Mommy with Olivia :)
Daddy loves you so much!
First night in our room!
Going home!
1 week old... Easter!
4 weeks old!
Sweet Baby :)
Friday, May 11, 2012
My Birth Story
Welcome to my blog where I can share all the joys of motherhood!
Olivia Harper Dutton was born on April 1st, 2012 at 3:01pm. She weighed 7lbs 2oz and was 19.5 inches long. Let's start at the beginning...
Friday March 30th...
I believe this was when my labor truly started. I had been having bad braxton hicks, or so I thought, for hours, about 5-7 minutes apart, around 9pm. I didn't really think much of these since I had had braxton hicks contractions since week 20. I had them everyday, all the time. Around midnight, they seemed to subside and I was able to sleep throughout the night.
Saturday March 31st...
I woke up and the contractions started up again. But I decided to go about my day. I got up, got ready, and headed out to my friend Megans baby shower. I felt progressively worse throughout the shower and decided to go straight home after and lay down. When I got home, and the contractions hadn't stopped, I decided to start timing them. Around 4:30pm I lost my mucous plug, but that could have meant that birth was still weeks away. I called my doctor when my contractins were 5 minutes apart, lasting about a minute each. She had said I could go in and get checked, if I was far enough along I would stay, if not I would be sent home. I didn't feel like taking the risk so I just layed around some more. It seemed like the contractions started spacing out more, so I figured it was false labor and decided to get ready for my friend Katie's birthday celebration. I figured if it was the real deal, it wouldn't stop and I would know! Fast foward to 9pm... I was having closer and stronger contractions while sitting at an Irish bar. I looked at Bryan and told him, "We need to go home. If this is true labor, I don't want to be laboring in a bar!!" Around 1130pm I knew it was the real deal, I lost my bloody show and my body went into shock mode. With every passing hour, I told myself "Ok, if I have 3 more by 1am...2am...3am... I'm going in" At 3am I woke Bryan up, and told him I thought it was time. We got out bags together, put Simon in his cage and headed up to Botsford!
Sunday April 1st....
During my exam I was asked if my water had broke. And to be honest, I didn't really know! I always felt like I leaked! But no, I hadn't had the GUSH. They looked at me like I was crazy when I told them I was unsure. But my exam had revealed pooling, so my membranes had ruptured! I was 2 cm dilated, and my cervix was softened. We were staying!!! I had no intentions of being stoic and going drug free. I wanted to enjoy the birth of my daughter, and not be so exhausted I couldn't remember it! Around 730, I was given morphine. HOLY COW, I do not like that stuff! I got extremely nauseous and needed some zofran. And while it did subside the pain, I was unable to sleep. I had now been up for more then 24 hours straight, and was starving but unable to eat, and nauseous at the same time! Great combo... Around 10am they checked me and I was still only a 2. Since I was contracting like crazy and not making progress, they decided to start pitocin. I got another dose of morphine, and this time it did nothing, except make me sick again. With the pitocin kicking in, my contractions got worse and I felt a lot more pain and pressure. Thank god for my amazing nurse, she could read me like a book and demanded another exam. Around 11am, I was a 5. EPIDURAL TIME! Of course with my luck the anesthesiologist was busy so it took a while for him to get there. Right before he came into the room, I decided to use the bathroom while I could. I will never forget that moment... Bryan helped me there since I was connected to IVs, and it took everything in me not to just curl into a ball on the bathroom floor from pain. I was able to pee but when I stood up, the pain had me doubled over and I was hit with a wave of nauseous that was uncontrollable. I didn't think I would make it back to the bed without throwing up so Bryan ran to get me a bucket but I couldn't wait. Not knowing what to really do, I gently lowered my big ol' prego self down to the toilet right before it all came up. I felt completely helpless and a little embarrassed. I basically had lost control of my body and the situation lol. Once I got my epidural though, I was FINALLY able to sleep for about an hr. Yay... I woke up to the epidural having worn off on the right side of my body. Literally, draw a line down the middle of your body, and I was numb on one side and not the other. Meaning, I could feel half my who-ha and not the other!!! I asked my nurse if the epidural could be readjusted. In order to do that, I had to be rechecked just incase I had progressed too far. I was a 7, meaning I could still be adjusted! 15 minutes later, and no doc, I told my nurse I needed something NOW. The pain was so intense. I was checked again. And to everyones surprise, I was a 10!!! I had dilated 3 cm in about 15 minutes! Good news was I was ready to push!! Bad news: my doctor wasn't even close to being at the hospital since we thought I had some more time. So I sat there my hospital bed, and labored down for 40 minutes. Basically, I sat there, contracting away, feeling intense pain and pressure in half my vagina, and was unable to push. My one "swear word" of this whole process was during this time "JESUS CHRIST." I figured I'd be throwing f bombs all over the place, quite proud of myself that I didn't ;) Finally, Dr. Paige had arrived and I could start pushing! On my first push, we could see Olivia's head!! Dark brown hair was all we saw!! I pushed for about 3 more pushes, and they asked if I wanted to see. I always said I wanted to watch, but now I wasn't so sure! I decided to look in the mirror and watched while I pushed through 2 more contractions. I actually had a hard time concentrating pushing while watching. I found it distracting and I was terrified I was going to visually see myself tear, which scared the crap out of me! I finally did have to get an episiotomy. After just 15 short minutes of pushing, my love was here! She shot out like a cannon, spraying amniotic fluid everywhere, including Aunt Sara's shoes! She decided to make her entrance side ways, facing her Mimi! While in the process, she inhaled a bunch of fluid. When they placed her on my chest she seemed stunned, and wasn't crying. Instead of being able to truly and completely enjoy this moment of my daughter being placed on my chest for the first time, I was consumed with terror. Why wasn't she crying?! Why wasn't anyone concerned?! I tried to take the whole moment in, memorize her face, Bryans face, and I waited for the water works to be turned on. Instead there was nothing. Just me feeling stunned and in shock. Finally the nurse wisked her away, she knew something wasn't right. While everyone else, ie my mom, sister, MIL and husband, was celebrating, I sat in bed, feet in stir ups, getting stitched, and watched with concern as the pediatrician and nurse worked on her. All's I kept hearing was, her lungs sound really wet, and I was screaming inside "THEN SUCTION HER. DO SOMETHING!" An incubator was brought in for her, and Bryan and I were allowed to hold her for a few seconds and take some pictures before they took her down to the nursery.
