mamaScarlett
Active member
Just wanted to share with my cystas here that I gave birth to my DS last week!!<br>Thank you to everyone who offered practical and emotional support during the past 9 months...just as with my first pregnancy, it was wonderful to have some of you ladies to talk to to share info, get support from and figure out how we do it all living with Cf!<br><br>I had posted 2 weeks ago that I came down with a bad virus a week before my due date, which by the way, my Cf doc says is tearing through the tristate area, so please be careful!!<br>I didnt know how i would get through childbirth with this virus. I went on Ceftin, and fought it with chest pt and every other thing possible. On my actual due date which was day 7 of the horrible cold/cough, I finally felt a smidge better. Not where I wanted to be for birth which I prepared for so much the past few months, but I told myself ok, if it happens, I think I'll be ok. I had planned a drug free water birth, (my first birth was not water, but was drug free) and it worked so wonderfully the first time it was my goal to have it a second time. With this bad cough though, I knew that it just may not be possible. Having spasms that bad through contractions...ouch. So I accepted what may be out of my hands, knew whatever was safe for me and baby was best, and embraced whatever happened.<br><br>That day my cough improved significantly. That night, my back labor began. I had been achy in the back for days but that night it was like the baby said, ok mom's doing better...I can come out now. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> I rested as much as possible, got in the hot shower as much as possible so the steam could relax my breathing and loosen mucus, and do as much chest pt as possible since I wouldn't be able to do it pretty soon! The next day, I did the same thing, back pains going on but still no strong labor pattern yet. I went to the midwife and was 2 cm, and losing my mucus plug. Since I was ready to get things going and didn't want to continue on for another week...felt it was too much on my breathing, and I was already too tired...the midwife gently swiped my membranes. Didn't fully separate them, just moved them a bit. Its not a guarantee that it will do anything, but I was already dilating so my body was ready. I also walked a good bit. Contractions started at 8 pm, by 1 am they were 5 mins apart and I was managing.<br><br>We got to the hospital at 3 am, I was 3 cm. But at 6 am my contractions totally stopped. They sent me home, where I rested for a few hours and then contractions picked up heavy at 12 noon. I was determined not to show up at the hospital too soon again! I labored at home all day, relaxed, and got in the hot shower. At 7 pm I gritted my teeth and tried to squeeze in another chest pt. I didn't know it at the time, but while I was doing it I was 5 cm! Contractions were reallyyyyy strong at that point, but I wanted to have as much energy for pushing as possible.<br><br>I don't want to hear anyone say they are too tired to do chest pt-ever!!! I did it in labor at 5 cm dilated-OUCH!!! lol<br><br>After the chest pt, I started feeling like this was all getting on top of me, and remember I hadn't slept for 2 nights already now. Ugh. I started crying a bit and hubby convinced me to go back to the hospital. Good thing bc when we got there I was 5 cm and contractions were 2 mins apart. My water hadn't broken yet, but the babys head was just hanging there! So they popped it, and everything happened really fast after that. I shot to 7 cm right away, and got in the birthing tub. The tub was wonderful! Even if you don't want to deliver in a tub, I highly reccommend it for relaxing, and relaxing your breathing. My lungs felt amazing, and my whole body calmed down even though I was still in great pain. After 30 mins in there though, I felt really hot and needed to get out. I squatted on the bed on all fours, kind of hugging a pillow, just because my body told me thats what would feel good at the moment. I started having the urge to push and the doula ran to get the midwife. By the time they came back a head of hair was already poking out. The midwife asked me if I could turn to lay on my back and I said no, just instinctively. I did not want to move. And I had told my whole care team to not make me lay flat during labor if at all possible for my lungs. Laying flat was just bad for my breathing, as it is for many cfers.<br>Thankfully she respected that and i pushed in that upright, on all fours position. I pushed the baby out in 9 minutes! (my first baby took 2.5 hrs, flat on my back)<br>The downside, if there can be one, of a baby coming out that fast is that theres not alot of time to stretch out your tissues gradually, so i did tear bad. The next morning coughing/moving/everything hurt alot so I opted to take percocet. I did my inhaled meds and my accapella about 10 hrs after i delivered. If I hadnt taken percocet I wouldnt have been able to cough up. With my first baby, I didnt tear but i did get an episiotomy. The pain from that was much worse than this tear, im told bc when u get an episiotomy they cut muscle. Tearing on your own, while painful too, just tears surface tissues.<br>Despite the issues going into it, and despite not sleeping for 2 days prior it still was a wonderful birth. Most importantly with a healthy/safe mom and baby. I'm feeling very good, happy to be back home with my vest!-my lungs missed it-and mostly on cloud 9 with our little son!! <br>Loving it!<br><br><br><br>
