably well.  I was tired and swollen but was able to work up until 38 weeks and that was simply because I had given my notice.  I was sure Norah would come early because she had "dropped" at 34 weeks. I was also hoping she would come a safe amount of early.  Week after week of going to the doctor to have my progress checked, nothing was happening.  At 38 weeks I was scheduled to have a non stress test at 40 weeks.  I wanted to slap the girl that made the appointment because I didn't want to still be pregnant at 40 weeks.  But at 41 weeks we made plans to be induced at 41 and 5 days.  That Sunday night, I went into labor.  I had contractions about 10 minutes apart most of the night.  I was having a lot of back pain with every contraction.  They never became less than 7 minutes apart.  At 3:30 I got up to take a shower and head to the hospital.  We needed to be there to register at 5.

I was never able to picture myself pushing out a baby.  I tried.  I don't think this ultimately affected the outcome of Norah's birth because sometimes I can't picture what Saturday will be like or that I'll ever go to England.  Nevertheless, I had my walking slippers, robe, and racquetballs packed.  I had a head cold and was coughing a lot all night and as we checked in.  The coughing was not helping the contractions.

By 6am we had gotten to our room I was changed into a hospital gown and was wearing the monitors.  I was having contractions every 5-6 minutes on the monitors.  The nurse was asking all of the intake questions; I was nervous but in good spirits.  Phillip and I were happy to be close to meeting our baby.  We were thinking that we were in for a day of laboring and would meet Norah that evening.   Most of the questions behind us, the nurse established an IV and started fluids, no Pitocin yet.  The IV site was positional and would only let the fluid flow if I held my hand weird.

We realized the camera had been left in the car and Phillip took advantage of the down time to go get it. He had just gotten back when Norah's heart rate dropped to 57.  It was 6:45.  The nurse called for the staff to call the doctor and soon our room was full of people.

I mouthed to Phillip to "pray."  I had been instructed to lay on my left side, then my right side, then to all fours.  I had to wear an oxygen mask and have my butt up in the air.  I was trying to take off my earrings with one hand to give to a nurse while trying to nurse that IV site that was hurting very badly.  One nurse was in my left ear telling me that "the baby's heart rate has dropped and an emergency C-section was possibly needed if her heart did not return to a normal pace."  The room had more people, one of them, a chief resident who had to get consent from me to do the C-section should Norah's heart rate not improve.  They found out I am an RN and decided to show me the strips of her heart rate.  Voices were coming from every direction.  I was afraid for Norah and afraid I would have to go into the OR without Phillip. After what seemed like forever, probably a few minutes, her rate returned to normal and I was able to turn back over.

The practice I go to has 2 midwives and 1 doctor.  Jennifer, a midwife, was on call on December 5th.  The staff had called her but because the complications she had to call the doctor.  Dr. F showed up quickly and told me that I needed to have a C-section.  I did not question her.  I trust her.  The look in her eye told me this was best for my baby.  She assured me that this was the best because any additional contractions could cause the same stress on the baby.  The dip in heart rate could have been caused by an old placenta or problems with the umbilical cord.  I said "Okay, when?".  "Right now" she said.  It would be considered an "urgent c-section, " Phillip could come in with me after I had my spinal.  


I had papers to sign during which a catheter was placed.   Very uncomfortable and embarrassing to have placed with 8 people in the room. It was a little after 7 and I was being wheeled out of the room I thought I was spending all day in.  I asked Phillip for a kiss and was out the door.

The staff in the hall and in the OR were all very nice and reassuring.  Some of them were even telling me that next time I could try for a VBAC.  I did start crying after shifting to the table and was facing a nurse as my spinal was being done.  I was a little scared, a lot overwhelmed, and even more ready to see Norah.