6 days old - Precipitous Birth

Here's what BirthingNaturally.net has to say about Precipitous Labor:

Fast Labor

A Fast Labor, also known as a precipitous birth, is a labor that lasts less than three hours. A fast labor is not an emergency situation since generally a fast labor means everything is working perfectly.

Why is a fast labor a challenge?

Though it happens in only a small number of births, the strong contractions that accompany a fast labor can be overwhelming to a mother who did not expect to progress through labor so quickly. Emotionally, the mother may begin todoubt herself and her ability to cope because she is having such difficulty handling what she believes to be early labor.

Physically, a fast labor, specifically a fast pushing phase may increase the risk a mother tearing if her body is not ready to stretch. However, some experts believe whether or not a woman tears has more to do with whether she is working with her body than how fast birth happens.

It is important that the labor support and caregivers assess the physical and emotional signs to reassure the mother that she has progressed quickly. For many women, knowing that they are nearly done makes them feel more confident.

Potential Solutions

Pay special attention to the emotional signs to have an accurate picture of where she is in labor.

Do not leave her alone.

Remind her that everything is moving fast because everything is going right.

Try techniques that may slow labor, such as side lying positions rather than upright positions or walking.

Things to discuss with your caregiver:

A side concern with fast labors is the possibility of tearing the perineal skin. This happens because the baby comes out faster than the skin is stretching. Some caregivers recommend using a side-lying position to help slow down the birth. You may want to discuss your caregivers methods for helping to keep the perineum intact with a fast birth.

Although a fast labor is not an emergency, you may want to become familiar with some "emergency birth" skills. Knowing what to do and what not to do will make you feel more confident if you are unable to make it to your birth place.

Some caregivers feel it is safer for a mother who suddenly finds herself pushing to stay where she is and call for help (perhaps 911 or a midwife who will come to you) instead of risking getting caught in traffic where it is difficult for emergency personnel to find you if necessary. Your caregiver can help you determine the best course of action for you depending on the area you live and how close or far you are to help.

Women who have had a fast birth before are most likely to have a fast birth again. Additionally, fast births are more common for experienced mothers than for first time mothers. If you believe you are likely to have a fast birth, be sure to discuss your plans for handling a fast labor and the possibility of a more relaxed paced labor.

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So... yeah.  We weren't even close to making it all the way to Atlanta to deliver.  We didn't even try.  And thank goodness we didn't because we delivered about 45 minutes after leaving the house (less than 30 after arriving at the hospital).  We delivered a perfect 7 lb baby girl at 9:28 am at the Newnan Piedmont Hospital.  I had my first contraction around 6:30 but wasn't sure I was actually in labor until about 7:30.  From that point on, things are both extraordinarily clear and a big blur.  Contradictions, I know, but the day was pretty much the craziest I've ever experienced.  I think everyone fears but nobody expects to be the couple to deliver on the highway.  But it very well could have been us if I'd tossed common sense aside and listened to my doctor's office.  Granted, there's no way they could have known what was happening but I do kind of wish  they'd have listened to what I was saying instead of what they thought I was saying.  Once she repeated it back to me, I knew she wasn't "getting it" and I told her I really thought I should go to Newnan.  But I'm getting ahead of myself; allow me to go back to the beginning.

On Sunday, we were over at Grandma and Grandpa's house for football.  I was feeling kind of surly and tired of being pregnant, but wasn't feeling any signs of impending labor.  I boldly made the statement that I believed we'd go to our scheduled induction date of 9/27.  Grandma said that she hoped we didn't but so long as we didn't deliver that Monday (9/22), any time was fine with her.  Between those two pronouncements, we really should have known that baby was coming no other day than Monday, 9/22.  

