Okay, it was one week ago tomorrow so here goes...
CN version: uneventful delivery til the last minute when his shoulder got stuck, resulting in my vag getting destroyed.
Long version:
Background...I delivered DD at a high risk hospital because I have a tumour in my pituitary gland and they had no idea how it might react during pregnancy and delivery. Turns out, it didn't react at all. I had a very uneventful pregnancy, DD came at 39w1d, and other than my epi not working and her head not being quite straight (so I pushed for over 2 hours, which still isn't odd for a 1st pregnancy), my delivery was very uneventful, although there was a NICU team because I had a bit of staining in my amniotic fluid, but it wasn't serious in the end.
Because my OB practices at the high risk hospital I got to deliver there again.
I was told DS (at the time team green) would be big at my 39 week US...I think he was measuring 8.9lbs then, but was told it could be 1lbs in either direction. I was hoping down (DD was 7.4lbs so 7.9 would be ok, especially if he came at the same time, lol).
Turns out that wasn't the plan. He didn't come early. Or on time. Lol.
Several times in the weeks preceding his birth I thought I was in labour, but the contractions always stopped after about 45 minutes.
On Monday night, at about 5:30, while standing waiting for a table at a restaurant, I was fairly certain I had felt a small gush that wasn't pee. But we had dinner, I waited a bit, felt a couple more small gushes but nothing big like with DD. I wasn't 100% sure but I felt like my water had broken. We got home, called MIL and waited for her to come...went to the hospital and got sent back home after I failed 2 or the 3 tests for amniotic fluid.
At 1:30 am, I woke from sleep to feel another small gush, went to the basement to sleep and awoke at 4am with another small gush and decided I had to go with my gut. I drove myself this time, rather than having MIL come in case I was wrong, again. I wasn't though, this time they only did 2 tests (paper and microscope test) and I passed both. Turns out I had been correct at 5pm but there just wasn't enough fluid to get a positive test.
So because I was GBS positive they had to begin the process for induction. DH got to the hospital soon...but that time I had had my first dose of antibiotics and I think the pitocin had just started.
Honestly, the timing of everything is a blur. I know that at some point I asked to be checked because my contractions were starting to hurt. I was hoping I was an 8 or 9. I was a 6. There was no way I was going to make it without an epi so they called the doc and I got one. AND IT WAS GLORIOUS.
I spent the next few hours in heaven. No pain, nothing like last time. When it works, it really really works.
I had an awesome nurse, Danielle, who essentially was with me the entire time, other than her breaks and a couple times that she needed to cover another patient when another nurse had to take breaks.
Eventually my contractions got uncomfortable, not painful, just uncomfortable. They checked me and I was at a 9. That is when the epi became less amazing. Well, more so during pushing. I found pushing with an epi way more difficult than without. Like, without was painful, but I could do it (I did it for A LOT LONGER before I wanted to quit)...but like 10-15 minutes in this time I was just done, so tired, couldn't focus...etc...clearly you don't actually get to give up, lol, but I wanted to! At some point docs got called in, they coached me through getting the head through...and then all hell broke loose...
Up until this point there had been a nurse, a med student, a senior resident and the OB in the room, and DH. So 5 people plus me. All of a sudden, someone called 'shoulder', hit a button on the wall, and then the room flooded. At least another nurse came in, maybe 2, and a whole team of NICU docs and nurses. I had no idea what was happening. I had two nurses ON me, pinning my knees down to my shoulders. DH (poor guy) was still coaching me to push, but the OB said to stop. So I stopped pushing. Next thing I know, OBs arm was halfway up me and I was screaming, like really screaming. Prior to that I had been pretty loud with each push (I am like a textbook loud movie delivery, no joke), but at this point it felt like someone was ripping my pelvis apart.
Turns out I had what was called shoulder dystocia...essentially DSs head was out but his shoulder was stuck in my pelvis. His airway and umbilical cord were both compromised as a result. So the goal was get him out asap, which more or less meant the doc was manually trying to pry his shoulder through my pelvis. FUN TIMES.
