yes, yes, i'm alive... my birth story...

ok, here goes ... its pretty long, but it's everything i can remember. Joshua is the greatest... takes up a ton of my time by me just looking at him... :)


my induction started at 8 on Thursday night (29January) with cytotek (?? – a cervical ripener) nothing happened after that until i received a second dose at midnight-ish then the contractions started very sporadically - although i had NO CLUE they were contractions ... i didnt know what they were supposed to feel like... so at 5:30am Friday they started the pitocin and just upped it every 15-30 minutes. the contractions were there but not regular (still)...

about noon my water broke on its own (thought i peed the bed - seriously - i was apologizing to the nurse and everything...) *one thing no one ever told me was once your water breaks, sometimes it just doesn’t stop …. my water did not stop flowing – errr – gushing - for a very long time – maybe until delivery ????* the contractions were finally regular enough to get my epidural about 230pm or so. unfortunately, the epi caused my BP to plummet (60s/20s) and Joshua did not like that and his heart rate went from the 140-150s to 70s for about 7 minutes. so they stopped the pitocin and that regulated my BP - i dont remember much of this at all - - i was really light headed from the BP issues and from the thought of a needle basically sticking out of my spine... i didnt know this then but they were basically prepping me for an emergency C Section there and then... :( rick was petrified of losing both of us.

they made sure we were both stable for quite awhile before starting the pitocin again ... basically with the pit, they start it at level 2 and increase it by 2 every 15-30 minutes up to level 42... when they started it over, they had to start back at level 2 again. the bad thing is with my blood pressure, i was supposed to lay on my left side pretty much the entire time so the epidural wasnt exactly working properly. i felt the contractions on my right side starting at my back and radiating thru my tummy to about my belly button. when i flipped to my right side, i felt them on my left. not a fun thing at all.

about 5 or so the contractions were REALLY strong but still irregular. i'd have a 'good' one then a mild one then a few minutes later another 'good' one...

around 8 or 9ish, my OB came in and told them to start upping the pitocin every 15 mins vs the 30 they were doing to get things 'moving along'. oh dear... the contractions became VERY intense – so high they were “off the monitor” intense - and regular - every 3-4 minutes apart. at 1030 i was having severe contractions still but we noticed with each contraction, Joshua's heartrate dropped back into the 70s (vs 140-150s). i buzzed the nurse cause i was petrified of losing Joshua. they assured me they were watching and as long as the heartrate rebounded as soon as the contraction was over, all was well.

a tad before 11pm my nurse came in to do an internal ... those are funnnnnnn - not... i was 90% effaced but only 3 cm dilated - still - since about 2ish and this is with the pitocin at the very highest level available (42). she said she would let my OB know and i knew right then i would be having a c section. my doc came in about 15 excrutiating minutes later and did another internal with the same results - all the hoping and wishing didnt dilate me any more unfortunately.... she confirmed my fear of the c section and the anesthesiologist came right in to start giving me mega epidural... he was literally pushing a whole syringe full into my line (before he was giving me a few cc's at a time). i asked if he'd be a 1/30 baby or 1/31 cause i like the idea of 1/31. they told me more than likely 1/30 cause they thought it would be a good idea to get him out ASAP. so in less than 1/2 hour, i was fully prepped (mostly prepped from when my BP dropped earlier), the OR was ready and i was on the table. the epidural still wasnt working and i felt the 'prick' of the needle around where they would make the incision line, so they decided to put me in 'twilight' .. after about 1 minute of that med, i was OUT ... i didnt feel anything ... i was nowhere near awake which was really disappointing. i did wake up to hear them say "her" (Rick said in reference to me) and i said Dr. G (perinatologist) said he was a BOY!!!! then zonked out again. i once again woke up as they were closing me with staples... felt every last one of those puppies...

so at 11:47pm after about 20 hours of labor my son arrived. he is perfect. i never thought i could love someone i didnt even really know so incredibly much. i never thought i could share the love i have for Syd... but its just amazing...

Joshua is now doing well. he was a bit jaundiced for a few days, but his levels came down today (yay!!) and he gained 1.5oz (yay again!) he really is so much fun... (although that is probably the sleep deprivation talking as well - up every hour or so (we have to feed every 2 hours) ... fun times but worth every sleep deprived minute! :)

Rick, Christine, Sydney & Joshua...

induction started

IV placed (one try!!!) and cyto inserted... 830 on the dot...

