8 posts tagged “third trimester”
I am wheeled into a room labeled, ‘OB/GYN check in’ a polite nurse greets me and straps two monitors over me. The ob/gyn on call begins to introduce herself with that loud voice, as if I am deaf, she has the nerve to ask how I am feeling. I grunt back, “In the middle of contraction”. I didn’t want to talk to her, I didn’t want to engage in a relationship with her, I was awaiting the midwife on call. At that moment, Susan walks in and takes over, the ob/gyn got nothing out of me. Susan is one of four on the UCLA CNM team. I had only seen her a handful of times throughout my prenatal appointments but she was the last midwife I saw. My prenatal appointment was April 1, Tuesday, that’s when we learned I was 1-2 cm and she could feel the head. Today, I wonder if she had an idea that Vida’s birth day was around the corner. She scanned my birth plan and was okay with everything listed.
Susan began her cervical check, it was uncomfortable, when her hand re-emerged she brought the mucus plug out. Pablo looked concerned and she reassured him that was exactly what it was supposed to look like, stingy and bloody. She reported that I was already 6 cm. It’s about noon by now, Becky is impressed that I have been coping so well, considering how far along I was. My blood pressure was taken and it was high, it was constantly monitored and it remained high. Thanks to the midwifery model of care, I was simply monitored, it did not escalate to excessive fetal monitoring or drug therapy. I had a clean record of blood pressure all throughout my pregnancy. Some women simply have high blood pressure due to the stress of being in a hospital environment brings.
I was then moved to the labor room, spacious, plantation shutters, a long couch, a more welcoming environment. Becky began strongly engaging in her coaching and assistance. I resumed my frequent bathroom breaks, altogether experienced about 3 contractions on the toilet. I remembered Ina Mae Gaskin’s words, ‘loose in the mouth, loose in the bottom’. It’s easier to open on the toilet as that is a natural place to release, I would lean back on the bowl, and open my mouth wide, releasing my jaw (it’s tricky, actually). Upon my last visit to the bathroom I decided to experience some contractions standing up against the cool marble tiles. I distinctly recall looking up to the right into the corner of the ceiling and entering a ‘trance’. Had anyone filmed that moment, they would think I was overtaken, possessed. I was truly in ‘Laborland’ as described in Birthing From Within. The bathroom was equipped with a roomy, handicap-sized shower with a detachable shower head. It looked inviting and Becky was prepared to continue my laboring in there, Pablo had even changed into his swim trunks. I returned to the bed for blood pressure monitoring and to get Susan’s read on my progress. After that initial cervical check at 6 cm, she never conducted another internal exam. I was so impressed. She simply pulled up a chair and kept everyone company. Well, it was decided that I was too far along for shower-time. She asked if we had any labor music. Pablo attempted to play an Enya CD on their player, but it wasn’t working. So he had his laptop and played the CD, after that was finished we switched to tunes by Tori. The CNM commented that it was an ‘odd’ choice for labor music. I enjoyed it because I have so many of her lyrics memorized and could 'sing' them while still expending energy on pushing. Shortly, before it came time for Vida to crown, Jackie’s Strength came up on the playlist, perfect timing.
I remember telling Becky that now I understood what women meant when they described contractions as riding a wave of ocean water. It made perfect sense. She wonderfully mothered me and Pablo would speak to me as well. Sometimes, I wasn’t interested in what he had to say, so I would raise my fingers to his lips to get him to stop talking. When I would hold onto a contraction, Susan would firmly remind me to let it go, this helped me cope with the discomfort. Susan asked if I was ready to push. I thought to myself, How the hell do I know? I have never done this before. I went along and said ‘yes’. The first pushes were futile and awkward, I was using my legs instead of my core. I knew I was supposed to push as if it were the biggest poo of my life but I didn’t know how to engage my core.
