Welcome to the most exciting week of our lives!
Monday November 7th, 2016
It was your average Monday night for two parents to be. We had just finished our courses for Child birth and delivery a week prior, and were now onto our next course for Infant CPR. Monday afternoon I wasn't feeling very few fetal movements, I didn't think anything of it because Andre wasn't a very active baby to start with, he moved around sporadically so I didn't say anything of it. We slowly started getting ready for our CPR certification course which was at HOAG in Newport Beach and left around 6:30 to get there at 7. We got to the class and we were so excited, we worked on the dummies and learned how to save lives (no pun intended) We were told in the beginning of the class that we were going to have a break in between. I couldn't wait for that, I was starving being a week away from my due date! During the break, I had let my husband know that I hadn't felt any fetal movement for a couple of hours, and though Andre wasn't very active, it started to become a little bit of a concern. I remember telling him "Don't panic, but I'm panicking".
During that break, I did what my OB advised me to do when I don't feel any fetal movement- have something sweet! I did as my OB said, we made our way to the vending machines and pulled out a Twix bar, and hot chocolate. I had sprite before class. I sat down on a couch in front of the lounge, leaned back, and enjoyed those sweet treats while being paranoid. I waited a couple of minutes and knew something wasn't right. In the past when I wouldn't feel anything, as soon as I ate something sweet Andre would move around like a pinball. As soon as I told my husband I was worried, we left right away. On the way home I thought maybe I didn't have enough, "Pull over and grab me a slurpee, if this doesn't work, we have to go to the hospital just in case." My husband pulled over and purchased me a blueberry mixed cherry slurpee- at this point, I was making myself sick!
Though I had just taken a couple of sips of the slurpee, my husband started to drive to the hospital (Saddleback Memorial, Laguna Hills) in case I didn't feel anything during the ride. The ride to the hospital was silent, we were both nervous, paranoid, but didn't want to say anything. You never want to feel like something is wrong and it's heartbreaking when you don't know what's going on. We got to the hospital and I still hadn't felt anything, we checked ourselves in, and we awaited our name to be called. My name got called and we followed the nurse to the back room. The nurse took my vitals, asked my weight, asked how far along I was, and asked what was going on. It was nerve wrecking.
When the nurse was walking us back to labor and delivery to be observed in pre admission, I was so nervous. All I could think was- Why have I still not felt anything? What if something is wrong? I'm a week early, what if I'm having him early, I need to prepare, I have nothing ready ect... my mind was scrambling and I was going crazy about the unknown. In pre admission they set me up on a bed, checked my urine, checked my vitals, and set me up with a heart beat monitor on my stomach. As soon as the heartbeat monitor was on, a heart beat appeared in a matter of seconds nice and strong! (THANK GOD) Although his heartbeat was strong, I still wasn't feeling any movement. They hooked me up to an ultrasound machine to make sure Andre was okay and everything was fine, he was moving around like crazy! Why am I still not feeling anything? They told me it was probably because of the way my placenta was, but my OB had never mentioned anything about my placenta, I was confused.
After hearing and seeing that everything was fine, the doctor wanted to keep me for an hour of observation. During that hour, Andre's heart rate had dropped drastically then would go right back up to it's normal rate. When the nurse came back to make sure everything was okay, they said that they were going to keep us for another hour to make sure it doesn't happen again. During that time, my husband and I watched our usual show- Real Housewives of Orange County, Vanderpump Rules, and the After Show! We were very occupied. The hour was almost up and we were about to be sent home from pre admission until the nurse and doctor came in to let us know that his heart rate had suddenly dropped again and since I was 39 weeks along they would feel more comfortable observing me over night and have my OB check in with me in the morning.
Tuesday November 8th, 2016
Happy birthday to my husband Arash! Who would've known that we were going to end up in the hospital... Not knowing what was going on, what if we were going to have our baby this week, was everything okay with the baby there were so many questions, but after a long day we really just needed some rest. A little paranoid, I watched some T.V. until around 3am and remember only feeling one or two kicks. I eventually passed out and woke up to the nurse coming into our room. The nurse let us know that we had two more episodes throughout the night and that my OB would be coming around 9am to speak with us. Maybe we really were having this baby! When my OB came into the room he let us know that since we were 39 weeks along, because of the safety of myself and the baby he was going to induce me.
