From: taub@hatteras.cs.unc.edu (Victoria Taub)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: birth announcement
Keywords: baby isaac is here, labor story
Date: 7 Oct 92 20:03:18 GMT


Gee, I finally get to make the big announcement...

Isaac Taub Bacon (the most adorable baby ever to be born)
July 23 1992
7 lb 4 oz and 20 inches long
Apgars?  Yeah, I know what they were, but who cares! (geez, they
just mean the baby is healthy in the moments after birth, why have
they become the 'in thing' to talk about?)

Labor went okay, but I say that after 2 months.  Seems as though
I have a vague memory of the actual delivery, and promising
myself that I wouldn't ever go through it again...
Labor started at 5am and baby was out at 8:46pm (labor probably started 
earlier, 5 am is when the alarm woke me up, and those contractions
were coming every 5 minutes.  by 10:30 they were every 3 minutes.
I went to the hospital at 12:00.  My biggest fear was getting
there and being sent home again, so I tried to wait as long as
possible.  I arrived 4 cm dialated 100% effaced, and fully engaged
(what is that? the +3 station?  I've already forgotten the jargon).
They told me to walk to get my water to break, which it never did.
And when they ruptured the membrane 2 hours later, no fluid came
out because the baby was so low.  By 4pm I was ready for that epidural,
as the contractions were right on top of eachother, no rest between.
I got relief around 5. (on a 'sorta humorous' note, the anethesiologist,
my husband (who is an anesthesiologist), the anesthesia resident  
and nurse anesthetist were huddled around and ready to
get that epidural in, it all of a sudden occurred to them that
they had never asked the OB if it was okay... I can laugh now,
at the time I didn't care who needed to approve, I was ready!)
Once the epidural took effect, I was a whole new woman, and 
happily chatted with all.  Oh yeah, on that shaking, puking
etc debate - I started shaking uncontrollably BEFORE the epidural,
and even though I hadn't eaten in almost 24 hours, I still threw
up bile (I went into labor before breakfast, and my husband has
seen people die under general anesthesia in emergency situations.
I didn't think the ever so slight chance was worth it) Oddly
enough, the epidural didn't slow my labor, which it generally
does.  I was 5 cm when the put it in, and 1/2 hour later I
was a full 10.  Probably because I was more relaxed (geeeeez is
that an understatement).

After 2 hours of pushing, the ob resorted to salad tongs.  The baby
crowned on push number one, but that was it.  he just wouldn't fit
(I did do perinatal message, but I still couldn't fit him through.
the first pull by my doctor actually pulled me 4 inches down
the bed)  Isaac showed no forceps' marks at all.  All in all I
was very happy with the experience, but that is because I knew
all the doctors, and the anesthesiologist was a friend, who
came in especially for me.  She was wonderful (and quite 
appreciative that I had the good manners to go into labor
during normal working hours, sowe didn't have to call her up
at 3am...)

WORDS OF ADVICE:  This may only apply to a few folks out there,
but it is worth saying.  The only problem I had was that my
husband is a resident at the hospital where I delivered.  Because
he was called out of surgery for my labor (I didn't tell him
I was in labor at 5 because I thought it would be awhile before
I needed him), EVERYONE in the hospital knew I was in labor.  So
while I'm trying to breathe through contractions, all these
residents were coming in and out of the room to see how I
was doing.  Needless to say, I was not in the mood to be
social.  One idiot, (not married, no children) was standing
around talking to my husband about what questions might be on
the board exams.  I wanted to kill him, but luckily  I
was attached to the monitors at that point and couldn't reach
his neck...  It wasn't until afterwards, and sanity returned,
that I realized I should have had a nurse standing guard.
Usually they don't allow more than one visitor, but since
they were all doctors, they just cruised right in.  Perhaps
the nurse at the entrance thought I was having a lot of consults...
So, if you a part of the hospital environment, discuss limiting
who can come into the room because word does get around, and you
don't want you or your partner to be distracted.

Have I sufficiently bored everybody now? sorry, but it was exciting,
and I am so happy to be a mom. (I didn't realize I had a 
maternal bone in my body until that baby was in my arms.)
back to my lurker status now, although I sure could have
used advice while I was on maternity leave.  Typical 
breastfeeding, spitting up, runny nose, daycare questions,
but everything works out.  I am sure more things will
come up requiring net advice...

Victoria
(who misses her baby already, although it sure is nice
to be speaking to adults again)
taub@cs.unc.edu