Saturday, November 29, 2008
pattern
I am nervous to blog about this becasue I don't want to jinx it . G has been feeding now every 3 hours and will sleep from 9pm -2am and then from 3:00am till 7am. This is huge . We have gotten sleep for the past 4 nights and it has been great. Rory sleeps until about 4am and then crawels in bed till with us until 7am . I hope we have turned a tiny corner.
Friday, November 21, 2008
updates
G has some digestive issues . She was only pooping once every 2 days and was miserable . She would scream at the breast (probably because of my over supply) and strain for 1 to 2 hours after . THe doctor has to manually decompact her . We are now giving her 2 ounces of tea a day. I also have cut out caffeine , chocolate and diary out of my diet . I hope this helps . With Rory I could eat anything I wanted.
Rory is doing ok with the change. She stills sings "baby go out the door" over and over again. This is a song she made up after about a day of the baby being home. I tried to take them both to a toddler library class and it was a disaster . I really need to be one on one with Rory at the class not feeding the baby in the corner . I really need to figure out how I can take Rory and leave G with someone so she can get interaction with kids. Also we are trapped inside a bit more because of the baby so it is hard on her.
Marc and Kate are struggling . More fighting and sooo tired . We take shifts all night long and it is wearing on us. G needs special care after feeding / upright for over 30 minutes .
That is really about it.
Rory is doing ok with the change. She stills sings "baby go out the door" over and over again. This is a song she made up after about a day of the baby being home. I tried to take them both to a toddler library class and it was a disaster . I really need to be one on one with Rory at the class not feeding the baby in the corner . I really need to figure out how I can take Rory and leave G with someone so she can get interaction with kids. Also we are trapped inside a bit more because of the baby so it is hard on her.
Marc and Kate are struggling . More fighting and sooo tired . We take shifts all night long and it is wearing on us. G needs special care after feeding / upright for over 30 minutes .
That is really about it.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
doulas version of birth story !!
Gwenneth’s Birth Story
Kate and Mark called Suzanne on the morning of Monday, October 20, 2008 to report that Kate had been having contractions overnight. They were irregular and manageable, but consistently there! Suzanne told them to time out the contractions and call back in an hour. By the time they called back, Melani picked up the phone and was told by Kate that her water may have broken. The contractions were still irregular and bearable, so Kate continued to keep Melani posted until it was decided that Melani would come give Kate acupuncture at 12:30 PM to help increase the contractions.
Melani arrived at 12:30 PM to find Kate resting in bed and began the acupuncture treatment. After Kate’s treatment and an attempt at napping, Kate and Melani decided to go for a walk in the park while Mark played with Rory. From 2 to 2:45 PM, Melani and Kate strolled in the sun and then rested for 20 minutes on a grass field under a tree. While resting, Kate’s contractions increased in strength and were still irregular.
Upon returning home, Kate and Mark decided it was time to take Rory to her babysitter. Kate said goodbye to Rory, very aware that the next time she would see her daughter, they would be a family of four. Kate received another acupuncture treatment and massage while sitting on the birthball. When Mark returned home, Kate and Mark decided to go rest together in the park and Melani headed home. They would keep her posted on Kate’s progress and on their conversation with the doctor.
At about 10 PM, Mark called Ayla, the next doula/acupuncturist on shift and asked her to come over for support. Kate had been having contractions every 8 minutes or so since 5 PM in the afternoon and the contractions seemed to be getting much stronger and closer together. Kate was feeling worried and wondering whether it was time to go to the hospital.
Ayla arrived at around 10:45 PM and both Kate and Mark were tired from a long day. Kate was having some difficulty getting comfortable so she and Ayla experimented with different positions. Kate was also finding it hard to breath through her contractions so she, Mark, and Ayla practiced various breathing exercises. Despite their fatigue, both Kate and Mark were in high spirits, cracking jokes, and entertaining one another and their doula. Contractions were steady between 3 – 4 minutes apart for about two hours and Kate decided she wanted to go to the hospital. This seemed like a wise idea to everyone as this was a VBAC delivery and Dr. Worth wanted to be very cautious.
After a somewhat uncomfortable car ride, Kate, Mark, and Ayla arrived at St. Vincent’s at approximately 2 AM. At this point, it was determined that Kate was 1cm dilated and 60% effaced. This news was discouraging for Kate and she began to doubt her ability to follow through with her plans for a vaginal delivery. Another setback was the need to administer IV fluids. This worried Kate because she really did not want to be attached to an IV or have continuous fetal monitoring. Through all this, Mark was unwaveringly positive and supportive and encouraged Kate to stick to her plan. Ayla concurred that coming to the hospital had been a very wise choice and that, with some rest and fluids, there was every reason to believe that a vaginal delivery was possible. Aside from the very young and very tired resident with a poor bedside manner, the entire staff at St. Vincent’s was also very supportive and encouraging.
