Wednesday, December 9, 2009

L&D Details


On Friday November 20th another doctor in our practice came to visit me. I had been doing the suppositories for 3 nights, and they where causing me some serious discomfort. I talked to the doctor about it, and he suggested that I take an oral pill. The oral pill was suppose to do the same thing, only not cause so much cramping. He said he would get it approved by my doctor and then go from there. He also suggested that instead of taking it at night, I take it during the afternoon. After taking the pill they need to monitor me and the baby for a few hours, to see if the pill has taken any affect.


That afternoon I took the pill and felt nothing. I had been having a few continual contractions, but nothing to write home about. One of my nurses said that it's affect usually comes hours later, if it will have one. I decided to get out of my room and take a walk down to a jewelry fair going on in the Professional Building. I got all of my Christmas shopping done for my sisters, and was really excited that I found a beautiful scarf for my Mom to wear as well. Chris surprised me with Panda Express for dinner (I was so tired of hospital food) and I enjoyed every bite. My parents were due to arrive into the Lansing airport that night, but their flight got delayed an hour. While I decided to take a nap around 9pm Chris went to run some errands before picking up my parents from the airport.


Around 10:30pm I woke up and suddenly my water broke. It was nothing like it is in the movies, where just a little trickle falls down your leg. This flood kept on coming. I called my nurse into the room, and then called Chris excitedly to tell him that my water had indeed broken. After the nurse checked to make sure it was my water, she needed to get the baby hooked up to the monitor. We were talking excitedly about my water breaking, when I realized it was taking her an awfully long time to find Arista's heartbeat. She kept reassuring me that she could faintly hear it, although I heard nothing. 3 minutes later Chris walked into the hospital room beaming, but when he saw my face he knew something was wrong. I laid there and could not believe that we had lost yet another baby. I kept asking the nurse if my baby was alive, in which she responded that she didn't know. She said that she needed to get an ultrasound machine to make sure, and then had Chris call in another nurse to help her find Arista's heartbeat. The other nurse came in and took over, after 30 seconds she replied..."You are using the wrong monitor". We all had a huge sigh of relief, and the nurse expressed how freaked out she was. Great way to start labor eh?


I was moved over to a labor and delivery room and they hooked me up to an IV. They wanted to see if my body would go on it's own before giving any sort of pitocin. After midnight my parents arrived, and we all sat around talking. After a few hours the nurse checked me and I was a 2. So they decided to start some pitocin. I insisted on receiving the epidural before any medicine was administered. We were so lucky to have our best friends Dad give me the epidural. It wasn't long after getting the epidural that I suddenly could not hear anymore, and felt like I was going to pass out. My blood pressure had dropped fast, and they laid my down and pumped me full of fluid. After 20 minutes I was feeling much better, although my blood pressure stayed low the entire labor.


They started the pitocin and after several hours I was stuck at a 5. I had the itches and the shakes horribly, and was given some medicine to help calm everything down. The nurse came into empty my bladder every few hours, and could not believe how full it was each time. She received permission to insert a catheter so that I wouldn't have such a full bladder. After the catheter was in the nurse came into check on the baby. She noticed that the baby was in distress and she watched the monitor for many contractions, until I told her that I felt something fall inside of me. She checked me and I was at a 10 and ready to push! She went and called our doctor from home, and we waited until she arrived before starting the big push. We waited about 15 minutes, when she arrived she told us that she needed to clean out the baby's lungs because there was a bit of meconium in my water. After 5 minutes of pushing Arista's head emerged, and they told me to stop pushing. Arista had a plan of her own, and continued to slide on out. I didn't feel a thing. She didn't cry, which they warned us that she wouldn't because of being cleaned out. Chris was able to cut the cord, while I stared at her in disbelief.


We were so grateful for our doctor and for the "magic pill" the other doctor gave me. We were able to spend much more time with my parents, at home. I know that the Lord has his own time frame, and the timing could not have been more perfect.


The rest is history. I cannot be more blessed then I am. I love my little baby more than anything, and I love every minute I get to take care of her. I know that Preslie is watching over us. I have definitely had moments of breaking down, and sadness because of the loss of Preslie. There are times when I am holding Arista and I get flashbacks of holding Preslie. This whole experience has been very bittersweet, but totally worth it.


Families are forever, and I have the greatest one!

14 comments:

McGinnis Family said...

Wow!!!! What a L&D story and experience! Oh my goodness! I am guessing you were completely exhausted afterwards! Congratulations! I'm so glad that it all went well, that the nurse was in fact using the wrong moniter and Arista was ok, and that you have a perfect famiy!!!! Soooo neat and just gives me goosebumps all over!

Aubreydoll said...

I'm so happy that everything timed itself out the way it did and that your water broke on it's own! (And I'm sure the "magic pill" didn't hurt either!) Arista is truly your little Miracle and I'm sure that Preslie couldn't be happier to have such a wonderful baby sister and two incredibly loving parents! You're all so lucky to have each other!

Alyson said...

Oh my goodness! What a story! You are a trooper for making it through that with such a good outlook! Congratulations again! She is beautiful.

April said...

Wow how scary and what a dumb nurse to use the wrong thing on you. I guess she was nervous as to what had happened in the past but no fun for you guys to go through that. I have the same thing happen to me every time I get my epidural, I pass out and my BP drops, no fun. I am so glad she came and things are well. And she is beautiful.

Brittanie said...

I still have those bittersweet moments looking at Erin, realizing all the things I still have yet to experience that I won't get to with Erin (well, in this life anyway).

What a scary moment for you! I can't believe she was using the wrong monitor. I think I would have wanted to hit her! >_< So glad she is doing so well though.

Curt, Julie, Claire and Andrew said...

WOW that is a crazy roller coaster ride! I love hearing the detail of L&D. We are so happy Arista is here and we can't wait to meet her!

Elwell Family said...

Love this picture! She is such a cutie and we are so glad she is here and healthy! Love you guys and can't wait to meet her.

Katie said...

Wow- what a dramatic story- especially the beginning. I can't imagine what that must have been like! SO HAPPY everything turned out well. We would love to come see little Arista some time soon! :)

Erin Darrington said...

Hooray. :)

Ashley said...

I sat here in tears reading this...(pregger hormones) I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled I am for you and Chris and your families!!
On a side note I kinda want to punch the dumb nurse!! MY-LANTA!! With the special circumstances you'd think there would be some sort of appropriate bed-side manner! Sheesh! K- I will calm down now... Like I have said before I am just over the moon happy for you Ry! I just wished we lived closer to one another, so our kids would know each other seeing since they are cousins and all.. but hopefully one day the will be able to meet each other! Much love for now and take care!

Willow said...

Wow, what a rollercoaster! What a darling Arista is. Have a great Christmas!

Erica said...

I have been following your story for the last year and am so happy that you are now finding peace and your beautiful baby girl.

Unknown said...

You 2 are beautiful!!! Inside and out!!! I am so thankful you have your little bundle of joy to love, cherish and teach! You both are truly amazing parents, strong, courageous and both your little girls are so blessed to have parents like you! Love you friend!

Mark Christie Family said...

You baby is so beautiful! I am so sorry you had to have such a traumatic L&D but I am so happy everything worked out well. Arista is beautiful!