Well, the arrival of Aubree Simone didn't happen as planned. My OB thought that since I was taking so many asthma medications throughout the pregnancy that the chances of Aubree being a large baby was very high. So, the OB schedule for me to be induced on Tuesday, January 15, 2008. I went in the hospital at 7am and the pitocin started around 8:30. Throughout the day, I would laugh and play games with either Marc or my mom....trivial pursuit is fun during contractions! But the few times I was checked there was no further progression with the dialation and the contractions didn't really bug me at all. Uncomfortable but nothing I couldn't breathe through. Finally, after 12 hours, the OB came in and said that I had to make a decision. Either she could try to break my water which then would make me committed to having a baby in 24 hours but I might have to have a c-section if she doesn't come on her own or I could go home and we could try again the following week. After a lot of tears from sadness, frustration etc, Marc and I decided to stop the induction and go home. No sense in forcing her out if she isn't ready....or so we thought....
The following Wednesday, the 23rd, I checked in the birthing center at the hospital at 7pm. They started with a gel I believe its called PG but its supposed to soften the cervix. I was told to be as comfortable as possible throughout the night. At 2am, the OB on call and my nurse came in and explained that something was wrong with the baby's heartbeat and that instead of getting two doses of the gel, I would only get one since the baby didn't seem to react to it well. So I had to wait until the morning to start pitocin again. At at 9am the pitocin began and again, no change. My water was broken to see if that would make things go faster and then I was committed to delivery in the next 24 hours. Eventually I got an epidural as the contractions were getting stronger but after about 2 hours, I could feel strong contractions as if the epidural wasn't working. Around the same time, the nurse was in communication with my OB as the baby's heartbeat was again low and going from about the 140's to the 60's during contractions. The nurse and the OB, communicating via telephone as the OB was still doing regular doc visits at her office, thought that maybe the cord was around the baby's neck or that the baby was squeezing the cord or something so they gave me some more fluid (on top of the bags of pitocin, the penicilin for the g strep that I was positive for, plus I had asthma meds and regular fluids as well)...some amniotic flush or something like that.....that seemed to work for a couple contractions but overall, it didn't. I also got another epidural as it turned out the first one fell out. At the end of the second epidural being put in, I almost had a vesa vegas (sp?) reaction and passed out.. Good thing Marc was right in front of me and calmed me down so I would stay alert. Around 6:30 or so the OB came in and said that we have to do a c-section because the heartbeat was worrisome and nothing was happening. I agreed.....The said only one person could be in the room with me. I knew my mom was upset but I wanted only Marc in there with me for support. Afterall, he is the daddy. I was rushed into the operating room and I remember people around me, someone said "its down to 50"...not sure if they meant the heartbeat or what.....I was scared!!!!! I got in the operating room and got a lot of pain meds, the moved me from one bed to the other, my arms were laid open one on each side and the drape was placed over me so I couldn't see what they were doing. I asked Marc not to tell me....I could feel them shaving me (sorry for being graphic) and I could feel light touching but thats it. It was strange...nurses and the anesthesiologist were talking about the packer bikini girls being in maxim magazine and that I should name the baby "dave" since that was the anesthesiologists name. I was so tired....ALl of a sudden the baby came out. I remember not hearing her cry right away and I got scared but I guess they were suctioning her, I saw them bring her over under the lamps and I heard her first cry. She was tiny. Not large at all!!!Her feet were so little!! So adorable. wrapped her up and Marc got to hold her and I got to see her. She was so beautiful. I asked if I could go to sleep and the anesthesiologist said as long as I am breathing he didn't care....I don't remember much else other than waiting a few minutes and then being put on a different bed again and wheeled into the recovery room. THey put this inflatable heating blanket on me as my temperature was low. It was weird..it was a full body suit. Then I had to wear these leg things that inflated every 30 seconds or so since due to all the fluids my feet and ankles were swelling like crazy. I got some visitors....alex, arie, and the grandparents..apparently, the kids were more interested in watch the nurses give Aubree a bath then visiting me..thats okay though....they were so excited to see her!! I was told at sometime during this eventful night that I would have had to have a c-section anyway. Apparently, with my contractions, my uterus shaped itself into a hourglass type shape causing the top to contract but the middle to not so Aubree was basically stuck and couldn't move at all no matter what medications the doctors and nurses wanted to give me...scary since I had two other kids just fine but aparently its rare. I can't remember what its called....something "belt" I think..something to do with the muscles contracting or something...I don't know...It was kind of a relief to know that I was not really rushing things and forcing something necessarily and that I was going to have a c-section anyway....
The rest of the evening is kind of a blur. People in my room and they brought the baby in but other than that, I don't really remember..I was exhausted. I was planning on breastfeeding this baby but the pain was horrible and I couldn't move..but I was okay with it. but the pain....thank goodness for morphine....the next 24 hours was painful but they had to teach me how to get out of bed and do things without using my abdominal muscles too much. Everything you do involves them..sneezing, sitting, standing, laughing, coughing etc...its horrible....Anyway, it was tough but I got through it. The second night I asked for help getting out of bed and I was told that after 24 hours I should be able to do it on my own so I was forced to do it myself. It was okay though. I did it twice actually without help. It hurt but I did it! Since I didn't have a cathetor anymore, I had to get up out of bed! I also got my IV out and got to have pill pain meds instead of IV pain meds which was nice because they were stronger for me. Alex and Arie visited a lot and they wanted to hold Bree a lot which was nice. I was told on Saturday night that I had to leave by 3pm Sunday so we left at 2pm. It was actually hard to leave as I don't do well with pain and having three kids I knew was going to be a challenge but Alex and Arie are great kids and Marc is being very supportive and a great father so it helps. Unfortunatly, I started having PPD and baby blues problems again, just like after I had Arie, but I have meds and hopefully they will help. Bree is a good baby for the most part and I just have to think, spring will be soon and after about a month or two, I will be better....crossing my fingers anyway....
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