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Genevieve's birth story
Ericka - thank you for sharing this :-)
Take care, Elly entered 3rd trimester today! 27 weeks + 1 day EDD October 6th "Ericka Kammerer" ha scritto nel messaggio ... As I mentioned before, it was rather uneventful, but here goes... When I had the version on 6/21, I started having mild contractions that pretty much just kept going. They were more than BH contractions, but not all that serious either. I was hoping that meant labor wasn't all that far off, though! Turns out, I kept having them all that week and through the weekend. On Monday morning (6/30) they seemed more serious and kept coming every five minutes for hours on end, so I was hopeful that maybe this was going to be a June baby after all. I called the midwives and birth assistant to give them a heads up and we agreed to keep in touch. I mentioned what was going on to a few people who were planning to be at the birth as well, and two came to stay next door with my parents in the hopes of ensuring they wouldn't miss it. As it turned out, the contractions kept coming regularly, but didn't get any more serious. That night, they went away and I had a good night's sleep. The next morning, more contractions, but they were more sporadic for that day. Went away again at night, so another good night's sleep. Wednesday was a repeat of Monday, but with more intensity ;-) I'm getting tired of being played with by now, and two of the people who were hoping to be at the birth have had to leave town :-( Once again, contractions died down at night, so at least I'm still getting sleep. Thursday was a repeat of Tuesday, with a few contractions here and a few there throughout the day. I slept Thursday night, but sleep started getting more fitful and uncomfortable. I wasn't really feeling contractions that night (or maybe I was too sleepy to care), but seems something was up. On Friday morning, I got up around 7am and went downstairs. I left Michael sleeping and the boys had spent the night with my parents. Contractions got going, and they seemed to hang in there around every five minutes (again), but more intensity. They were getting to the point that rather than hoping the next one would come sooner, I was hoping it would take it's time ;-) Around 8:30 I decided that I'd call the midwives and birth assistant again to give them a heads up. My favorite midwife was on duty (yippee!). Knowing that my last labor went fast, and knowing she had a good hour's drive, the midwife said we should touch base again in an hour, but she was going to get packed and ready. I went and took a shower and puttered around a bit and contractions stayed at least as regular and intense, so I figured that was a good sign. After an hour, I got back in touch with the midwife, who said she was going to head out. Then I called the birth assistant, who said she'd finish what she was doing and head out as well. A little bit later, I woke Michael and suggested *he* get showered and ready before everyone arrived. He was a little surprised, but managed to get going. The first to arrive was the student midwife, who started charting around 10am. A little bit later the midwife arrived, and then the birth assistant. Everyone was in place by around 10:30. They got their stuff in order. They checked and figured me at about 4cm and 50 percent effaced and suggested a walk. It was downright hot outside, so I took my sister and the baby-to-be's godmother and we took a little turn around the block. It wasn't a lot walk, but it was rather challenging as the contractions were almost non-stop. Got back home around noon and everyone was there (Michael, mom, dad, boys, sister, godmother-to-be, family friend, birth team). We figured some lunch was in order, so Dad took the boys out to lunch and Mom took sandwich orders and ran out to pick them up. I was ready to be more quiet, so I went upstairs. I was going to lie down a bit, but quickly gave up that idea as the contractions were far too uncomfortable that way. So I sat on the edge of the bed, which seemed to work okay. By 12:45 I was starting to feel slightly pushy (generally happens early for me). I was still on the edge of the bed and the birth team (or some of them, anyway--I wasn't particularly paying attention ;-) and Michael were around. Things were getting much more intense and I was really in my own little world, rocking on the edge of the bed. My feet were dangling, which was a bit annoying, but I didn't really want to move. Somewhere before 1:30 the crowd moved in, and I recall being relieved that Mom, Dad, and the boys had made it back in time. By then I couldn't help pushing (and didn't really care to stop anyway ;-) My membranes ruptured then, and there was light meconium staining so the midwives told me that they wanted to suction as soon as the head was out and that I should hold off pushing the rest of the baby out. Shortly after that, I tried side-lying. They checked me and I was 8cm/100 percent effaced, but having been warned that I was going to push when I was going to push, they didn't give me much fuss about not pushing (they suggested it, but clearly without a whole lot of hope ;-) The biggest trouble I was having throughout this was that the symphisis pubis pain I'd had through the last half of pregnancy was wreaking havoc on my ability to find any sort of comfortable position. Side lying put unequal pressure on my hips and I just couldn't bear it for long. I couldn't be on my back (that was worse). I didn't want to stand. So I flipped to all fours by 1:45, which also wasn't great and my arms were tiring, but it was the best I could manage at the time. (I wasn't particularly interested in anyone else touching me, so there wasn't a whole lot anyone else could do either.) By then I was really pushing hard. At 1:50, I could feel that the baby was starting to descend, and I remember being glad it was nearly done. At 1:55 the head was out and they were asking me to hold off so they could suction. I didn't particularly want to, but did my best. I knew