Together, Kate and Mark came to the decision to ask that Kate be given a dose of Demerol so she could nap a bit. At around 4 AM, Kate was given Demerol and the entire birth team took a short nap. It was still very difficult for Kate to breath through the contractions so over the course of the next two hours, Ayla coached Kate through breathing exercises to help her relax. By 6 AM Kate was breathing well and had found her power. When the new nurse came in at 7 AM, Kate said she wanted to be taken off the IV and allowed to walk around. Dr. Worth approved and Kate was taken off IV and the fetal heart monitor was removed. This was a big relief to Kate and she experimented with walking, sitting in different positions, and using the birth ball. Mark was helping by massaging her lower back during contractions.
At approximately 8 AM, Dr. Musali, came in to perform a second vaginal exam and it was determined that Kate was 80% effaced, and the baby had dropped significantly. She was still only 1 cm dilated but Dr. Musali was not worried about this. He explained that sometimes the first 3 cm of dilation take a very long time but after this point the labor can go very quickly. He told Kate that they were not in a rush and that she would have all the time she needed to progress. Dr. Worth came in an hour later and she too was very optimistic. Also encouraging was that both doctors agreed to let Kate have intermittent fetal heart monitoring, which would mean that Kate could walk around, and change positions for contractions.
Kate was disappointed by her lack of progress but both Mark and Ayla assured her that there was no reason to feel discouraged. Ayla reminded Kate that she had finally found a good breathing rhythm and that from now on she would likely feel much more relaxed. Everyone was on board for a vaginal delivery but it was clear that this would likely be quite a long day. Kate decided to ask for another 1/2 dose of Demerol to help cope with the pain and Ayla said goodbye to the laboring couple at about 9:30 AM.
Sharon arrived at 11:00 AM to find Kate resting peacefully between contractions. Since the early morning, Mark remained at Kate’s side and every 6 minutes he helped sit her up in order to breath through each contraction. Sharon joined in and both she and Mark together and taking turns, massaged Kate’s back and coached her through each contraction. Sharon made sure Kate had some ice chips after each contraction. The 9:30 AM Demerol dose allowed Kate to doze between contractions but as time passed, the analgesic effect began to wear off.
At 12:50 PM, Dr. Worth came in and performed another vaginal exam. Kate was at 3 cm dilated and about 90% effaced. Kate was discouraged by the results and the pain with contractions continued to increase. She had hoped she would be around 5-6 cm dilated for this is where she hoped to be before consenting to an epidural. Dr. Worth discussed with Kate, Mark, and Sharon the various possibilities of getting more Demerol, receiving an epidural, or opting for a C-section. Dr. Worth also suggested an internal monitor so Kate could remove the external monitor and allow for more position changes. Wanting to be more alert, Kate and Sharon discussed the idea of allowing the Demerol to wear off and labor without any intervention before deciding to get an epidural. Kate was in adamant agreement. She bravely experimented with different positions on the bed and labored for one and a half hours before getting the epidural.
Administered at 2:30 PM , the epidural took an unusually long time to set in so the anesthesiologist very accommodatingly stayed nearby to adjust the dosage. Of course, Kate’s offer of tickets to the Colbert Report for a job well done was also very alluring! By 3:30 PM, the epidural offered more pain relief, but Kate could still feel pain down the sides of her legs and the lower left portion of her belly. Dr. Musali came in to check on Kate and his calm, collected presence was very much appreciated by all parties. He continued to assert that there was plenty of room in Kate’s pelvis to go through with a vaginal delivery and that the baby was not too big. After discovering that Kate was about 4 cm dilated following a vaginal exam, Dr. Musali suggested Kate get a pressure catheter to measure the strength of the uterine contractions to ascertain why dilation seemed slow. After a thoughtful discussion, with the unwavering advocacy of Mark, everyone agreed that it was best for Kate to continue to strive for a VBAC and that the next best step was to redo the epidural to see if she could get more pain relief. At 6 PM, the epidural was re-set and by 6:30 PM, Kate received complete pain relief. A success! Kate fell into a deep sleep and even though Pitocin was conservatively administered at 7 PM, Kate continued to sleep soundly for the next 2 and a half hours without even waking during the contractions! Sharon rested along with Kate and although Mark may have intended to rest, he never took his eyes off the monitor and vigilantly watched each contraction as they increased in strength.