O.M.G...

this is becoming more and more real... im so anxious and scared shitless at the same time... i am now in my new room (the {"presidential suite" - its about 1 1/2 times as big as the old labor room)... bp monitor is now on for good, and i am on the baby monitor for good until i deliver.. hopefully he wont be an absolute stinker and keep moving...

the nurse will come to the room in about 20 minutes to start my IV (ugh!!) and get the cytotek inserted. after that i have to stay in be for at least 90 minutes to get the cyto working (aka let it melt).

will try to update when i can...

mr. man is apparently out of room

he's getting much bigger and i just dont see myself stretching any more. i used to be able to lay 'quasi' on my side/stomach... not so much anymore. it actually physically hurts when i do so.

and he is pulling my gall bladder scar, i dunno if its my uterus hitting it but whenever i put the slightest bit of pressure on it, not a good feeling

2 more days ... nope, i am not counting today (Tuesday) nor am i counting Friday cause we're starting super early... hell, i may even go into labor on my own with the cervitek (sp???)... im kinda wishing i would go into labor Tuesday or Wednesday... i could maybe be home for the weekend for when my parents come into town (Thurs - Mon) i wish they would stay later just to help out, but sucK is life....

ok, i've been up for a bit over an hour ... time to go back to bed...

no news....

3 days til induction!!
thursday night they are going to start 'ripening' my cervix if im not dilated yet. then early friday morning they will start the pitocin if i dont go into labor on my own.

my DH has strict instructions to post here and my facebook status once Joshua has arrived. Meredith will post on LBT for me (thanks!)

my bp has been "ok" not horrible, but not perfect... i think the bottom number has been in the 70s all day, so not too bad..

the shitty news is that this f'ing hospital has once again given me a noisy neighbor... she is more than likely long term (here til she delivers - and she's less than 35 weeks AND on the baby monitor 24/7 which means i get to hear them 'looking for' the heartbeats (twins) with the volume UP ... grr)... i know i only have 4 more nights, but dammit ... id like them to be QUIET nights... if she's noisy at night i will complain. im supposed to be RESTING ... and her husband is a fing loudmouth... i guess i am just too polite. when DH and DD are here we talk quietly and if DD starts acting up, DH takes her out of the room... maybe that will change tonight and she'll hear how thin the walls are... ?

but anyway... Joshua is moving sooo much... it really is cool i felt a specific body part this afternoon... i was just rubbing my belly (i do that a lot lately) and felt a kinda lump in it... i pushed it, it pushed back... the nurse was in here talking to me and i asked what she thought it was, more than likely an elbow... awwwwwww....! :)

so very very

... tired
... bored
... sore (shoulders)

i had another wake up call from neighbors at 330 this morning ... assmunch husband was talking SO very loudly... STF up!!! so i was awake from 330ish til about 7 then woke up for breakfast and watched Dexter for a bit... then a nice 45 min or so nap... so needless to say im kinda tired today.

good news is, i told my doc that a few nurses have told me i am "low priority" (truth!) and sometimes if they are busy, i dont get my ice - which is essentially my liquid cause it melts in my crystal lite... so i asked him if a few times a day if i could get up and get my own ice and HE SAID YES!!!! yay!

i was warned that it's a "long walk"... so we'll see how i handle it.

god, i am so freaking starving! i just ate one of those cupcake cookies and OMG Joshua is on a major sugar high!!! he's bouncing around my tummy like it's a trampoline! i LOVE LOVE LOVE it! that is the one thing i'm really going to miss! i just emailed DH what he was cooking for dinner and he's cooking one of my fave dishes (potstickers).. hopefully he'll bring me some ... ok ok ok ... several! :)

i think..

