Oct.17.02

So...Did anyone predict October 11th?

That's right, my dear darling son was born on October 11, 2002.

I don't have much time, so here is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to a friend about the birth:

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I labored at home from about 10:30AM and on through the evening. The contractions started to get really intense around five or six o'clock, and the nurse came and checked me around then. I was two cm. and doing well. The doula came in around that time and I moved to the tub. The birth tub was wonderful--I labored through some very strong but productive contractions in there for about three hours. Things were starting to get almost too intense (ctx one on top of the other, super-strong), but I was hanging in there, and our doula was sure the baby was coming fast. Another nurse came around then, to check my progress. Believe it or not, I was still at 2cm. I kind of lost it then, realizing that if this baby was not coming pretty much immediately, the contractions were going to do me in. They checked my blood pressure and it was elevated a little, and the baby's heartbeat was a bit slower than they would have liked. I wasn't coping with the contractions very well by then. I wanted to go to the hospital for pain meds. We did end up going to the hospital, but not because I wanted pain meds--unbeknownst to me, the nurses were very concerned about the baby's heart rate and the doctor told them to get me to the hospital. Honestly, I did not care at that point whether I had a home birth or not, I was in PAIN and was glad to go, knowing I could get some relief. I went through much of my transition in the backseat of our car on the way to the hospital, while C. drove.

I was not at the hospital long before the docs discovered that with each contraction, the baby's cord was being compressed and his heart rate was dropping very dangerously low. They determined that I needed a C section immediately. One doc was even massaging the baby's head just beyond what was left of my thinned cervix. I was dilating very fast. I was 5cm by the time I'd arrived at the hospital and in less than two hours I was at 10cm. My doc even had me push three or four times, just in case I could get him out quickly. It couldn't be done. I had to have the C section.

Everything went fine, albeit somewhat dramatic and traumatic, but the baby and I are doing pretty well. The hospital stay was mercifully short--only three days.

We're having some really big breastfeeding problems now that are taking up 99% of my time and energy. I will have to fill you in on it later. Please keep us in your thoughts as I'm reaching my wits' end.

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That about sums it up, facts-wise. I'll have to get back to all the feelings behind this sometime. Right now, I have to take care of my baby.

Love,

squarepants

square - hip