Because I was only dilated 1 cm, my OB had a whole plan, and it was about to be a long process. He had advised us with the following- Start with entering a Foley Balloon which is a balloon that the doctor fills with water to help the patient dilate (this process takes about 10 hours) the balloon should dilate me to at least 4 cm and should fall out on its own. Once I'm dilated to 4 cm, he would start the induction with Pitocin (this helps speed up the labor process) and we should be on track to have the baby by night time, if all goes well. This was all so exciting yet nerve wrecking. I had the healthiest pregnancy with zero complications or concerns. I wanted to have a natural labor my whole pregnancy (not be induced, not have an epidural, and wanted everything to lead on its own without extra help) Unfortunately I wasn't able to do that, but as long as my baby and I were okay, It didn't even matter. It was 10 am and my doctor came into my room to start the foley balloon process. The balloon was painful and awkward! It was 100 times worse than getting a dilation check. Once the balloon was in, it became a waiting game- wait until I'm 4 cm or until that balloon comes out itself.
During that time, we just sat around and relaxed to wait until our next update. During that long day we went through another doctor and another nurse as both of their shifts ended at 6 pm. The next nurse and doctor came in and let us know that they'll be back when it's time for the balloon. During that time of waiting for the next step, Andre's heart rate was still occasionally dropping. But because it wasn't staying low and was quickly coming up, it wasn't a raise of concern and really just needed to be monitored. Along came 7 pm, time for that balloon to come out! Once they took out the balloon (again, painful) my doctor then broke my water. It felt disgusting... All I can think about is what if that happened at home (insert laughing emoji here) The doctor let me know that they were going to start the induction at 10 pm and that would be our next step. 10 pm was quickly approaching and it was time to begin my induction process, after they gave me the shot of Pitocin, they let me know that I should start dilating quickly and should start feeling contractions (which I've never felt before) I should begin to dilate about a centimeter an hour, which would mean that Andre would be making his way into the world sooner than expected. That would've been more exciting if I were actually dilating quickly, but I wasn't.
Wednesday November 9th, 2016
It was the wee hours of the morning and my OB was finally back on shift. He walked into our room and let us know that today was going to be the day and Andre should be here by the late afternoon. I was so excited to hear that especially because I really wanted my OB to deliver my baby instead of someone else. My OB has been by my side through so much, I didn't even want to think about someone else delivering my baby (the stress of the waiting game was on) During that morning Andre's heart had dropped again, and the contractions were getting stronger. At that point around 11 pm, I was only dilated to 5 cm. The process was going extra slow because Andre wasn't responding well to the Pitocin. Every time my nurse would increase, his heart rate would drop, so they had to go slower than a turtle.
My nurse advised me that Dr. Feel Good didn't have scheduled surgeries and I'd be able to receive my epidural at anytime. I really didn't want to get an epidural, but my husband and nurse told me that no one was going to give me an award for going through pain. I was still against it until I remembered the woman in the room next to me walking the halls at night moaning in pain... and then the biggest contraction of my life hit me as soon as my nurse was leaving the room (ironically) and I needed that epidural YESTERDAY! Dr. Feel Good came in, gave me a pinch, and it felt like nothing... Side note- my husband just let me know that while the epidural was going in it had broke and he had to put in another (I had no idea!) Hear comes the numbing! Though my contractions weren't too bad, it felt good to feel "extra" good. I had a good nap and I was supposed to continue dilating 1 cm per hour but I wasn't so the process was feeling like a life time! Every time they would increase me on Pitocine his heart would continue to drop and come back up, they thought it wasn't anything to worry about. Around 5 pm I was only dilated 6 cm, it was time for a new OB to make its round, a new nurse, and a new plan (unfortunately)
The new OB came in and I wasn't very fond of her. She automatically started talking about potential cesarean because I wasn't dilating enough and it was worrisome for the baby since it was becoming a long process. I was so upset when I heard those words come out of her mouth. It wasn't that I was against cesarean, there's really nothing wrong with it as long as my baby and I are safe at the end of the day. I immediately started to cry at the thought, but pulled it together like a real mamma would do! It started getting later and low and behold I was starting to dilate a little faster, THANK GOD! In hopes that meant no cesarean...