Joshua is starting to 'drop'... i feel pressure umm down in my hoooo haa a bit... not a comfortable thing... now i know why REALLY pregnant women 'waddle'... when i do get a chance to get up, i do waddle a bit... but it also is pressure when i just sit down...

not that this really MEANS anything, it could be another couple weeks before i go into labor on my own... so... we shall see...

update 20jan

Dr came in ...
"as with 98% of cases with Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, your BPs are creeping up"...
i told him i knew and was getting concerned. he said that its not bad enough to take action yet, but if they continue to rise, Joshua will come earlier than the 30th.

i asked him when i should become very concerned and he said when it hits about 160s/100s-110s. i asked what if just the top number hits 160s (its been about 143ish/60s and he said then we need to reevaluate and possibly induce then. the bottom number is what REALLY concerns them, but they dont want the top number getting too high either...

sooooo... we'll see. ideally, if i can keep him in until this Friday (37 weeks - which is considered 'full term') i'll be a pretty happy camper.

i am SUCH the slacker...

i owe several people emails and i wanted to say im sorry here .. i've been L-A-Z-Y when it comes to emails cause its a pain in the ass to type sideways ... i actually have a bruise on my arm from where the table hits it when i type...

i'll try to be better soon... i know, i suck.

on the hospital front, all is ok ... i was up .2 lbs this morning but i think im just not drinking enough ... yesterrday i think i only had maybe 32-40 oz of liquids.. (and the piece of chocolate cake didnt help)... BP is fine if i continue to lay on my side..

i did just find out some ick news... the OB that i left for my current OB is on call on the 30th so she will more than likely be delivering Joshua... there was nothign WRONG with her, per se, she just has no personality what so ever... gahhhh!!

oh well, she's going to hand me my baby boy so i guess there's SOME good to her... ;)

my spahhhh room 1/2

here is my room at the SPAHHHHH ...

ok, the formatting is all wonky, but you're smart ... and will be able to figure it out. ;)

'front door' - curtain for privacy - closed facing my bed. it closes all the way, but i leave it partially open so the nurses wont close it "wrong" (leaving it open facing my bed)



ummm, the bathroom ... kinda tiny...



my 'view' most of the day - facing the door the flowers from my parents and Joshua's first "bed"


thrilling, huh??

my spahhhh room 2/2

ummm, my bed...


baby / BP monitor and a chair (with my body pillow i use at night)


the couch for DH and my view of the parking lot


'drink station', sink and make up bag (HA!)


TV area & my dresser

induction info,,

IF my BP continues to cooperate, my OB said they will induce me when I
am 38 weeks which will be January 30th. BUT that does not necessarily
mean he will be here that Friday. they will more than likely start the
process on Thursday the 29th then start the 'good drugs' on Friday to
get me into labor... she said i could labor all day on the 30th and
deliver on the 31st or if its a quick labor (fingers crossed) it could
be the 30th..

sooo...im just going to chill out here until either:
- i go into labor on my own (entirely possible and i'm far enough along
to where they will not stop it)
- if my BP spikes and continues to stay up (hopefully not) and they
induce me early
- January 30th when they induce me...

pregnancy stuff (in other words, i cant think of a title)

things here are boring but i am finding myself less and less on the internet... it really IS difficult to type while i am laying down... typos and all ... plus its just a pain in the ass.

bp this morning was 115/56 or so ... i lost a bit more weight but nothing dramatic.. they keep changing scales on me, so who knows... i'm just gunna call 7 pounds since Friday... its ALL water though.. my fingers really do look like fingers and i think i'd probably be able to put my rings on... but will leave them at home, one less thing to worry about.

i received a visit from a mom from the Mom's club i belong to... FANTASTIC group... they have taken DD pretty much every day this week so DH can get some work done... even just a couple hours helps out so much ... but anyway, she is literally about to pop - due in less than 2 weeks, this is her 3rd so she's HUGE .. plus she says she has huge babies (think 9+ lbs!!!) yikes! she knows i was interested in cloth diapers so she brought me a Target bag FULL of them! like i said - fabulous group!!

i received a surprise ultrasound today ... dr. g - well, let's just say he has the personality of a gnat normally... i've seen him about 4 times before today and he's just different... well today he was really OUT there... i guess the field trip to the hospital made him different... he was playing me songs off of his iPhone and everything while the tech was looking at stuff... he says there's no reason what so ever to deliver Joshua right now... (unless of course BP gets out of hand - but i'm trying to be a good girl)... trying *as i sit up typing this* - eyeroll..

good news is - Joshua is 5lbs 4oz give or take a little.. and i heard it from my favorite NICU nurse that it's a good weight, so yay!

ok, i've been sitting for about 7 minutes, im going to lie down and watch something then take a lovely Benadryl (my new BFF) and hopefully sleep thru the night. my OB is on call here tomorrow so that'll be nice (she's in a practice with about 10 other docs and they rotate)...

why???

ok ... i woke up about 530... didnt sleep as well as night before, but i still slept "OK"...

