The importance of kick counts!

There's so much you have to keep track of when you're pregnant. Doing kick counts is just another thing you need to track. I hated doing it. I was pretty much aware of when my baby moved so I didn't really focus on it like I did with my first 2 pregnancies.

Right before bed when I'm putting my youngest to sleep, the baby would start kicking and moving so much that it takes less than 1 minute for me to count 10 kicks. Pretty simple. It's pretty much the same every night.

The day my son was born... I was 34 weeks. The day before, he moved very little. I had more braxton hicks contraction than what was normal for me. During my nightly kick count, he didn't' move like all the other nights before. In fact, I couldn't remember if he moved at all during the day. Why didn't I remember? My 4 year has been sick. He was hospitalized for fevers of unknown origins. I took him to the clinic for a follow up appointment that day and was just so busy and my mind was somewhere else....

Back to that night. During dinner, the baby didn't move after my meal which is unusual. I tried juice, chocolate and water. Nothing. I showered and laid down during my normal bedtime (when he's most active) and nothing.

After talking to the advice nurse at Labor & Delivery from the hospital, I drove to the hospital at 10pm. I counted 9 braxton hicks during my drive there and they were starting to hurt. Is this real labor contractions?!?

They hooked me up to the monitor. Did ultrasounds of the baby. The baby is moving but not enough for me to feel it and it's not his "usual" moves. The amniotic fluid was good. They checked my cervix and I was not dialating after a couple of hours.

I thought they were going to let me go home after the 2nd cervix check but they came back and said that the doctors recommend I stay to be monitored. I agreed and was admitted.

They put oxytocin in my IV to make me have stronger contractions and my baby did not like that. After 12 minutes, he started moving all over the place. I later found out that meant he was stressed during the contraction and a C-Section was recommended. It turns out he also pooped. There was meconium when they got to him. He didn't cry and more than once they assured me that they didn't make him cry on purpose. I finally heard him cry from outside the OR room and I felt so relieved. I wanted to cry and for some reason I felt like I had to be strong... why? I have no idea. I can easily cry when Bolt saves Penny from the burning building (any Bolt fans?!) but this, I can't cry?!

So the point of all this? I'm glad that I called and went in to check on my baby. It's always better safe than sorry. That's why I visit the clinic a lot even if it's a cold! That's another story... haha

The rest of the labor story is here.

My 3rd Labor Story...

"Wow" is all I can say as I'm laying in the recovery room after an emergency Cesarean surgery. My son was born at 34 weeks, which I was told is not too bad for a preemie...

It started on 8/4. I took my oldest son for a follow up appointment with his primary doctor. He has had a fever for 16 days and the cause is unknown. 

I was working from home and noticed some Braxton Hicks contractions but didn't think anything of it. During the day it got more frequent and before dinner, I realized that I haven't felt him move in awhile. 

After dinner, he still didn't move. I ate some malt balls and the chocolate still didn't do the trick. I had a cup of apple juice and still, no movement. I was still having contractions and this time I tracked it. They were 2-3 mins apart lasting almost 1 min each. I started to feel a slight backache & cramps as it got later in the evening. 

I knew I would probably end up in the hospital if I called labor & delivery so we sent our 18 month old with his grandparents for the night. 

After a shower, I laid down to start my kick count which I did about this time every night. Still no movement. I tried drinking some water. Nothing. I called Labor & Delivery. They asked me to come in. 

I arrived around 10 pm having had about 9 contractions since speaking with someone on the phone. Baby & I were monitored. 

He still did not move much. His amniotic fluid was good and I was having contractions every 3 mins. Then it started to space out. The contractions started to become more and more like a real contraction accompanied with cramps. During a 30 min ultrasound to check for movement, he did good except he didn't breathe like they expected. 

They checked my cervix and I was about 40% effaced but the cervix was closed. After the 2nd cervix check, they thought I could go home. After discussing my case with other doctors, it was recommended that I stay and be admitted for monitoring because baby isn't responding as they expected.  I accepted. I was worried. 

I had to call hubby and tell him he would need to take our son to follow up with the infectious disease doctors in the morning. 

I was given Benadryl to helpe sleep. There was no point. They woke me at 7 am after letting me sleep at 3:30am after measuring baby and determining he was about 5.5 lbs. 

Some time in the morning the OB doctors came in and said they wanted to give me Oxytocin to see how baby responds to stronger contractions. It was called a Contraction Stress Test. I waited for hubby to finish up with our son's appointment because they explained that if baby doesn't pass the test, I will need an emergency Cesarean because he will not handle true labor and there will be complications. 

