Birth Radomness

I was reading the blog My OB said what today and it got me thinking about my daughters' births.

I was particularly thinking about my 2nd daughter's birth and how the epidural had not yet taken affect for the pushing. After she was born the doctor was down there checking everything out when I started feeling a warm watery sensation. I asked him what that was. Apparently my labor went so fast there was no time to cath me and I had a full bladder so he emptied it for me. I definitely felt everything down there this time around but since I had an epidural I do not get the badge of honor so to speak of a no epidural birth.

With my first it was a really large birthing hospital. Like 9 floors large. Right before push time it was my husband holding one leg, labor and delivery nurse holding the other leg, student labor and delivery nurse standing next to her (looking quite nervous), the doctor standing between my legs, pediatrician standing by the incubator and like 5-8 people rushed in last minute to stand behind the doctor and watch. Of course I could reallyy care less at that point. I felt a ton of pressure and wanted her out!

With my second daughter at a small local hospital it was a labor and delivery nurse holding each leg, my husband holding my hand while standing next to me and the doctor between my legs. That was it. It seemed a little more calm with less people in the room.

With my OBGYN practice I recieved nothing but great care from the nurses, doctors and midwife. The nurses at the hospital were amazing and very compassionate. Since my husband and I chatted with the head nursey nurse so much she even came and hugged us goodbye before we left. The discharge nurse sat in my bed with me while we went over discharge paperwork and chatted and it felt so natural.

With my first daughter my delivery nurse was AMAZING but other than that the staff was nice but they just went about their business. Maybe it felt that way since it was such a big baby hospital and with my 2nd it was a small local hospital.

With both I also did cord blood banking through CBR. Sure it was expensive but thankfully it was a gift from my parents and we pay only the yearly storage fee. The research out there on cord blood banking is amazing and I know in the future it will only get better. I know it is a luxury most cannot afford but it is definitely something worth looking into.

I would say around 80% of the time I feel completely done having kids. Then once in a while I think it would be nice to have one more. I was packing up all my pregnancy clothes this past weekend and trying to fold them nice and neat into a big bucket so I could sell them. When I told my husband this he said we should hang onto them...just in case. I was very surprised to hear this. There will be no surprises this time around since I now have an IUD in place. In a year or two we will decide if we will be trying one more time. I am 30 now and if by 34 I am not pregnant then we are more than done. Maybe the husband will get the big snip snip.

Each Pregnancy is Different

I already wrote the birth story of my two girls. Then I wrote a post on their differences and similarities of the birth itself. Now I want to post on my pregnancies carrying them.

With V it took me over a week to realize I was pregnant. I did not really follow my time of the month. Then one day it just hit me. I might be pregnant. My husband was actually out of town for a bachelor party but I called him and let him know that I might be pregnant. As soon as he got back I took a test. It said pregnant almost instantly. I was suprised and a little nervous since this would be my very first baby. After the first visit to the OBGYN and getting that first ultrasound everything was confirmed. One little baby and one little heartbeat. We were excited but nervous.

With V that first trimester I just felt full all the time so I never really ate. I did not gain a pound until 14 or 15 weeks. Heck I did not even go maternity clothes shopping until that time too. We announced on facebook at 12 weeks after hearing the heartbeat on the doppler for the first time. During the early 2nd trimester we even flew to DC to visit my brother for a few days. I did throw up in an air sick bag on the way there which was beyond gross. During the late 2nd trimester I gained a hefty 10 pounds in a month. At around 20 weeks I found out it was a girl despite us both thinking boy. The whole family thought she was a girl and they were all right. Cue lots of baby shopping for cute little things. We get some decent 3D images at a just for fun ultrasound place.

Here is a picture of me going to a college football game at something like 34 weeks preggo.

My pregnancy with L was completely different. When V was in the hospital for a concussion the techs were placing her on the CT scanner when the woman asked if I could be pregnant. I was literally about to say no. I mean the n was already being formed in my mouth when I just stopped. My period was due that day or the next and I said something along the lines as it could be possible. After a whirlwind of doctors, overnight stays, and finally getting home I took a home pregnancy test. I did not think much of it and after peeing on it I took it in the shower with me to watch for the results. It took forever so I really did not think I was pregnant. A few minutes later there it was as clear as day...the words Pregnant. I immediately called my husband in. After I told him he just smiled and said it looks like we are going to have another baby.

We told the grandparents right away this time. Then I told some of my closer friends. First OBGYN visit included an ultrasound. One little baby and one little heartbeat. How exciting! This time the first trimester was not so easy. I was nauseas all the time. Threw up several times along the way. This time around I did not gain any weight until the start of the 2nd trimester again but I got out my old maternity clothes by 7 weeks. I started showing much much earlier this time around.

We opted in for extra testing so at our 11 week ultrasound everything looked good except a hematoma that would need to be watched. The 14 week ultrasound looked great. I was surprised to find out at at this appointment we were having a girl. We just knew it was a boy. Our little girls are tricksters they are. At the 17 week ultrasound everything looked good except the hematoma was still there. Around 18 weeks we make the big announcement on facebook. At around 21 weeks it was gone and all still looked good. At the 25 week ultrasound is when when the pregnancy stopped being fun. I had extremely high fluid levels. Of course I was at this appointment all by myself and I left in tears.

The librarian in me means research. I did so. I googled till my eyes hurt. It did nothing but scare me more. At the 27 week ultrasound one of the tubes to her kidney is slightly enlarged. More panic and more googling. More tears. I beg for a echo of her heart from my high risk doc. He said no. My regular OBGYN said yes. So my high risk doc scheduled if for me. In one valve or chamber I can't remember which the blood flow is not as strong as it could be. This leads to a 2 hour echo of her heart from a pediatric cardiologist. Finally some good news...everything looked good.

I do not like the way my high doc talks to me or treats me or basically anything about him so we change high risk docs to another one 2 hours away at a top notch birthing hospital. My OBGYN is behind me 100% with whatever I want to do for my high risk care. Multiple ultrasounds at the hospital show that everything looks really good. We even go to a fun 3D ultrasound place and get some amazing pictures. The rest of the pregnancy is uneventful. I still worried until she actually got here.

This picture is literally days before my 25 week ultrasound. I am extremely happy and excited in this picture. All I could think about was next year at that time I would be able to take both my girls to the beach.