sophie274 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Rocio - I take it your husband was able to be there with you in the end? I'm glad that you have him by your side. Best wishes to her for a speedy "recovery". Link to comment
rocio Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 He was there for the labor, thankfully. He was wonderfully supportive through the labor and delivery but has been with our baby since. As soon as she came, she was taken from me but he was with her through it all and I'm so grateful for that. Most parents would feel shocked and useless and stand out of the way but he was right up there, washing the meconium off her, holding her oxygen tube, etc. The staff at both hospitals commented time and time again about how wonderful he was. I love that she had that familiar voice and person there with her. The down side was that I felt, and still do feel, a bit abandoned. Ideally he would have been there to care for me, physically and emotionally, in the minutes, hours and days following. But the nurses were great and my mom has been by my side for the last 2 days. It's all good. Now I'm worried for my husband. He has slept a total of about 3 hours since Monday and is getting sick. But he refuses to leave her side. Link to comment
OptomisticGirl Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Congratulations Rocio, I'm sorry to hear she has to be in the NICU and away from you! Hope you both recover fast. Link to comment
rocio Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 I always said I didn't want a birth plan because I think thats an oxymoron. You can't plan a delivery. All you can do is roll with it and be compassionate toward yourself when necessary. From the time I got checked at the hospital to the time I was fully dilated, it was 2.5 hours. I spent the first 2 hours being told I wasn't in labor (was only 2 cm dilated and contractions were every 3 minutes but not regular enough for them to believe I was in labor). So I basically spent most of my labor begging for pain relief but being ignored. When they finally checked me and realized my baby was coming fast, they then realized the birthday they had for me was incorrect, so we had to wait for them to fix the paperwork in admitting before I could get the epidural! Of course, pain is just temporary and you quickly forget the intensity of it. But man, I would have never imagined... I would have pictured me being allowed to labor as humans do - being able to get into positions that make the pain tolerable, being able to believe your body when it tells you you're having a baby... It was all so disjointed and confused. And the epidural, while a god sent and absolutely the right decision, just added to the disjointedness of it all. Pushing with no pain felt like playing a game of make-believe. And when she was taken frome and she wasn't breathing, I was so happy and high, knowing with my brain that this was bad and crying, but feeling no appropriate emotional reaction due to the numbing effects of the epidural... It was all so off. Anyway, my daughter is doing better each day. I got to hold her today. I think that when I bring her home, I'm going to just stay in bed with her for the first couple days and nurse and snuggle. I can't wait to be her mom, instead of an observer. Link to comment
arwen Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Aw rocio, I hope all of you can go home soon! No, you can't plan the birth. The best plan is to take it as it comes. I always thought as the birth plan to be something about what I want around the birth - who should be there, who shouldn't, if I can't be there the father needs to have skin to skin contact with the baby, nursing asap after birth instead of putting clothes on the baby, that kind of thing. And even those things you don't control if things go wrong. A plan then makes it just more frustrating I think... Wishing you the best! Link to comment
redrose85 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Also wishing you the best! When do you think baby girl will get to go home? Epidurals sound highly overrated. Link to comment
Seraphim Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I am so glad she is doing so much better rocio. You are right delivery never goes according to plan. You have to do what you have to do at the time. I know you feel disappointment about how it went but when you have your baby girl in your arms all that will fade and you will only have time for loving her. Link to comment
BellaDonna Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I'm going to just stay in bed with her for the first couple days and nurse and snuggle. I can't wait to be her mom, instead of an observer. That is a WONDERFUL plan. She will be home soon. Link to comment
petite Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Congratulations Rocio. Hope you and your baby are doing well. Link to comment
Arlequinn Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I can't wait to be her mom, instead of an observer. This really hit home with me. NICU is such a difficult place to be. Time seems to stand still while there. I'm so sorry your daughter was separated from you. Does your NICU have a digital camera and printer? I lived for little pictures and collages the nurses made when my daughter was there. It really helped me feel connected to her, when I couldn't be at her side every possible second. They also personalized some of her medical equipment by decorating it with sharpies. I still have her decorated warming bucket in her nursery. Another thing that helped was taking home a burping cloth or blanket that was placed in her isolette with her. It might sound weird, but being able to smell her comforted me when I had to be away. Wishing you a speedy recovery and that your daughter meets her milestones quickly! Congratulations on the wonderful new addition! Link to comment
rocio Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 She has started breastfeeding, which is the last step. They have taken her off the breathing tube, IV, naval lines, etc. The only thing left is the feeding tube. They were hesitant to let her nurse because her respiratory rate was staying very high. But it wasn't improving so we decided to go ahead and try. She is awesome at it! As soon as we moved to the oral feeds, her resp rate went to normal and has stayed there. They were able to get me in a parent room here so I can be here around the clock and not have to introduce a bottle. I'm so grateful for everything. That she is going to be ok, that we have universal health care and a world class hospital, that my husband has been perfect through it all, and that our friends and family are so supportive. As strange as it sounds, we have been on cloud 9 for the past couple days. Life is so good. Link to comment
arwen Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Yayyyy!!! I am SO happy for you! Enjoy this special time, the breastfeeding, being so close with your newborn. You totally deserve to live on cloud 9 for a while Link to comment
Seraphim Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I am soooooooo glad for that rocio!! Link to comment
sophie274 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I'm so happy to hear this update rocio. Sounds like you'll all be home having that wonderful bonding time soon. Link to comment
BellaDonna Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I am so glad she is doing well and you get to be with her now. You must be relieved. She'll be home in no time. Link to comment
Miss Firecracker Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Congratulations on new baby girl! Link to comment
Alezia Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 A little late, but better than never - Congrats! Link to comment
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