The Clan Update

Thank you to those who shared your thoughts on inducing. I know it can be contraversal topic and appreciate everyones thoughts. I thought I would share what I have been thinking about as of late and my personal experiences with induction. Because I have been induced before, with Kynan, I do have first hand experience as to what it entails and how the labour is like. It's actually kind of humourous because so many people exclaimed that I was so lucky to have birthed Kynan in only 2 and a half hours, while those same people warn me now about how induced labour can be very intense. Well, my answer to that is 'duh, I know. I have had it before.' With Kynan's birth, I was 10 days 'overdue', which I now look back and question his due date. Dana and I had talked extensively about whether or not to be induced and I decided that I was ready- I was tired of waiting. I really didn't research induction much beyond asking my doctor what was the most natural way to induce (besides walking, scrubbing floors, sex, ect). Her reply was stripping the membranes (which she had done at the beginning of decemeber, making me believe it was just standard practice and not optional- and still did nothing but cause major cramping) AND prostaglandin gel. So I opted for the gel and was very excited to meet our little bambino. Well, at 6:30 am Dana and I ventured to the hospital with high hopes, but quite honestly a little nervous. The nurse did a stress test first and then applied the gel. And we waited. It wasn't until a few hours later that I started majorally cramping, followed by incessive vomiting and diaherra. It quite honestly felt like my system was cleaning itself out as a reaction to the gel. I thought I was in labour as the cramps seemed to have a pattern and were like harsh menstral cramps, which is what my cousin and most of everybody said that labour started out as. So I was in pain, but excited to start the birthing process. Then at noon the nurse checked me to see how I had progressed and I had not- at all. Nothing. Very disappointed, she said these things take time and to relax. So we continued to wait- and cramp. At 2, nothing. Finally, at 4pm my doctor sent me home saying we would try again tomorrow and maybe I just need to be at home- relaxing. A little sad, but relieved to be leaving the hospital- Dana and I went home. I had a bath, vomitted a few more times and then laid down next to Dana as he watched hockey trying to nap. Literally, minutes after laying down I had my first contraction- severe contraction. It lasted about 30 seconds (felt like 5 minutes). I said to Dana, I think I just had a contraction. I'm going to the bathroom (I felt like everything was going to fall out so I wanted to sit on the toliet). I didn't even make it to the bathroom door before experiencing a second more severe contraction (Approx. 1min apart). At that point I knew the baby was coming and coming fast. Trying to tell Dana that we need to go, get dressed and manage these unbarable contractions- I thought that is what labour it was like. Well, obviously things went well. Kynan was born 2 and a half hours later at 6:36pm without drugs and he was alert and happy. I on the other hand was alert, happy and exhausted. The weeks that followed all I heard was how lucky I was that the labour was fast, how I shouldn't complain, ect, ect. But what people don't realise is that the two and a half hours birthing Kynan were the most painful, excrutiating, constant pain I have ever endured. I had no breaks between contractions, it was like one solid contraction. Even the nurse said my chart was all over the place and they found it difficult to coach me. So I know that inductions, while often bringing a beautiful baby into the world shortly after, can be very intense labours. I also feel with being induced with Kynan, I never really laboured 'naturally'. I never had the gradual progression so many woman experience. Slight cramping, losing the mucus plug, possibly water breaking, contractions slowly getting stronger and closer together. I know that it sounds werid, but I am a little sad that I missed that part. The only person who has validated these feelings and perhaps because she is the only person I have really shared my thoughts with is Sheri, our doula and my friend. The other thing to mention about inductions, after doing a little more research this time around, they sometimes do have harmful side effects (that's all I am going to say as I think we should all do our own research and make choices we are comfortable with).

Now, after saying all the 'bad' stuff about inductions- comes my other hand speil. Even though 'due dates' are often inaccurate and give us false pretenses about when a baby is ready- it is hard to shake that date from your mind once it is spoken. Especially if your first due date that was given was almost three weeks inaccurate. So having said that, I know that I may not even be overdue, but I feel overdue. I feel overdue for several reasons and only one of them being the date I was given. The other reasons are the constant brackstin hicks I have been getting daily are harsh and sometimes feel like true contractions. So your mind goes into labour mode and when they peter out and become irregular AGAIN, you feel disappointed. The severe backpain doesn't help and is a constant reminder that you are in fact STILL pregnant. Puffy feet, over emotional behaviour, and (proof of this is this post) irritability are all relevant factors in this last stage. Not to mention people are constantly asking when the baby is coming and why it hasn't come yet. To which I respond, I guess I have a pretty comfy womb. These people are always well intentioned and I love the attention as it seems to me that you don't get much of it compared to your first pregnancy, but it does get tiresome explaining to people that April 25th wasn't an accurate due date and May 9th is what the doctors are saying now. Not to mention at my last doctors appointment she was even thinking May 16th so it just goes to show you what a crock due dates are. But each day gets harder and harder as I feel like my body can't take much more and sometimes the pain is so bad I want to cry and sometimes do because let's not forget those amazing hormones. And Dana is working like ALL the time so I never see him, I am left with Kynan all the time with little time to relax, and I have to admit I am a little lonely. My mom and dad have been amazing and quite literally have resigned to the fact that not a day will go by without me popping in or begging them to come to Walmart with me. Do I need anything at Walmart, no, but I just want to be around people. I am feeling a little self centered I guess, wanting people to stop by for tea or even just a visit and actually talk about grown up stuff- even the arrival of baby. Because even though it is nice to keep your mind off it, it is also nice to share the angst and even excitement about our second bambino- to which the words do not fully describe how happy we are. And to those who say 2nd babies seem to be a little less thrilling do not share my opinions. All babies are equal miracles and equal blessings to be shared.

Anyway, back to my decision to induce next week or not. I most likely will not. I figure if I can go until the 19th then a few more days is not going to kill me. Sorry about the awful venting post. To those who actually read it in it's entirity- thank you for spending a few moments in my over-emotional head.

Karen- yes you can of course come visit. I would love to see you and introduce our new bambino.

Kyla- have tried every natural inducing method I can think of. Sex, gardening, scrubbing floors, long walks, sprinting after Kynan, eating pinapple, drink raspberry leaf tea, pressure points on ankles, ect. If you have anything else I would love you forever.

Labels: induction