109 hours - the birth story

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J

Jenn

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Early in the morning on March 4, I woke to a sensation of pain. “Ow! What the heck?!†I thought to myself. But, I went back to sleep for awhile until another one came. I was pretty sure it was a contraction, but they weren’t that close together – maybe a few every hour.

The contractions stayed with me throughout the day, accompanied by a significant amount of back pain. I started timing them that evening and around 2 a.m., told hubby it was time to go to the hospital since they were about five minutes apart.

At our local hospital, I got hooked up to the machine and indeed, they were real contractions, but I was only a fingertip dilated and 60 per cent effaced. Still, they kept me there, so we called my parents to come and they made the six hour drive in the wee hours of the morning.

By that evening, I’d progressed to 2.5 to 3 cm dilated and about the same effaced. They let me eat a real meal, since I wasn’t progressing very quickly. We got Chinese food and ate at the hospital before everyone but me got to go somewhere and sleep – my parents to a nearby hotel, my husband at home to check the cows we have calving.

My doctor was back the next morning – this is Monday now – and I was still 2.5 to 3 cm dilated, so they sent me home until I had progressed more. It was nice to finally go home, but I still wasn’t able to sleep because the contractions were no more than eight minutes apart and quite painful.

By daylight on Tuesday morning (my due date), the contractions were back, fast and furious. They were five minutes apart when we left for the hospital. Unfortunately, it had snowed a lot during the night and the highways had not yet been plowed. We managed anyway, but when we were just outside of town, we found the highway backed up with cars. Semis were blocking the hill into town and nothing was going up or down.

Luckily, the RCMP member monitoring the situation was a friend of mine and he gave us a police escort to a back road, where he had a snow plow meet us and plow us into town. Of course, that also meant it was a good story and so the news of my seemingly-impending delivery and my police escort was all over town in a matter of hours.

The doctor was in that morning and checked me again. I was 4 cm dilated and more effaced, and in light of the poor roads, they decided to keep me in the hospital. Unfortunately, my contractions began to slow down again, so it meant another sleepless 24 hours in the hospital for me. I hadn’t slept since Friday night.

By Wednesday morning, the contractions were about eight minutes apart again and my body was tired. They had hooked me up to a drip to keep me hydrated. The doctor came very early that morning – he still had bed head – and when I hadn’t progressed any further he made the call to send me to another hospital for an induction. Our small hospital is short of doctors right now and they couldn’t risk inducing me there.

My parents called my husband to come right away and the hospital called an ambulance to complete the transfer. The ambulance service is one I know well from my media work – one might even go so far as to say I was partially responsible for finally getting Paramedics brought into town. I knew the girls who handled the ambulance transfer and my mom rode along with us. My dad followed in his truck and hubby was somewhere on the roads.

At the hospital in Lloydminster, a very nice and very gorgeous doctor checked me out and got me started on the Pitocin drip. The contractions started coming fast and furious then and were very painful, so I asked for a little something to help me out. They brought me the nitrous oxide, but unfortunately, it didn’t help a lot, so I asked for some morphine. I got the morphine and got to keep the gas, and I’m telling you, the combination made for some goooooood stuff. I was able to sleep/pass out between contractions and get some rest, which my body badly needed. They had to scale back the Pitocin a couple of times because I was progressing too quickly.

I don’t remember much about those few hours, thanks to the nitrous and morpine. Apparently I was saying funny things, like referring to the very nice delivery room as a “spa with drugsâ€. I remember being sad when they told me I couldn’t have anymore gas because it was time to push. That was about 3:00 p.m.

By 4:26, Caitlin Marie had made her way into the world. I didn’t get an epidural – probably because I was too high on the nitrous to ask for one until I figured it was too late, might as well just get the job done. Pushing wasn’t too bad until her head was almost out and I tore a little bit. I was getting really peeved off at the people counting to ten and people touching me and talking about me like I wasn’t there. I believe I told my mother to shut up on more than one occasion. I also offered the nurse a million dollars to pull the baby out and then upped it to two million on the next set of pushes. I didn’t want to push anymore and I was tired – but the funny thing is, even if you don’t want to do it, your body forces you to.

Hubby and mom were both great. Hubby stayed at my head and helped me lift my back up for every push and mom counted off the seconds, though sometimes she would start counting after I already started pushing and that annoyed me for some reason.

The doctor and nurses were quite excited to see all of Caitlin’s dark hair. I remember just looking at her on my stomach and not really comprehending what I was supposed to do. I was still so exhausted from the 109 hours of labour that I just lay there like a log for awhile. The doctor and nurses kept praising me for doing it without an epidural, apparently that is rare for a first timer. I passed the placenta and I remember looking at it and thinking how small it was, how did a baby possibly fit in there? The doctor stitched me up and they put a fresh gown on me. I don’t remember how I got back to my room or when they brought the baby, but I remember asking what time it was and deciding that the baby should be fed since she’d been around for a whole 45 minutes. She was a champion nurser right from the start.

