Leni's Birth Story

What a whirlwind couple of days... My last post was about how discouraging that last appointment was and yet the membrane stripping really worked it seems (plus the spicy soup i had for dinner and the praying, of course). I went into labor 9 hours later and had Leni the next morning!

So to start, I started to have crampy contractions around 9 PM, but I wasn't sure if it was just from the membrane stripping or if i was actually in labor. They were not yet uncomfortable and were coming around 7-10 minutes apart, so I thought okay, maybe there is a possibility, but didn't get my hopes up. I went to bed at 10 PM and woke up at midnight to go to the bathroom and when I tried to sleep again, I found myself having to breathe through these contractions. I tried to sleep as best as I could in between, but that was rather difficult. Finally, I just sat in the kitchen and fiddled around on the computer a bit. My mom saw me and asked me why i wasn't sleeping and I told her i was having crampy contractions, but i thought they were more from the appointment earlier and not the real deal. She went to bed and I once again tried to get some shut-eye. 

At 3 AM or so, I woke Jesse up to tell him I think I'm in labor and he couldn't believe it. I was sleeping in the downstairs living room for the last couple of weeks on the couch because i couldn't lay flat on the bed anymore and so he didn't know i was up and about for hours already. He stayed up with me for a little while, but I told him to go back to bed because he was annoying me more than anything (oh the joys of a woman in labor, LOL)...

Finally, around 6 AM, i am tired and these contractions are getting very, very frequent, about 2-3 minutes apart, but not lasting that long - maybe 45 seconds? and I was having good pain-free breaks in between. We packed up the rest of our bag and I had a quick shower and we headed to the hospital. 

Once we got there, the nurse didn't hesitate one moment to check me because the contractions were so close together and the fact that this is my second baby. I told her I'm expecting her to give me bad news, that i'm 3 cm maybe. She checked me and said "well, i have no bad news... you're 7 cm and fully effaced. Let's get you admitted and into the Labor Room".

"What?" - Jesse and Me at the same time...

I was only praying that i was at least 4 cm so they could give me an epidural and never expected her to tell me i was so far along. I hopped into the shower and though i was close to being fully dilated, i asked for an epidural (good foresight on my part, as you will read below).

I was in the shower for maybe 30 minutes when they came back to check me and I was like a good 8 or more. Dr. Walsh, the anesthesiologist, came and did my epidural (which was a lot more discomforting than I remember). Right away as soon as the medication went in, i could tell that it wasn't done very well as my entire left leg went numb pretty quickly, but not my right leg. In fact, there was like an area of the size of my hand around my right lower belly that had complete feeling and so every contraction was a full-fledged painful one in that spot. I didn't mind so much though because it really helped me to feel every contraction and know when it was coming and happening (unlike with Gemma initially)...

It wasn't long after that I was checked and was like 9 cm. The delivery doctor was Dr. Lukwinski, the same doc who did my membrane stripping the day before. She beamed when she came into the room and said she was so happy to hear i had been admitted (and was so proud of her membrane-stripping skills, LOL). She said although i was so close to being fully dilated, the baby was still at high station. She broke my water and so much gushed out and helped to bring Leni's head down a bit. She said once I start to feel pressure to push, she would come back and we could start pushing. 

Not long after, I began to feel some pressure and so the nurse, after checking me and finding that I was fully dilated, encouraged me to do some practice pushes. You hear of these second-time moms who pop their kids out in two pushes whatnot and because i didn't have too much trouble with Gemma, I was feeling pretty confident - but still very nervous. 

I pushed and pushed and nothing was happening. Dr. Lukwinski came and said while I was pushing correctly, the baby's head wasn't budging at all. She thought maybe Leni was "sunny side up" (facing up instead of down) and that was why I was having troubles moving her down. They monitored things constantly and encouraged me to try different positions, including standing and squatting, to see if gravity could help things along. When nothing was helping, being an OB/GYN, Dr. Lukwinski started throwing all kinds of things at me, a scalp electrode, a vacuum, episiotomy, then C-section. I was not happy with the electrode (it's a little device they clip on to the baby's head to monitor its heart rate), but I felt like I had no choice in the matter really and so consented to it. At one point, Leni's heart rate dropped to 50 or so and I started to show fresh blood, which possibly meant that the placenta was detaching itself prematurely. She said we try the vacuum and I completely lost it. I began crying and, to not help matters at all, she said if the vacuum doesn't work, we have to do a C-section. I couldn't even push any further at this point because i was so busy bawling my eyes out. Her heart rate had dropped, but only ONCE, and that never happened again. I was so upset that she was suggesting something that seemed so drastic after one episode. Again, I felt like she gave me no choice in the matter, so the vacuum went on. 

