The Birth Plan for Nora

I wanted to post this, just to show you how we "planned" our birth to go, then you can read her actual birth story, and see why we threw a lot of it we just threw out the window! (I posted what really happened in italics on here too.)

Birth Plan for the Gibson Family

We request informed consent for both Sarah and our daughter.

Labor
-want to be able to get up and move around and/or use a labor tub or birth ball (I really thought I would labor in the tub, but didn't)
-want the least amount of monitoring as possible (I had continuous monitoring)
-would like IV in left arm & use numbing agent before
-would like to be able to eat and drink during labor (I could, but didn't really, other than water & ice chips)
-would just like my doula, Ashley, and my husband, Adam, in the room (My mom joined us for the birth)

Environment
-prefer dim lighting
-may want calming music 
-want to wear my own clothes (I decided I'd rather dirty their clothes than have to wash mine when I got home)

Induction
-would prefer more natural methods of helping labor progress (changing positions, etc.)
-avoid all methods of induction

-do not want membranes ruptured

-do not want Pitocin

Pain Management
-would not like any pain medication offered to me
-would like pain medication available only if I request it

Delivery
-would prefer to risk a tear than have an episiotomy
-want to wait until I feel the urge to push (I never actually felt anything!)
-would like to try the squat bar or possibly another position to deliver her
            -prefer not to be on my back (Since I had the epidural, that was the only position I could be in)
-would like Adam on one side and Ashley on the other
-want our daughter placed on my chest immediately after she is born
            -if she needs immediate medical attention, Adam will be with her
-Ashley may take pictures at any time with our camera

After Delivery
-wait to cut the cord until it has stopped pulsating
-Adam might want to cut the cord
-wait for the newborn procedures and assessment
-would like our daughter’s assessments done in my presence
-wait for the placenta to release itself (don’t tug on it) (The doctor had to physically remove it herself)
-ask if I would like to see the placenta (I’m not sure if I will or not) (I was to enthralled with my daughter to look at it, but it was offered, and Ashley took a picture for me to look at later)
-would like to see a lactation consultant

For our Daughter
-I will be breastfeeding, please do not give
            -pacifiers/ nuks
            -bottles
            -water or glucose water
-Adam and/or I would like to give her, her first bath (I wanted to, but couldn't because of the epidural, and I think Adam was too nervous to do it)
-we would like her to room with us

Hopefully Our Last Appointment!

Adam and I went in yesterday, for what I hope, was our last appointment. It was with Dr. Mahan, so now Adam has met all the docs at Comprehensive as well. She went over again, like Dr. Tumaneng did last week, signs of labor, when to go in, and that sort of thing. She listened to baby's heart rate, which was 150 bpm. I asked her how big she thought the baby was, and she estimated between 6 1/2 and 7 pounds. (Just like her big sister!) Then she did an internal exam... UGH! Now that I've had a couple, and two of them by Dr. Mahan, I can say that hers are the most painful. In fact, Adam commented after she left, "That sounded like it hurt!" (Yeah, ya think!) She said that baby is still at the +1 station, I'm 70% effaced, and 1 cm dilated. She suggested we make another appointment for next week, just in case. So on our way out we did. When we got into the car, I told Adam I was glad to hear that I am starting to dilate, but I really don't think it was worth finding out!

Then after dinner, we had our last prenatal visit with my doula, Ashley. She came over and brought her birth ball for me to borrow. She showed us some different positions to labor in, different ways Adam could help comfort me, different places he could apply pressure on my back and hips to help relieve pain. I think Adam will be a great labor support, especially with Ashley there to support both of us!

Belly Pics!

So we haven't been really good about taking belly pictures, and I haven't been good at all about posting them. So for your viewing pleasures, here's two that I haven't posted yet. I should probably get one last one before this little girl arrives!

Adam & I heading to my friend,
Sarah's, wedding
35 weeks 6 days

37 weeks 2 days

The Beginning of a Birth Story?

Adam and I went out to dinner at Ruby Tuesday's with a friend who is visiting from out of state on Saturday evening. I was uncomfortable sitting in the booth and kept shifting to try to get comfortable. When we stood up to leave, I thought that I may have felt my water break. I wasn't sure, and I didn't have contractions really, so just ignored it until we got home.

When we got home, we started getting ready for bed (at this point it was about 7:30 pm), and I told Adam. He Googled it on his phone to see if we could figure out if it really had or not, but we couldn't really tell. He suggested that I call the hospital to see what they had to say.

The nurse, Erin, that I talked to said that since I was a VBAC that I should come in for monitoring and then we could see what to do from there. I was hoping that they would just send me home, and I could crawl in bed.

