So, I want to go back to my pregnancy because I'm pretty sure it affected how things went down. First, she was basically posterior the whole pregnancy. I would lay on my side, be on my hands a knees to see if she'll turn... nothing. She liked where she was and she wasn't going to move. And, Ana was low pretty much the whole pregnancy; which was really annoying because sitting was extremely annoying. Then when my contractions started, she was REALLY low. The midwife said that she was pretty much ready to come out once I was dilated enough. Which I wasn't. I was in early labor for 5 days. And, no, they were not Braxton-Hicks contractions. I had solid contractions every 10 minutes for days. Thankfully, because it was only in the early stages, the contractions weren't super painful. However, I already told work I was in labor and that I was going to stop working and I really couldn't drive because what would happen if my contractions progressed while I was on the road? So, I was home....a lot.
So, finally, my contractions progress and I'm in labor enough to be admitted into the hospital. At this point everything was going smoothly and normally. Then when it came time to push.... nothing. Ana was stuck. Because she was positioned posterior, which means she not well positioned at all, it makes it harder for the baby to come out. This also means back labor. Personally, the back labor was worse than the actual contractions. So after some time, they tried to turn her physically.
Ladies, if someone tells you that they are going to try and turn your baby get some sort of pain relief. It was incredibly awful and painful. It consists of the health care professional going in with their hand and physically try and turn the baby.
Worse. Than. Contractions.
Unfortunately, it didn't work. I honestly think it was because Ana was so down low that there was no where for her to move. They attempted this while I wasn't totally dilated (apparently I got really swollen so I was ok to push but it looked like I was only 8 cm), so they wanted to try again once I was completely dilated. Which meant I needed to turn to medication. As you all know and if you read my last birth story, I am not a fan of medication. But, I am willing to use it if necessary. This was such a case.
They put me on pitocin to help intensify my contractions and make sure that I would be completely dilated. They also said that I could be put on an epidural because they wanted to try turning Ana again. I sure as hell was not going to go through that unpleasantness again, so I told them that I would like to be on it. There came a secondary benefit with the epidural that I was able to nap since I was obviously becoming tired.
After my nap, the midwife took a look and saw that I could probably just push and forgo the baby turning. So after while of pushing Ana was finally welcomed into the world. And she arrived looking like Emily, except a little bigger.
Emily is on top and Ana on the bottom. Very much siblings. =)
So, this experience was a complete opposite experience with Emily. I'm just thankful that I did not have to have a C-section. The midwife did say that using the medications was the right move and I quite agree with her. If I continued with the natural route, I would have been in more pain and in labor longer and the concern for Ana would have grown because there was meconium when my water broke and her head was incredible pointy when she was born, that would have been worse (Pediatrician was worried there would have been blood under the skull). Just goes to show that every pregnancy is very different and you never know what's going to happen.
Whew! You did great. It was just the opposite for me. I went through everything with the first baby that you went through with the second and the second baby was like your first. Very hard work but in the end, a gorgeous baby is part of the family! Love you all!
ReplyDeleteLove you too! Yes, thankfully, the end result is worth it!
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