It's been a whole week since I last posted. I don't know where it went either. Time enough to have three babies, but I have nothing exciting to report. Last Tuesday, I was already two centimeters dilated. Thursday and Friday, I had almost forty-eight hours of steady contractions and we got excited and made elaborate plans for ditching our kids to go to the hospital.
Then, nothing. I fell asleep Friday night and woke up pregnant and non-contracting and basically facing a long, routine weekend.
The brief excitement did spur me to pack a bag and do a little shopping and schedule my pre-registration at the hospital.. I needed a small fire lit under me. Actually, I need a large fire because I have made no progress on changing the sleeping arrangements around here. I have time, right? Little bit will probably be late.
We'll see. I'll be checked again tomorrow and I'm hoping to score a three or even a four. Our midwife told me at my last appointment that she once had a mom get to seven without going into active labor. My competitive bone immediately kicked in. Maybe little fizbit and I could go to an eight. We'd be the winners...of nothing...except possibly a frightening, incredibly messy birth on our bathroom floor. So, um, maybe not.
Tomorrow, I also find out if I am "strep B positive" or not. Which is a big deal to no one except me because I hate needles of all kinds and I plan to refuse the routine heplock for this birth. Unless, I'm step B positive. In that event, they get very pushy with you about IV antibiotics in labor. I haven't decided if I will fight that battle (refusing the antibiotics) or bite the heplock and suck it up. I've done a lot of reading and still have mixed feelings about the risks. Anyone have a (gently stated, I am 37 weeks and I cry easily) opinion on this?
My current opinion is that it would have been nice if the events of yesterday had occurred before my strep B test. Nothing could have lived through that wipe down. Sometimes, multi-tasking is not a good idea.
I was in the bathroom helping Gee get redressed and since I always have to pee these days, I figured, let's kill a few birds with one stone here.
I sat and directed his hand washing activities from afar. He can't reach the sink to wash his hands, so I had him pull down the huge bottle of hand sanitizer in our bathroom. It's so big, he couldn't hold it and squirt it with one hand and he ended up with hand washing goo all down the front of his sweatshirt. I called him over and helped him get it on his hands and then cleaned up his shirt with toilet paper and sent him on his way.
Can you guess what I did next?
Yeah, that shit hurts.
Moral of this story: Do not try that at home, no matter what you think is growing down there.
I could be any mommy, but you can call me Stacey.
BlogHer 2010
Post of the Week (7/25)
Lovely Ladies of BlogHer 2010
- Mommy's Martini
- Issa & Her Crazy World
- Heart at Preschool
- The Sweet Life
- Mosey Along
- Bitchin' Wives Club
- Vodka Mom, Bitchy & Sassy
- Ann's Rants
- Maggie Dammit
- Marinka of Motherhood in NYC
- Carolyn Online
- Domestic Extraordinaire
- Half As Good As You
- Goon Squad Sarah
- Mommy Geekology
- The Un Mom
- Perlman Update
- Big Piece of Cake
- Lil' Welsh Rarebit
- Poobou
- One Ping Only
- Oscarelli
- An Inch of Gray
- Mommy Words
Love You Too
Pure Trouble
Gee, Cue, Ess and Babynater makes four
crop.jpg)
Quote Trivia Game Tally
- Winner Dec '08: Psychmamma
- Winner June '09: I'm A Smart One
- 2010 Competition
- MKMom (Nissa) - 15 points
- An Inch of Gray - 10 points
- One Ping Only - 10 points
- Things I Can't Say - 5 points
Get to Know Me (Favorite Posts)
Adoption Posts
Hart for Haiti Event
We raised $1826.68 for God's Littlest Angels Orphanage in Haiti. Click the heart to give.
68 comments:
I think I get like a million points for reading the end of this one.
Only one thing can be said: OUCH! I think I'll take tearing my calf muscle, thanks very much.
Hoping good, quick birth thoughts for you, friend!