I didn't see the OB for a long time and only the nurse was taking care of me, who I loved. Her name was Christina and I'll never forget her. She was my nurse 3 times throughout my stay and practically delivered this little babe like a champ. My husband and I lounged around the room, had occasional check ins from Christina, my mom and dad were with us, and my husbands family came to visit. I was tired and in a little bit of stress, I was pretty much just over the process all sweaty, gross, tired, au natural and just ready to have this baby. Why was this process taking so long! If Andre would've responded better to the Pitocin instead of having his heart rate drop occasionally, then I would've had him earlier in the day. After hours of just lounging around, laughing, crying, watching T.V. and being absolutely MISERABLE because I couldn't eat or drink anything, my nurse Christina came in.
I think it was around 9 pm and I told her how exhausted and thirsty I was and she allowed me to have some apple juice- SHE WAS MY ANGEL! Christina figured that the most that would happen is I would get a little nauseous. When my nurse came in again, she had put me on an oxygen machine because Andre's heart rate was again dropping. There I was sitting worried, crying, upset and exhaust with an oxygen machine enjoying this waiting game which I was so eager to be over. My OB finally came into the room at about 9:30 pm and the OB spoke to us again briefly about cesarean if things don't speed up. At this time, she told our family to give us some time, go home and allow us to relax on our own. I remember within that past hour I called my nurse multiple times to have my OB check my dilation... I felt like something was up.
Christina had told me that if you feel like you have to poop, it's probably the baby making its way through. Every time I would call my nurse to get my OB, my OB would never be in attendance (no wonder I didn't like her) luckily my nurse Christina was also a midwife and did a great job of checking me, motivating me, and letting me know what was going on. I was 9 cm around 10 pm and all of the sudden I felt it. I called Christina back in, and I knew it was time to push.I literally felt like I had to poop, but really didn't have to, it was just my little man! It was just me, Christina, and my husband. I was so scared because my mom and dad had just left and all I thought was I cannot have this baby without my mom in the room. My husband continuously told me its okay, trying to cheer me up and not worry me but all I could tell him was "It's not okay". I told my husband to call my parents to come back and within a minute their 20 minute drive became 10.
While my parents were on there way back I was already starting to push. It was still just me, Christina, my husband, and the beeping monitors. Every contraction would come and we would start pushing. My husband and Christina were a great team and I was seriously a champ. I loved it! Contraction... push! In walked my parents and you can just hear the excitement and cries in their voices. They were soon to be first time grandparents! Arash continued to hold my leg, my dad sat on the couch, Christina had the best view in the world (lol) and my mom hit the record button because all I wanted was to watch my birth! Some people think it's gross, but I seriously love it. I continued to push and for about 30 minutes. Andre started corking and my OB finally made an appearance, not sure if it was fortunate or unfortunate, but at least she came.
Andre was still corking and the OB (still don't even know her name) told us that she'll have to use a vacuum and give me a Episiotomy because his shoulders weren't going to fit. All I heard was vacuum, I didn't even here Episiotomy because I didn't even know what that was I was so busy pushing. The OB went ahead and cut me, I had no idea and I continued to push. It wasn't bad, I was still enjoying it. I literally had a smile on my face and even giving thumbs ups! It was one of the last pushes and I was getting exhausted... the baby was still corking until I got those few words of encouragement from my husband "Do you have energy to give one more push?!" Instead of letting out that last push in that last contraction I sucked it up and gave in a little extra energy to throw in that extra fourth push (Thanks to my incredible husband) After an hour of pushing, Andre finally made his entrance to the world! Andre was a healthy 7 pounds 6 ounces at 19 inches long with a full head of hair.
Welcome to the world Andre Anthony Salahahshour
Xo Pardon my Baby