In all honestly, I felt like I was robbed of one of the best moments of my life. It all seems like a dream. I feel like we never got to bond properly, a moment I had played over and over in my head for 39 weeks! I didn't even get to see her for a few hours after her birth due to my epidural. Good thing Bryan could though, he kept me updated on her condition: IV abx, oxygen and fluids. Finally around 8pm, I was able to visit her. Even hooked up to tubes, she was so beautiful. I was afraid to ask to hold her. She looked so fragile. Around 3am when I couldn't sleep, I waddled my way down to the nursery. Finally I got the courage to ask to hold her and was told I could. I didn't want to experience it without Bryan, so I went back and got him. At 3am, we finally held our baby girl. What an amazing feeling. I just loved her so much.
Finally on Tuesday April 3rd, our daughter was able to room in with us. She was done with IVs and abx and was off the oxygen. What an amazing night that first night was. We gave her her first bath and tried to soak in as much knowledge as we could! We took our Baby O home on her original due date, April 4th. :)
I would like to say a big thank you to my husband, Bryan. He was my rock during and after labor. I couldn't have done it without him. I thank God for such a wonderful and supportive husband. He did everything he could to make sure I was comfortable and that I had everything I needed.
Also a big thank you to my Mom, sister Sara and MIL Kathy! You guys were awesome and so supportive :)) Love you guys!
Olivia Harper Dutton was born on April 1st, 2012 at 3:01pm. She weighed 7lbs 2oz and was 19.5 inches long. Let's start at the beginning...
Friday March 30th...
I believe this was when my labor truly started. I had been having bad braxton hicks, or so I thought, for hours, about 5-7 minutes apart, around 9pm. I didn't really think much of these since I had had braxton hicks contractions since week 20. I had them everyday, all the time. Around midnight, they seemed to subside and I was able to sleep throughout the night.
Saturday March 31st...
I woke up and the contractions started up again. But I decided to go about my day. I got up, got ready, and headed out to my friend Megans baby shower. I felt progressively worse throughout the shower and decided to go straight home after and lay down. When I got home, and the contractions hadn't stopped, I decided to start timing them. Around 4:30pm I lost my mucous plug, but that could have meant that birth was still weeks away. I called my doctor when my contractins were 5 minutes apart, lasting about a minute each. She had said I could go in and get checked, if I was far enough along I would stay, if not I would be sent home. I didn't feel like taking the risk so I just layed around some more. It seemed like the contractions started spacing out more, so I figured it was false labor and decided to get ready for my friend Katie's birthday celebration. I figured if it was the real deal, it wouldn't stop and I would know! Fast foward to 9pm... I was having closer and stronger contractions while sitting at an Irish bar. I looked at Bryan and told him, "We need to go home. If this is true labor, I don't want to be laboring in a bar!!" Around 1130pm I knew it was the real deal, I lost my bloody show and my body went into shock mode. With every passing hour, I told myself "Ok, if I have 3 more by 1am...2am...3am... I'm going in" At 3am I woke Bryan up, and told him I thought it was time. We got out bags together, put Simon in his cage and headed up to Botsford!
Sunday April 1st....
