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sorry for rambling on... :-)

Got my af this a/m. My chart says I only have a 9 day LP. How can you lengthen it?

As you know, last Wednesday was my appointment. I was 2cm and had bloody show after the doc examined me. The BHicks came on strong that day, and by 2am I was in the ER with real bad back pain and contractions. They sent me up to L & D where they gave me fluids because my contractions weren't "impressive" but meanwhile I was in horrific pain in my back and couldn't even walk. They kept checking my urine because they thought I might have a kidney stone passing (Yeah right, how coincidental), so they let me stay in pain until about 6 am before giving me something for pain. They gave me something for pain finally then got me a room and continued to monitor the baby and contractions. Then the doc said he would dose me with morphine and if the contractions continued to get stronger then he would let me have the baby, but if not he was going to let me go home. He ended up sending me home about 6 pm'ish, I ate dinner, then went to sleep. I woke up several times throughout the night on Thursday with major contractions. I couldn't sleep on my side or I would contract, so I would pass out sitting up. The morphine was helping to keep me zonked. When I woke up Friday morning, I wasn't even out of bed for five minutes when the major pain started and never stopped. By 8:30 I was at the docs office for monitoring, my contractions were lasting 20 minutes each and there was less than five minutes in between them. The doc checked my cervix and it was about 4cm, so he stripped my membrane and sent me to the hospital. He said they would give me an epidural and start pitocin when I got there and he would check on me at lunch. When he came at lunch time I had progressed to 5cm so he upped the pitocin and said he thinks we will be pushing her out at 6pm'ish. The entire family was in the room at this point. The further along cm-wise I got, the more uncomfortable I got and I was again writhing in pain because even with the epi, my back was just killing me. The contractions were strong and you could see them peak on the monitor and feel them just get worse and worse. I had my eyes closed and writhed from about noon to 6 when I started to actually push. I reached 10cm about 6pm and started pushing then. I was freaking pushing for about two and half hours. How exhausting! I couldn't even lift my own legs up. I had the best nurse though. I call her super nurse because she was the most awesome thing that happened to me that day. She was a great coach. I had no idea that the nurses were the ones who did all the work and that the doc only shows up once the baby's head crowns. I remember asking her, when are yo going to call the doc, are we close to calling the doc, etc...... once he showed up I knew we were in the home stretch. They said I was an amazing pusher by the way! After the doc took over, the baby came about 15 to 20 minutes later. I have to say that I had no idea that the entire experience feels like you are taking the shit of your life!!! I hesitated to push in the beginning because I kept thinking about pooping, but then reached a point where I finally said to myself that I was going to shit this brick out! That's when the REAL pushing began! My goal became to poop as hard and as much as I had to. The reality is that I didn't poop that much but it felt like I had been going for hours with every push. So, she came out at 8:44pm. It was so surreal. I was in so much shock that it was over and so relieved BUT that's because I had NO idea that things were barely over. Apparently the umbilical cord detached from the placenta, so the cord came out, while the placenta stayed in. The good thing is that placenta did separate from the uterus, but the bad thing was that it was not coming out. The doc was racing against time because the cervix starts to close, the epi had been turned down, and yet the placenta was still there. He said his options were to reach in and get it now, or take me into surgery for a D&C and he didn't want to have to do that. So, long story short, he decided on the fly to reach in there and get it. I had a man's arm up to my belly button inside of me digging around for the placenta. He had to make sure he grabbed it properly or it could break up into pieces and surgery would be imminent. So, this wasn't a fast grab! I was literally off the table in pain with a man's fist up my crotch. I then had to have stitches to sew up my crotch which also didn't feel fabulous. So after giving birth, I was on the table for yet another hour of torture in total. I lost a lot of blood. My husband said there was blood everywhere and that it was like a horror movie scene. I was screaming and cussing and crying with blood all over the place. Very traumatic I must say. Meanwhile Savannah was all cozy in the warmer being tended to and having her picture taken like a super model. My whole family was out in the waiting room wondering what the hell was taking so long to be able to come in, so there was a point at which my mom just helped herself and practically pushed her way in. So, that night I got zero sleep because as you will experience, people are coming in constantly for paperwork, to take your blood, to check you, to check the baby, your blood pressure, etc......and because I was in shock. I just laid there wondering how the hell I made it through that whole experience and stared at the baby. The next day I did not sleep and the visitors started coming, so as the day wore on I developed a migraine! I took Darvocet and Motrin but the headache wasn't responding, so by early evening the nurse told everyone they needed to go so I could rest and they gave me something for pain and took the baby for about three hours. I really had not slept at all since Wednesday and still hadn't when I went home on Sunday night, so by 4am I called my mom to come help us with the baby. I was overwhelmed and tired and I think the baby sensed my unease because she would not stop crying. We had a great Monday with my mom there, but then she had to leave, so I took care of Savannah Tuesday night and did great on my own, but still had so much fear and everything. I was struggling to breast feed and having issues with her latching on, etc.... so it got emotionally rocky at times. She was hungry and I had no milk yet, so she wanted nothing to do with my ta-ta. I supplemented her with a bottle and she was voraciously eating. She was starving!!! She was fussy because she was freaking hungry! Tuesday I took her to the doc and she has jaundice and was dehydrated, so we have started her on light therapy and formula for fluids. I did not try to breast feed at all yesterday, but lo and behold, my milk is now leaking, so perhaps I will try today and see if she latches on and feels satisfied. My baby nurse arrived Tuesday evening. I was so physically exhausted after all those days of pain and birth that my MIL thought I needed time to recouperate (sp?). It is helping so much. She is an awesome teacher to have around and I ask tons of questions!

