The Full "Labor Day" Diary - Part 1
As promised in previous posts, here is Part 1 of the running diary that I kept during the run-up to Anna's arrival. Fair warning: if you are pregnant, you read these at your own risk...
Monday 12/17
4:55am: Alarm goes off. We roll out of bed and freshen up a bit before making the big call.
5:01am: Phone call to Kaiser. They confirm available beds and ask us to be there by 6:00.
5:32am: Car is loaded up and we are officially on our way. One way or another, we won't be coming home again without a baby.
6:04am: After parking and making our way upstairs, we check in at the nurses' station in Labor & Delivery. We are shown to our labor and delivery room (LDR #7), and our nurse Missy starts to get the room prepped for us.
6:25am: Several attempts to engage the baby monitor prove unsuccessful. After discovering that the bed is not lowering as far as it should, Missy concludes that we need a new room.
6:37am: Missy moves us from LDR #7 to one of the induction suites, since all the other LDR's are occupied at the time. The induction suite is huge but looks like an operating room, not nearly as cozy as the well-apportioned LDR's. (We found out later that the induction suite actually was an old operating room.)
6:46am: While Missy asks us some basic questions, we meet a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) who is on the floor at the time. Odds are good that one of these folks will oversee the delivery; a doctor will be present if there are any concerns about the health of mom or baby.
7:32am: Missy starts an IV on Karen. The IV will deliver fluid (to keep her from getting dehydrated) and will later provide a vehicle for the addition of Pitocin, the drug that is used to induce contractions. Karen turns gray and sweaty and nearly passes out as the IV is administered. Not a promising sign.
8:04am: Two people from admitting stop by to ask us the same questions that we've already answered twice. I see a systems integration opportunity.
9:00am: Josephine comes in and introduces herself as our new nurse (they work 12-hour shifts). She starts the Pitocin drip and leaves us alone, promising to check in from time to time. We entertain ourselves with Good Morning America and Regis & Kelly on the room TV while we wait for the first signs of labor.
10:30am: Karen notices the first signs of discomfort. Labor is starting.
10:40am: I figure out how to read the baby monitor output and recognize a contraction pattern. The monitor screen looks like two oscilloscopes turned vertically side by side. On the left is the monitor for the baby's heart rate, measured in beats per minute and also transmitted through a microphone (so you are constantly immersed in the rapid, hypnotizing thump-thump of the little one's heart). On the right is a pressure gauge that charts the pressure (in mmHg and kPa) inside Mom's belly. An arc in the curve indicates a contraction underway. Guys, I strongly suggest you get familiar with this thing when your wife is in labor. Not only will it keep your mind occupied, but it will also help you help your wife because you'll be able to tell her when she's reached the top of a contraction.
10:49am: First fairly strong contraction. Baby's heart rate momentarily shoots up to 165 (from an average steady state of around 135) as she reacts in panic to the sudden squeezing. Recognizing her first chance to "kick back" at the one who has been kicking her for several months, Karen gives a Nelson-esque "Ha ha!" in the direction of her stomach.
11:11am: Karen spends several minutes making an awkward trip to the bathroom with an IV pole in tow. Contractions are still fairly mild and 3-4 minutes apart, so I don't get in too much trouble for chuckling.
12:30pm: I return from a quick trip to Subway and meet our third nurse of the visit, Yury. Yury is a big Russian dude with an incredible knack for working with patients. We like him immediately. At this point, contractions are 2-3 minutes apart with the Pitocin drip at level 9 (which means something like 9 mL per hour). Yury is pleased with the progress but wants to increase the "Pit" (hospital parlance). So he smiles and proudly announces, "We're taking this up...to 11." Classic.
We'll pick up here in the next installment...
Monday 12/17
4:55am: Alarm goes off. We roll out of bed and freshen up a bit before making the big call.
5:01am: Phone call to Kaiser. They confirm available beds and ask us to be there by 6:00.
5:32am: Car is loaded up and we are officially on our way. One way or another, we won't be coming home again without a baby.
6:04am: After parking and making our way upstairs, we check in at the nurses' station in Labor & Delivery. We are shown to our labor and delivery room (LDR #7), and our nurse Missy starts to get the room prepped for us.
6:25am: Several attempts to engage the baby monitor prove unsuccessful. After discovering that the bed is not lowering as far as it should, Missy concludes that we need a new room.
6:37am: Missy moves us from LDR #7 to one of the induction suites, since all the other LDR's are occupied at the time. The induction suite is huge but looks like an operating room, not nearly as cozy as the well-apportioned LDR's. (We found out later that the induction suite actually was an old operating room.)
6:46am: While Missy asks us some basic questions, we meet a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) who is on the floor at the time. Odds are good that one of these folks will oversee the delivery; a doctor will be present if there are any concerns about the health of mom or baby.
7:32am: Missy starts an IV on Karen. The IV will deliver fluid (to keep her from getting dehydrated) and will later provide a vehicle for the addition of Pitocin, the drug that is used to induce contractions. Karen turns gray and sweaty and nearly passes out as the IV is administered. Not a promising sign.
8:04am: Two people from admitting stop by to ask us the same questions that we've already answered twice. I see a systems integration opportunity.
9:00am: Josephine comes in and introduces herself as our new nurse (they work 12-hour shifts). She starts the Pitocin drip and leaves us alone, promising to check in from time to time. We entertain ourselves with Good Morning America and Regis & Kelly on the room TV while we wait for the first signs of labor.
10:30am: Karen notices the first signs of discomfort. Labor is starting.
10:40am: I figure out how to read the baby monitor output and recognize a contraction pattern. The monitor screen looks like two oscilloscopes turned vertically side by side. On the left is the monitor for the baby's heart rate, measured in beats per minute and also transmitted through a microphone (so you are constantly immersed in the rapid, hypnotizing thump-thump of the little one's heart). On the right is a pressure gauge that charts the pressure (in mmHg and kPa) inside Mom's belly. An arc in the curve indicates a contraction underway. Guys, I strongly suggest you get familiar with this thing when your wife is in labor. Not only will it keep your mind occupied, but it will also help you help your wife because you'll be able to tell her when she's reached the top of a contraction.
10:49am: First fairly strong contraction. Baby's heart rate momentarily shoots up to 165 (from an average steady state of around 135) as she reacts in panic to the sudden squeezing. Recognizing her first chance to "kick back" at the one who has been kicking her for several months, Karen gives a Nelson-esque "Ha ha!" in the direction of her stomach.
11:11am: Karen spends several minutes making an awkward trip to the bathroom with an IV pole in tow. Contractions are still fairly mild and 3-4 minutes apart, so I don't get in too much trouble for chuckling.
12:30pm: I return from a quick trip to Subway and meet our third nurse of the visit, Yury. Yury is a big Russian dude with an incredible knack for working with patients. We like him immediately. At this point, contractions are 2-3 minutes apart with the Pitocin drip at level 9 (which means something like 9 mL per hour). Yury is pleased with the progress but wants to increase the "Pit" (hospital parlance). So he smiles and proudly announces, "We're taking this up...to 11." Classic.
We'll pick up here in the next installment...
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