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Brett's Birth

	I found out in September of 1997 that I was expecting. We were quite
surprised as this was our first month trying. I found out that I was due May
20,1998. I had an extremely easy pregnancy. I had just a bit of nausea in my
second month, but that left as quickly as it came. At 18 weeks my husband,
Adam, and I went in for an ultrasound and found out we were expecting a boy.
	May came and my due date came and went. I was huge and feeling miserable. I
had begun to swell pretty bad and wasn’t able to walk for long without my back
aching. I was begging my Dr. to induce me. At 9 days late on May 29, 1998 she
did decide to induce me.
	Well. the morning of the induction came and Adam and I were pretty excited. I
went into the Hospital at 7:30am. My nurse, Dottie, started an IV around 8am
and the Pitocin was added shortly after. My contractions began at 8:50am. My
Doctor, Dr. Angela Ferebee, came in around 11am and broke my bag of waters and
told me that I was only 2cm. 
	By 2pm I was in quite a bit of pain and asked my nurse for some meds. to
relieve it. She gave me some Nubaine and that felt so much better except it
didn’t last very long and I was asking for more. That was a big mistake as the
second dose just made me vomit.
	Dr. Ferebee came in in the midst of my nausea and checked my cervix. She said
that I was 3-4 cm and progressing well. She told me to let her know if and
when I wanted the epidural. I really wasn’t able to talk much and my wonderful
husband was quick to say "she’ll take it now". Shortly after my request was
made the Epidural God came in and after just a small prick I was human again.
I was even able to talk on the phone. This is such a wonderful drug!	
	Somewhere around 8:30pm Dr. Ferebee came and checked me. She was surprised to
find that I was at 10 with just a lip left to dilate. Around 9pm I was wanting
to start pushing so my husband called my nurse, Connie, and I began pushing. I
tried a lot of different positions to push and was making a lot of progress at
first. My nurse was sure that I would deliver by 10pm. She was wrong!!! By
11pm I had a new Nurse, Jessica (who was expecting a baby in August).  My
doctor wanted to get me to consider a c-section, but agreed to give me 15 more
minutes to progress to a point where she could help with the vacuum. 
	At 11:45pm my nurse called my OB back to show her that I had indeed
progressed and it was agreed that the vacuum would be tried. At this point I
had been pushing for 3 hours and was quite tired, but still determined not to
have a c-section. Finally around midnight the vacuum was in and I was pushing
while my Dr. pulled. Well, the baby was quite stuck and the vacuum popped off
his head twice. (leaving 2 sores afterward).
	Now my only chance not to have a c-section was forceps. While my Dr. was
getting the forceps in place everyone in the OB unit(it seemed) was called
into my room as well as a few nurses from pediatrics and there was also
paramedic student there(I agreed to let him observe). There was an oxygen mask
put near my mouth and it was time to push with the forceps. I pushed twice and
the heard my husband say that he saw the head and that gave me enough energy
to push 3 more times during that contraction and my baby boy was here. 
	He was quite blue at first. He was whisked across the room to be evaluated
after such a traumatic birth. His first APGAR score was only a 3, but his
second score was an 8. They needed to take him to the nursery pretty quick so
My husband, who was crying and sweaty, carried him to me so I could kiss him
before they left me. 
	There is much more to the story so I will summarize it. He was born at
12:24am on May 30,1998 and weighed 9lbs. 7oz. and was 22inches. I went on to
have more complications that morning. I retained the placenta and Dr. Ferebee
had to go in after it. I had 4th degree lacerations and need quite a bit of
suturing. Halfway through the suturing the pain blocker wore off and the
second dose of it wasn’t effective. I was in so much pain that they took me
into the OR and put me under anestesia to finish the job. Through all of this
My nurse, Jessica, was with me. I woke up in recovery not really remembering
what happened, but my amnesia was short lived. By 6am I was wheeled to the
nursery by my wonderful nurse, Jessica, to view my baby through the glass as I
was still too groggy to hold him safely. I slept only 2 hours before I began
begging for my son. I was unable to breast feed him that day, but the next day
with the help of a lactation consultant he latched on like a champ and is
exclusively breast fed now. It was a tough birth, but so worth it. I couldn't
have pushed as long as I did without my wonderful Husband, Adam. He was so
encouraging throughout the labor. It almost made me feel good to see him
sweating worse then I was!!!!!! : ) I felt extremely well considering the 4th
degree laceration. I only took pain meds. the day I gave birth. I was given a
perscription, but I never did get it filled. I "felt" healed after just 2
weeks. I hope I haven't scared anyone into not having a baby as I would do it
again tomorrow even though it was difficult. You just have to trust(and like)
your doctor and make sure you have some good support people espicially a
supportive husband. I am Blessed.