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Hi from the hospital! (With long birth story)
First, thanks to Amberley for the updates and for checking on me yesterday and today, and to everyone for the cheers and congratulations. Our birth didn't go exactly as I hoped, but what I really wanted was a safe delivery and healthy baby, and I got both of those, so I am deeming it a success over all.
We went in for the induction at 7:30am Monday morning. Despite taking something to help me sleep, I woke up at 4:30 anyway thanks to my bladder and excitement. I got checked in and got to my room. My OBs group has 3 doctors, and the one that did my induction was not on call, but decided to be for me anyway. It worked out well because he was always available to check in on us, which became helpful later.
We started pitocin around 8 and my OB broke my water around 10. Things got more intense but not too bad. When I got moderately uncomfortable I asked for the epidural because they said if would take about 30-45 minutes to get it. Five minutes later, they were in my room. My epidural was awesome because I could still move my legs but the contractions were painless. Around noon I had progressed some, but not a lot, so they kept turning up the pitocin. When it got to 10 ml/hr LO started having some heart rate decelerations during contractions. The HR would come back up, but it was still concerning. My doctor had us stop the pitocin and see how the baby responded, and he improved. We ended up turning the pitocin back on and starting from scratch with increasing the rate. Once the pitocin got back to 10 or so, LO had more of the decelerations. And occasionally his heart rate didn't show much variability, so I wore oxygen for a while and kept flipping from side to side to try to stabilize him.
My OB was cautious, but not overly concerned. He didn't want to rush into surgery and assured me things were fine. Sometimes he would check back in about the monitor and we talked about the pros and cons of surgery. I told him I really didn't mind if that was necessary because all I wanted to do was take my baby home, I didn't really care how that happened.
By 10:30 or so I had still not progressed, because every time we increased the pitocin LO started to struggle again. They decided 12:30 would be decision time. Either I would show progress, or surgery was likely. Shortly before then, LO's heart rate dropped to the 70s and stayed there for about 2-2.5 minutes. They put oxygen on me, flipped me back and forth, and were about to get me on my hands and knees when he started to improve finally. I decided at that point that a vaginal birth was not worth the risk of going through another decel like that, and my OB agreed.
Unfortunately due to the OR being booked with another surgery, set up time and I'm pretty sure the OR people took a lunch break, I didn't get to surgery until 3:30am. But LO remained stable the whole time, so it wasn't too bad.
Surgery went smoothly and at 3:54 we heard our baby, Liam, cry. DH got to take lots of pictures and held him throughout the end of my surgery. Liam weighted 8lbs 13oz and was 21.5 inches long. We went to recovery after surgery and thanks to the pain and nausea meds I got, I pretty much passed out for about 3 hours. We got to our postpartum room around 8 this morning and DH and I both managed a good nap.
Liam is doing very well so far. The heart rate drops never put him in any distress. Because he was so big (90th percentile) we had to check his blood sugar before feeds for the first 12 hours. Breastfeeding did not go too well today because he was sleepy from surgery and he has some mucous in his belly (because the c section didn't allow for him to get it squeezed out) that is causing him to gag and spit up a lot. Despite marathon attempts by me and the LC, we could get him to latch great, but not to suck much at all. So we did small amounts of formula by eye dropper for the last few feeds. I don't feel fantastic about it, but I want to make sure he gets nutrition, and at least he does get small amounts of colostrum for the bit that he does suck. Because his latch is so good, everyone is confident that he will do well with BF once his tummy clears out in the next few days.
we will likely be here until Friday afternoon sometime. We are enjoying every second with our little miracle baby 
Congrats to both my TTC buddies, Amberley18 and sb2006 on their beautiful babies!
Re: Hi from the hospital! (With long birth story)
Congratulations on the safe arrival of Liam!
When M was born he didn't know how to latch or suck and we had to supplement with formula too in the beginning by a syringe, but he is a champ at bf now and I'm sure Liam will be too!
