*My Birth Story*
Warning: Some of it might be a little graphic.
Sunday, September 1st
7:15am: Oh geez, awake again cause I need to pee? I just went 90 freaking minutes ago. Blah!
I sat myself up on the bed, but that's as far as I got, because out of no where, my water broke. 3 days early! I said, "OMG, BABE, I swear I didn't just pee the bed!" Brad said half awake, "huh?" And I kind of tried to stand and then more came out and I sat back down immediately and said, "get me a towel!" He proceeded to spring out of bed and get me a towel for me to sit on. I said, "well apparently we're having a baby today." He started getting all flustered and saying how we need to call the hospital and pack the rest of our bags and this and that.. I told him to calm down and just relax. HAHA
So, I got up and just sat on the toilet for like 15 minutes and called/texted my family to tell them the news. I woke my poor, sick momma up when I called her, but once she knew why I was calling she was ecstatic and so thankful baby girl decided to make her appearance a little early so she can meet and hold her 4th grandbaby.
Brad called his parents (who were over the mountains 2 hours away for the long weekend). The second their phone rang at that hour of the morning on a Sunday, his mom was pretty sure she knew what that call was. And boy was she STOKED! They were gonna pack up and head back home immediately (especially since she was supposed to be in the room for the delivery).
I called the hospital and they said to come in around 10:30 or so since I wasn't really having any contractions (so I should walk around the house, pack and shower etc to jump start some contractions). So I definitely took a nice long shower and got ready and put some makeup on, just like I was getting ready for a regular day. After we finally finished packing our hospital bags, we loaded up the SS with everything and were on our way.
11:00am: We strolled into the hospital, got checked in and taken to our room. Each mom-to-be gets their own large personal birthing suite, equipped with a jetted tub in the bathroom. They hooked me up to some stuff and checked my progress. Still no contractions really (a handful here and there) and only dilated to like a 2-3. They said they would probably have to give me Pitocin since I wasn't contracting and they'd check back in an hour to see how I was coming along. They suggested a nice stroll around the maternity ward to hopefully speed things up.
Here is a pic of us shortly before our stroll around the ward to start up the labor :-)
Just relaxing for a little bit after the walk.
They came back around 12:00 to see how things were going.. Still not much in the contraction department, so they wanted to start Pitocin. I reeeeeeeeeeeeeally did not want that, so I asked for ONE more hour (Pitocin is stupid and not fun, so I was hoping to avoid it at all costs). Another hour goes by and still not a lot happening, so I unfortunately needed to have them administer the Pitocin to jump start these darned contractions.. They started the Pitocin around 1:15 (5 hours after my water broke). And that's where the REAL fun began.. NOT!
2:00pm: An hour after the Pitocin drip administered, the contractions started up. Then they increased and were every 2-3 minutes and were HORRIFIC.. and only got worse. I'm pretty tough, but damn, this Pitocin SUCKS. I decided to try and take a bath. Took a 30 minute bath with the jets off and on.. That did NOT help. I was in pain.
As you can see from this picture. The contractions were so bad they went OFF of the charts... A couple more hours went by and I was starting to become way too uncomfortable and in so much pain. They checked me and I was only at a 5.. It was almost 6pm now and I was becoming exhausted and miserable. Pitocin is NO joke.
7:00pm: I ate some dinner and tried to relax as best I could... but after another hour of this Pitocin hell and slow dilation progress, I threw in the towel. It was time for an epidural. 6 hours after they started the Pitocin, I got an epidural put in. Within minutes, the pain was gone... And it was glorious!!!!! Crazy to see the contraction meter going nuts, but not feeling anything any longer. So, now, we just had to wait. I was confined from that point to my bed.. I was hoping and praying you would start progressing faster, so I could just hold you already!
Alas, that was not the case... I was in for a long night!
A couple hours later, I was just talking to Brad and his mom about who even knows what, when suddenly 5 nurses come running into the room and then one of them flips something on behind me and sticks a mask over my face and then another says, "we need to turn you NOW!" I had no clue what was happening and I started getting really freaked out. They flipped me from one side to the other side and told me to just breathe in the oxygen and stay calm, cause the baby's heart rate dropped dramatically. Seriously?? You want me to be calm?? I remained as calm as possible, but I looked at Brad and his mom with such worry. I was completely scared. And it was completely out of my control. After about 15 minutes, they let me take the oxygen off since you were stabilized. They had to give me Tylenol and antibiotics (in addition to the Pitocin and Epidual) because I had developed a fever and you were in distress. They wanted me to try and rest, so Brad laid down on the daddy bench bed in the window, and I tried to sleep...
Not more than an hour could have passed before again, a bunch of nurses came in, oxygen max went over my face and they were scrambling to turn me. They got you stabilized once more, but told me, if this happens one more time, then we will have to take me down for an emergency C-Section. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the dreaded C-Section?? This could NOT be happening. Just the mere thought of being sliced open makes me wanna hurl alllll over! I begged and pleaded with you inside of me to please not get so stressed out in my tummy. Mommy wanted to give birth to you, not be sliced open.. :-/
I was getting so worried about you in there. So stressed out, all because you were trying to be born. Poor little baby girl!
September 2, 2014 (Labor Day - How fitting hehe)
A few more sleepless hours went by of me being completely uncomfortable and nodding off from time to time.. but it became early morning.. And there I lay, wide awake... They check me and told me I was at a 9. Thank goodness I was almost there... And then another hour passed.