Hubby and my parents left around 9 p.m., which is when visiting hours are over. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself and this tiny baby, but I was so worried that she’d stop breathing if I didn’t hold her that I think I held her most of the night in my arms, keeping each other warm. A nurse came and took her from me for a few hours during the night so I could get some good sleep, and I did, but I was so glad when they brought her back. They bathed her, too, at some point before my parents left and when she came back, she was wearing this little yellow knit hat. Only her head was still so squished from the delivery that it wouldn’t stay on very good, it kept popping off of her little conehead.

We got to go home the following evening and didn’t end up getting in until quite late. It’s all kind of a blur at this point, but Caitie slept in the bed with us for much of the night, she wouldn’t accept being put down in a bassinette when there were two lovely warm adults in a big bed right next to her. She woke often and demanded feeding and diaper changes. I didn’t get much sleep that night or the next, but by the following night she was sleeping for about 45 minutes between feedings and cuddlings. By her fifth night, she was sleeping very well in the bassinette and had to be woken for feedings after three hours or so.

She’s changed so much in these few days that it’s hard to do anything but stare at her and memorize her. She has her peaceful sleeping time, her quiet awake time when she coos and makes faces and looks at you, and she has her crying time when she wants something NOW and you better be able to figure out what it is. Since my milk has come in, she is a much more satisfied baby and sleeps for longer stretches and is quiet but awake for interactive time. She’s not afraid of loud noises and she looks for the source of noises when someone is moving around the room out of her field of vision. She has had lots of visitors and presents and one of hubby’s friends is already aiming for an arranged marriage between their 10 month old son and our Caitie.

Mostly, it’s hard to imagine life without her. The months of throwing up, the other months of heartburn, the 109 hours of labour, all were totally worth it and I’d do it again tomorrow if I could get another result that is this perfect. I love her little furry hobbit ears and her tiny little nose and her little hands and feet. I kiss her all the time and smell her head and can’t get enough of her. My favorite is her quiet alert time, when I hold her and we look at each other and she makes little faces at me. They’re probably just gassy faces, but they are the most precious thing in the world. I can hardly believe that I/we made this precious little thing and that we get to keep her forever. Her daddy has already told her she’s not allowed to date until she’s 30 and her grandpa is already giving her horses and spoiling her rotten. Me, I just love her so much I sometimes think my heart will burst wide open and my eyes well up with tears from just looking at her.

Before you give birth, you’re one person. But the moment that little wet body is placed on your stomach, you become someone else. I get it now.

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What a time you had! I hope you document all this in Caitlin's baby book!

She is getting even MORE beautiful!

MA
 
She’s changed so much in these few days that it’s hard to do anything but stare at her and memorize her.
Keep doing that, they change by the minute as you know, and it all speeds by too quickly.
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Before you give birth, you’re one person. But the moment that little wet body is placed on your stomach, you become someone else. I get it now.
This quote is just awesome...the whole thing has me in tears, but now you know very well exactly why.

Yes, you get to keep them forever, but only til they start the "leaving" which has already begun. ;)

My Dad was telling me the other day that you just have to do like the song from Casey's Shadow says and "Let Me Go Til I'm Gone" they start their little process of leaving us a little at a time, being born, walking, going to school, getting jobs, girlfriends/boyfriends...husbands and wives...and children of their own.

(can't you just tell I have a boy almost 17?) Luckily, you have a long time til it really starts to hit you, and of course there is no small amount of rejoicing at the leaving, but it hurts, too.

She is beautiful, she looks so much like you and those beautiful eyes. I am smitten and I've only seen photos.

I am going to PM you for an address since we were at Babies R Us getting pics of the little ones and I found the CUTEST things for her.
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Was FUN to have a reason to look at the girlie stuff.

Thank you for sharing that story with us. I could feel every dragging minute of that time spent waiting and so tired. Poor Jenn. But you have this wonderful little reward.

Please don't hesitate to send more pics.

I hope you are almost all recuperated!

Welcome to this world, Caitlin, you have a great mom and dad and lots of love. Add beauty to all that and you're set!

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Liz M.
 
Glad your doing well Jenn hope to see the baby maybe in the summer she's beautiful.
 
:aktion033: Congrats!!! What a beautiful story!!! Cherish it!!!!

You brought back memories of when I had my daughter.(almost 8 years ago!) That feeling of nothing else in the world matters except that little one. And they continue to amaze you as they grow. I look at my little girl, who is Miss Independent and it is so hard to beleive she is the same little baby I held back then, They grow way to fast!!!!
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She is such a beautiful little girl!!!! ENJOY every minute!!!
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Jenn,

You are so absolutely right........When that little being emerges into your life, the whole world you live in is looked at differently. Your life priorities change dramatically. There is nothing like it.

And as for me -- I wouldn't ever go back and change a thing. Isn't being a mom amazing????

Oh, and even after 8 years, I still watch my daughter (while sleeping is easier) and marvel over God's creation of every little finger and the soft hairs of her eyebrows -- just every little miracle. The awesomeness of it just does not go away.