At 9:30 PM, Dr. Moon came in and performed another vaginal exam. To everyone’s surprise and delight, Kate was fully dilated and ready to push! Did Mark’s watchful eyes will full dilation? Kate, groggy from just awaking, was in disbelief. “Is this a dream?” she asked. But it was no dream. Soon, Rachel, the new nurse on duty, joined Dr. Moon, Mark and Sharon as they supported Kate through her first pushes. Dr. Moon immediately called Dr. Worth who raced to return to attend the birth. Although everyone wanted Dr. Worth to be present, Kate saw her chance and was determined to push still not believing that the baby was heading in only one direction: out! Soon, Dr. Worth arrived and pushing was underway. Kate holding her own legs, Mark and Sharon stationed on each side supporting her, Kate led the way as only she could feel when a contraction was coming on. Dr. Worth and Rachel took turns guiding Kate with when and where to push. Kate was a natural pusher. Even with decreased sensation from the epidural, she knew to push low and strong. Kate even requested the epidural be turned off so she could feel more.
After an hour and a half of beautiful pushes, on Oct. 21st, 2008, lovely Gwenneth joined her parents at 11:03 PM.
Kate and Mark called Suzanne on the morning of Monday, October 20, 2008 to report that Kate had been having contractions overnight. They were irregular and manageable, but consistently there! Suzanne told them to time out the contractions and call back in an hour. By the time they called back, Melani picked up the phone and was told by Kate that her water may have broken. The contractions were still irregular and bearable, so Kate continued to keep Melani posted until it was decided that Melani would come give Kate acupuncture at 12:30 PM to help increase the contractions.
Melani arrived at 12:30 PM to find Kate resting in bed and began the acupuncture treatment. After Kate’s treatment and an attempt at napping, Kate and Melani decided to go for a walk in the park while Mark played with Rory. From 2 to 2:45 PM, Melani and Kate strolled in the sun and then rested for 20 minutes on a grass field under a tree. While resting, Kate’s contractions increased in strength and were still irregular.
Upon returning home, Kate and Mark decided it was time to take Rory to her babysitter. Kate said goodbye to Rory, very aware that the next time she would see her daughter, they would be a family of four. Kate received another acupuncture treatment and massage while sitting on the birthball. When Mark returned home, Kate and Mark decided to go rest together in the park and Melani headed home. They would keep her posted on Kate’s progress and on their conversation with the doctor.
At about 10 PM, Mark called Ayla, the next doula/acupuncturist on shift and asked her to come over for support. Kate had been having contractions every 8 minutes or so since 5 PM in the afternoon and the contractions seemed to be getting much stronger and closer together. Kate was feeling worried and wondering whether it was time to go to the hospital.
Ayla arrived at around 10:45 PM and both Kate and Mark were tired from a long day. Kate was having some difficulty getting comfortable so she and Ayla experimented with different positions. Kate was also finding it hard to breath through her contractions so she, Mark, and Ayla practiced various breathing exercises. Despite their fatigue, both Kate and Mark were in high spirits, cracking jokes, and entertaining one another and their doula. Contractions were steady between 3 – 4 minutes apart for about two hours and Kate decided she wanted to go to the hospital. This seemed like a wise idea to everyone as this was a VBAC delivery and Dr. Worth wanted to be very cautious.
After a somewhat uncomfortable car ride, Kate, Mark, and Ayla arrived at St. Vincent’s at approximately 2 AM. At this point, it was determined that Kate was 1cm dilated and 60% effaced. This news was discouraging for Kate and she began to doubt her ability to follow through with her plans for a vaginal delivery. Another setback was the need to administer IV fluids. This worried Kate because she really did not want to be attached to an IV or have continuous fetal monitoring. Through all this, Mark was unwaveringly positive and supportive and encouraged Kate to stick to her plan. Ayla concurred that coming to the hospital had been a very wise choice and that, with some rest and fluids, there was every reason to believe that a vaginal delivery was possible. Aside from the very young and very tired resident with a poor bedside manner, the entire staff at St. Vincent’s was also very supportive and encouraging.
Together, Kate and Mark came to the decision to ask that Kate be given a dose of Demerol so she could nap a bit. At around 4 AM, Kate was given Demerol and the entire birth team took a short nap. It was still very difficult for Kate to breath through the contractions so over the course of the next two hours, Ayla coached Kate through breathing exercises to help her relax. By 6 AM Kate was breathing well and had found her power. When the new nurse came in at 7 AM, Kate said she wanted to be taken off the IV and allowed to walk around. Dr. Worth approved and Kate was taken off IV and the fetal heart monitor was removed. This was a big relief to Kate and she experimented with walking, sitting in different positions, and using the birth ball. Mark was helping by massaging her lower back during contractions.
