Alison Kate arrived on Tuesday, May 20, at 2:54am, weighing 7lb 3oz, and measuring 19 inches long!
(still haven't figured out how to get my pictures right. If you want to see pictures, you can follow me on instagram)
In honor of her two and a half week birthday, here's her birth story. I'm writing this mostly for my own memory, so if you don't want to read all the details, you may want to stop reading now. :)
Since Bridget and Carter were both about a week/week and a half early, I assumed that, since it was my third baby, that she'd also come early. By 37 weeks we were totally ready for her arrival, and figured it could happen any time. At my 38 week appointment (at which I was almost 39 weeks) I had not dilated or effaced any more since 36 weeks, and the Dr was still unable to strip my membranes, which she had done with the other two kids. So I hit the 39th week being pregnant longer than ever before. Since I have a blood clotting disorder, we had discussed the fact that my Dr was uncomfortable with me going over 41 weeks. However, she has always been wonderful with being flexible with my wishes, and said as long as baby looked ok, she was ok not inducing till a later date.
I went back on Wednesday the 14th, two days before my due date, and was still dilated to 2cm and 50% effaced with a thick, firm cervix. (Told you I was giving all the details. :)) She was able to strip my membranes, but she didn't think it'd do much at that point. I had a biophysical profile done to check my fluid levels, baby's activity, and blood flow through the placenta and cord. Everything looked wonderful so I scheduled an appointment on Monday the 19th for another biophysical profile.
The weekend came and went with no baby. I was ok with that. While I was ready for her to come out, I wasn't feeling frustrated or upset about it, which totally surprised me. :)
Monday afternoon I headed in for my appointment. The sono tech started off measuring baby and checking movement and blood flow, which all looked great. Then she started measuring fluid, and I could tell something was up because she kept measuring, re-measuring, and moving all around. Finally she asked me if I'd noticed any leaking fluid, which I hadn't. My fluid, which has been above normal 5 days before, was now almost non existent. She told me that baby's cord was no longer floating at all, but was resting on her. Then I was taken to a room to see the Dr. At this point I knew the Dr was going to want to induce me, and while it made me nervous, I felt ok with it.
The Dr came in and the first thing she said was "this baby needs to come out, like tonight." I said that was ok with me. She checked me, and I had done nothing since the few days before. She told me that baby was too high to simply break my water to start labor, as the risk of her cord entering the birth canal before her head was too high, and that she would have me do pitocin to start contractions. After she left the room, the nurse came in and told me to be at the hospital at 8pm that night.
I was so nervous. Everyone has always said that being induced makes labor so much more painful, and it's almost impossible to do without an epidural, which I did not want. I was also nervous just because it required more interventions than I'd had with the other two. With them, I had an iv, but never had any fluids through them, and I hadn't had to have continuous fetal monitoring, both of which I knew would have happen, per hospital policy, since I'd be on pitocin.
The rest of the afternoon was a blur of phone calls, finishing stuff up at home, and supper, all within just 3 hours. :) But it got mostly done, Luke's mom arrived to stay with the kids, and we headed to the hospital about 7:30. It was so weird to walk in, having no contractions and feeling just fine.
We got up to labor and delivery, got checked in, and some paperwork filled out, got my iv in and blood drawn. At one point the resident came in and told me that since my cervix was still so thick and firm that they may end up doing cervidil for 12 hours to soften the cervix before starting pitocin. At this point I was thinking that this is going to be a forever long process and was just praying I'd have this baby before night shift left!
Thankfully, my Dr just wanted to do pitocin, which got started about 9:15. The nurse started it at 2 something per hour, and said she would turn it up by 2 every half hour until I started contracting every 2 to 3 minutes. A little before 10pm she turned the pitocin up to 4, and about 10:30 I started having contractions, so she never turned it up any more. At that point the Dr offered me the option of either letting my water intact or breaking it, and I wasn't sure what to do. I figured I'd wait a while and see how fast or slow things went.
Contractions continued for about another hour, and about 11:30 I was just getting ready to go to the bathroom when I felt something running out. I wasn't sure if I was peeing or if it was my water. :) Thankfully, it was my water, and I never had to make the decision whether to have them break it or not. At some unknown time, when I was dilated 5-6cm I got some neumorphin through my iv, which helped take the back edge off the contractions.
The night continued, and I kept telling my mom, Luke, and Wendi to keep talking to distract me. They'd joke about the contractions that I claimed I was having that weren't showing up on the monitor, and talk about funny things the kids have done. I tried multiple positions to be more comfortable, but the best was laying on my right side. I pulled so hard on that bed rail during contractions that my arms were sore the next few days. :) At some point I felt like I needed to push, but was still only 7-8cm. My Dr had come in shortly before, because she figured I'd go fast. (just one reason I LOVE my Dr....she wasn't on call, but since she considered it a medical induction, she ended up coming in, a good half hour before I delivered, just to make sure she made it on time.)
Eventually everyone came into the room, and told me I could start pushing when I felt like I needed to. Of course, it was several minutes (at least it seemed like it...maybe it was shorter) before I felt like I needed to again. When I started pushing, people kept saying "her head is almost out...it's almost out." So I kept pushing until I had to breath. :) Then the Dr told me to stop pushing, they unlooped the cord from around her neck, and told me I could keep pushing. I pushed again, but had to stop so they could unloop the cord from around her arms and shoulders. (they said later she had a crazy long cord!) One more push and out she came, at 2:54am!
She came right up onto my chest, screaming mad! After a little bit, they took her over to the warmer, because in the still very dim room she was looking a little bluish, but it turned out to just be bruising.
