Today's appointment

Im not to thrilled with today's appointment. Last week I was a loose 2cm. Now they're saying 2-3 (so pretyt much same as last time). Im also STILL 50% and -2 station. I had them strip my membranes (well whats left of them).. AGAIN just HOPING it would do more.

The doctor starting talking to me about induction. I REALLY don't wanna be induced. You have no idea how upset I would be. It means a lot to me to go naturally. I DON'T WANT PITOCIN!!!!

So, I need to deliver in the next week or so or else im gonna be induced. THey dont let you go past 42 weeks.

Oh.. here are some pics I took yesterday. Hopefully these will be my last belly pics.

It's gone!

I lost my mucus plug today! Yay1 That means something's gonan happen soon. I don't know when, but soon!

That is all :)

Tuesday's appointment

Everything went well. I put on a few more pounds (ick) but other then that the rest is good news. Baby Chase's heartbeat was perfect, and when they did my exam they found me to be a loose 2cm, 50% and -2. Since i was 2cm they were able to strip my membranes. So far it's done nothing but that's ok I suppose. If done regularly, it can prevent you from going past 41 weeks. So, hopefully i'll have him soon. My due date is only 7 days away afterall. Then again, im not sure they got that right. They counted my pregnancy from the start of my last period, but I don't have a regular 28 day cycle. If you count from when I ovulated, im actually due in 12 days. Either way, im tired of waiting. I really wanna meet my little guy right now!!

Well, that's about it. I guess when I have more to share i'll update ya!

3rd client gave birth today!

My 3rd client was scheduled to be induced tomorrow night at midnight, but I guess the baby had other plans. She went into labor early this morning and delivered a BEAUTIFUL baby boy (who they named Zachary) at 10:33am this morning. He weighed 7lbs 13oz and was 20 inches long.

Mom did GREAT. I BARELY made it to her before it was time to push. SHe called me at 6am but I didn't hear the phone.. EEK. At 7am I heard it beep for a voicemail and it turned out to be her hubby saying that they were heading to the hospital to get checked. I immediatly called her back and her hubby said that she was 5cm dilated and the docs didnt think it would take long for her baby to be born.

Unfortunately for me, the hospital she ended up delivering at was 1 1/2 hours away.....and I had NO GAS IN MY CAR!! I had to go the opposite direction to get gas and THEN I was able to head out her way. I kept saying "please God, let me make it to her birth in time". Well, God must have listened. I got there at 9am and she was 9cm.

At 9:30am they checked her again and she was complete and 0 station. I got her into an upright position and we chit chatted for about an hour. That's when they came and checked her again and she was +1 station. The doctor told her that she could try pushing if she wanted too and so she did. 4 pushes later and Zachary was born. It was WONDERFUL!!!!!!

He cried as SOON as he came out. He was determined to be born, that's for sure lol.

I stayed with mom and dad for another 1 1/2 hours to help get breastfeeding established and to make sure that she had everything she needed. All in all it was a great birth.

I have to admit that I was skeptical going to a hospital in the middle of nowhere but ya know, that place was GREAT. It had a birth center built on and they didn't treat her like a patient. They treated her the way a laboring mother should be treated... Like this was a natural event, not something that needed medical intervention.

The doctors were so welcoming to me. Her doc said "feel free to take over and get this baby out". Can you believe that? They were so open to me being there that they let me lead the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anywho, that's my 3rd birth in a months time. Im tired and ready to have my own baby now lol. Hopefully Chase will make an appearance soon. :)

Yesterday's appointment

Well, I didn't expect any change as i've been fingertip forever! I was thrilled to hear that I moved to 1cm AND the doc was able to wiggle her finger around. So that means i'm a little more then 1cm. Like 1.5cm. Im still 50% effaced but that's ok. That will change rapidly.

I lost 2 pounds since last week (WOOHOO) and they guesstimate Chase to be around 7 pounds so far. Everything else looks great too. Im measuring right on target, no UTI's, and I feel good (other then the typical pregnancy complaints lol).

Hopefully this little guy will make his appearance really soon! I wanna meet him!

Back from another birth!

I did my second birth yesterday and this time it was vaginal. WOOHOO!

I got the call at 4:30am yesterday morning (april 30th). Mom's water broke 30 minutes before but she wasn't really contracting. She and I decided that she should be checked to see where she stands progress wise. I tolf her to call me if they admit her, but after the pain starts getting to her. My being almost 37 weeks pregnant, I need all the rest I can get (especially when being a doula).

At 7:30 her hubby called me to say that they did admit her and she's in a lot of pain. Her ctx were 3cm apart (naturally..no pitocin) and she's starting to ask for the epi. I instructed him to hold her off until I got there since she really didn't want one.

It took me until 9am to get there because traffic was HELL! When I got there, she had already accepted the epi but it worked out for the best. She was in a great mood and very pleasant/excited. I was surprised to hear that she was 6-7cm when she was first checked at 6am. We played card games, 20 questions and I tried to keep her hydrated. Unfortunatly, EVERYTHING she drank came back up...even water. So the IV was a good thing in this situation. Poor girl threw up 4 times.

Anywho, around 3pm I went to grab something to eat. I came back 20 minutes later and she had an internal fetal monitor and oxygen mask on. I asked what happene dand she said she didn't know. Lesson learned. Don't leave even for a SECOND!

I noticed that the baby's heartrate kept dropping in the 60's and it was worrying me. They checked her again and told her that she was still 0 station (where she had been for a couple weeks) and if the baby didn't decend down the birth canal, they would have to discuss pitocin. Usually what happens after that is a c-section so I did what I should as a doula.... I told her what would happen (c-section). We then discussed switching positions which may be easier on the baby and would help the decent. THANK GOD her epi was light. She had use of her legs. So, I had her bend over the back of the bed on her knees. That helped a LOT. The baby started to decend down and did VERY WELL in this postion. Her heartrate was back in the 130's.

At 6pm it was time to start pushing. This is where mom started panicking a little. I coached her through with slowed breathing so she wouldn't hyperventilate. That made a huge difference. After 3 hours, her baby girl was born (9:09pm EST).

Mom tore a little but it wasn't bad at all. 2 small tears.

Afterwards, I snapped some pics and then got mom started with breastfeeding. I hung around for another hour and then decided to head home. I needed rest and mom and dad needed time to bond with their daughter. Everything went well and her beautiful baby (weighing in at 8 pounds 9 ounces) was born into a happy, calm environment.

I went back to visit her today and she looked great. Again, in good spirits and happy to have her little princess. I didn't stay long but I did get to discuss post natal vists with her. I told her to call me once she gets settled in at home and we'd schedule a time.

Before i left, she handed me an envelope. She said it was from her mother. When I got in the car, I opened it. It was a card with $40 inside, thanking me for being so helpful and for helping to care for her daughter. That was soooooooo thoughtful of grandma!

Anywho, that's how yesterday went for me :)