CONGRATULATIONS TRACY!! Glad it is all over for you. Now you can enjoy your little angel. Take care.. Sorry ladies I just finished typing for twenty minutes and got timed out when I tried to submit. I will try again later.. Hope everyone is feeling great.. Take care for now!

Congratulation Tracy, that was a real hard time you had there, but thankfully its over, and Savannah is home. I have to admit though, the way you described your birth story made me laugh most of the time, although I felt so bad for all what you went through. You have a great sense of hummer even through this. Congratulations again, and hope you will keep us posted on your progress. Good luck.

hi all... TRACY, congrats again on Savannah's birth! I'm so happy for you... :-) LM3 - sorry about af showing up. I don't really have any experience with short luteal phases...could that be an indicator that your uterine lining isn't building sufficiently? Not sure... hope you can figure it out soon. LB, sorry about the lost post - hope to see your update soon! COL, how are you this week? My update... It's looking more and more like a c-section. My doctor sat down with me today and talked about how she's worried that between the baby's large size (his head was almost 10cm diameter 2 weeks ago!), the danger of shoulder dystocia and permanent nerve damage, the fact that he just doesn't seem to be dropping, and that there's still no change to my cervix, she's really leaning toward c-section as the safest route for the baby. I'll have another u/s and check next Thursday, but unless there's some radical new change or information, it's likely I'll have a c-section on May 22nd. I'm a little in shock... glad to have a date in mind, but rather startled to really have to give up the idea of vaginal birth. I want to do whatever is safest for the baby, though, and it's sounding like c-section will be it...

hey all......still hanging in here.....had a few contractions yesterday and still the heavy pressure feeling......went to grocery store last night because we were out of everything it seemed and i was Ok at first and then walking became hard as we were checking out and getting to the car .....but after a 30 min rest at home i felt fine walking.....Val ...i go to the Dr tomorrow and i am just going to wait and see what he says....it was the nurse at L&D that said bedrest till wed when i was 36 weeks but then when i asked her if bedrest was over wed she said follow up with your Dr and that appt is tomorrow and i have felt ok....so i was just waiting it out ........and yes i do need to work as long as i can because with what i make and DH we were going to be OK because the last payday that we will bring home DH will make his last truck payment so the 6 weeks will not be so bad w/o a check but if i dont get to work till the last day as i hoped it will put us behind a little......and yes i know about those med bills.......but in the end we are ready for out little one to get here........tracy.....congrats to you and i know you are soooo glad to have your baby here and healthy......will check in tomorrow after Dr appt everyone take care!!!!!

hey punkin, we posted at about the same time... I hope your dr appt is a good one tomorrow! :-)

Tracey...Congrats on your new little girl xox

Tracey - YEAH!! congrats woman! What a hard time but it was all worth it wasn't it? your beautiful baby is here!

hey all i had a good appt.....measuring 36 weeks and i am 36 weeks and 2 days .......still dilated but he just gave me instructions as when to come to the hospital (water breaks , dontractions 5 min apart and such as that ) so i guess i am far enough along that if those things happen baby will be fine.......he said i could continue to work if i felt like it and i do but i just get tired real easy.....plus like i said we had it in our budget to work a little longer ........but as far as my appt went BS and BP was all fine.......and we are just waiting......hope everyone is doing fine and i will check in on yall later