Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Related FFQ: Child Birth (Tank, do not open this thread)

A web page you might be interested in:

Signs of labor - know what to expect (CNN.com)

It actually mentions all (and some more) of what's been written here. I can't say if it's all true (as I'm not a mother), but thought it would help.

This part might explain the vacuuming "myth" (or truth, who knows? ):
BTW, if you are squeamish about seeing blood and injections, DON'T watch the video on the first link at the bottom of the page (only works in IE). YUCK!

malu

Ok I'm freaked out now! Not sure if I can have kids, but still freaked out!

My brother was late and his blood pressure went really low and he was deprived of oxygen for a bit. My Mum decided no more kids after that b/c the hospital staff and the whole experience did not make her feel good or safe.

I was way to early. I don't know anything about my birth.

I am looking forward to your story! I'm not going to add any info b/c it looks like you have a lot

It was true 10 years ago, too. My water broke early on a Saturday morning, but I wasn't yet in labor. You know, a few squeezes now and then, but nothing too strong or regular. My husband & his sister & my best friend & I spent the day waiting impatiently -- I took a few walks around the neighborhood in hopes of encouraging things, but no luck. By that evening, they told us to come in to the hospital. Still no labor, so they started inducing me. I asked for drugs as soon as I heard the word "pitocin." All I really wanted was the edge taken off, but it put me to sleep. I'd wake up for contractions but then zonk out again. I had to call my labor coach the next morning to find out what happened (hubby's a wimp & stayed in the waiting room down the hall--his sister kept him apprised of events). My son was born early Sunday morning.
(FOLC-related note -- this was during 4th season but luckily L&C wasn't on that weekend. Oh, and my best friend was Chris Mulder who I'd met through fanfic)

Second baby, totally different. I had false labor for weeks (including during the Kerth Awards ). Went to the doctor on a Tuesday of the week I was due; she said she wanted to wait a bit more but did something called "stripping the membranes". By that evening, I was having contractions again but was too cynical to do anything but go to bed. I woke up a couple of times in the night to say "ow". I got up around 6 & timed contractions for an hour -- every three minutes like clockwork. My water hadn't broken yet, though.

We called the doc, she said to come in when they, and I quote, "hurt like hell." I decided we were close enough. Had to call a (FOLC) friend to come over and watch our two-year-old, and get Chris to meet us at the hospital, then hubby started driving me in -- 8am rush-hour traffic, of course. The contractions definitely hurt like hell by then. Somewhat to my surprise, I found that the relaxation/breathing thing really does help. By the time we got to the hospital, I was desperate for some drugs; it seemed to take forever to get checked in. I remember walking back the hallway when another contraction hit me; I had to grab onto somebody but I kept walking 'cause I *really* wanted those drugs!

They sent me into the bathroom to change into a hospital gown -- that's when my water broke in a big gush, right into the toilet. I waddled back out and told them I was feeling a very uncontrollable "urge to push" -- they saw I was fully dilated and got the doctor in there asap. "Don't push yet!" they said. Yeah, right. Like that's an option.

Ten minutes later, my daughter was born. The doc got there in time to catch her. Hubby was just outside the room & had just about decided he needed to take a walk when he heard the baby cry.

This is what I call accidental natural childbirth. They managed to give me a local, but that was it. Oh well. It certainly made subsequent trips to the dentist less intimidating. And it was a very easy recovery.

Chris claimed to be annoyed with me 'cause she'd wanted to have the whole day off work, but instead I was done at 9am

They took Marissa away to clean her up, etc, and moved me to a regular room. Three hours later, they hadn't yet brought her back. We had to ask the nurses -- "no, really, I'm pretty sure I had a baby this morning, so where the hell is she???" Turns out they'd heard a heart murmur and took her for x-rays. Nothing serious, though. It just would have been nice if they'd *mentioned* it.

My step-father-in-law was a corporate big-shot at the time, and he was in town that morning for a ceremony that made the papers. To emphasize that he had ties to the area, they reported that even as he spoke, his daughter-in-law was being rushed to the hospital to give birth. We ended up getting a note of congratulation from the governor

PJ

This is the kind of thread that makes me so very glad that I'm a man.

I wouldn't have read a thread with "child" and/or "birth" in the header, but I saw both Tank and Terry's names and thought how bad could it be.I'll know better next time. How about a WHAM warning or something.