I guess Leni's head was kind of swollen from my useless pushes and she had a hard time getting that vacuum on. THANK GOODNESS i had opted for an epidural because to stop things now and get me an epidural so i could get this giant thing up my hoo-ha would have SUCKED. She said she was only allowed to do three pulls with the vacuum and if that didn't work, well... you know where she was going with that. Two pulls later, she shut the vacuum off and actually I got to push Leni out from her head. Apparently her head was just tilted a bit and so the vacuum just straightened it out. After that, I pushed her out on my own. I guess a lot of vacuum deliveries pull the entire baby out, but with me, i was lucky enough that it just guided the head down in the right direction and i was able to give birth to her myself. 

They cut her cord (poor Jesse had no choice in the matter, apparently) and put her right on me. I was crying so hard that I couldn't even look at her. I was overwhelmed with the feeling of guilt of not being able to push her out on my own and having to put her through all this extra trauma when birth itself is so traumatic. I cried and I cried and Jesse was also bawling when I looked over at him. She didn't cry a whole lot right away and I was so scared to look at her. When I finally was able to look at her, I immediately thought "holy cow, she looks like Gemma" and then I almost started to laugh. I said that to Jesse and he agreed and also started to laugh. It was a very odd moment. LOL. 

Well, there you go. That's how Leni Ari Konnert came into this world, weighing 7 lb 10 oz (just like her sister) and 21-1/4 inches long. I am feeling well and surprisingly only needed two stitches with a very minor, minor tear. Thank goodness I didn't need an episiotomy and didn't need to go further than the vacuum. I am just happy that she is here and seemingly healthy. She had some swelling of her head initially, but even by this morning, it was mostly gone. She is so beautiful and we couldn't be happier to be home with our precious little girl.

Gemma's Birth Story

yes, she is finally here. due Dec 9, she came 3 days early on Dec 6.

on Wednesday (Dec 2), i went to my 39-week appointment and saw Dr. Vyse, a rather pessimistic woman. she checked my progress and said there was none. i pointed out that the week prior Dr. Bagdan had said i was "thin". Dr. Vyse said no. Still closed, thick, and posterior. She proceeded to strip my membranes.

well you can imagine my disappointment then. i figured Gemma would come later than her due date at this rate.

on Friday evening (Dec 4), i didn't really notice too much, but jesse noticed my contractions had become regular and frequent (about once every 15 minutes or so). up until then, the closest they had been REGULARLY were an hour apart - and that was after my first membrane stripping. i didn't think much of them because they were still quite comfortable. plus, i think i was in denial that she would come before her due date.

that night, we had a terrible blizzard. at about 2:30 AM i woke up to the noisy storm and could not get back to sleep. i tossed and turned in bed for a bit, then came downstairs and did some reading. i began to notice my contractions were 6-8 minutes apart, but still comfortable. still in denial.

i crawled back into bed at around 7 AM and told jesse, who awoke when he heard me come back in. he decided to get up too and we made pancakes.

after breakfast, the contractions became 5 minutes apart, becoming slightly uncomfortable. i could still walk and talk through them, but would definitely have to "breathe" through them.

the doctor had told me to come when the contractions became 3-5 minutes apart regularly for 1 hour.

now i was starting to think she might come today...

at about 11 AM, i decided to take a hot shower and maybe get ready, in case we have to get going. i don't know why, but the shower increased the intensity and frequency of my contractions. i was doubled over in the shower and felt like the entire time i was in there, i just had one LONG contraction.

i came out completely exhausted. contractions were now 2-4 minutes apart, about a minute long. we packed up, drove to the hospital.