As I stated earlier, I woke up around 6:30 and had a contraction that felt absolutely nothing like any I'd had before but also nothing like what anyone else described labor would feel like.  Everyone said that it would start in your back and wrap around to your front, that you'd feel like it was period cramps at first and then it would intensify, working from the top of your tummy down toward your uterus.  Mine started really low in my pelvis and just felt like a tight, painful knot.  I got up and went to the bathroom then had another one.  And then another one.  It was at this point that I thought I should probably start timing them.  When the next one arrived approximately 8.5 minutes later, I thought this might be it.  I was pretty sure there was no more than 10 minutes between the earlier ones, but since I hadn't been timing them, I couldn't be sure.  It was at this point that I woke up Matt and we talked for a bit about what we'd do if it really was labor.  I continued to time them and they ranged from 8.5 to 6, depending on whether or not I had to go to the bathroom.  We talked about what time it was appropriate to call his parents and give them the heads up that we'd need them that day.  All of this was discussed while we were laying in bed because we were sure we had plenty of time.  Around 7:30, we got up and I asked Matt if we could please call his mom because they were starting to get more painful, though I didn't notice that they were any closer together.  Now that they were more painful, I wasn't timing them any longer.  He told me that he'd like to wait until 8 am, that she'd probably be up but just in case it was one of those fluke days that she slept really well, he'd rather wait.  

I was getting really uncomfortable at this point and running back through all the things people told me would help relieve the pain.  I leaned over the bed and rocked my hips back and forth.  I got down on all fours and rocked back and forth.  But they just kept getting stronger.  I got dressed and called the doctor's office around 8 -- between contractions, because I was getting sweaty and having trouble breathing with each one by this point.  Oh, and I'd started throwing up.  What joy is mine.  I called the line and told the receptionst that I was in labor, that my doctor had told me to come to the hospital when my contractions were 5 minutes apart but that they'd gone from 8.5 to about 3 and that I'd never hit that 5 minute mark.  She told me to come into the office and they'd check me, that if I was truly in labor, they'd send me over to L&D from there.  I told her I wasn't sure I'd make it and she told me that if I didn't think I could get to the office, that I could try going straight to L&D.  I reminded her that I lived over an hour away and she just said the same thing again.

After hanging up, I had another really strong contraction (that came with vomiting) and then another one... and then another one... and I timed them all.  They were down to 2.5 or so, so I called back and told her I didn't think I'd make it to Atlanta, that my contractions are now 2 minutes apart, and was it ok if I just go to Newnan.  She told me that I needed to come to Atlanta.  Then I had another one.  So she went and talked to the doctor.  When she got back, she told me again that, since my contractions were only 8-5 minutes apart, I should come in to the office but I could do whatever I thought was best.  It was at that point, I decided she was going to offer me no help.  8-5 minutes apart?  Had she listened to me at all?  At this point, I was fully dressed and on all fours in our bedroom with a vomit bucket in my hands.  I was finding the most relief by putting my face on the cold tile of the bathroom floor so I kept alternating between the bedroom and bathroom between contractions.  Matt's parents were at the house picking up Henry and I really didn't want them to come in to the bedroom but more importantly, I didn't want Henry to see me like that.  He's so little, I know, but I was afraid he'd be scared if he saw me in pain like that.  I have no idea if he'd have known I wasn't just playing but I didn't want to risk it, so I waited until Matt came in again to get something and told him in my most adamant way possible, "we need to go.  NOW.  To Newnan.  We're not going to make it to Atlanta."

After that, everything just kind of gets blurry.  I know Phil and Sue took Henry and wished us good luck.  I know that Matt drove REALLY fast and I either threw up or thought I would at every single tap of the break.  I know that he pulled up to the Emergency Room entrance, ran in and told the triage nurse that we were in labor and we needed a wheel chair.  I know that I was wheeled in and left at the triage desk while Matt moved the car and that the triage nurse called up to L&D while Matt was out.  I remember him saying, "We've got a woman in labor down here.  They said her contractions are 2-3 minutes apart but I'd say they're 1-2 at the most.  You need to get down here or she's going to have this baby out here."  He took us through the staff elevators up to L&D but there was no room at the inn, so we delivered in triage.  On a cot.  Less than 30 minutes after getting there.  