Hey, I have enjoyed it! (I'm just waiting for a comment from Tank.... )

Ann

well ... all in all this thread supports my decision NEVER to have children

Hey - nobody died Maybe a gross warning?

As of 3 years ago, the water breaking thing was still accurate. DD2's water broke [while I was teaching class no less - a big gusher too] but I didn't go into labor. That was about 9am. They went ahead and started pitocin at 1230pm or so. She was born right before 4pm.

DS was born 4.5 weeks ago. He was 30 days early [due date was last Friday]. Contractions were coming every 3-4 minutes but I didn't really think they were real b/c they didn't hurt bad enough and he was so early - even though I KNEW he'd be here at least by August 1. Finally decided that we better check in just in case. By the time we go to the hospital and they checked, I was a 5-6. He was born 2.5 hours later, 30 minutes after they broke my water. He was given a bottle almost immediately because he was already low blood sugar. They'd gone to get the vacuum b/c his heart rate was dangerously low during contractions, but he was born before it got there.

DD3 [almost 4], was very similar to Pam's. They stripped my membranes and I went into labor but not consistent or painful enough to go to the hospital. Doc appt had been at 930am or so. About 330am the next day, my water broke [just a trickle this time]. Instantly, the contractions were 2 minutes apart and 30 seconds long and hurt like a big dog. We were only at the hospital for 45 minutes or so before she was born - also pain med free because there was no time. The time between the contractions did get a bit longer near the end [2.5 min?] and I was literally falling asleep between them.

With DS, the lacadasical nurse ticked me off too. I'd told her several times that I tend to go fast once my water breaks/pain meds are in. She 'uh huh'd. They broke my water at an 8. Doc waited a couple minutes to see what happened - nothing so she went to see a couple patients [a 3m walk at normal pace] since she had surgery in an hour. Within 10 minutes I was pushing the button telling them to GET IN HERE. When the nurse finally did... I'm sure she was quite competent etc, but she KNEW his heart rate was dropping and that I was fully dilated and so on, but she couldn't have moved slower if she tried. Doc was on the floor 3 minutes [according to her nurse] and in with her first patient when she had to interrupt them.

As for folks in with you [or Folcs in Pam's case?], they only allow one here. DH had to sign a form that said basically if he passes out/gets hurt/etc. they'll shove him to the side, take care of me and baby and get to him when they can. DH never had to wear scrubs or anything, but I think you generally do for a Csection - but it can depend on the hospital/doc too. Heck, my doc wasn't even really wearing her gown when DS was born - it was thrown on and falling off one shoulder - no hair net thing or booties or anything because he needed to get out NOW. I think you could probably get away with several different things if you wanted to [make him leave to change, make Martha leave or whoever or let them stay]. I also have a friend whose DH wasn't allowed in for her emergency Csection so you could probably pull that off too if you really wanted.

I'll skip DD5 because I have no desire to remember that labor/delivery/post delivery *shudder*. That was horrid.

Carol

Well, I've been laughing out loud on more than one occasion while reading your stories. Some even reminded me of my very own. I mean, I only have one daughter, but that one time in labor was... interesting.

It was about 6 pm, and I was terribly hungry (time for dinner!)when my (now ex-)boyfriend and I got home. I sat down onto the bed to change into my slippers when I felt something give. Like Nan, I moved really quickly and managed to get to the bathroom without getting my undies wet. (Yeah, really, really quick. My boyfriend never even knew I had been anywhere but the bathroom. ) I hadn't realized it by the time, but I had had mild contractions all over the afternoon.

Well, labor started for me right after the water broke. I got contractions about every seven minutes. We got myself into the hospital, which took about 45 minutes. (In Germany, you're told to go to the hospital at once when your water breaks.) At the end of that time, my contractions came every four to five minutes. Exactly the right time to get into the hospital.

Getting me signed in and waiting for a first exam took about 40 Minutes. By then, I was still pretty cool (reading a book, can you imagine?), having heard that the first baby always takes its time. I was examined, and I was already 4 cm dilated. Still, they put me on a CTG for half an hourin order to find out if I had real labor. Well, I could have told them, for the contractions got worse and worse... Still, they told me it would be a long time until my child would be born. After all, it was my first. (I told them it didn't feel like it would take a long time, but what did I know? I didn't have any experience in that matter.)