*** now, the books will tell you that when you're in transitional phase of labor, your contractions are 2-4 minutes apart, lasting 60-90 seconds long. TRANSITION is when your cervix finishes dilating and your body gets ready to push***

got to the hospital, the nurse Trish assesses me, tells me i'm 1 cm, maybe 70% effaced, but baby is VERY LOW. stay 3 hours. if there is progress, we'll admit you. if not, you can go back home.

3 hours later. Betty comes to assess me. tells me i'm still 1 cm, but the cervix has moved to the anterior position. the choice is mine whether to stay or go. i chose to go home.

now, at this point, i'm in an incredible amount of pain. jesse is telling me to breathe, but i can't hear a word he's saying.

i'm back at home, trying to cope as best as i can. all i can think about is the pain and how it will not go away. the pain was just exhausting. as much as i wanted a pain medication-free delivery, at this point i know there is no way i can last like this.

at 9 pm, i can't take it anymore. we head back to the hospital.

i am examined by Robin. i tell her i want an epidural. she tells me she can't give me one until 4 cm, but i'm only 2-3. she suggests the tub or the shower. thinking back on how the shower magnified my contractions earlier in the day, i choose the tub. she puts an IV port in my hand in case i will need it later with the epidural.

it's the shallowest tub in the history of tubs. plus, it keeps draining because the plug doesn't sit right.

jesse is there the whole time. never leaving my side. i'm screaming and ready to die. i yell at him if he even brushes against the IV port (remember my post about how much i hate IVs??)

about 2 hours later, i get out. Nicole checks me. 3-4 cm, but not quite 4. still can't have the epidural. how bout the shower?

i get in. thank goodness they don't run out of hot water. the shower was rather soothing. i found a repetitive moan that really helped. i sat in there for probably another good 2 hours before i came back out. finally i'm 4 cm. she calls the anesthesiologist. i get back into the shower until he gets there, which is only like 15 minutes. jesse, again, is right by my side, offering me water and comfort.

2:30 AM, dr. Spackman gives me the epidural. a prenatal education student, Sara, is also in the room. i gave permission for her to watch my birth. nice girl. we have a good chat after the epidural.

i feel immensely better. up until now, all i could think about was wanting a break. a break from the pain. a few minutes to sleep. and i got it. i could still feel the pressure of the contractions, but no pain. dr. spackman tells me i can have the epidural at anywhere between 6 and 16 cc/h. he leaves it at 10 and then leaves.

jesse goes to get some rest. i try to get some shut-eye, but the nurse has to keep checking my vitals, so sleeping is easier said than done. i get a brief nap and ask the epidural to be turned down as it makes me feel hot and swollen (even though i'm actually not). she turns it down to an 8.

at 6 AM, Dr. Bagdan checks me and breaks my water. at this point, i'm at 5-6 cm. i am officially the world's slowest dilator. i bounce on the ball for a bit, do a little walking. yes, even with the epidural i can still do it all. Dr. Bagdan hopes that i will have this baby by lunchtime. contractions slow down to every 4 minutes. she warns me that i may have to get pitocin if i continue to dilate so slowly.

even though i can walk and stuff with the epidural, i can't seem to feel the urge or make myself pee. the nurse drains my urine through a catheter and we're both shocked to see the gargantuan amount of urine that comes out. like a liter! i asked the nurse to put my epidural down further to a 7 to see if that will help.

around noon, i start feeling just a little bit of pressure and my pain is coming back because of the low dosage of the epidural. i am checked and am fully dilated with just a lip left of the cervix on the right side. i am encouraged to lie on my right and try to get rid of that lip.

at 1 PM, i still have a bit of that lip, so more positioning to try to get rid of that teeny lip.

at just before 2, i feel like i am going to poop my pants. i do everything i can do "hold it in". my nurse checks me and the lip is gone! i am given the go ahead to push. it took a few tries to get the push right and at this point my epidural was so low that i can feel EVERYTHING. i am screaming as Gemma begins to crown. the 5 nurses, 2 students, and 1 doctor all tell me to push through the pain. my mom is by my head bawling her eyes out because it's so hard for her to see me in so much pain. Jesse tells me "she's got hair" and that encourages me enough to keep at it. i slow down to birth her shoulders and she slips out after that. they put her on my chest. i am completely overwhelmed with emotion and jesse is crying beside me. my mom is crying also. we're all crying.