I'm not sure the nurses really understood how imminent our delivery was going to be when we first arrived but they cottoned on pretty quickly.  They asked me to get out of the chair, put on a gown, and get in the bed but they seemed to have no idea what a monumental task that was for me.  I remember sitting in the chair between contractions with my eyes squeezed tightly shut, trying to shut them out and relax and rest before the next one was going to come. But I also knew I couldn't have the baby in the chair and that they were only trying to help me.  So I stood up and took off my shirt.  But that's about all I could do.  Then I had another one and I bent over onto the bed and wished I could die.  I was sure I couldn't do this.  They took off my bra for me and then my water broke.  Even in the hazy state of pain that I was in, I still was grossed out by it.  What a disgusting experience that is.  They kept telling me that I had to get into the bed because they didn't want me to have the baby on the floor.  I heard them and understood but was in enough pain that I just couldn't muster the energy or break my focus enough to move.  But of course I did eventually and a doctor arrived and Matt filled out the paperwork and we had a baby.  Less than 30 minutes after getting there.  And it hurt.  A lot.  

Afterward, I couldn't understand how anyone could possibly go through that and then do it again.  I mean, I'm all for having more babies but I'm not doing that again. I'm just not.  It was WAY too much.  It hurt.  A lot.  I didn't think I could do it.  I told them that a number of times.  Having them touch my stomach while I was having a contraction hurt.  The tool to monitor Evie's heart rate during delivery hurt.  The doctor's fingers helping stretch me so that I didn't tear hurt.  Everything just hurt.  And I don't mean it hurt a little bit.  It hurt A LOT.  This is coming from the girl who broke her ankle and ran around on it for 24 hours before realizing it.  The girl who had shingles for a week before going to the doctor.  I'm no stranger to pain, but egads.  How could someone do that again intentionally?!  But, see, the thing is that precipitous births are a lot more painful because your body doesn't have a chance to kind of level set or get used to the level of pain before they get more painful.  There's no break and no gearing up.  Things go from zero to intense in no time flat and that's just an awful lot to deal with.  But we did it.  And I shan't be doing it again.  But I wanted to experience natural child birth and now I have.  And it's TOTALLY over rated.  Goodness.  The nurses were wonderful and the doctor was great.  The moment the baby was out, I felt totally fine.  And I mean the moment.  There was no slow release or come down; it was just like gearing up.  I went from INTENSE pain to zero.  So crazy.

Anyway, long story, I know but we had our baby in less than three hours.  In the wrong hospital.  On a cot.  In triage.  But we did get a postpartum recovery room and everyone was lovely.  The cafeteria kept messing up my gluten free meals and seemed to actually give me extra gluteny ones (like a breakfast of white toast and Rice Krispies) but aside from that, it was all wonderful.  Our baby girl is just perfect.  And, while it hurt an awful lot at the time, I think it all happened just the way it was supposed to.  Genevieve Kathleen Pieper Rehbein seems as if she was always meant to be a part of our little family.  Henry loves her.  Mommy and daddy love her.  Everyone who meets her oohs and aahs about how lovely she is.  As evidenced below:

40 weeks, 0 days - Due date, schmue date

I've officially decided that I hate due dates.  No matter how much I tell myself that they're arbitrary and don't mean much, I still feel let down when they pass and nothing happens.  I know there's no fairy dust that will fall from the sky and no rainbows are going to appear in my bedroom, but I still feel like something should happen.  It should be something special.  But it isn't.  It's just another day of feeling fat and uncomfortable.  Meh.  Stupid due dates.

