Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
BabyD is here!
Jack Lucas arrived exactly on time - December 11th at 5:48am. He was 7lbs 3oz and 20 3/4 in long.
If anyone cares to hear the birth story:
If you recall in the Weekend Plans post that week, I mentioned that my birthday was on Saturday the 10th. I had a prenatal massage and dinner with my husband scheduled but knew that Baby (we didn't know the sex) would mess with those plans.
On Saturday at 8:30am I was sitting on the floor in the nursery folding clothes. I leaned to one side to grab a pile and I felt a small leak. I thought 'oh great. either I just wet myself or my water broke.' Mr.D was at a dentist appointment so while waiting for him to get home, I started gathering my stuff while waiting to see if I would leak a little more. It kept happening in small spurts but I wasn't having any contractions. Mr.D finally got home about 9 where I announced 'Happy birthday to me, my water broke.' His reaction was kind of funny because he looked shocked and in disbelief and didn't know what to do. I called my doc and then did some last minute things around the house while Mr.D went into spaz mode and started giving everything a quick clean. I kid you not, in an hour he cleaned the toilet and sink in the bathroom, vacuumed upstairs and downstairs, wiped down the kitchen counters, did a few dishes and dusted before I finally made him stop and pack his bag so we could go to the hospital.
Checked in to triage where they confirmed that my water broke. I was admitted about noon. I was still dilated at 1cm, which is where I had been for the past two weeks. They started me on antibiotics because I was GBS+ and also started the pitocin because I wasn't contracting. The contractions started getting pretty unbearable around 6pm that night and at that point I was dilated to 4cm. The epidural was ordered and by 7, everything was right with the world. The doc was fast and it was pretty painless. The contractions picked up but by 10:30 that night I was still only at 4cm so they turned up the pitocin.
At 4am they did another check and was only at 5cm even though I was still having contractions. More pitocin was administered and they were going to wait another hour to check. Luckily Baby was not under any duress during this process. At 5am they decided that I wasn't progressing and they wanted to do a C-section. They were worried about my uterus getting worn out and my cervix was getting really irritated and swollen. I got really upset because while I didn't have a birth plan, I had envisioned delivering vaginally and getting to hold my baby right away and now knew this wasn't going to happen. They also said that if my epidural wasn't strong enough, they were going to put me under general anesthesia, which brought on another round of tears.
They whisked me into the surgery room and about 20 minutes later, Mr.D stood up just as they were pulling Baby from me and announced it was a boy. We both burst into tears and I all but forced him to go over to him and take pictures since I couldn't see anything and didn't want to miss anything.
The worst part of the whole delivery actually happened afterwards in the recovery room. I guess my epidural wore off pretty quick and the morphine they were giving me wasn't being administered properly due to a malfunctioning pump. The pain quickly got ahead of me and I was shaking, crying and stiff as a board due to the burning pain. It took them some time to get a new pump and by this point, they were giving me Dilaudid because I was a 10 on the pain scale. I could hear poor Jack crying from across the room and that only upset me more because I couldn't have the skin to skin contact or first breastfeeding that was so important to me. They ended up giving him a little bit of formula since I couldn't feed him. At some point, I must have passed out from the meds because I woke up a couple of hours later in my PP room. A few hours later we had a whirlwind of visitors but I was pretty out of it still because I was still getting Dilaudid. When they finally took me off of it that night, I was feeling so much better and even was able to get out of bed a few times. And the next day, I felt as right as rain and was even moving around straightening up the room.
Besides the pain med issue, everything was great. I delivered at Abington and the nurses through my stay were fantastic and super helpful. We had issues latching (flat nipples, Jack not using his tongue correctly) and when the LCs (also awesome) weren't around, the nurses were just as helpful and supportive.
We're not sure why I never progressed past 5cm. My doctor thought Jack might have been too big to fit through my pelvis and when we was born, his neck was hyperextended (head way back instead of chin tucked down), so that might have had something to do with it also, but I guess we'll never really know.
I've actually been feeling awesome since a few days after Jack's birth and have been keeping busy around the house because it makes me feel so much better to be up and moving than sitting on the couch or in the bed. And Mr.D has been a super awesome, supportive husband and I'm so glad to have him around and happy that he wants to be so involved.
One final shoutout to the Breastfeeding Resource Center across the street from Abington Hospital. I had an appt today because I was still having some BF issues and it might have been the best $125 I ever spent.
#1 12.11.11
#2 10.23.13 EDD
Re: BabyD is here!
And the Lost babies continue!!
Congrats again! I was interested in hearing the birth story. I'm glad it all worked out in the end and your recovery has gone so well. He really is adorable and so considerate to not steal your birthday. ;-)
Congrats to you and Mr. D! I hope you will post pics when you can. I'm sorry that your delivery didn't go the way you wanted but am happy that you have a healthy baby boy!
ETA: That's what I get for posting when rocking a baby to sleep. He is beautiful, as I see in your sig!
Ha! Mr.D was already having fun with a few Lost lines and talking like Jack did.
#1 12.11.11
#2 10.23.13 EDD
My little nuggets
congrats jen and mr d- he is gorgeous!
Congrats!! He is precious!! Enjoy him!
Love the story about your husband cleaning before you left for the hospital! So funny!
TJW arrived 7/28/11
oh wonderful news, so happy for you guys!!
(and i don't know wtf is wrong with me...i've cried at every knotties birth story!)
Congratulations! Jack Lucas is so beautiful, such a cutie!
I am so happy you are feeling well now and also that hubby is such a good father and so supportive to you. So important. Thanks for sharing your birth story and also sharing that the Breastfeeding Resource Center has been such a great resource to you. Happy holidays.
Congratulations! He is a beauty!
Who helped you at the BRC? I went there as well and thought it was the best money I ever spent, too. I was there for a few hours for my fist appointment and I never felt like they were trying to rush me out or anything. They really wanted to make sure the baby and I were OK with things before we left. I also didn't feel like they were pushing BFing on me and they were so supportive of giving her some formula until I was able to get her tongue tie checked and clipped. I'm glad you had a great experience, too.
Wow, quite a story!
LOL about MrD's reaction. Good thing we learned all about how to react in childbirth class, right? Did you remember where 4 Toll was?
Can't wait to meet him!
Yay! So glad everyone is doing well!
I went to BRC once when I couldn't touch base with my regular LC and had a plugged duct. They are fantastic. I have heard good things about their support groups and classes too. Supposedly there is a good one about BLW and breastfeeding.
You may have already done this, but check with your insurance about the LC. I know mine covered one visit up to $100, just had to submit the receipt.
Congrats- he is adorable! I'm sorry you didn't get the birth you envisioned- I had the same thoughts myself when I wound up with an emergency c-section.
And I'm glad you enjoyed your experience at the BRC. I've never been myself, but have a few friends who rave about it and attend support groups. One of my friends actually volunteers for them now and runs classes and support groups and stuff. It sounds like a fabulous place!
DS 3.12.08
DD 7.11.09
DD 8.01.13
Congrats Jen!
I feel you with your c section issues because it sounds so much like mine. Luckily I was knocked out but when I woke up without having been numbed that burning pain was out of control! I just remember shaking uncontrollably and sadly, I couldn't even look at Tommy because I was in so much pain. Glad it all worked out in the end and you're both ok!
He is adorable, you're going to have such a fun Christmas with him!
I'm sorry about the medication issue...that must have been scary! On a lighter note, I love that your DH cleaned the house before you went to the hospital.
Congrats to you and your hubby and enjoy the best little christmas present EVER