Shortly thereafter, the birth bar comes out and I am able to rest my legs against and use Becky’s fabric to push with my core, the birth bar also alleviated the cramping on my outer left thigh and my calf on the right side. Susan began to take over the pushing more assertively. Becky focused on me, applying cool washcloths to my forehead and reminding me to work with my baby. When I made all the progress I could with the birth bar and fabric, Susan recommended a side-lying position. She noticed the expression on my face and commented that it sounded counter-intuitive but it would work. We needed to get Vida under my pubis symphis bone. At this point the nursing team and an ob/gyn resident are preparing the birthing equipment. Internally, I was getting excited, I knew if they were moving along then I truly was making progress.
The real work begins, it is approximately 1:30 pm.
I would push with loud, primal grunts and focus all my energy toward my middle visualizing it was sending Vida down the birth canal. When I was doing well, Susan and the team would call out, “Hold it.” I spoke up and told them that I interpreted it as, “STOP!” They conferred that it is misleading and wondered how many labors they attended that went unnecessarily long. I told them I would prefer they gave me a count (which surprised them), as in push until we get to 5, or something like that. As the contraction came I often pushed at the onset and felt the most progress with the 2nd and 3rd pushing sequences of the contraction. Again, I spoke up and told Susan that the first one feels like a waste, there is a noticeable difference in the pressure. She suggested to just breathe as the contraction begins and not to push until it almost peaks. This was hard to gage as I have never done this before and visualizing the contraction didn’t work for me because it never felt like there was a distinctive beginning, middle, and end. Susan has plenty of experience and could tell by reading my facial expressions, she would assist me, and the whole room would cheer me on to let me know that they could see the head. Yet, the head would creep back up because I hadn’t pushed her far enough. (It takes 3 STRONG pushes: 2 steps forward, 1 step back, to make progress down the birth canal.) At that point I tell Becky and Pablo that I need their hands, her to my left and him to my right. I tell them that if I am sending this much energy out, I need them to return it to me to make the 3rd and 4th pushes truly count. From that point forward, I pushed with all my might, probably hurting Becky’s hand in the process. Now, I could truly feel Vida passing through me, at one point I even felt a kick!
The mirror from above is angled for me to view her
emerge. It gave me a boost of confidence
when I could see a sliver of her head, now I believed I was making
progress. Again the delivery team
scurries and makes some more arrangements as it is imminent that she will
crown. The ob/gyn resident takes over as
Susan monitors her, she explains that she is applying mineral oil and
performing perineal massage to make Vida’s passage easier and for me not to
tear. That felt incredibly relaxing, I
could feel the stretchiness factor and it calmed me. I had heard of the infamous Ring of Fire at
the moment the baby crowns, but it never happened, at the most there was an
intense, brief sting on one side. It
seemed as though she crowned easily. I
never felt the shoulders on the following push and as she was slipping out, the
team told me to reach for her as they lifted her from within me. I brought her to my belly and wanted to bring
her to my chest but was advised not to as the cord was short. Apparently, I was also bleeding more than the
typical amount. While we celebrated her
birth at 3:46 pm and waited for her first cry, Susan was attending to my
bleeding. The nurses monitored Vida’s
breathing, it was gurgling with amniotic fluid.
They performed some suctioning and she let out a big cry, at that
moment, Pablo’s eyes watered and tears fell.
I was in a euphoric state, smiling and almost giggling. Pablo later told me that I smiled through some
contractions, which I do recall, and that to him it looked as if I was in the
midst of an orgasm. I was delighted to
hear this as one of the birth stories in Birth as We Know It, describes this
sensation. Pablo and I kissed at various
times throughout my labor, those sweet kisses released endorphins and hormones
that contributed to my ‘painless’ labor and delivery. Yes, I said it, painless. It was always intense and discomforting but
not painful. Recovery was painful,
recovery had me pleading for some strong Motrin.