Oh man, you didn't! Ouch! I think a Brazilian might have been less painful, and I'm saying that as a girl who only waxes her eyebrows because contemplating doing anything that painful on a more sensitive part of her anatomy is not something she cares to do.
Sending easy labor and happy healthy delivery thoughts your way my friend.
In addition to that, I've found that it's not a good idea to use Bengay down there for any reason either. Don't ask...
Ouch...
I cried after my 39 week, and my 40 week checkup - when there was no sign anything was happening yet. Any time, but not just yet. I hated that waiting!
Well, since I had an epidural with the first one and the last two were C-sections (two others in the middle were easy) I'd say take the drugs. I'm all about modern medicine and getting all the help we can. Than again, I'm way too big of a wussy to use a mid-wife so you go Girl! You know more than me!
Speaking of being a 7, I was 8 at a check-up and had no idea. They freaked out and wanted to call an ambulance to take me to the hospital. I drove myself (it was only about a mile). From the time I walked through the doors to check in until Emily's first cry was 45 minutes. It can happen quickly.
Your story was too funny. I hope the burning sensation has gone away.
Good luck with the birth. Can't wait to see photos of your new little one.
Ever accidentally stuck your finger in your mouth without thinking, after putting hand sanitizer on? Yack! No wonder it kills germs! It kills taste buds and hair folicles too :)
Ah Group B Strep. I remember it well. I was positive with my oldest daughter at 38 weeks. It's been 15 years and I was a lot younger and less educated in child rearing than I am now. I was treated with antibiotics during labor and think it was a wise choice on both mine and my doctors part. The reason? I don't know. I guess because she's fine and never had any complications? Back then, I was very young and using antibiotics during pregnancy was very much a no no. I was told of all the horror stories. But I was also told of the greater risks I would have my unborn child face if not taken. So I chose the route that I felt was safest for my precious, unborn hell raisier. I was treated, she came running and screaming out of my body and hasn't stopped since. She's a beautiful, talented and very bright (she gets those from me) young lady and I shudder to think what if I hadn't taken that path. I know you will do what's best for you and yours. But definitely know that no matter how au natural you want this to be, when it's time to push, you won't give a shit about antibiotics pumping through an iv. You won't even worry. And you'll probably forget all about the hand santizer burn as well. Good luck! I can't wait to meet your new little bundle of excitement! Hang in there!!
Yeah, I'm with backpacking dad here. Million points to the guys that just weren't ready for that one.
Well, at least you didn't blow your nose with that toilet paper first. That counts for something!
Oh. Oh! OW.
I hope the birth goes smoothly. Maybe the baby will come early?
Ooooh OUch! Happy dilating! My lil sister dilated to 4 and had a short easy labor (as easy as labor can be). Wishing you at least the same!!!
I did midwives and a birthing center for my two live births, and I had the world's least-interventionist Bradley teacher. Everybody thought that antibiotics in labor was a good idea if you're gbs positive.
My IV was just above my wrist, my midwife was good, and I only had fluid going in when I was getting the antibiotics. I barely noticed it was there.
Just look away when the needle goes in and get it done.
HA! Awesome. Now SIT ON IT - you have 12 more days.
Oh dear goodness! HAHAHAHHA! And ouch.
Geez woman no wonder little bit climbed back up there.
If I were Lil Bit I would have crawled back up into your ribcage following The Antibacterial Incident of '09.
Try the old standards: eggplant parmigiana, spicy foods (Gumbo induced me with Gremlin), orgasms (can't say that one without laughing), walking, you know the drill...
GBS thoughts.....
I've had 4 natural, midwife births, the longest of which was 4 hours (#3). I tested GBS positive w/#2 and was hooked up to the antibitotics and baby was born 45 minutes later, so no second dose. She was healthy as can be. Was automatically given antibitotics w/#3....but again, only 1 dose as I was only at the hospital for a couple of hours before she was born, so no 4 hour delay between doses. Again, healthy baby. (and walked around 5 centimeters dialated for a month!!!) Baby #4(tested positive again) had a 1 hour labor from beginning to end which included a 45 minute drive to the hospital, so no time for anything once there..just a push and there she was...She was monitored a little more closely, but the general feeling was that she had not lingered around in the birth canal long enough to be in much danger of contracting the bacteria. The reason I chose to go ahead with the doses of antibiotics while in labor is because very close friends of ours had friends that had a baby the same night our first child was born and he died 3 days later from a Group B infection contracted at birth. I didn't want to take any chances. This is just my experience!
