Main Page
Site Index
Getting Pregnant
Pregnancy
Parenting
Pregnancy and Parenting Journals
Fertility
Nutrition
Pregnant Moms
Morning Sickness
Women's Health
Child Health
|
Elena's Birth Story
By Christina
Elena Ashton Fitzwilliam
November 19, 2001
7 pounds, 8 ounces
19 1/2 inches
Well, we tried for a whole month when we found out we were pregnant. We already had a 7 1/2 year old daughter (mine from a previous marriage) and to say she was excited would be an understatement. I actually took a pregnancy test in the Kroger bathroom and when I showed her the double line, she danced around in circles singing "yes, yes, yes!".
Rewind 7 1/2 years. My first daughter Arielle was born after only 5 hours of labor but got pretty seriously stuck when her shoulders tried to emerge. she was 16 days early and weighed 7 pds, 14 oz. (pretty hefty for a first baby and early at that! So, they were going to keep a very close eye on this baby's size so as to avoid another case of "shoulder dystocia."
After 9 months of a perfect pregnancy, aside from swollen feet and sugar cravings, we went in to get an ultrasound at 37 weeks on November 7th. The ultrasound showed a healthy girl about 7pounds, 4 ounces. We went back in the following Monday on the 12th. If the baby had dropped, we were going to induce!!! Hooray! Unfortunately, Elena had not dropped yet so we were sent home to return that Friday. My doctor (wonderful woman) instructed us to have lots of sex, walk, walk, walk, and get that baby to drop. For the next 4 days I walked some, sex was next to impossible, but what helped the most I believe was bouncing on an exercise ball (it is about 24" tall and used for ab exercises). I bounced and bounced. My bum was sore but I could really tell the baby had moved down. Luckily, on Friday, after the most painful internal I could imagine, we were told that they could induce Monday morning! Yippee :-)
We were admitted at 6:30 am. They started a Pitocin drip at 9:30. The contractions got steadily worse but nothing that I couldn't handle. My doctor popped in at 12:45 to break my water. I have never felt such excruciating pain! The actual breaking of the waters was relatively painless but my cervix was tilted up so for the doctor to get to my bag of waters, she has to push and strain with all her strength. I figured if I could live through that I could do anything! Well, after the bag of waters was broken the doctor left. She gave instructions to the nurse to check me again in an hour. I was still at 2 cm. and could not get an epidural until I was at least 4 cm. I was praying for that 4 cm. mark! The next 45 minutes get a little hazy for me. I was just trying to get through one contraction when another one would hit. I was in pretty bad pain by then and bless that nurses heart, she checked me 15 minutes early. I had sailed through 4 right on to 7 cm. No wonder it hurt so badly! She requested the epidural. By 2:00 the epidural was in, I was feeling much better but the anesthesiologist had added 2 more drugs to my IV. This made me very groggy. I'm not sure why he added these drugs, I really wish he hadn't as they made me druggy for the next day or so. Anyway, about 5 minutes after the anesthesiologist had left, I told the nurse I felt pressure (like I had to go to the bathroom). I figured it may be time to push but was pretty numb. She checked again, and I was a 10. I pushed for an hour and a half (I was NOT ready for that!) but she was stuck under my pelvis because she was sunny side up. She finally flipped and began to come out. My husband was determined not to watch the actual delivery. He unfortunately has a very weak stomach. He once saw a lady changing a "dirty" diaper and had to leave the building. I found him outside leaning up against the building ready to throw up! So, wasn't I surprised when Elena's head popped out and my husband John says..."Oh my Gosh! Honey, Honey!!! It's a head! PUSH!" over and over. I'm so happy he watched the delivery.
We let my daughter come in for a quick hello and then settled in for about 30 minutes of bonding time before the grand-parents came to meet their second grand-daughter.
Elena is 2 weeks old today. She is such an easy baby. She sleeps 4-5 hours at night and rarely cries. My older daughter Arielle is absolutely crazy about her and so are her parents :-).
Return to Section 77 Birth Stories
|
|
if you have any questions or comments!