The integrity of the birth plan was maintained even as Vida received her newborn check up. Pressure is then applied to my uterus, now that HURT! That drove me to tears. It’s a necessary evil to monitor how much blood loss there is-if it gushes that’s bad. At this point Susan is concerned about the bleeding and strongly suggests an IV of pitocin which helps stop bleeding (This had something to do with my placenta being low lying). We go with her suggestion and her team completes the delivery of the placenta, that was a sight to watch. Meanwhile, Pablo keeps Vida company as she is checked over, he talks to her and plays the Glow worm for her, instantly her cries soften. My bleeding is stabilized and Vida is fine, I cradle her in my arms and still feel surreal. It’s true that the moment she’s out, all the discomfort and struggle disappears. As I held her, it felt as if the whole 38 weeks flashed before me and as if my mind was trying to process how I arrived at motherhood. To hold her and acknowledge she was actually mine, it took about 2 days to truly own the motherhood moment. I was so sore while in the hospital it was hard for my mind to concentrate on her. Once the delivery was completed, we awaited a wheel chair to get to our private room. I was impatient as the mattress on the delivery bed did not provide much comfort. I then decided we could walk over to the room ourselves. As we turned the corner, I glanced forward and saw Susan entering another room, as she watched me walk myself to the private recovery room she hollered to me,
“Good for you.”
I attribute the ease of my labor and delivery to all the reading and research I did while pregnant. I love to explore new topics. I purchased about 5 pregnancy books and devoured them, we hired a doula, I participated in MDC (www.mothering.com), I took childbirth classes with the best, Ana Paula, and most of all I have a tremendously supportive husband who loves me unconditionally. When I would read the books or watch birth videos, some critical messages or scenes were stored in my mind, subconsciously. It’s as if my body connected with my mind to retain the information it needed to assist me in accomplishing my goal of a 100% natural childbirth. There were moments in the most intense moments of active labor that you your ‘human’ brain interferes with your ‘primal’ brain. Going into the birth I was aware of this from my childbirth classes and would remind myself to, release and let go.
As a first timer, the only and best advice I can offer is to let your body do the ‘work’, listen to it. Especially in the last trimester, if you feel a chiropractic adjustment is needed, go for it. If you sense a prenatal massage will help with your leg cramps, book it. If you have a ‘nesting’ urge, give in to it. If you want to practice your breathing and stretching exercises before going to bed, you better do it. These are all ‘signs’ that your body owns the birthing process, cooperate and you’ll increase the likelihood that the end result will be in your favor.
It sounds exciting, but I know that babies have their own time line. The CNM also said she could feel the head, Pablo was like, 'whoa'!
So this news from the CNM appointmnet 2 days ago translates into the following:
1. Burst of 'gotta get it done' energy at work.
2. Less procrastination on my LMU coursework
3. Finalization of application materials to various charter schools (I have an interview at my home this Saturday!)
4. Some more cleaning/organizing
5. Meal prep for some frozen entrees
Well, I guess that was more a To Do List.
On the more natural side of things:
1. I feel her movements ever so strongly. She stretches and kicks, she also gets the hiccups (like right now). The hiccups have been occurring more frequently in the last 2 weeks.
2. I randomly leak various fluids: mucus, colostrum, and still have a runny nose.
3. When I am hungry, I cannot put it off!
4. Water...mmm...water!
5. Others notice that I have 'dropped'.
6. Foot swelling is a daily event, again, not painful, just limiting in footwear.
So I am wondering if I will make it to the 15th? Here are my 'preferred' due dates (solely based on aesthetics, multiples of 4 combinations that I like) I guess it's the teacher in me...
4-4-08 (Oh goodness, that's TOMORROW)
4-6-08 (4-6 is my Tata's birthday-my mom's dad- I miss him and it's been over a decade)
4-16-08 (The day after I stop working-perfect timing)
4-20-08 (ha, ha, snicker, snicker and because it gives me some down time between work and baby)
Baby shower(s): Yes, I was super blessed with 2 back - to - back showers. Here are some highlights:
1. She has enough clothes for the next 9 months. She'll mostly live in onesies, so now I have a legitimate reason to invest in Babylegs. I love the Etsy website, it's a way I can support WAHM (work at home moms), Knotty Baby Wear's creator is quitting the biz! I look forward to some deep discounts! I have yet to make a purchase so I am super excited.