Love reading your blog and wish you a wonderful (soon!) labor and delivery!!
Katie in SC
Wow! Already at 2cm? Scary!
I have completely different labor experiences ... I went from 1 cm to 10 cm in under an hour with my first, and my second was almost identical!
That stuff DOES hurt on, like, open sores and stuff. But yah, never tried it on any thing southern like you did... ouch!
Do NOT worry about the StepB thing too much. I was positive with my first pregnancy, and because I don't have a fear of needles, I didn't mind the hep lock. But you have to have at least four hours of IV antibiotics to protect the baby, and he didn't get that, so they ended up having to give him antibiotics himself after he was born anyway. Moral: ask your doctor now how he/she feels about just dosing the baby after birth if you don't do the IV stuff. I don't know if that's riskier or not. (They obviously wouldn't tell a new first-time mom, "Well, now your baby's in danger because your labor was quick"), but it's worth asking.
Also: be careful what you wish for. I was 4cm dilated before going into labor w/ baby #2, and the entire labor from "I think maybe I have to go to the bathroom, oh, no, wait, that's a contraction..." to "it's a girl!" was just an hour and a half. It's more like delivering a speeding train than a baby at that point. I doubt that 7cm woman had a labor she can remember what with all that speed and adrenaline. I wish for you a delivery speedy, efficient, and not in the front seat of any vehicle. :)
With regard to the GBS, I didn't have the test done for my last two. If I remember correctly the research I looked at said that of women who are GBS positive before delivery, only 0.01% (or was it 0.1%?) actually had a baby who got sick. And there are signs to look for in the first 24 hours and antibiotics can be administered then. In my mind the odds were in my favor and I willing to take that risk. My second was born at home with midwives and the third was born at a birthing center by an OB.
Sorry about the hand sanitizer. That sounds...uhm, not so fun.
Oh my! That sounds painful. I've done something similar in the shower with a natural peppermint soap that apparently is NOT intended for all body parts. So I think I have an idea of what that was like.
Good luck on the 8 cm. I have always been kind of jealous of those women who accidentally give birth in 5 seconds in their own bathroom. I am not the earth mother type and always wished my deliveries would be over already so i didn't have to actually expereince them. I missed out on the good old days when they'd knock you out cold (so no - I've never done natural before).
Um, ouch.
Good luck with the baby hope that it comes quickly.
Ha, Carolyn Online made me laugh out loud -- I was thinking maybe the "tingling" sensation (to put it gently) would stimulate the business down there to get things moving, but her comment seems more likely.
Huh. I don't remember hearing anything about Strep B when I had my kids. Shows how long it's been....
With 2nd child I stayed home till I was dilated to 7 (unknowingly) figuring they would just torture me at the hospital as they had with my first child. Popped her out in less than 3 hours!
I could not believe your last few lines. Would that really help or change the results?! Ouch!
Maybe that stuff took care of any potential Strep B laying around! Or better yet, spurred a few more centimeters to wrack themselves up! Here's hoping and fingers crossed!
:)
I say skip the IV if you're strep B negative, but go ahead and do it if you're positive. You're sensitive at the moment so I won't go into the details of why, but trust me on this, OK?
And OUCH.
ok, I'm now really convinced that you don't like needles!! ;)
I'm due the same day you are, and I've got nothing going on down there. I covet your 2 cm.
And yeah, that shit would hurt. I hope you're feeling better!
I'm smiling reallllly big right now. I can't wait!
Oh geez, too funny, not for you, but to read now its pretty funny. thanks for the laugh. Good luck dililating.