In other news, we had a doctor appointment and ultrasound today.  No low fluids for this baby!  Ultrasound tech said that they were just completely normal and that baby was moving great, more so than she'd even like because it made it harder for her to get pics.  Baby measured in the 25th percentile this time, which is up from last week so that's encouraging.  Heart rate was 135 so back to what it's consistently been.  Doctor checked my cervix and I'm about the same as I was last time: 2 cm dilated and 60% effaced.  She had to reach a lot higher than she ever has before, though, and the exam hurt which it never has before.  So I got to wondering if maybe she stripped my membranes and didn't mention it.  I don't feel like she'd have done that but I also couldn't figure out why she had to reach so much higher than before.  I texted Holly about it and she said that it's normal for those types of exams to hurt at this point in pregnancy and your cervix can move around depending on gestation.  Which is crazy to me.  And makes more sense than her doing something without asking or even telling me.  But I do still sort of wonder.  Maybe it's wishful thinking.  Anyway, we're still pregnant and are looking like we'll remain so for at least a few more days.  We scheduled an induction on 9/27 in case baby doesn't make an appearance before that.  We have another ultrasound next week on Thursday to check on things and make sure all is well still but we're hoping not to make it that far.  We'll just have to see, though.  

Even though, of course, I'm glad that everything was good and nothing was wrong, there was a small part of me that kind of wanted fluids to be low so that we could be induced today.  I mean, we could have scheduled an induction if we really wanted to go that route but I don't really want to; I just want to have to so that I didn't make that choice.  But in the end, I'm glad baby is doing well and that my body is nourishing him/her properly.  Just ready to stop feeling so... uncomfortable.

39 weeks, 6 days - Last Man Standing

Derek (and his wife) had their baby yesterday evening.  At home.  They did a home birth.  Eew!  But it went great and they had a little girl and everyone looks happy and healthy.  Zero part of me wants to do a home birth, but Derek posted a picture of his wife sleeping in their bed with the new baby and I did get a little pang of wistfulness, thinking how much more comfortable that looked than a hospital bed.  But c'est la vie.  I'm not comfortable with the idea of a home birth.  Anyway, that leaves just us.  Everyone else I knew who was pregnant and due around our time or before has already had their baby!  I know of a few more due a month or more after us but we're the only ones left that I knew of in September or earlier.  Crazy.  Due date is tomorrow.  Bizarre.  I'm having lots of weird pains but nothing that I think is impending labor.  Just baby squirming around and hitting nerves.  Derek's due date was on Saturday and they delivered yesterday, so I guess two days after.  If we went two days after, that would put us on Friday.  If we're going late, I really would like that autumnal baby.  So at this point, I guess I'm hoping for Sunday... but we'll take you whenever you come, little one.

Oh goodness.  I've had absolutely the worst dreams the past two nights in a row.  I dreamed that the baby was still born.  Yesterday, I had a minor panic attack because I kept thinking that I couldn't feel baby moving so maybe my dream was coming true.  But it wasn't.  I laid down with a cold drink and sure enough, baby moved more than 10 times in about 10 minutes, let alone an hour.  So all is fine.  But I had the dream again last night and this time, it was even worse. I'd gone to the appointment alone so it was up to me to tell everyone.  Including Matt.  I woke up absolutely sobbing then I couldn't get control of myself and I couldn't go back to sleep.  I was up from 12:30 until about 5:30 because I was too afraid to go back to sleep.  It was just awful.  Baby has been super super active so I know that it's just an over-active imagination but even so, it was just so scary and sad and terrible.

39 weeks, 2 days - Baby Pool!

Well, the results are in and they're very interesting.  It seems as if there's a dead tie in gender... which is interesting.  Some of the folks who had professed one way have seemed to change their minds when things came right down to it.  Very interesting.  General consensus has us missing our due date and averages have us at about a six and a half pound baby.  So, without further ado...