One minute later her was out. Longest minute of my life. I screamed through the entire thing. They pulled him, he wasn't crying, so I was freaking a bit, but he didn't need resuscitation and his apgar was 8 and then 9. I didn't get to do immediate skin to skin (AGAIN) or delayed cord clamping (AGAIN), but I did get to hold him sooner than I held DD (no idea why it took so much longer with DD).
I had no idea how serious of a situation we had faced til the next day. I told my dad what I knew (his shoulder was stuck in my pelvis) and then he told me the medical term for it and I googled. And then I realized it was a pretty big deal. I was lucky because in some cases they intentionally have to break the collar bone to get the baby out. Usually this all happens because the baby is big, the pelvis is small or the baby is poorly positioned. In my case he was big (10lbs) and poorly positioned (his hand was up against his face, which twisted his body). We are lucky it went well, as some of the possible consequences include brain damage and the like.
None of the docs really explained much of anything to me, probably because from the time of the 'shoulder call' to him getting out was 1 minute, which they said was good and therefore they had no concerns, and probably in the scheme of things they see at a high risk hospital, this was nothing. Still, it would have been nice if a doctor had explained some of what had happened and the details to me so I didn't have to figure it out on my own. Especially since he came out with lots of bruising from being grabbed out. (That didn't bother me because I was used to that from discussions with my dad about his work, so knew that in tough deliveries bruising was a common result).
The other reason I wish they had explained more to me was because of my PP recovery. I asked at the time if my tear was bad (I figured when a doc has to put half her arm up you it can't be good) and they said no, stage 2 but not as bad as last time. That being said, when I saw my OB today she kind of worded it differently, like it was a stage 2 tear but an ugly one...I don't think they cut me at all this time, I think I just tore and I think the tear was not pretty. This made the job of sewing me up harder. So while the tear didn't get as close to the rectum (I think that is debatable too based on what I can feel), the stitching job is WAY less pretty. So while I haven't split my stitches, I didn't get a lot of confidence from my OB that I am going to be happy with how I heal. She said it looks okay and should just scar over in the next 6 weeks (so the parts I feel that feel open/flappy should scar together I guess) but I am still not convinced...I think it will end up being very uncomfortable and I have concerns, but regardless she said if it doesn't heal properly they wouldn't do anything UNTIL 6 weeks, which also didn't make me feel much better. I just wish someone had told me, while I was in the hospital "hey, you had a pretty ugly tear that was tough to stitch back together, so don't be surprised when it feels a bit off and hurts a bit more than last time"...but I guess I was just spoiled with DD...I guess having an episiotomy does really help when it comes to the stitches.
Anyways...there it is...fairly uneventful til the last freaking minute. SO happy I was at a high risk hospital, even though I was nervous as shit was going down, I felt so confident that the docs knew what they were doing when it came to getting him out. Wish I had had more details after the delivery, both about him and me, but luckily I can read medical forms pretty well and managed to decipher most of the details I wanted out of that.
If you read all that, wow. It's interesting how it feels to write it all out...I am looking at him now and I almost can't remember it, except for that horrible pain in my ass.
((hugs)) Hope your vagina recovers well. They're magical woman parts and they usually do. Take good care of yourself and sit in the bath a couple times a day (ideally with trashy magazines). It's for your health!
((hugs)) Hope your vagina recovers well. They're magical woman parts and they usually do. Take good care of yourself and sit in the bath a couple times a day (ideally with trashy magazines). It's for your health!
Lol, this is what my OB said today, something about the vagina being very forgiving...it made me laugh.
Post by bananapancakes on May 25, 2015 16:13:43 GMT -5
Wow, that sounds painful. So glad little P is okay and that your vag is healing. Take care of yourself lady!
Do you have a sitz bath? Do you want one? I bought one before L was born and then never used because of the c/s. I can bring it to you if you think it'd help.
