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I finally got my new banner finished and posted. Trying to catch up on lots of stuff while recovering from the c-section and this stubborn cold.
Hoping to write more soon.


My little elf!

Numb, Scared and Ripped Apart

I remember telling several medical personnel that I have a right pelvic kidney. It works, it’s just in the wrong place. The Doctor said this would not effect the procedure.

So I was rolled into the operating room. The anaesthesiologist explained my options. I just said yes. I was scared.

I began to panic when it felt like the operation was starting and hubby wasn’t with me. Finally he was holding my hand. I felt pressure and tugging. It felt like the baby was suctioned in my belly. I could almost hear an audible “pop” as they pulled him out. I remember thinking “Nothing else has gone according to the plan. He’s going to end up being a girl and I have nothing for her to wear.”

Then he was out. The doctor confirmed that I had a little boy. Hubby told me to look behind him. The nurses were cleaning him up. “He looks like me!” I said.

(I am the baby in the black and white and my little boy is in colour)


As they removed the placenta I swear I could feel them moving my kidney. I became vocal about it – like these doctors don’t know what they are doing.

Hubby was able to hold the baby. As they finished with me, hubby and baby were carted away to a recovery room. I soon followed. Nurse Paula was with me again as the drugs wore off. I shook like crazy and was upset I couldn’t hold my baby. Hubby brought him over to me. Then I was carted off to my room where I remained from Friday to Sunday.

I hated being in the hospital and asked to be sent home a day early. I was originally supposed to be discharged on Monday.

This precious little creature is so worth it!

Mother Load

Hubby finally reappeared as the nurse prepared for baby’s arrival. He had driven an hour to pick up my mom and an hour back to the hospital. And though I was mad that he left me for so long I was so happy my mom was with me.

Eventually, I was told to push. I couldn’t feel my contractions so I really relied on hubby to tell me when they started (he could see the monitor). I had a hard time pushing in the right spot but eventually everyone could see the top of the baby’s head crowning. Yep! He was right there! But more pushing did nothing. Part of my cervix was holding him back and he was “sunny side up” as the nurse explained it. The doctor was called in to assess the situation. I was exhausted.

At first the vacuum was suggested for delivery. I was agreeing to anything. Lying in wait for 24 hours I just wanted it to be over. Then the dreaded words came. Baby’s heart rate had dropped and I should have a c-section. I was brave at first. “So much for a birth plan.” Everyone laughed. I joked with the nurse (nurse Paula is an amazing lady!). I apologized for ruining her vaginal delivery record. Then we all became quiet, waiting for O.R. to be prepped. I began to cry. Nurse Paula encouraged my tears. “It’s alright to cry.” But I tried to be brave.

Is this Baby Ever Gonna Come?

Hubby stayed with me at the hospital over night on a pull-out chair/bed. I kept waking up, noting that nothing was happening. I thought, “Damn this epidural is great! I don’t feel a thing.” I slept as advised to save my strength for labour.

By morning hubby was really restless. He needed to get out and though I can’t blame him I did feel abandoned. He told me he was going home to check the cats and eat. He’d be back in an hour.

I was 8 cm dilated and it was taking about 2 hours per cm at this point.

While hubby was gone, things started to progress and the nurse said we could try pushing soon. I was upset – hubby wasn’t back yet and he was taking longer than he said he would. I started thinking he was home enjoying himself – loving wife forgotten about. Or worse, he’d been in an accident and our baby would be fatherless. I started to cry.

And the birth plan went flying out the window

The nurses were given my birth plan upon my admission. I was aware that a birth plan could not be written in stone. Anything can happen (or in my case nothing could happen) and we'd have to go to plan B (the unplanned). So despite not wanting induction I was given some pills to start contraction and told to walk the hospital corridors. I did begin to experience some contractions. More like menstrual cramps, which were nothing compared to the cramps I had as a teenager. Is this it? Screw the epidural!

Back to the room for more monitoring. Baby still good. Dilation starting slowly, but no regularity to contractions. What the Hell!

Eventually Oxytocin was administered through my IV. (I've always been creeped out by IVs sticking out of people arms or hands. I hadn't ever had one myself until this point in my life. I had to distract myself from it. Always afraid I'm gonna rip it out by accident.)

It did look like the oxytocin was working. Contractions started to pick up. It's all kind of fuzzy but I was sent to a delivery room and continued to be monitored. The nurse suggested that I walk to get things moving. As soon as I stood up I got a doozy of a contraction and wanted my drugs now. Looking back I wish I hadn't started the drugs so soon. But I was scared and tired.

That night I was given my epidural. And so began my lying in bed for who knows how long!?

So It Began...

I left you all with the exciting announcement that my water broke at 2am October 22nd.

The night before as we watched Heroes on DVD the baby was kicking like crazy. I mean it looked like I was about to pop out an alien right through my stomach. Feet and hands pushing out all over the place I knew something was up.

Once my water broke and I woke up hubby with the exciting news, I called the hospital and was told to stay home and wait for contractions which should start by morning. I tried to go back to sleep after hubby and I changed the wet bedding. (My water really broke, not just a trickle.)

I was too excited to sleep so I paced the house hoping to encourage contractions. I googled like a mad woman, wondering where these darned contractions were! They were very mild and irregular. I did finally go back to bed and made sure the baby was still kicking.

At about 9:30 that morning I was in the shower and a small blood clot came out and I was alarmed. I called the hospital again and they told me to come in. Turns out it was just my mucus plug - perfectly normal. I was put on the fetal monitor for a bit, still no real contraction. I was sent home and instructed to go for a walk. Come back around 2pm.

Hubby and I went to the squirrel park, excited and nervous. I kept saying that too bad baby didn't wait a day. The 23rd is hubby's birthday. I was experiencing some contractions, but still nothing significant.

At 2pm we went back to the hospital despite the lack of contractions. I was beginning to wonder what the hell was going on. I had read that once the water broke it was important to monitor the baby by 12 or 24 hours in case of infection. The triage nurses did wonder why I came in when nothing was happening. I've never done this before - Give me a break!

To be continued...

It's Starting...ever so slowly

My water broke at around 2am this morning. I called triage and since I didn't have contractions was told to stay home rest, eat and walk around and make sure I feel the baby moving. Everything seems to be fine. Except that I've only gotten a few contractions. Nothing consistent!

I'm not sure how much longer I should wait. I did a google search, but some of those answers were stupid. One person suggested sex to bring on the contractions. One with broken waters is to do no such thing as it could cause infection.

So for now I am going to walk around the house. Hoping to bring on the contractions naturally. Then I'll call the triage again and ask them how long I should wait. I would like it to happen on its own. I've heard drug induced labour is intense.

Wish me luck...I'm so excited!!!