MA
 
Jenn your story had me cracking up- Sadly Caitlin wont appreciate much what you went thru till she is pregnant and in labor one day herself LOL

Cherish every moment with babies (especially your first) you cant wait till they reach those milestones, smiling, rolling over, laughing, crawling , walking and then before you know it really way to quick you have this little person who is seeking independence from you -

love and enjoy her for who she is at this very second - the future will get here soon enough
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Thanks for sharing that story with us! What a long ordeal you went through. I'm glad everything turned out well and you are enjoying being the mom of that beautiful baby girl.
 
That is a great story! Thank you for taking time out of your day to share it with us. WOW I thought 26 hours of labor was hard. I can't imagine going through what you did. But your little Caitlin is just absolutely beautiful!! Congratulations!

I have two boys and am lucky enough to be a stay at home mom. Which means that I get to see all the little boy things they do everyday! Today, my youngest was up on top of the little shed in the dog kennel, peeing down into the kennel, I'm sure hoping to hit one of the puppies in there!! I couldn't believe what I was seeing and yet, it was so fitting
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: Boys will be boys. I can't wait to hear your little girl stories!!!
 
Jenn, that is a wonderful story and I only hope that my pg experience and birth can be so good.

Right now it seems the majority of it has been spent with a cold. UGGG I'm on my second of the PG. LOL But other than that I do love it!

LOL at the labor story and the million dollar offer. I also didn't know that they gave you gas and moraphine either when you were in labor.

Anyways keep us updated, I need somthing to go on as to knwo what to look forward to!
 
Me, I just love her so much I sometimes think my heart will burst wide open and my eyes well up with tears from just looking at her.Before you give birth, you’re one person. But the moment that little wet body is placed on your stomach, you become someone else.
Beautiful.

Congratulations on your precious little bundle of wonder.
 
Congratulations, Jenn. Your story sounds alot like mine, except my son did not tolerate 56 hours of labor well and we had a C-Section at that point.

Now he is 18 and let me tell you.....ENJOY EVERY SECOND that you can. The time slips by so fast.
 
Well, Jenn, your life has changed forever- you are now a completely different person, as you realise.

I love Laura's signature about Mia- it sums it up for me.

Mia Francis, 8-30-01

Before you were conceived~you were wanted, before you were born~you were loved, before you were a minute old~I would have died for you....

I hope she does not mind me posting it on here- I think it is just about perfect.
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Marylou, we need a "Newborn" Smilie, please
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Cherish every moment with babies (especially your first) you cant wait till they reach those milestones, smiling, rolling over, laughing, crawling , walking and then before you know it really way to quick you have this little person who is seeking independence from you
Soooo, true!! By the time my third was here, everytime she reached a milestone, I cried. I knew she was my last :no: It was sooooo hard! I'm so glad your little one is finally here for you to love on. She is precious. Us moms could have told you a thousand times how you would feel once you laid eyes on her (and we probably did!), but until she arrived, you would never truly "get it", now you do
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Wonderful story and a beautiful outcome! Those pics of her are just precious! Enjoy her every minute!
 
Oh Jenn she is just gorgeous!

I loved your story too. I'm sorry you had that much labor, but reading about your experience brought it all back for me. I delivered my second son with no epidural either - but it was like my first as my first son was a C-section. I ended up laid up for 4 days in the hospital because I had to have whirlpool therapy due to the damage
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I know that raw emotional feeling of holding your 'creation' in your arms, and it brought tears to my eyes to hear someone else explain it so beautifully. Congratulations, enjoy her !!!
 
Awww...I sure hope you print this thread and put it in her baby book...so one day she can look back at all this and re-live her SLOOOOOOW entry into this world!!!

Congratulations, she is breathtakingly beautiful...
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Liz R.
 
Jenn, your delivery sounds alot like mine with Glacia but reading it and your feelings reminded me of that day over 21 yrs ago. I got all teary. Love her, hug her and keep her close. Remember there are no spoiled babies, they are just well loved.
 
Oh Jenn, I'm sitting here bawling. That was incredible....and that baby girl is gorgeous, absolutely breathtaking....

I'm so happy you are nursing and going with her needs and routine. I'm a huge nursing advocate and nothing makes me happier than to hear of a happy Mommy & baby with such a great nursing relationship already begun. I'm so proud of all of you...and a police escort to the hospital, wow~LOL

Well, Jenn, your life has changed forever- you are now a completely different person, as you realise.

I love Laura's signature about Mia- it sums it up for me.

Mia Francis, 8-30-01

Before you were conceived~you were wanted, before you were born~you were loved, before you were a minute old~I would have died for you....

I hope she does not mind me posting it on here- I think it is just about perfect.
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Marylou, we need a "Newborn" Smilie, please
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I don't mind at all Jane. I still marvel every day that this beautiful, loving, child is MINE. She is a miracle and she is SO excited about being a big sister...only 30 weeks to go
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