Hope you have a speedy recovery and enjoy lots baby snuggles with him!
Congratulations again and hey, overachiever! It took me 2weeks of five minute intervals to finish my birth story!!!
I am so happy that everyone is healthy, hope BFing improves over the next couple of days and your recovery is quick!
After 31 cycles and two losses, we've been blessed with a healthy baby girl!
Congrats to both of my amazing TTC Buddies, tdmd09 and sb2006!!
Life of Amberley
UK -- I am glad to hear this! I felt a bit guilty about the formula but I figure if the LC in a very pro breastfeeding hospital is recommending it as the best option, it probably is. And it's all dropper feeding so no bottles. He latches great but just won't suck. And sometimes he gets so excited about his latch that he sticks his hands up by his face and then propels himself backwards, breaking it. It's cute and frustrating at the same time
Amberley -- I had to write it somewhere or I would forget a lot! And I had just let them take Liam to the nursery for his assessment and a dropper feed so we could sleep without listening to the gagging or spitting up. I figured writing about my baby would make me miss him a little less. :-/
Congrats to both my TTC buddies, Amberley18 and sb2006 on their beautiful babies!
Congratulations! I had a similar experience to you. Don't worry, the breast feeding gets easier
*TTC since 10/11*
BFP: 9/30/12, EDD: 6/15/13
*~*Our miracle arrived on 6/13/13*~*
Congrats! Don't worry about the formula. R didn't latch at all in the hospital and we ended up giving her formula and some pumped colostrum but she's been EBF ever since we left the hospital, it seems to happen a lot.
Rest up and welcome to Mommyhood!
4 losses: Blighted ovum 1/11, CP 12/11, CP 3/12, and our perfectly healthy baby girl Charlotte Grace, missed M/C 5/31/12 at 8w5d
Surprise unmedicated BFP 9/21/12!! Beta #1 9/22 (10 DPO): 46 Beta #2 9/24 (12 DPO): 226! Heartbeat 136 bpm at 7w! It's a BOY! Theodore Joshua 5/23/13 7:36am 7lb 13 oz, 19.25 in
TTC since Sept 2009, 2 uterine septum surgeries (Jan and March 2011), 1 chemical pregnancy (4/11), 1 ectopic pregnancy (8/11), and missed m/c at 11w5d (3/12)
Failed IVF #1 (July 2012)
FET #1 October/November 2012 BFP, m/c at 5 3/7
February - operative hysteroscopy
Late April/May FET #2
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I can't reply on my phone, but I read it, and thank you
Congrats to both my TTC buddies, Amberley18 and sb2006 on their beautiful babies!
Our Little Raspberry-Born 3/27/12
We Said I Do 09/06/09
My new bff Gayle Forman!
“You can have your wishes, your plans, but at the end of the day, it's out of your control"
- Gayle Forman
"People talk about escapism as if it's a bad thing... Once you've escaped, once you come back, the world is not the same as when you left it. You come back to it with skills, weapons, knowledge you didn't have before. Then you are better equipped to deal with your current reality."
- Neil Gaiman
Married Bio
BFP Chart
The Daily Nugget
Cycle 12, IUI #1 - 33m post wash 10/15/10 = BFN
Cycle 13, IUI #2 - 15m post wash 11/16/10 = BFP, missed m/c, D&C 1/3/11
Cycle 15 - 18, IUI #3-6 = BFN
Cycle 20, IUI #7 = BFP!, missed m/c 9/14, D&C
DE-IVF Aug. 2012: ER 8/30 11R, 7M, 4F; ET 9/4 returned 2
Beta 9/18 #1-820, #2-1699, #3-7124
10/1 1st u/s measuring right on track, 125 bpm
Congrats to my TTC buddies Amberley18 and tdmd09!
After 25 months- medicated cycles and a failed IUI- The most planned surprise baby ever is on his way!