It’s Birth story time. If you’re new here, my third infant Sawyer was born in 2011. Whereas Holden’s birth was a extremely scientific 44-hour ordeal as well as Milo’s birth was a quick as well as simple four-hour walk in the park, Sawyer split the difference at 24 hours as well as a new type of medical drama.
The pregnancy had new difficulties for me — advanced maternal age, prolonged diabetes test, half marathon, a cough that lasted my entire celebration trimester ”“ however I went into my final month of pregnancy healthy as well as radiant. people were so good to me. At 34 weeks, I had this incredible series of photos taken by professional photographer Brian Smith at the BlogHer seminar in my preferred blue dress.
The itching starts
Monday after the conference, I was exhausted. I likewise discovered that my skin was feeling itchy as well as my hands were red as well as puffy. I presumed it was from the additional heat, walking, as well as flying. I called in a beautiful at-home mom masseuse who provided me a chamomile massage as well as suggested that I drink tea as well as take it easy.
Soon after drinking the tea, my skin ended up being even much more itchy particularly my hands as well as feet. The itching subsided after a few days.
On Friday night, we were on a double date with friends. I keep in mind it was a special night since Karen as well as Ross told us they were expecting their very first baby, so all of us headed to a tea shop after dinner for our after-dinner drinks. once again I purchased the chamomile since I believed it was the most mild/gentle tea available. Again, the itchy hands as well as feet came back. This time, I wondered if there was a connection between the tea as well as my incredibly itchy extremities. It did not subside.
My whole body was itchy however my hands as well as feet were the worst. I appeared like a crazy monkey. On heroine. At night, the feeling was much more intense. I wanted I had a metal clean to scratch at my palms as well as soles of my feet.
I had heard that itchy skin was typical toward the end of pregnancy however this felt different.
By 35-weeks pregnant, after fervent googling as well as trolling the babycenter boards, I found a condition as well as asked my physicians to test me for it: obstetric cholestasis.
It takes about a week to get results for the bile acid test. My own preferred OB was on getaway so I satisfied with others in the exact same practice. The dr. who verified my suspicions made it noise extremely serious while the next dr. I saw made it seem like no huge deal. My bile acid levels were evaluated at 41 (and they stated anything over 20 is cause for concern).
Cholestasis is a liver condition that occurs to 1 out of 1000 expecting women. essentially my liver couldn’t breakdown bile acids so they end up in my blood stream triggering me to itch around endlessly 24 hours a day. It has the prospective to put the infant at high danger too. extremely high risk. like still birth high risk.
I was provided a prescription for Urso as well as asked to find in for biweekly non-stress tests (fetal tracking for 30 minutes laying flat on my back) in addition to my regular visits around 37 weeks. I took the Urso medication which didn’t seem to help; stopped eating all food with fat in it (which is everything!); as well as bought this special anti-itch Sarna lotion. The lotion made my skin feel better, however I couldn’t shake the picture that whatever I was eating was attacking my baby. Time seemed to be the enemy. Three days after my very first test, the levels were pushing 70.
After freaking out on the babycenter birth club boards I discovered that bile acid levels over 40 are a strong indicator to provide early. These levels can double overnight as well as do not seem to be assisted by basic anti-stress testing or fetal monitoring.
On some level, I had really hoped that I was overreacting. when my physician came back from her vacation, she stated that we needed to get the infant out before 38 weeks or danger stillbirth. My liver enzymes were attacking the fetus as well as birth was the only remedy. We selected 37.5 weeks for the induction.
I kept it quite peaceful on the internets as well as among my real-life buddies as well however the night before my arranged induction, I sent out a fleet of “pray for me” emails to the numerous people in my life who I would want to understand if the worst happened.
My induction was arranged for Holden’s second day of 1st grade while Milo’s preschool was closed for the week. Luckily, my mom was able to find in on short notice. Her primary task would be juggling my two young boys as well as keeping them pleased as well as fed.
The morning of the induction.
I was dropped off alone at the medical facility to begin the process as well as Alec joined me (by bike) when the morning logistics were sorted.
It was strange being at the medical facility however not in labor. I inspected in on foursquare. I checked out my depressing book on the iPad. I was bored. concerned for the baby, however bored.
Alec as well as I hung out while we waited for labor to begin. He keeps in mind me taking a pill to begin contractions; I was likewise hooked as much as an IV drip of something. We viewed I like you, guy on the iPad. I ate a ton of red Jello as well as slurped poultry broth. We debated infant names, we were down to two names that we both liked. We walked the halls together with me clutching my IV stand on wheels.
I heard shrieks as well as screams from down the hall. The lady had run out of time for her epidural. F that.
Every time a new physician came on shift, I repeated my fervent rate of interest in having an epidural: Blah blah, third baby, last one came fast. “Oh yes,” the nurses would certainly keep that in mind.
Around midnight, after taking induction meds all day, the physician told me I wasn’t even in labor as well as I ought to be eating genuine food. What the hell? Seriously, what had I been doing if this wasn’t even labor? I was not pleased. however I did have dinner.
Ultimately, I spent about 12 to 15 hours hooked as much as the IV drip of pitocin before anything looking like labor started happening. Contractions as well as labor pain began in earnest around 3am the next day. I got the epidural in time. I pushed for around 20 minutes. Sawyer was born healthy as well as strong at 8:18am on Thursday.
We texted our liked ones the details: infant boy!! 21″ 8#5oz no name yet.
What a huge boy! I had feared that he would be small or his lungs would be immature since he was coming so early. Neither of those fears concerned pass. Instead, he was so inflamed from IV fluid that he didn’t regain to his birth weight for abut 4 weeks.
Can you see exactly how puffed out all his bit skin is? So numerous rolls.
My healing was all about the swelling. The sheer size of my feet, ankles, calves, as well as all the method up past my knees because of pregnancy water retention topped off with IV fluids from my birth had me persuaded I was in kidney failure. I almost inspected myself into the ER. Cankles past my knees, people!!
I never discovered out if drinking the chamomile tea had anything to finish with my liver issues however I haven’t touched it in over a year.
Welcome infant sibling, we like you