It turns out the infectious disease doctors recommended my son be admitted to the hospital for more tests. :( Grandpa and my bestie stayed with him while daddy came to me. 

After 12 mins of Oxytocin, the baby reacted and the test was positive. The doctors came back to talk to us and said we will need to operate. Hubby and I were confused because we thought a "positive" result meant he was okay. Apparently this kind of positive meant, he reacted badly to the contraction and will not do well during the real thing. 

I was a little nervous. At this point my contractions started to feel real. It hurt. :(

Since my first and second labor story was so different, I remember saying "I'm probably going to have a C-Section with this one". Be careful what you say!!!

My husband and I were making plans to take care of our son but now we're facing a soon to be preemie baby and caring for our oldest. I was nervous. :( I had normal vaginal births with both my boys... I didn't know what to expect. I never had general anesthesia. I was more than nervous. I was scared. I want baby to be safe and if they say it's safer to deliver now, it's what we will do. They ensured me that 34 weeks was far along enough in his gestational age that he will probably do great!

My husband waited outside the OR while they prepped me. The anesthesia was given through the spine area like an epidural. Once that was in, I laid down and was numb pretty quick. I think I freaked out a little because I felt like I was so numb... All the way up to my chest/neck area. After they put the drape over so that we couldn't see, they asked my husband to come in. 

I felt pressure and a lot of tugging but no pain. My fear was I would feel the pain! The doctors chatted about weather & other stuff. They seemed relaxed. When they got to baby, they said there was meconium. And when they said "baby's out!" I didn't hear crying but they wanted to assure me that they didn't make him cry for a reason. They took him out of the room and daddy followed. A few seconds (seems longer) I heard him cry from outside. It was loud. I realized tears were filling my eyes from relief. They brought him back in and laid him next to me. So tiny. So sweet. Then they took him away :( daddy went with him and I just waited for them to close me up. 

I was moved to the recovery room for a short period of time before being moved to an actual room where I would be spending the next 4-5 days. 

I couldn't feel my legs or move them. I tried. The nurses pretty much took care of me. I started to feel pain as the numbness wore off. For 12 hours I couldn't get up. When I tried to for the first time I was in so much pain that I couldn't believe they were making me do this! 

I'm alone. Worried about my oldest son. Wishing my newborn was with me. Everything is happening the "wrong" way. I felt alone. They talk about baby blues and postpartum depression... this felt worse than that.

I finally got to see my baby about 19 hrs later. I nursed him and he latched on so well! He is tiny but not as tiny as you would expect. He looks smaller in daddy's arms because daddy is so big. I met one of the nurses (Valerie) there and she was so awesome that I wasn't as worried about the baby because I knew he was in good hands.

Over the next few days as I recovered I would walk to see the baby in NICU and walk to see my oldest in pediatrics. Some say I'm crazy but how am I supposed to sit in my room and rest when my family needs me? 

Social services came in and talked to me about the importance of taking care of myself first and not try to be super mom taking care of both boys in the hospital... I've already had 2 episodes where I started getting very emotional and just crying uncontrollably. I can't be left alone. It's the worst feeling sitting in my bed helpless. Feeling lonely. Missing my kids. Worried. Scared. Moving around and not staying in my room was all I can do to keep myself from feeling this deep sadness & stop crying. This is supposed to be such a happy moment, the birth of our 3rd son. Instead, we were all separated. My 2nd son spent the whole time with my in laws. My husband with my oldest who has some unknown illness in the hospital. My newborn in the NICU...

After asking for more pain meds, I felt better but I think I'm rather sensitive to them because I felt nauseated and sick. I requested a lower dosage again. It seems the pain returns sooner :( 

My feet are so swollen I kept asking nurses and doctors if that was normal. They all said "it'll get worse before it gets better" they would only be concerned if one side was more swollen or if there was pain associated with the swelling. 

I was discharged after 4 nights. I asked to stay an additional night. How do they expect you to leave in that much pain!?! After being discharged, I spent most my days in the hospital with my older son & nursing my baby every 3 hours... only going home at night to sleep...

I wish I didn't have this C-section. I need to be with my family. I need to be "normal" and able to take care of my kids... We had support from friends and family and my in laws took care of Connor. We are grateful for all the prayers and support.

But the good news....my baby did so well, he was discharged after 1 week. They let me spend his last night at the hospital in a rooming room (like a hotel for families). And what did I do? Take photos! I was finally alone with my baby! :)