Post delivery, things have gone super well! She had trouble nursing for a while, which made me super sore and miserable. Thankfully she has greatly improved, and has gained plenty of weight! She's also been a very good baby, which after two very fussy babies that never slept, it's a huge blessing!
Since Bridget and Carter were both about a week/week and a half early, I assumed that, since it was my third baby, that she'd also come early. By 37 weeks we were totally ready for her arrival, and figured it could happen any time. At my 38 week appointment (at which I was almost 39 weeks) I had not dilated or effaced any more since 36 weeks, and the Dr was still unable to strip my membranes, which she had done with the other two kids. So I hit the 39th week being pregnant longer than ever before. Since I have a blood clotting disorder, we had discussed the fact that my Dr was uncomfortable with me going over 41 weeks. However, she has always been wonderful with being flexible with my wishes, and said as long as baby looked ok, she was ok not inducing till a later date.
I went back on Wednesday the 14th, two days before my due date, and was still dilated to 2cm and 50% effaced with a thick, firm cervix. (Told you I was giving all the details. :)) She was able to strip my membranes, but she didn't think it'd do much at that point. I had a biophysical profile done to check my fluid levels, baby's activity, and blood flow through the placenta and cord. Everything looked wonderful so I scheduled an appointment on Monday the 19th for another biophysical profile.
The weekend came and went with no baby. I was ok with that. While I was ready for her to come out, I wasn't feeling frustrated or upset about it, which totally surprised me. :)
Monday afternoon I headed in for my appointment. The sono tech started off measuring baby and checking movement and blood flow, which all looked great. Then she started measuring fluid, and I could tell something was up because she kept measuring, re-measuring, and moving all around. Finally she asked me if I'd noticed any leaking fluid, which I hadn't. My fluid, which has been above normal 5 days before, was now almost non existent. She told me that baby's cord was no longer floating at all, but was resting on her. Then I was taken to a room to see the Dr. At this point I knew the Dr was going to want to induce me, and while it made me nervous, I felt ok with it.
The Dr came in and the first thing she said was "this baby needs to come out, like tonight." I said that was ok with me. She checked me, and I had done nothing since the few days before. She told me that baby was too high to simply break my water to start labor, as the risk of her cord entering the birth canal before her head was too high, and that she would have me do pitocin to start contractions. After she left the room, the nurse came in and told me to be at the hospital at 8pm that night.
I was so nervous. Everyone has always said that being induced makes labor so much more painful, and it's almost impossible to do without an epidural, which I did not want. I was also nervous just because it required more interventions than I'd had with the other two. With them, I had an iv, but never had any fluids through them, and I hadn't had to have continuous fetal monitoring, both of which I knew would have happen, per hospital policy, since I'd be on pitocin.
The rest of the afternoon was a blur of phone calls, finishing stuff up at home, and supper, all within just 3 hours. :) But it got mostly done, Luke's mom arrived to stay with the kids, and we headed to the hospital about 7:30. It was so weird to walk in, having no contractions and feeling just fine.
We got up to labor and delivery, got checked in, and some paperwork filled out, got my iv in and blood drawn. At one point the resident came in and told me that since my cervix was still so thick and firm that they may end up doing cervidil for 12 hours to soften the cervix before starting pitocin. At this point I was thinking that this is going to be a forever long process and was just praying I'd have this baby before night shift left!
Thankfully, my Dr just wanted to do pitocin, which got started about 9:15. The nurse started it at 2 something per hour, and said she would turn it up by 2 every half hour until I started contracting every 2 to 3 minutes. A little before 10pm she turned the pitocin up to 4, and about 10:30 I started having contractions, so she never turned it up any more. At that point the Dr offered me the option of either letting my water intact or breaking it, and I wasn't sure what to do. I figured I'd wait a while and see how fast or slow things went.
Contractions continued for about another hour, and about 11:30 I was just getting ready to go to the bathroom when I felt something running out. I wasn't sure if I was peeing or if it was my water. :) Thankfully, it was my water, and I never had to make the decision whether to have them break it or not. At some unknown time, when I was dilated 5-6cm I got some neumorphin through my iv, which helped take the back edge off the contractions.
The night continued, and I kept telling my mom, Luke, and Wendi to keep talking to distract me. They'd joke about the contractions that I claimed I was having that weren't showing up on the monitor, and talk about funny things the kids have done. I tried multiple positions to be more comfortable, but the best was laying on my right side. I pulled so hard on that bed rail during contractions that my arms were sore the next few days. :) At some point I felt like I needed to push, but was still only 7-8cm. My Dr had come in shortly before, because she figured I'd go fast. (just one reason I LOVE my Dr....she wasn't on call, but since she considered it a medical induction, she ended up coming in, a good half hour before I delivered, just to make sure she made it on time.)
Eventually everyone came into the room, and told me I could start pushing when I felt like I needed to. Of course, it was several minutes (at least it seemed like it...maybe it was shorter) before I felt like I needed to again. When I started pushing, people kept saying "her head is almost out...it's almost out." So I kept pushing until I had to breath. :) Then the Dr told me to stop pushing, they unlooped the cord from around her neck, and told me I could keep pushing. I pushed again, but had to stop so they could unloop the cord from around her arms and shoulders. (they said later she had a crazy long cord!) One more push and out she came, at 2:54am!
She came right up onto my chest, screaming mad! After a little bit, they took her over to the warmer, because in the still very dim room she was looking a little bluish, but it turned out to just be bruising.
Post delivery, things have gone super well! She had trouble nursing for a while, which made me super sore and miserable. Thankfully she has greatly improved, and has gained plenty of weight! She's also been a very good baby, which after two very fussy babies that never slept, it's a huge blessing!