I'm glad everyone came through it all OK. Both DS and DD had shoulder dystocia, and I know how terrifying it can be in the moment- and how painful. I legit screamed with DD too because my epi had completely worn off and you are right, it does feel like your pelvis is splitting in two. Both had broken collarbones as a result, but were fine within a week or so, and didn't suffer any long term effects.
Congratulations, and hope your recovery is quick! Sent from my SM-G920V using proboards
Congratulations! And your poor nether regions - I really feel for you, I am almost 2 weeks pp, and am not feeling tip top even with a fairly routine recovery so you have oodles of sympathy from here. Hope you are getting lots of help with the kiddos to allow you to recover properly!
Post by undecidedowl on May 25, 2015 19:17:41 GMT -5
Wow, that was a rough 1 minute! Glad it all turned out okay.
Regarding the tear, that sounds a lot like mine. This is TMI but I'll share in case it helps. Mine was "only" a 2, but the stitches did NOT look good, with a weird flap piece sticking out. I thought there was no way it would heal right. Basically, I couldn't walk super far (more than maybe .5 mile) for about 8 weeks because the extra skin was very raw and hurt when it rubbed. Then skin flap slowly shrunk down. At my 6 week appointment the OB recommended I give it a little more time to heal on it's own. The flap just continued to slowly shrink until is was gone (probably not until 18 weeks out). It did take forever to heal but now I can't even tell a difference from before DS2. Good luck!
Wow, that was a rough 1 minute! Glad it all turned out okay.
Regarding the tear, that sounds a lot like mine. This is TMI but I'll share in case it helps. Mine was "only" a 2, but the stitches did NOT look good, with a weird flap piece sticking out. I thought there was no way it would heal right. Basically, I couldn't walk super far (more than maybe .5 mile) for about 8 weeks because the extra skin was very raw and hurt when it rubbed. Then skin flap slowly shrunk down. At my 6 week appointment the OB recommended I give it a little more time to heal on it's own. The flap just continued to slowly shrink until is was gone (probably not until 18 weeks out). It did take forever to heal but now I can't even tell a difference from before DS2. Good luck!
Wow, ok, this sounds EXACTLY like what I have. It is uncomfortable to sit and to walk. I happy to hear yours healed - although 18 weeks is going to suck! But still, to hear that you recovered, that helps me a lot, thank you so much.
Thanks for posting all the details. What an amazing story. Great job. I hope your vagina is extremely "forgiving" I've never heard that phrase before but I love it congratulations!!
Wow, that was a rough 1 minute! Glad it all turned out okay.
Regarding the tear, that sounds a lot like mine. This is TMI but I'll share in case it helps. Mine was "only" a 2, but the stitches did NOT look good, with a weird flap piece sticking out. I thought there was no way it would heal right. Basically, I couldn't walk super far (more than maybe .5 mile) for about 8 weeks because the extra skin was very raw and hurt when it rubbed. Then skin flap slowly shrunk down. At my 6 week appointment the OB recommended I give it a little more time to heal on it's own. The flap just continued to slowly shrink until is was gone (probably not until 18 weeks out). It did take forever to heal but now I can't even tell a difference from before DS2. Good luck!
Wow, ok, this sounds EXACTLY like what I have. It is uncomfortable to sit and to walk. I happy to hear yours healed - although 18 weeks is going to suck! But still, to hear that you recovered, that helps me a lot, thank you so much.
It hurt less every week as it shrank, so by the end I barely even remembered it was there. Definitely not 18 whole weeks of pain! I hope yours heals even faster!
Post by patbutcher on May 25, 2015 20:01:39 GMT -5
Wow I'm so glad everything is ok. A client of mine gave birth in December in Qc and same thing happened to her. They let her go a week late the. The baby was 10lbs and the shoulder got stuck. The baby had to be resuscitated so it was a lot worse than your case but luckily they think everything should be ok with him (she is still worried in case something presents later on). With her first child, the baby's collarbone was broken so the attending ob said she should have had a c section this time.
Anyway that's so crazy that your dd was relatively small and then your son was a big baby. Thank God he (and you) are ok! Keep doing the epson baths!