Ow, ow, ow, ow!!!
Perhaps, if it had sent you into labor, your little one would have been protected from any Strep B you may have. You know, with it being freshly sanitized an' all.
I've never been positive on the strep test, so I will leave that one alone. I'd say, go with your gut.
On the other, owowowowowowowowowowow. I've always had this nightmare about being forced to lick the deodorant, but that is just no comparison.
So? Today, what's the news?
OW! And while pregnant, too? Double whammy.
Good luck on the Strep B. Hope the test is negative and you don't have to worry about that heplock thingy.
Oh that does not sound good.
Good luck with the labor progression! I never made it past 4 cm and ended up with two c-sections. I'm not at all scared of needles (strange, I know) so the c-sections never bothered me a bit.
Ouch!!
Now let's all think happy dilation thoughts for Stacey. =D
No NO NO NO
OOOOW.
And also,
Here's to having a baby!!! NOW!
oh, dear...
on the strep b thing? my opinion would be that it's not worth the risk to your baby to skip the antibiotics. but maybe they can do a round of oral antibiotics instead, if you're that squeamish about needles???
I was gbs pos with baby #3. They did all day antibiotic drip for me, then wanted to do 24 hrs drip on my baby too. I thought that was the whole point of my having them through long labor -- so she wouldn't have to deal with it. So I allowed a few hrs, for her, but then refused and had to sign AMA for any more for her. We breastfed and I figured she would be fine. She was very healthy. It is a tricky situation-- I think you should test your mommy intuition on it. All the advice in the world won't cover your baby or your birth. Just wait til you are there and see what you think you should do(I would say make descisions BEFORE transitional labor though. lol
Ouch! Not fun at all.
I was strep b positive w/ both kids. Unfortunately, I never got a full 4 hour dose of antibiotics before either was born. First time, baby came 2 weeks early and FAST. 2nd time, we planned an induction 2 weeks early to avoid what happened the first time, and have the baby in a controlled environment, but the docs forgot where I was (seriously, they left me in an exam room for 3 hours) and didn't get me my drugs in time (maybe 2 hours max). Bottom Line: both kids were fine, thank goodness!
I'm so excited about your baby! Can't wait to hear the great news.
Oh yowzah, I'm sorry!
I can't believe how close it is for you. Are you sleeping at all at night anymore? I remember at the very end not getting ANY sleep because I was so antsy and so uncomfortable and had to pee every frickin' hour!
I literally clenched my thighs together reading this. OUCH.
I hope it's not weird that I'm asking questions about your cervix, but hey, you brought it up... so did you dilate this quickly the first time around or does that just come with later pregnancies? With Luke, I had nothing going on until 40 weeks, and I'm kind of thinking that if that's indicative of this go round, I might skip checks just to keep my sanity.
My fourth was born March 28th, after a week of on-again, off-again contractions. I was at 2cm, went home, took 4 Tablespoons of castor oil and put 2 evening primrose oil monstrosities Up There and went to bed. I woke up around 3 am to deal with the effects of the castor oil, and went back to bed. At 5:15 I woke up feeling uncomfortable, we arrived at the hospital around 6:00, and the official time for Elliott's arrival was 6:12. It was awesome.
That said: castor oil worked for me, and good luck, mama!
I wish I could refuse the hep lock. I totally would if it was not for my clotting disorder. Actually, Id probably just have my babies at home at this point if it t'werent for the whole clotting thingy.
I also had the anti Bs for step B with my last 2 because they were 35 weekers and it's a standard precaution for pretermers.
The hep lock will hurt less then the recent bathroom incident- i promise!
That sounds SO much like my 38th week, you could be writing my story.
Just Sunday, my friend gave birth- in her tiny bathroom! Her husband caught the baby before several fireman arrived to "help out." It makes for a great story but I wouldn't want it to happen to me. Maybe I'll stop now.
I keep writing witty comments and then I see everybody is being so so nice and I really don't want to make you cry ... so I'll just say OUCH.