6:45am: Finally I was at a 10 (almost 24 hours after my water broke)! The doctor wanted me to try and rest for 30 more minutes so I could get some energy to push. So, I did what they told me.
7:15am: The on call doctor came in (Darn baby being born on a HOLIDAY!! But, thankfully I saw Dr. Tsuang for one of my appts at my clinic when my ob/gyn was on vacation- so she wasn't an absolute stranger LOL). I proceeded to try and push baby girl out. With each contraction, I was pushing.. and pushing hard. I wanted you out of me already so I could just hold you!
And, I noticed my epidural was wearing off.. I still couldn't feel the contractions, but I could feel everything else in my nether regions and legs.
Slowly, but surely you were making your way. Daddy and gramma Montemayor said they could see your hair on your little dome trying to make an escape. But, you were getting stuck..
9:45am: The doctor said they may need to get you out of the by means of the vacuum.. Argh, haven't you been through enough yet baby girl? Now they want to suction you out?? I tried my damnedest to push you out without assistance. Apparently, the way you were positioned was not going to make that possible.
10:15am: After 3 hours of pushing, I made the decision, to let them suction you.. They prepared everything for this to be done, and then about 5 more nurses and doctors showed up. They had to all be there, since this is a trauma to the baby being born this way. So, they needed as many doctors in there for each station to make sure you made it out and got checked/monitored safely. Once everything was set up and ready to go, the suction was applied to your little head and the next contraction I pushed and pushed and pushed again. Your head was nearly out! Next contraction, I pushed a couple more times, your head was out, then I pushed again and your shoulders and arms and the rest of you came! Took only 7 pushes once they had the suction assistance to get you out! Yup, that hurt, but the contractions themselves were 100 times worse than you actually coming out.
10:44am: My sweet, beautiful Adriana was born!!
They whisked you over to wipe you off and do doctor things, while I just watched from afar, hoping it would be quick so I could hold you already!
But my doctor (unbeknownst to me), was working on me, as apparently I was hemorrhaging really bad. I was too busy in lala land trying to see what they were doing with my baby girl and in a complete state of euphoria from suddenly becoming a mother, that I didn't even notice anything was wrong. Thankfully, they were able to stop the bleeding, but then I did notice I was beginning to feel lightheaded. Luckily, it didn't last suuuuuuuuuuper long.
Here they are checking you out.
Taking your vitals.
So many different things they had to check out to be sure you were totally ok.
Here they are weighing you! Officially 8lbs, 4oz and 20" long!
Finally, after 20 minutes I got to hold you!! What a stunning little miracle I gave birth to!
SOOOOOO HAPPY!!
Happy family (exhausted mama and cranky looking baby HAHA)
Proud papa.
Daddy was crying; he was so overjoyed to meet you!
Happy daddy and proud grandpa.
Beautiful little girl - Daddy had to take you upstairs to get heel pricks and an IV put in (since mommy had to be given the antibiotics and Tylenol during labor, you needed some antibiotics of your own). :(
Back from 45 minutes of torture upstairs!
Daddy admiring his baby girl.
Long, adorable fingers!
This is the very first picture I ever took of you, my beautiful baby girl. I took this with my camera phone and posted your glorious arrival on the wonderful world of social media. ;-)
Grabbing daddy's fingers.
Those are some freakishly long toes!!! Sorry baby girl, looks like you might have gotten mommy's big feet. LOL
Sleeping princess.
Your cousin Hailey was so excited to meet you. She's talking with the pediatric doctor about you.
In mommy's arms.
So peaceful.
Your uncle Michael is very happy to meet you and your GIANT cone head. Poor thing. HEHE
Auntie Christy loves her sweet little niece.
Auntie Angela got you a super cute outfit with your name on it! Your other cousin Hailey is holding it up. Silly cousin, why are you hiding?
Happy gramma Montemayor!
Mommy holding your little fingers.
Day 1 went decently. I was in a whole lot of pain, that I couldn't completely focus... but I was able to start breastfeeding, which was an interesting phenomenon. The nurses had to come in every 2 hours to check on Adriana, and either prick her or give her shots or something in her IV. It was horrible to witness. But, baby girl was at least getting sleep :-)
You developed jaundice (which isn't shocking since you were delivered via suction). So, you had to stay in one of these cool light therapy beds. Had to get your bilirubin levels up. You started turning yellow, but it's ok. You were still beautiful no matter what!
Yup, that sweetie is allllllll mine!
Unfortunately, we had to stay more than the normal 24 hours post birth.. An extra day for your jaundice and antibiotics and to monitor mommy as well. Every 2 hours checking on us all the first day and first night was quite grueling and exhausting.
Thankfully day 2 was MUCH better. Less checking of the both of us, so we were able to get some rest and bond more. I was actually able to get up and walk around without wanting to cry today too. We got some rest that night, which was much needed. The next morning came (Wednesday, the 4th- your due date) when we got the good news that we could finally go home. Thank goodness! 3 days straight in that place was making me antsy. I had not left that room since the walk around the maternity ward to speed up the labor, so I was itching to leave!!
Here you are at noon, after I dressed you in your first REAL outfit!
Carseat test passed! It was time to leave this place and start our new adventure with you as a family!
AND IT WAS TIME FOR YOU TO GO MEET YOUR GRAMMA IANNONE TOO! She was waiting ever so anxiously!
