Avery Bliss Marie

Avery Bliss Marie
Born Feb 1st, 2011 @ 12:19 am
8lbs 1.8 ounces

I didn't actually know the entire beginning story because Gayle only told me she was kinda having menstrual cramps about every 20 minutes. Meh. We both shrugged it off.

I'll start when I got a phone call. Somewhere around 4:30 am. Scared the crap out of both Corey and I and all our phones were in our room for some mysterious reason! So it was like surround sound in Dolby Digital 5.1. Who does that?  Obviously us.

Gayle told me she was pretty sure she was having contractions. I'd told her earlier to call if they were 'for real' and she was needing company. I should have specified .... 'unless you are dying, wait until later morning' just jokes Gayle lol.



At 6:00 it was pretty sure she was in labour, actually before that, but at 6:00 Gayle was on facebook telling a few people she was in labor (o.m.g.) and telling them to keep it a secret. Throughout her labor she was eating and drinking, peeing and all the stuff you're supposed to do, but never allowed to do at the hospital.

Gayle was coping really well, with minimal help from us so Pat and I watched Paranormal Activity. Why? Because we're morons. And Gayle told us to. It was scary. Leave it at that. Then we pretty much passed the time with facebook. Not sure why we didn't clean ... would have made more sense. Oh well.

Some back pressure from either Pat or me once in a while was all she really needed. She loved being in the water. She even managed to put herself on facebook to throw off suspicion, for which I don't blame her. It's very hard to focus on labor with morons people who care but don't know any better, texting you all the time, not gonna lie. (Gayle was also texting people I would really like to point that out.)

I left at 9:30am to feed Will, but the bugger wasn't awake so I actually pumped and put it on the table, but ended up going back at around 10:30am to feed him. When I got back her contractions were getting to be 4-5 minutes and lasting nearly a minute so we did ... whatever we were doing before. Lack of info in our chart here ... GAWD Patricia ... weren't you charting!? Well that's not true, I just looked at pictures and I was still on facebook, and playing with an online timer. I am the best. doula. ever. ;) Patricia actually managed to freaking sleep for a bit (SNORING) fyi.

online timer we found for contractions

Patricia ... sleeping. Okay she wasn't actually sleeping here
but she did have a nap before this.

Around 1ish we decided to head into town, her contractions were now 1-3 mins apart, lasting for a minute + and she'd been that way for quite a while. I tossed Pat and Gayle in the back of my car and off we went. We got to the hospital and went inside with what we could carry. We brought Gayle too. This is where I got a bit pissed off.

We go to the nurses station in OB and I swear to god there are at least 4 nurses sitting around chatting. Gayle is obviously in labour and one nurse says "Can I help you?" Laughing. Nice. Gayle told her she was in labor and the nurse laughed. I was like ... wtf ... Then they took their sweet ass time getting anything going, discussing I don't know what... finally got her to assessment, which literally I could have brought her myself. While they were assessing, I went to move my car before it got towed or something and then I proceeded to park as far as possible from the nearest exit. Logical of course.

By the time I get back, Gayle has been assessed at 3cm with bulging membranes and her amniotic fluid is leaking. The nurse had asked her every question in the universe, seriously thought she was going to start asking about MY life soon ... but then they are going to keep her. Like a pet I think ... she must have passed the test. Anyhoot, the cow-nurse nurse then decides to ask her about special requests to which Gayle gives her answer and the nurse IMMEDIATELY says "Well ... let me tell you what happens around here ..."

I think my face may have looked like this :

Not impressed

After the nurse told her that 99.99 % of everyone in the universe pretty much does what she says, Gayle pretty much told her to F off in most politically correct way.

Then crazy-nurse nurse tried to find her a room, but got lost ... finally kicked some kids out of the 'patient' only lounge (obviously they were illiterate ... poor kids) and we hung out there for like ... I don't know. Again. Lack of charting. (glares at Patricia) LUCKILY we have photos frick sakes. (Corinne = snappy happy)

I wander off to find a nurse because the room is done being clean and I'm trying to ... you know ... follow the rules and get permission for shit crap. This is where I met the nurse educator. Her name is Lynn. She was awesome. She spoke in a very calm way, encouraged Gayle, was not phased by any time of noise or coping method. Told her to do what she needed to do, brought her a birthing ball (which Gayle then realized that her own yoga ball had to be WAY more inflated.) Lynn was very supportive of natural labor and tried to answer all questions.

Me being all prepared and stuff, wanted to know how to deal with a nutter nurse. She explained the procedure and by the time she was done ... I was like ... can I pretty much just trip her and call it good? Apparently no ... not a good idea ... meh. whatevs.

I should note I also, between now and later, pumped breastmilk ... twice ... I was amazing. Gayle is laboring and I'm going 'it's good ... breathe the baby down ... squirt, squirt ... HAHAHAHAHA'.