We got there about 8pm, and got checked in. Erin, the same nurse that I talked to on the phone, hooked me up to the monitors, and did an internal exam. I told her that last Tuesday I was 60% effaced, and the baby was in a +1 position. She checked and said that the baby was very low, and asked how I managed to walk. But, she couldn't reach my cervix to see how effaced I was or if I was dilated, because it was behind baby's head. So she said she would be right back with a "long-fingered friend" who might be able to check.

A few minutes later, she came back with her "long-fingered friend" and she could tell that I was still about 60% effaced, but said she couldn't reach to see if I was dilated without making me really uncomfortable. So we decided that was good enough. Erin asked if we would like to be monitored for an hour, and then we could go from there. I agreed.

I flipped on the TV and flipped through the channels until I found a channel with NCIS on. So Adam and I sat and watched. I wasn't really feeling any contractions, but was getting uncomfortable, so decided to sit up. Not too long after that Erin showed up at the door and said, "Oh you're sitting up! Lay back down." I guess the heart rate monitor was picking up my heart rate, not baby's and she got nervous. I laid back down, and her heart rate was picked up again, and all was good.

Around 9 pm, Erin came back in and looked at the printout from the monitors. She said that all was looking good, and that we could go home if we like. So she had me sign some papers, and off we went.

************* to be continued *************

Name Searchs

I just got a phone call from Comprehensive. When I saw it on the caller ID on my phone, I thought it was a little early to get the reminder phone call for my appointment next Tuesday. When an actual person responded when I said, hello, I was a little shocked (they have an automated thing that calls to remind you about appointments), and wondered what was wrong, what they found in my chart or something.

Turns out Dr. Tumaneng was "Googling" her name and stumbled across my blog. (I have to say that takes dedication, because I just tried "Googling" her name a couple different ways and didn't come up with this blog on the first 8 or so pages, so I gave up!) I guess she had read my last post about trying to make sure the car seat is installed properly and she had Heather call me and let me know about their Welcome Baby Care program that will check them. I'm not sure if they charge or not, but I have an appointment with the police department to get it all checked out!

I also have a message into a pediatrician that was recommended by one of my friends so that we should hopefully have that all lined up before she comes!

Getting Ready!

We had another appointment with Dr. Tumaneng on Tuesday, and all went well. She asked if I had been having any contractions. I told her I had been having Braxton-Hicks and I thought I had had an actual contraction the other night, but it was just one, so probably not. I have been having those "I feel like I'm going to get my period" cramps for a couple days, and then they started to turn into "I feel like I have my period" cramps. While we were at the cabin on Saturday, I believe I counted 5-6 Braxton-Hicks contractions. Of course, driving down a bumpy dirt road sure helped I'm sure! :)

She listened to baby's heart rate and said it was between 125-130 bpm. Then she measured my tummy at 33 cm. I was kind of concerned, as I measured at 35 cm two weeks ago, but she said that it looks like baby has dropped, and that is probably why. When she did the internal exam, she said that baby had definitely dropped and was at a +1 position, and that I was about 60% effaced, but not dilated.

I wish I had something to compare this to, but with Danni, I never had any of these measurements (sans the heart rate). Though with Danni, I didn't have any contractions either, so maybe she never engaged anyway. 

I then asked her about when they decide to schedule a c-section if I haven't spontaneously gone into labor. I told her what Dr. Ledella had said last week at the ultrasound about scheduling one at 39 weeks, but she shook her head and disagreed. She said that they would let me go to 42 weeks at least, but they would probably order an ultrasound to check on baby's well being. (Which I've heard many people who are "overdue" have had done... typically a biophysical profile and non-stress test, which I had plenty of with Danni.)

We had forgotten to print out our birth plan to go over with her, but since we had a copy in Google Docs, Adam was able to pull it up on his phone and scroll through it for her to read. I was happy to hear her say, "Yep, that's what we normally do," for just about everything on our plan.

I think we are just about set to have her. We got pre-registered at the hospital, have our bags packed (though I keep finding more stuff that I just need to have and adding it to our bag). We have the car seat in the car, however, on the way home from our appointment we stopped at the fire station to have it checked out. As we were walking in Fr. Bob was driving by and yelled hello out his window to Adam (I'm surprised he recognized us, as our parish is pretty large, though Adam mentioned that we have talked to him a couple times). When we got around the corner, I asked one of the firemen standing around if they were able to check car seat installment, but apparently our city isn't able to, so he gave us a couple other places to check.

So I think the only things we have left are to get the car seat checked, and to pick a pediatrician for her. Though, her room is still not finished (what a horrible mother I am... it wasn't finished for Danni either!), and my mom said she would make a sheet for the bassinet we have, since we can't seem to find any in the stores. So she has the bottom of our bassinet, and our baby girl won't have a place to sleep until we get it back! (Hint, hint, mom, if you're reading this!) :)