i know they have to weigh me and i have to give a lovely 'sample'... gave my sample - i'm getting pretty good at that ... i can normally even do it without going all over my hand now - even at 530 in the morning...

i called the nurse at 535 - 'im up for a minute, you wanna come weigh me'? secretary said she'd send her "right in"... its now 557.... I WANNA GO BACK TO BED!! but you know, as soon as i lay my big butt on the bed she'll stroll in ...

grrrrrrrrrrrrr

REALLY PEOPLE.....

i think i can gnaw a freaking arm off!!!!

poor DH .. how's he going to work with only 1 arm?? ;)

have i told you lately...

that i'm FING HUNGRY????!!!

seriously...

breakfast - HUGE bowl of cocoa crispies
lunch 11:00 - almost 2 whole chicken quesadillas from Chipotle
snack 2:30? - WANTED a wendy's spicy crispy chicken sandwich but settled for a bux chai tea
dinner 5:00ish - no fewer than 7-8 chinese dumplings (potstickers) DH cooked
snack 1 7ish - handful of Chicken in a Biscuit
snack 2 9ish? - 2 cupcake cookies (see a post below)
oops - forgot snack 3 1030ish - 1 piece of Kraft Deli Select Swiss Cheese (the only cheese i will eat right now...) YUMMIE!!!!!!!!!!

and now its after midnight and i freaking want a rotisserie chicken ... i honestly think i could eat the WHOLE thing...

the only good news of the day ... i didnt gain one freaking pound since new year's eve... considering i've been pretty much eating what i want AND on bed rest for what - 5 days... not bad...

yup, i'm home

you'd think that being on bed rest and bored stupid i'd be posting all.the.freaking.time, but im just not ... im not keeping up with my blog list either .. so sorry if i havent made any comments on your blogs...


what have i been doing? nothing that requires thought ... playing Sims2, reading (Twilight series) and moping around...

im doing OK i think. i go in for an appointment tomorrow. hopefully my BP will cooperate and they'll let me stay at home. but it is stressful here! between to whiny obnoxious dogs and my lovely DD who has to have her way no matter what - even if "mama's sick"... i think i'd still rather be home in a comfy bed ... ya know?

so DH's boss is amazing... DH called him Sunday and he didnt even have to ask - his boss just said "work from home, done" ... DH feels like since he is the manager for a good sized group, he HAS to go in a couple times a week for a few hours - make an appearance - which i totally understand... soooo, my Mom's club is helping out SOO much. i cannot believe the overwhelming support that i have been offered!!! they are taking DD to playdates, to restaurants so she can play in the playground (McD's, Chick Fil A, etc...) and they are bringing food...

which is a good thing cause last night's dinner ... ummm, yeah, not so much... and it was EASY ... wait til tonight's Chicken Fajitas ... i think im going to smell onions (burned) in the house for days.. oh well, DH really IS trying ... and he's seeing how difficult it is home with DD sometimes..

im tierd of being in bed... really tired of it ... i have NO CLUE but im hungry 24/7 (bored maybe??)... the one good thing is, i can feel Joshua moving A LOT more now than i could when i was up and about ... LOVE IT!!

so, i will try to update regularly... i am going to pack a bag for the hospital just in case they admit me tomorrow... i will bring my laptop and supposedly the rooms have free wi-fi .. if not, there's always Sims2 ... yup, imageek!! ;)

thanks so much for your thoughts... i REALLY do appreciate them!!!

awwwww....

first purchase... sooooooooo tiny...

names - the final 4... poll to the side

ok, so i create a poll for our 4 name choices...

we had a list of about 14 names, combined them to make first/middle name combinations that we liked and came up with about 10.... DH and I picked 3 each from the 10 and 2 of the combinations we chose were the same!

but... we're including the other 2 choices that only 1 of us picked ... (make sense? im really tired).... soooooo ... options are in the poll... any input would be appreciated...

take in consideration our last name is short (3 letters)...

thanks!

dammit ... so bummed

i failed the 1 hour glucose tolerance test... i am a lucky ducky and get to take the 3 hour test tomorrow... DH is going to take 1/2 day off work to watch DD... there's no way she would survive 3+ hours at the doc's office - although she was excellent today for the hour.

hopefully i dont have gestational diabetis (sp??) ... if i do, i guess i've eaten my last bit of cheesecake for awhile...