Pablo was so against these if the baby was going to be a boy, even the gender neutral colors. He said leggings don't belong on boys. Ay, the machismo.
2. The cake(s)...mmmm...Love, absolutely love Porto's cakes. Ours had fresh bananas with custard between chocolate cake and Cuban cake (yellow cake with Brandy). My mom's cake was fresh strawberries between cuban cake and yellow cake.
3. Games: As a teacher, I wanted some games that required some mental skill: we had a fill-in-the-blank nursery
4. Friends and family: Vida's godmother (Lisa) and Lauren coordinated our shower. Lauren's other half, Brian shared his birthday with us (it was the same day as the shower). At my mom's place, it was emotional to look around the room and realize that most of the people have known me since I was an infant! My mom is Lisa's godmother, so it's just beautiful to see it come full circle.
20 days to go and I it would be great if she was close to the projected date, here's why:
4/5 I will be selecting candidates for Teach CA Charters (it's a side job)
4/11 and 4/12 I have my LMU class
4/15 Last day of work
4/19 Her Due Date !!!!
4/24 and 4/25 I have my LMU class
It would be so ideal for her to be born on 4/16 so I have more time to rest up before going to class on the evening of 4/24. I love my education administration program at Loyola Marymount University and don't want to miss any classes. I already told P, he would accompany me to class that day to give me a hand with Vida. :-)
My classmates think I am 'crazy' for 'planning' her due date. I know I only have a 5% chance of her landing on 4/19 so I am taking some measure to (naturally) induce labor: eating more pineapple (juice ice cubes and chunks), sex (for the prostaglandins to soften the cervix), staying active (hence my late maternity leave), and pregnancy massage ( I figure I will schedule one for 4/13 and give it sometime to take effect). I am stubborn about her arriving early or on time and not leaving wiggle room for a late arrival, she can come late too, but if she could hold off to 4/26 that would be great. I don't want her to be too late, because of the interventions that ensue and the impact it has on my maternity leave-I wouldn't have a full 6 weeks with her.
:-)
1. How many days until the final childbirth class? 11 (There's only 2 left to go, darn it, I have really been enjoying them too!)
2. How many days until I have weekly prenatal visits? 2
3. How many days until Vida's 'things' (washed clothes, toiletries, baby gear, and accessories) are in place? DONE
4. How many days until my next doula appointment? 14-19 (It won't be an 'appointment', it will be TIME!)
5. How many days until my belly button disappears? 7 ( I still got it, although it is ever so shallow)
6. How many days until we load the car with 'labor day' supplies (labor bag, recovery bag, towels, car seat)? 1
7. How many days until P and I have our last outing as non-parents? 7 (I would like to squeeze a movie into this time line)
I am thinking this is my last countdown post, almost all of the estimates are in the single digits. Next time it will have morphed into a nesting task list and/or live blog of early labor.
Monday evening I was slammed with a nasty cold. I must have battled 3 or 4 of these already but it feels so much worse this time because of the size of my uterus. It's up in my rib cage so every time I cough or have a sneezing fit, I think I am going to crack a rib. I was supposed to do some meetings from 10:30 to 2:30 today and I just couldn't pull it together. In the last two nights I have only slept 1 hour at a time and eventually leave the bedroom for the glider or the couch.
Needless to say, I am behind on my spring break plans and blog updates. Here's a quick one: the birth plan. We just had our third trimester appointment with our doula last night and reviewed it with her. Feedback is welcomed. We are missing one piece regarding the placenta. I am seeking a resource for placenta dehydration to use as pills for a speed recovery. If I find an affordable resource I will include it in the plan.
Birth Plan for Vanessa and Pablo Garza
EDD: April 19, 2008
Our Birth Wishes...
Pablo and I are very excited about the birth of our first child. We have
developed this wish list so that all involved will know how they can best help
us. We do realize that circumstances may arise and that changes may occur.
During Labor
Freedom to use whatever position I find comfortable: standing, walking,
squatting, birthball, etc.