It will be interesting to see who takes the prize.  I still can't believe it's coming so soon!  As with yesterday, I still haven't felt anything that has made me think labor is imminent.  I did speak to Megan about her super fast delivery and I feel a lot better about it now.  Turns out, she waited longer to go to the hospital than she otherwise would have because she was almost turned away last time and she didn't want that to happen this time.  She was 4 cm dilated when she got there this time and was afraid they were going to send her back home but they didn't.  Fortunately.  She checked in at 3 pm with non-painful contractions that were about 3 minutes apart and had Andy at 3:55 so things progressed very quickly from 3 pm on.  Anyway, it's not like she went from 10 min contractions to having a baby in an hour so I feel a little better about our chances of making it to the hospital.  It's just weird, having nothing to compare it to since I had no laboring at all before I was induced with Henry.  They told Allie she was in labor like two weeks before she was successfully induced with Lex so she at least has something to compare it to.  I've got zero idea what "going into labor" feels like and I think that's part of what gives me anxiety.  

So anyway, I've got an ultrasound at 10:30 am on 9/17.  Which is about the same time I had Henry's the day we were induced.  If that were to happen again and everything else went the same way, Nana, Aunt Stevie, and Grandpa would all be right on the date and Aunt Allie would be closest on time.  So crazy to think that our due date is in 5 days!

39 weeks, 1 day - Do you want a brother or a sister?

Henry boy is very into babies right now.  He's very very dear with them.  You may or may not recall that we got him a little baby doll several months ago and lately, he's taken such great care of her.  I keep finding her in the sweetest places.  Most recently, it's the bassinet.  How on earth does he know that babies go in the bassinet?  It's been in the basement since he was 10 weeks old.  It's not like he's seen another baby in it or anything.  He just knew.  And now that the baby's carseat is in the car next to his, he likes to have his baby ride in it, too.  It bugs him to have it empty.  Very cute.

So last night, we were talking about babies and I asked him if he liked babies.  He said yes.  I asked him if he wanted a baby.  He said yes.  I asked him if he wanted a boy baby or a girl baby.  He said, "umm... black."  After choking back guffaws of laughter (and imagining Matthew's pride at that statement), I told him that we probably wouldn't have a black baby.  So Henry, in his infinite wisdom said to me, "no black beebee.  Umm... blue!"  Then I just lost it.  I couldn't help but think of Stevie being a little kid and wanting a blue teacher and a blue sister and a blue bedroom and a blue mommy.  And now, since Henry can't have a black baby, he wants a blue one.  Haha, at least he comes by it honestly, I guess.

We wanted to get Henry a gift from the new baby but have been having some trouble deciding what to give him.  After that, we decided that the new baby will give him a black baby.  Not exactly a mea culpa but, since there's really very little chance baby will be black, he/she can help Henry get the baby he wants.  Haha, what a weird family we are.  "Do you want a boy baby or a girl baby?"  "Umm... black!"  hahaha!!

Here's the baby we got for him:

Oh, also, I almost forgot.  Had another doc appt yesterday.  Uneventful.  Weight is down a little bit but that's to be expected at this point.  Right now, I'm hovering around a 23 lb gain, which is just so weird to me since I feel SO enormous.  But I haven't even gained quite as much as they wanted me to.  Whatever.  It's fine and nobody's worried but I just can't imagine how people must feel when they gain 60 or 80 since I feel so gross and fat and disgusting at just this much.  Anyway, it's more than it was with Henry so I'm sure that's why I feel so huge.  Heart rate was 120-125 which is the lowest it's been (it's been pretty consistently in the 130-135 range).  I asked about that and she said it could be because the baby is getting bigger or maybe the baby is sleeping.  It's still a perfectly healthy and normal rate so it's nothing to be concerned about.  My tummy is still measuring small but again, to be expected since our babe is estimated to be in the 20th percentile.  Would be weird if my belly was measuring large with a tiny little nugget like that.  We scheduled an ultrasound for next week and went back over when to call and when to come in.  Dr. Lawson was very cute.  She said a number of times something about "if you make it that far."  I get the impression she likes babies and gets excited about deliveries.  Which means she's in a good career.  But she really did seem excited about it.  So crazy to think we've got less than a week until our due date!

38 weeks, 6 days - Holy belly, Batman!

So.  We can no longer say I have a little belly.  Maybe it's a little belly for 39 weeks, but it's for sure a definitive baby belly.  No joking around here.