At approximately 8 AM, Dr. Musali, came in to perform a second vaginal exam and it was determined that Kate was 80% effaced, and the baby had dropped significantly. She was still only 1 cm dilated but Dr. Musali was not worried about this. He explained that sometimes the first 3 cm of dilation take a very long time but after this point the labor can go very quickly. He told Kate that they were not in a rush and that she would have all the time she needed to progress. Dr. Worth came in an hour later and she too was very optimistic. Also encouraging was that both doctors agreed to let Kate have intermittent fetal heart monitoring, which would mean that Kate could walk around, and change positions for contractions.
Kate was disappointed by her lack of progress but both Mark and Ayla assured her that there was no reason to feel discouraged. Ayla reminded Kate that she had finally found a good breathing rhythm and that from now on she would likely feel much more relaxed. Everyone was on board for a vaginal delivery but it was clear that this would likely be quite a long day. Kate decided to ask for another 1/2 dose of Demerol to help cope with the pain and Ayla said goodbye to the laboring couple at about 9:30 AM.
Sharon arrived at 11:00 AM to find Kate resting peacefully between contractions. Since the early morning, Mark remained at Kate’s side and every 6 minutes he helped sit her up in order to breath through each contraction. Sharon joined in and both she and Mark together and taking turns, massaged Kate’s back and coached her through each contraction. Sharon made sure Kate had some ice chips after each contraction. The 9:30 AM Demerol dose allowed Kate to doze between contractions but as time passed, the analgesic effect began to wear off.
At 12:50 PM, Dr. Worth came in and performed another vaginal exam. Kate was at 3 cm dilated and about 90% effaced. Kate was discouraged by the results and the pain with contractions continued to increase. She had hoped she would be around 5-6 cm dilated for this is where she hoped to be before consenting to an epidural. Dr. Worth discussed with Kate, Mark, and Sharon the various possibilities of getting more Demerol, receiving an epidural, or opting for a C-section. Dr. Worth also suggested an internal monitor so Kate could remove the external monitor and allow for more position changes. Wanting to be more alert, Kate and Sharon discussed the idea of allowing the Demerol to wear off and labor without any intervention before deciding to get an epidural. Kate was in adamant agreement. She bravely experimented with different positions on the bed and labored for one and a half hours before getting the epidural.
Administered at 2:30 PM , the epidural took an unusually long time to set in so the anesthesiologist very accommodatingly stayed nearby to adjust the dosage. Of course, Kate’s offer of tickets to the Colbert Report for a job well done was also very alluring! By 3:30 PM, the epidural offered more pain relief, but Kate could still feel pain down the sides of her legs and the lower left portion of her belly. Dr. Musali came in to check on Kate and his calm, collected presence was very much appreciated by all parties. He continued to assert that there was plenty of room in Kate’s pelvis to go through with a vaginal delivery and that the baby was not too big. After discovering that Kate was about 4 cm dilated following a vaginal exam, Dr. Musali suggested Kate get a pressure catheter to measure the strength of the uterine contractions to ascertain why dilation seemed slow. After a thoughtful discussion, with the unwavering advocacy of Mark, everyone agreed that it was best for Kate to continue to strive for a VBAC and that the next best step was to redo the epidural to see if she could get more pain relief. At 6 PM, the epidural was re-set and by 6:30 PM, Kate received complete pain relief. A success! Kate fell into a deep sleep and even though Pitocin was conservatively administered at 7 PM, Kate continued to sleep soundly for the next 2 and a half hours without even waking during the contractions! Sharon rested along with Kate and although Mark may have intended to rest, he never took his eyes off the monitor and vigilantly watched each contraction as they increased in strength.
At 9:30 PM, Dr. Moon came in and performed another vaginal exam. To everyone’s surprise and delight, Kate was fully dilated and ready to push! Did Mark’s watchful eyes will full dilation? Kate, groggy from just awaking, was in disbelief. “Is this a dream?” she asked. But it was no dream. Soon, Rachel, the new nurse on duty, joined Dr. Moon, Mark and Sharon as they supported Kate through her first pushes. Dr. Moon immediately called Dr. Worth who raced to return to attend the birth. Although everyone wanted Dr. Worth to be present, Kate saw her chance and was determined to push still not believing that the baby was heading in only one direction: out! Soon, Dr. Worth arrived and pushing was underway. Kate holding her own legs, Mark and Sharon stationed on each side supporting her, Kate led the way as only she could feel when a contraction was coming on. Dr. Worth and Rachel took turns guiding Kate with when and where to push. Kate was a natural pusher. Even with decreased sensation from the epidural, she knew to push low and strong. Kate even requested the epidural be turned off so she could feel more.
After an hour and a half of beautiful pushes, on Oct. 21st, 2008, lovely Gwenneth joined her parents at 11:03 PM.
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