Perform intermittent fetal monitoring.
I would like to use the shower as a comfort measure.
Listen to music and use dim lighting for relaxation.
Delay the use of an IV and would prefer a Saline Lock.
I am aware that pain medication is available to me and I will let you know if I
want it...please do not ask.
During Birth
To push in a variety of positions: semi-reclined, side-lying, squatting, hands
and knees, etc.
To avoid an episiotomy and would prefer warm compresses, perineal support,
peri- massage oil, and position of choice to achieve this.
Prefer to push with the urge and not with counting
After Birth
Do not suction the nose and mouth unless meconium is present
I would like immediate skin-to-skin contact for the bonding
and attempt self-latch breastfeeding.
Wait to cut the umbilical cord when it has stopped pulsating.
Have the father cut the umbilical cord.
Do not wipe the hands of the baby
Perform the newborn exam on my thigh.
We would like to delay any newborn procedures for the first hour.
We will delay the Hep B vaccine and have discussed this with our pediatrician.
I will breastfeed so please no bottles, nipples, pacifiers, etc.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for making this
day a respectable one. We are eternally grateful for all your help, support and
encouragement.
Signed __________________________ (mom) ____________________________ (dad)
___________________________ (doula) _____________________________ (CNM)
You may know by now, that pregnancy is 40 weeks as in 10 months. It's such a misnomer to say 9 Months, like that Hugh Grant movie. Let's see what I have learned in the home stretch....
Body & Mind Lessons
1. I could win a midnight farting contest.
2. Stretching feels so good.
3. Swollen feet are hideous, they don't hurt though and are nothing to worry about.
4. Definition of colostrum is 'liquid gold'.
5. Pregnancy is pricey...with the swollen feet I had to get some new shoes: one pair for business and one for outings. Of course I pick Clarks and Born for comfort, guess what sizes? 9.5 and 10 (that's US) respectively. At $29 a pair is wasn't so bad (thank you Marshall's with the extended shoe department).
Oh no, my mom was a 9 before she had me and she became a permanent 10! She also is 5'10" so it looks natural. Unfortunately, I didn't inherit the supermodel height gene like my 'lil' sister. Size 10 feet will look awkward on my 5' 6" frame.
Along the pricey aspect of pregnancy I also explored Michael's craft store for the first time. I was searching for fabric markers and paint for a baby shower activity. It's where you buy plain onsies (what is the official spelling?) and guests decorate them. One of P's friends had it at her shower and it was fun. I had a $15 gift card and purchased about $35 worth of fabric markers/paints, not bad. Then I asked, 'Where's the scrapbooking section?" So I stroll over there and quickly target the 'clearance' items which, lo and behold, are mostly pregnancy/maternity related. Now to ensure this 'investment' doesn't go to waste, I need to get started on this project ASAP. Tonight would be great so I can display the work in progress at the baby shower. Grand total spent at Michael's after the gift card was applied...$55.
6. Clingy clothes (yet comfortable ones) make me feel good, the curves are in the right places so why not work it ?! When I was shopping today, most 'loose' styles just looked undefined. I was a walking rectangle in some dresses that were totally cute ON the hanger. The $15 halter dress and $20 cardigan were the best bet!
7. Mantras keep me sane: two favorites are "In letting go, it all gets done." That one has been a saving grace for the workload at school. "Release and let go." This one helps me fall asleep faster and helps me decompress.
8. Continuing in the arena of comfort is the underwear dillemma. String, strappy ones, not so nice at this time. Microfiber is my best friend and so are some boy shorts-style undies. Due to the limited quantities in my current collection, I bought a package at Costco and one pair at Marshall's.
9. Body warmth, word on the street is that late in pregnancy a woman is 10 degrees warmer than the average person. It's true, at random times, usually inconvenient situations. For example, when going to bed (like as in when you're supposed to be relaxing) and other times a heat flush overtakes you in the middle of your daily routine. Solution? Drink more water, I guess...water is the answer to everything.