Still, they decided that I needed an ultrasonic testing, for which I had to wait for about an hour. But what did it matter? There was still enough time left. By then, I was near to asking for pain meds. Finally, I got into the room with the necessary equipment, but it took the doctor some time to arrive. By the time he finally made it, he discovered that he had a little problem, for there was near to no amniotic fluid left - which didn't do the quality of the pictures he could see any good. So, the testing took about half an hour. I could have sworn that I got a few bruises from that.

I got out and was examined once again. (Because I told them it hurt like hell.) Well, were they surprised when they found me nearly fully dilated (8 cm)! They ordered me to wait a few more minutes and then get into the delivery room. There, they told me it would still take a looong time. The nurses wanted to give me an opportunity to get into the bathroom, but since it was occupied for about half an hour, I had to wait. Again. And I couldn't get the spinal anesthesia I asked for. And when the bathroom was finally free, they didn't let me go there any more for fear that I'd have my baby there. By then, I was drugged with some stupid opioids that made me very sleepy. Sleepy enough to literally fall asleep during contractions. Unfortunately, I felt the pain of the contractions just the same as before.

Anyway, my daughter was born after about 4 hours and 30 minutes. Really, a long, long time. And I managed without cursing, without screaming and without breaking anyone's hand. I didn't even threaten my boyfriend should he ever lay hands on me again. Nothing like that. But when that nice, young doctor decided to stitch me back together (I had several ruptures *to the front* plus an episiotomy) without any anestesia at all, I finally screamed. I mean, imagine someone putting a needle through your most tender parts. Repeatedly. I really could do with a local anesthesia at least. Don't you think?

I'll second that.

Actually, my sister-in-law pretty much had it sewn up before I read the thread. I can't remember how long she was in labour with her first, but I remember it was a dang long time. Days.

It took them a while to listen to her telling them something was wrong, but, eventually, they realised that Amy had her left foot firmly stuck between two of mum's ribs and was going nowhere without help.

The poor little mite had to wear a plaster on her leg for six months after the birth and there was a lot of talk that scared my SIL rigid about damage to the bone and tons of operations in Amy's future and her having to wear calipers until she was a teenager, which happily turned out not to matter. The plaster came off and she was fine. But she looked dang pathetic for a while there.

LabRat (who found this thread interesting, to her surprise, as usually she shares Tank's aversion to anything remotely related to baby talk...)

This makes me wonder; why do WOMEN always have to be the ones to get pregnant? Why can't men just do that for us? I mean, they hold open the doors for us, too...

Ditto for DD5 and why I've blocked it. I'd had the epidural but it had worn off or something and I felt everything. If he gave me locals, they didn't work. My SFIL had to leave the hallway outside the room because he couldn't stand to listen to me scream anymore.

Only it wasn't a nice, young doctor. He was near the end of his practice and DH would still dearly love to meet him in a dark alley - he was yelling at me to hold still and I was yelling back that I couldn't because it hurt too badly. Worst 45 minutes of my life.

I was literally bawling when I talked to my new OB about it because I couldn't handle the thought of going through that again. Fortunately, she reassured me and actually told me she thought it at least bordered on malpractice and that if anyone in her office did something like that to me they'd have to answer to her.
Carol

Both of mine were relatively mundane, I guess... With my first, all the rolling from left side (as my blood pressure was high) to my back for each contraction and then back again crimped off the epidural tube, but when I yelled, the doc fixed that. The second time, the nurses were slow to react to my request for pain meds (and the nurses weren't within reach ) but again, the doc was very accomodating about that (same doc; wonderful woman). Still, two kids was it for me. I was allowed whoever I wanted, and no special clothing was required. My husband did joke about "no shoes, no shirt, no service," but the doc was used to him by then (and he was wearing shoes and a shirt, you know, so really, wouldn't you have ignored him, too?). Anyway, yes, I think you can have anybody you want in there. So you could even have her hanging on to a complete stranger and they'd let him in. (Anybody want to write something like that? Plot tidbit, free to a good home...)

'Toc

Well, after that scream, I got that local anesthesia. Okay, the nice young doctor first told me that I was supposed to have gotten some pain meds, but I was rather quick at convincing him that they had long since worn off. He sure didn't like screaming. As I said, *nice* young doctor. Just a little delusional, I'd say.

Roo, don't worry. I think that all mothers agree that each and every one of their babies was worth it. Really. And most of them would do it again. (The rush of "happy hormones" after giving birth sure makes you forget the pain immediately. As a matter of fact, talking about it is sort of... irreal. At least to me.)