The truck that the nurse educator said never goes anywhere.
It's been there forever apparently.

Patricia : Labour is haaaaaaaard work

Teamwork!

Gayle still posing with us ;)

Anybody notice what's missing????

I'm guessing not very women labour naturally because one nurse came in and said "Is it really that bad??! Quit moaning and groaning you're wasting energy! You'll need that later for pushing" .... Okay. 1. Pushing should require little to no energy if you wait until you actually 'have' to push. 2. Yes, labour hurts. 3. Moaning and groaning in a productive manner such as my sister was doing is a coping method. So ... shut your face you total moron and why did you come in here in the first place. She left.

Around 7:00 another bitch-nurse super bossy nurse came and told Gayle she was going to check her. Gayle said. No. Then the nurse asked her some questions and Gayle answered. The nurse came back, listened to baby's heartbeat and took Gayle's temperature. All was good, so she left. But then ... I can't remember if it was the same nurse (seriously no documentation on my papers here at all from this point on,  but I know it's on Gayle's actual chart at the hospital) came back a bit later to talk about getting checked again. Gayle finally agreed, she was curious.

5-6 cms so we were bumped up to the delivery room. Joy!!! We were told to grab what we wanted and how to get to the delivery room. On our way we met Geneva. (seriously might be making her name up I can't not remember. I was calling her Janine, but I'm SURE her name wasn't Janine. my bad) she had super red hair, a bright smile and was awesome. She showed us where to go and once there, told Gayle that they usually set up an IV yada yada. Gayle again told her no, but that she was aware and when/if she needed something then she would ask. Geneva was great about it. In fact, when she knew Gayle wanted natural she was super, super supportive (and funny) So Gayle needed to be on the monitor again, but we told the nurse forget it unless she can labor in any position but her back. We got it all set up and I'm pretty sure Gayle wanted to kill everyone involved in that situation. Finally off of it.

Gayle. Man on man ... she was so funny. I could go on and on about some things she said but ... okay okay I'll tell you. Patricia has massage person arms, I'm ... just annoying lol. I kept talking and soothing, but Pat was doing the real work (seriously Patricia's arms felt like fire by the time this was all over. Yay Patricia) Gayle mentioned several times that she was sooooooo done. She even asked the nurse to check her but Geneva said it wasn't a good idea since her water had broken and they don't like to do too many. When Gayle felt 'pushy' then she would think about it.

Unfortunately that nurse went for a break and like 20 minutes later another nurse (Donna) came in and checked Gayle. Geneva came in right when that was happening and she was quite obviously pissed off. Gayle was 7-8 cm. Geneva immediately said, 'don't worry about those numbers, they're just numbers okay. We went back to the bathroom and Gayle went into the tub for about an hour? I dunno. ... I'm confused here ...

Gayle asked Geneva about different pain medications, the poor girl was so exhausted. So after some careful consideration, she decided on Phentynol. But she had to be on the monitor, ... Gayle fell in love with Phentynol. She may have married it while we weren't looking. The baby was handling it very well but then the nurse suggested she come off it for a while. I told Gayle numerous times (she totally ignored me like she would ignore an annoying nurse) that she needed to get up and pee and sit upright. Finally Geneva agreed with me. Gayle was asking for the epidural because she was SO tired and she just wanted sleep. (I knew she had to be super close)

The nurse said she would go get the doctor because he was the one who had to order the epidural. I found out later (okay I eavesdropped) that he said she sounded too close for the epidural and to give her some time on the toilet and see if she finished dilating herself. The nurse (okay I have no idea where Geneva went at this point ... but she disappeared and we got Donna) came back and said that the doctor would be in soon to check her out. Seriously he came in forever later ;) and checked her and said ... "oh ... you just have a tiny lip"

Gayle asked for the epidural and he seriously smiled, then got serious and said 'well ... I can call him but ... by the time he warms up his car, gets set up ... and all that stuff ... your baby will be here." So Gayle was pretty peeved off ... He told us to try to get back on the toilet until she felt pushy. It didn't actually take long and Gayle felt exactly that way. (I'm pretty sure she was totally lying to us. In fact ... I KNOW she was lying. But whatever Gayley ... you want to push forever ... go ahead ;)

Gayle pushed for about 50 minutes (49 to be exact), and every time we'd tell her, almost done!! She'd ask for an epidural LOL. The doctor thought she was pretty funny. He kept saying ok. Then not moving. She did amazing and made great progress and our sweet little niece was born! No rips!!! A tiny little split that's all!

8lbs 1.8 ounces

awwwww

Dr. 'Phil' ... aka Dr. Harris

Tante Pisha

Tired Tante Corinne