Hope the baby comes out soon... Sending you lots of positive vibes including about the needles. I hate them too, not that any of my labors have ever left me the choice.
Noted, hand sanitizer is not produced by the makers of Summer's Eve.
I was Strep B positive for both kids, the antibiotics aren't that bad. Don't google Strep B, m'kay? Seriously, don't.
Even in India I don't use hand sanitizer in places where the skin is unexposed... frankly I prefer to keep my southern regions pain free.
After this past year of daily injections, I can handle just about any type of needle, shot, injection... though I'm not looking forward to the ones needed to get my tubes tied in 2 weeks. I don't need to tell you where it'll be... it's an ouchy place.
Ouchie! I can't believe it's go time. I wish you a speedy delivery (step B neg and all!) Can't wait to hear the news..
I was positive Strep B with my last little. Take the antibiotic... it's not worth the risk. My GYN's newborn was hospitalized for over a month because of Strep B. That's when he started insisting all his patients be tested.
Please don't cry!!!
Holy cow! I'm hurting just thinking about it! Bless your heart.
Oh dear. That's not good....
I'm glad you got some things done and things are progressing!
OH NO! That should not happen to anyone, especially a very pregnant mommy of 3! I am here with everyone else waiting in hopeful anticipation of your impending birth!
Almost baby time?? You must be getting very excited. I can't wait to read if it is a boy or a girl.
I have Strep B positive with my babies. As a nurse, I vote for the suck it up and get the antibiotics. I have met a few of the children who's mommies didn't, and while your baby could be 100% fine, I am not big on risks.
I hope you are not crying. Don't cry! I wish we lived closer - I would come and hold your hand. :)
Tell them to use EMLA cream. Or ask the nurse if you can bite her if she misses. (ha)
Ouch.
Good luck with everything. Can't wait to hear.
I can't relate at all to being needle-phobic. I have a high pain threshold. Wish I could have delivered my babies naturally, but that's in the past.
Enjoy these last few days/hours/minutes... You'll be wanting them back in a year or so.
Good luck, regardless!
I have to laugh> i am competitive that way too. It's exhausting
Well, okay I have to comment on this one (first time) just because I am a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and your friend, and of course I have hundreds of horror stories I could tell you regarding Group B + strep babies (blindness, mental retardation, death), but I wont do that to you, since you are hormonal!!!, but please, please do the antibiotics if you are +, it is not worth the risk, which is higher than you think. Also, if you are positive and don't get the antibiotics, most hospitals are going to torture your newborn with multiple needles, tests, high dose powerful medication, blood draws..etc, etc, which would be very sad and painful for your little newborn baby. You know I am all for natural delivery (did it myself)and minimal invasiveness, but group B positive strep is deadly for newborn babies (just had a death in my practice last month), and something not worth risking. Love you and hope this wasn't too harsh!
Ouch. There are no words but ouch!
I'm busting a gut here. I used my Rosemary and Mint shampoo once.... may I suggest that during the birthing process?
On that note, I had a shot of a narcotic similar to demoral, but doesn't make you get sick. Had it at 7 cm and when I asked for another, it was to late. Took the edge off.
Good luck!
I am so very sorry that I'm laughing at you. I hope you don't cry. Praying for a quick, easy delivery though.
Get the StrepB antibiodics. They'll usually have to give you an IV anyways. I know I tested positive and I also hate needles. I just told them to wait until the very last minute before they had to stick me. It will benefit your lil baby... and it wont be any worse then giving birth!
Ow ow ouch.
Well you did say you wanted to kill a few birds with one stone...you killed somethin'. :-)
Ouch!! Holy crap. That could NOT have been comfortable. At ALL.
I'm with Maura. I'm just fine with my gallbladder removal.
Ouch!
This is why they say it's not a huge worry that kids will overdose on the stuff... most will put it down as soon as it passes their lips.
oh my gosh - I can't believe that - I would totally do something like that
ouch - cute post - no experience with the hep b thing so can't add my two cents
Post a Comment