Thursday, October 9, 2008

Survived (Barely)

So I did what I was convinced that I was not able to do. I gave birth. And I definitely chose the hard way. I know some people have bits and pieces of information while others have no clue what happened so I'm going to give you a brief time line of what happened.

9-22: I went to see my Dr. and was told my blood pressure was rising. I had to collect my pee for 24 hours and have some blood tests done.

9-24: Dr. called and told me that I had signs of preeclampsia. This is known as pregnancy induced hypertension. Not good. I was told to take it easy and get an ultrasound to see if the hypertension was stressing the baby. Baby was checked out to be just fine. Whew!

9-27: Went to birthing class and decided that I didn't want to give birth anymore.

9-29 at 11am: Went in for a check up. Baby was still doing good but my blood pressure was rising. They told me to go to the hospital so they could monitor my blood pressure for a few hours and get some more blood work done.

9-29 at 4pm: My blood pressure was consistently high. The Dr. suggested that I have the baby sooner rather than later. Baby was 36 weeks old and doing just fine. A baby at 37 weeks is considered full term (ready for birth). My health was at risk at this point. Ben and I decided that we should have the baby before my health AND the baby's health was at risk. They admitted us to the hospital.

9-29 at 7pm: They checked my cervix and it was closed shut. I was starting from ground zero. I needed to be induced.

9-30 at 7am: I was dilated at 3cm. They started me on potocin a hormone that contracts my uterus. The contractions started out light but increased in intensity over time. I went drug free (no epidural) until I hit 6-7cm. Then I hit my wall. The contractions HURT and I was tired. I hadn't slept in 2 days. I asked for an epidural to get me through the last 3 cm.

10-1 at 7:20am: I was dilated at 10cm. I was ready to push the baby out. As I was pushing the nurse noticed the baby's heart rate was slowing down. So we needed to get the baby out ASAP. I pushed a few more times and baby came out with one fist next to his head and the other hand holding his umbilical cord. I don't know how he found it in the womb but he did and held on for dear life. He was making his own heart rate slow down. Silly baby.

10-1 at 7:50am baby Emmett was born!

Side notes that you may or may not want to know:

-I did not have an episiotomy but I did tear a little inside my vagina walls cause of baby's fist next to his head. So I had some stitches for that.

- I saw my placenta. It was fricken huge and shiny. I think that thing weighed 3-4 lbs. But I never had the urge to eat it or bury it next to a tree.

- The last two nurses helping me were a little clumsy. One dropped the supply tray twice and the other knocked over my placenta and it fell to the floor. Can we say EEEWWWWWW?!

- The epidural and drugs made me REALLY sick. I threw up for the next 8 hours until the epidural and other drugs were flushed out of my system.

I know - you want pictures right?!?! So here you go:

Found his own finger for some self-soothing.

He looks like a little peanut.

Ready to go cruising for chicks in his car seat.

Getting some daddy time.

4 comments:

Cathleya said...

Emmett you are gorgeous! And thanks for scaring me off of pregnancy for another 5 years, Kar. Thanks for that. I'm so happy that all 3 of you are healthy and happy and at home!

Bellissima Vita said...

Oh my god is he beautiful!! Love the one of him on Ben.

I am glad you did not eat your placenta. Probably a good choice.

Sara said...

DOMG! I am really glad you shared all of those details, and I really appreciated the visual image I got thinking about you burying your placenta by a tree. I imagined you digging a hole with your hands.

So did it hurt as much as they said it would?

I really heart him. A lot.

Anonymous said...

Emmett is a little rock star...so darn cute! And you are a rock star, too, Karen -- you did it! And isn't the end result soooooo worth it?! :-)