During my exam I was asked if my water had broke. And to be honest, I didn't really know! I always felt like I leaked! But no, I hadn't had the GUSH. They looked at me like I was crazy when I told them I was unsure. But my exam had revealed pooling, so my membranes had ruptured! I was 2 cm dilated, and my cervix was softened. We were staying!!! I had no intentions of being stoic and going drug free. I wanted to enjoy the birth of my daughter, and not be so exhausted I couldn't remember it! Around 730, I was given morphine. HOLY COW, I do not like that stuff! I got extremely nauseous and needed some zofran. And while it did subside the pain, I was unable to sleep. I had now been up for more then 24 hours straight, and was starving but unable to eat, and nauseous at the same time! Great combo... Around 10am they checked me and I was still only a 2. Since I was contracting like crazy and not making progress, they decided to start pitocin. I got another dose of morphine, and this time it did nothing, except make me sick again. With the pitocin kicking in, my contractions got worse and I felt a lot more pain and pressure. Thank god for my amazing nurse, she could read me like a book and demanded another exam. Around 11am, I was a 5. EPIDURAL TIME! Of course with my luck the anesthesiologist was busy so it took a while for him to get there. Right before he came into the room, I decided to use the bathroom while I could. I will never forget that moment... Bryan helped me there since I was connected to IVs, and it took everything in me not to just curl into a ball on the bathroom floor from pain. I was able to pee but when I stood up, the pain had me doubled over and I was hit with a wave of nauseous that was uncontrollable. I didn't think I would make it back to the bed without throwing up so Bryan ran to get me a bucket but I couldn't wait. Not knowing what to really do, I gently lowered my big ol' prego self down to the toilet right before it all came up. I felt completely helpless and a little embarrassed. I basically had lost control of my body and the situation lol. Once I got my epidural though, I was FINALLY able to sleep for about an hr. Yay... I woke up to the epidural having worn off on the right side of my body. Literally, draw a line down the middle of your body, and I was numb on one side and not the other. Meaning, I could feel half my who-ha and not the other!!! I asked my nurse if the epidural could be readjusted. In order to do that, I had to be rechecked just incase I had progressed too far. I was a 7, meaning I could still be adjusted! 15 minutes later, and no doc, I told my nurse I needed something NOW. The pain was so intense. I was checked again. And to everyones surprise, I was a 10!!! I had dilated 3 cm in about 15 minutes! Good news was I was ready to push!! Bad news: my doctor wasn't even close to being at the hospital since we thought I had some more time. So I sat there my hospital bed, and labored down for 40 minutes. Basically, I sat there, contracting away, feeling intense pain and pressure in half my vagina, and was unable to push. My one "swear word" of this whole process was during this time "JESUS CHRIST." I figured I'd be throwing f bombs all over the place, quite proud of myself that I didn't ;) Finally, Dr. Paige had arrived and I could start pushing! On my first push, we could see Olivia's head!! Dark brown hair was all we saw!! I pushed for about 3 more pushes, and they asked if I wanted to see. I always said I wanted to watch, but now I wasn't so sure! I decided to look in the mirror and watched while I pushed through 2 more contractions. I actually had a hard time concentrating pushing while watching. I found it distracting and I was terrified I was going to visually see myself tear, which scared the crap out of me! I finally did have to get an episiotomy. After just 15 short minutes of pushing, my love was here! She shot out like a cannon, spraying amniotic fluid everywhere, including Aunt Sara's shoes! She decided to make her entrance side ways, facing her Mimi! While in the process, she inhaled a bunch of fluid. When they placed her on my chest she seemed stunned, and wasn't crying. Instead of being able to truly and completely enjoy this moment of my daughter being placed on my chest for the first time, I was consumed with terror. Why wasn't she crying?! Why wasn't anyone concerned?! I tried to take the whole moment in, memorize her face, Bryans face, and I waited for the water works to be turned on. Instead there was nothing. Just me feeling stunned and in shock. Finally the nurse wisked her away, she knew something wasn't right. While everyone else, ie my mom, sister, MIL and husband, was celebrating, I sat in bed, feet in stir ups, getting stitched, and watched with concern as the pediatrician and nurse worked on her. All's I kept hearing was, her lungs sound really wet, and I was screaming inside "THEN SUCTION HER. DO SOMETHING!" An incubator was brought in for her, and Bryan and I were allowed to hold her for a few seconds and take some pictures before they took her down to the nursery.
In all honestly, I felt like I was robbed of one of the best moments of my life. It all seems like a dream. I feel like we never got to bond properly, a moment I had played over and over in my head for 39 weeks! I didn't even get to see her for a few hours after her birth due to my epidural. Good thing Bryan could though, he kept me updated on her condition: IV abx, oxygen and fluids. Finally around 8pm, I was able to visit her. Even hooked up to tubes, she was so beautiful. I was afraid to ask to hold her. She looked so fragile. Around 3am when I couldn't sleep, I waddled my way down to the nursery. Finally I got the courage to ask to hold her and was told I could. I didn't want to experience it without Bryan, so I went back and got him. At 3am, we finally held our baby girl. What an amazing feeling. I just loved her so much.
Finally on Tuesday April 3rd, our daughter was able to room in with us. She was done with IVs and abx and was off the oxygen. What an amazing night that first night was. We gave her her first bath and tried to soak in as much knowledge as we could! We took our Baby O home on her original due date, April 4th. :)
I would like to say a big thank you to my husband, Bryan. He was my rock during and after labor. I couldn't have done it without him. I thank God for such a wonderful and supportive husband. He did everything he could to make sure I was comfortable and that I had everything I needed.
Also a big thank you to my Mom, sister Sara and MIL Kathy! You guys were awesome and so supportive :)) Love you guys!
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