10. I have traded 'mommy brain' for 'butter' fingers. Items slip out of my grasp so easily: keys, papers, utensils, change, whatever! There have been times that I have dropped my keys twice (or more) while trying to open my door. It's ridiculous but keeps me limber!
8th month lessons
1. I truly feel the stomach acts like a boulder on my body. For example, to get in and out of bed I have to roll into the appropriate position. Thank goodness it's getting super warm. It's amazing that it's late February and we're having 85 degree days! At some point, I would like to go to the beach and dig a hole, burrow my belly in the sand and savor the belly down position.
2. Dreaded stretch marks...I didn't have any until this week...I made it soooo far without any signs. I have a handful of some faint, short ones in the center of my underbelly. I noticed it last night and got really teary eyed. P hugged me and said he still loved me. I lathered the cocoa butter cream before going to bed, this morning, added some more lotion when I got home from work. I will apply cocoa butter again this evening. This will be my ritual from here on out.
3. Mindset: I have always believed in 'mind over matter'. I practice mantras to help me fall asleep, I also use them to help me see the positive side of difficult situations. So I am applying the same principle to my outlook on labor and delivery. I am currently reading Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth, and this idea is driven with anecdotal evidence as well as connecting it to physiology. In a future post, I will highlight some of the best quotes from the book.
4. Inconsistent sleep: This evening is the first night that I can't go back to bed right away after waking for repositioning, a drink of water, or a bathroom break. I woke up at 2:30 am and got out of bed at 2:45. I don't have to be on my best game tomorrow as I am attending a conference instead of being at school. It's close to 3:30 now, I will attempt to go back to sleep for 2 hours or so.
5. Planning: From previous posts, you can tell I am a planner, the execution is the critical piece though. I have yet to re-visit my "gotta get it done" list. I will take stock of the list this weekend. I have given thought to how I will spend my spring vacation. At that point, Vida's room will be painted and furniture will be in place. The first 5 days of vacation are 'mine', as in, doing mommy-baby prep.
All week long: 1 hour of exercise (right now, I am fitting 30 minutes/day at best) and catching up with friends.
Saturday and Sunday: Baby showers
Monday: Baby laundry, nursery organizing, & thank you notes
Tuesday: Prenatal appt, prenatal yoga class & update blog
Wednesday: Review birth plan and have doula appointment (maybe I can squeeze in a pregnancy massage)
___________________________________________
Thursday-Saturday: Do work stuff, prep for maternity leave
(I will be 36 weeks by Thursday, 2 more weeks and she can be born with optimal development.)
Here are some overdue belly pictures. I still feel moderately pregnant as in I can hide under a roomy hoodie. I have about a month of this left (at most). On Super Tuesday, I have a prenatal appointment, it's the first of the 2-week cycle, it's been 3 weeks since my last appointment. Last time I took the glucose test but never followed up on the results, I'll ask about them.
Since entering the third trimester here are some things I have learned:
1. I like prunes, I take 2-3 a day like a vitamin. Mom used to make me eat them as kid to resolve constipation. It never fails.
2. Medium maternity pants fit but not regular medium sweat pants...bummer
3. I can still do 30 minutes on the cross ramp (like an elliptical). I accomplished that today at the end of doing the weight machines.
4. My weight gain is transforming me into an egg shape (from my chest to my thighs) Not cute, not at all.
5. I get a sweet tooth craving about 2-3 times a week.
6. Feeling Vida move more frequently is awesome.
7. "Sneaky pee": When you think you're finished but you're not.
8. I don't sleep through the night anymore. I have to adjust, shift, re-adjust, turn, use the restroom, and yes, this happens each night.
9. Very few companies know how to make attractive maternity clothes for regular women. Most make you look either like a box or a fashion train wreck. Babystyle gets it right! I love shopping their outlet online, which is where I found that cute "Coming Soon!" tank top
10. I can prioritize my personal happiness and balance before work obligations. I have never fully committed to that but it just began to come over me last week. I never heard a mom regret staying home with her baby for as long as she could.