when I had flipped to all fours, knowing that they were going to suction as soon as the head was out, that things weren't looking good for Mom catching the baby, as we'd intended--and sure enough, that's what happened. I waited as long as I could handle for them to suction, and then I just had to push the rest out. I didn't really know at the time if they were done or not, but no one screeched, so I figured it was okay ;-) I managed to wait a whopping whole minute, and the rest of her was born at 1:56pm. It was just too fast for Mom to get in there, but fortunately she wasn't too disappointed. So then we called Colin over to check the sex. He declared it was a boy and wanted to know who was going to go with him to play video games now ;-) I couldn't see (I was still on hands and knees and could just see the top half of the baby), so I figured it *was* another boy! Someone else, though, called Colin back and suggested he take another look. Apparently, the umbilical cord confused him somewhat ;-) After a little discussion, he allowed as how it might be a girl. She was breathing well, but was a tad slow to pink up, so they annoyed her a little into crying. I rolled over so I could finally hold her and we cuddled. The godmother cut the cord after it stopped pulsing, and I pushed the placenta out about 12 minutes after she was born. The great news was that the godmother had an absolute deadline that she had to be leaving to go back home at 2:15, so we just *barely* got the birth in in time for her to be there. We had to say goodbye right after she cut the cord, but at least she got to do that! They gave her a few minutes of blow by oxygen because her color was still a tad weak (Apgars 8/9--lost points for color), and she did pink right up then. Next we cuddled some more while they cleaned me up and checked for tears (hate that!). Fortunately, no tearing or anything--not even a skid mark. She latched on easily and nursed well. Meanwhile folks were boiling water for our herbal bath. I got up and got in the bath around 3pm, which was nice and soothing. After the water cooled down enough, we brought the baby into the bath so she could swim a bit-- which she loved! Michael and I discussed the name issue finally and ultimately decided we'd go with Genevieve Grace. Then they took her out of the bath to do her newborn exam (Adrian helped with that) while I rinsed off and got dressed. Then, back in bed for more nursing and cuddles--and the sandwich Mom had picked up for me that I hadn't had time to eat earlier ;-) Official stats: July 4th, 1:56pm, 8 lbs 2 oz, 20.5 inches, 13.75 inch head circumference, 13.5 inch chest circumference. Since then, everything's been just great. I feel great--better than after the last two births. The afterpains were bad the first day and a half, but I hardly notice them now. I've had virtually no perineal swelling or pain, and very little bleeding either (all things considered). My worst pain is actually sore muscles, particularly my arms. She nurses voraciously, and my milk came in Sunday afternoon. Engorgement isn't *too* bad, but I'm certainly tender. I have a feeling she'll get my supply evened out quickly, though. She's an absolute delight--very calm and alert. She sleeps well wherever she happens to be, and doesn't seem to have her days and nights mixed up at all (knock on wood). She's obviously already attuned to the ambient noise level associated with having two older brothers, as she doesn't even bother to startle when they come tearing through (though she startles for other sudden noises ;-) She hardly ever cries. I have a feeling she's going to be a tad jaundiced (like her brothers were), so I'm hoping that we don't get too much grief from the pediatrician. She's barely starting to get a tad yellow. Bet the bloodwork shows her blood type is A+ just like her brothers. My only slight area of concern is that it doesn't seem like she's peeing as much as she ought, but maybe it's just that it's too hard to tell with those darned disposable diapers. She peed all over me as soon as she was born, and she's soaked the changing pad at least once, so we know the plumbing works. She also doesn't seem in any way dehydrated and she's nursing well and regularly. She just doesn't seem to put much in her diapers. But perhaps now that my milk is in, we'll see some more obvious evidence. The boys are quite smitten with her. Adrian has to be pried away from her with a crowbar and has obviously appointed himself her protector and my assistant. He's decided he's going to learn all there is about babies and hangs on every word the midwife says. Colin coos over her and holds her and such, but is equally clearly a bit nonplussed about being displaced as the baby of the family. I think we're going to struggle with that for a little while. At the moment, he's a bit out of sorts and trying to monopolize all of Daddy's time. As we get back closer to our normal routine, though, I think things will get much better with him. With everything going on, he's been too cooped up in the house, which is never a good thing with him! Plus, he stayed up to see fireworks that night, and it's also never good when he misses his bedtime. Well, this tome has gone on far too long--congratulations if you made it this far! Best wishes, Ericka |
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Genevieve's birth story
What a great birth story! Congrats again, Ericka. :-)
-- Alpha alphawave at earthlink dot net |
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Genevieve's birth story
Oh Ericka!!!! I knew it! I knew it would be a Genevieve! I'm so happy for you.
I'd love a picture, whenever you get a minute. Enjoy your precious sweet newborn. Mary S. mom to the Sproutkin, 16 months |
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Genevieve's birth story
Ericka Kammerer wrote in message ...
As I mentioned before, it was rather uneventful, but here goes... Congratulations Ericka!!! I *knew* she was a girl! :-) I'm so glad things went so well ! Karen |
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