This belly is quite a bit bigger than Henry's was, which is funny to me because I don't weigh any more than I did with him.  I guess it's because I started out weighing less.  Regardless, I've got a real belly this time.  Which, you know, I like but I also wonder how much harder it's going to be to lose than Henry's was.  Henry's belly went away basically in the hospital.  Would be nice for that to happen again.  :)  Not exactly holding my breath, though.

Additionally, Aunt Amy took some family pics of us this weekend.  I know, I know, who gets pictures taken when they're 38 weeks pregnant?  I felt so fat and disgusting and swollen and tired, but she did a really nice job and some of them turned out great.  She only sent us a few so far but here's what I've got:

I think she did a really fantastic job and they turned out beautifully.  I've since cut Henry's hair and wish I'd done it before we got our pics done, but I'll know for next time.  I just trimmed off the wisps in the back, so his curls are still there; they just look fuller and less messy.  Also, I think the family pic is really funny because these pics were taken on Saturday and I took the belly pic on Monday.  Two days apart.  Clearly, my belly didn't grow that much in two days so it really accentuates how much what I'm wearing affects how big my belly looks.  I think it looks really small in the one of Matt kissing it but absolutely ENORMOUS in the one above it.  So weird.  Anyway, we're on baby watch 2014!

38 weeks, 5 days - Full moon

According to the old wives, more babies are born at the full moon.  And you know how I love old wives tales.  So maybe today!  Unlikely, though.  I had been having millions of Tony Braxtons but then they just kind of stopped over the weekend.  I'm not sure I had any over the weekend at all.  Maybe it's just because I was too busy to notice?  It was kind of a wild weekend.  But even so, I can't believe I had the normal amount and just didn't notice.  Anyway, we'll see what this full moon has to say about our soon to be newborn babe.  Now that we missed my dad's birthday, I'd like 9/21 to be the date.  We'll see.  I'll really be happy at any time, but if I could pick, I'd have a baby to welcome in autumn.

Speaking of this baby, Amy picked up Henry at school the other day and stopped by to say hello to us on her way to drop him at grandma's house.  She hadn't seen Henry's big boy room yet, so she wanted a peep at it.  While we were in there, I told Carter that I had a baby growing in my belly.  It was one of the funniest, cutest reactions I've ever seen.  I so badly wish we'd gotten it on video.  He stopped, looked at my belly, looked back at his mom, pointed back to my belly, looked back at me and just kind of stared.  It was as if he was saying, "what the...?  Mom, are you hearing this?  She's got a baby in her where?  What on earth is it doing in her TUMMY?!!!  Have you ever heard of such a thing?"  Then he picked up his shirt to see if he had one growing in his belly, too.  His mommy tried to explain that only Aun Manna had one but he kept checking to see if maybe there was one in his.  We were over at grandma's and grandpa's yesterday for football and Carter was just obsessed with touching the baby in my belly.  He just couldn't stop.  Then he'd show me his belly, then come back to touching mine.  I meant to lie down so that he could feel the baby move, but it was kind of hectic and I forgot.  Brooklyn came over to pat my belly and tell me it was "so cute," too.  Those kids.  I just get such a kick out of them.  Carter decided that it's going to be a girl baby, whereas Brooke says a boy.  Dave weighed in with girl also.  I don't know exactly where the tally lies but here's what I heard last:

• Girl  -grandpa, daddy, Uncle Dave, Carter, Aunt Mel
• Boy - mama, Brookie

I don't think anyone else has weighed in yet and, frankly, I think Grandpa and Daddy only say girl because that's what they want.  Dave meditated on it and it came to him during his meditations so he feels very confident about it.  And Mel says that she saw it in the ultrasound so she also feels pretty confident.  I think my feeling probably just comes from old wives tales.  What I'm really waiting for is Aunt Amy's prediction because she's apparently always wrong.  Like ALWAYS.  So it'll be interesting to see what she thinks so we can plan for the other.  :)  Ha!  Poor Aie Maimee; will you ever win?