Princess Vianna

This is the story of Princess Vianna's entrance into Pishi and my life!

The ultrasound had indicated that she is suppose to grace us March 29th, 2013 however we both knew that date is not accurate. Despite that I started my mat. leave on April 2nd and started completing that last minute pending items while the wait for the labour pains continued! I had a blast in the last few days before her entrance, I continued with My chiropractor appointment and got a hair cut and on April 8th, based on our discussion with my midwife, we decided to get induced on Tuesday so we have a baby by Wednesday or Thursday latest.
The last ultrasound was done on Monday the 8th by the same obstetrician at the beginning of my pregnancy when we were debating to stay with an O.B. or use midwifery services.
Ultrasound showed she is doing fine and had gained weight and that she is an active little angle. I was pretty happy that he was the one who did the last check considering that he is one of the best O.B. in town.
On Tuesday afternoon, I went for a massage and had dinner with Pishi and we went to the hospital for induction at 6:30 pm. My midwife told me that she wants the on call O.B. to do the induction. I think considering my screams during the that the last sweepings attempts, she decided someone else to do the work! The doctor had to do 2 attempts of inserting the Cervidil because the first one, I had to stop her to go to pee but the second attempt was successful, that is with Pishi and my midwife holding me down!
We were told that Cervidil is hit and miss and I may or may not feel the labour pains and that even if I feel it, it would be in 12 hours or so. Once the doctor inserted the drug which was hooked to a thread that looked like a shoe lace. Both baby and I were monitored using the heart and uterus monitor for heart rate and contractions. Before even getting the drug, I was put on monitor and interestingly, my midwife said, did you feel the contractions and I said no. She said she saw 2 but at that time, we concluded that it was Braxton Hicks contractions!
The 2 hour monitor after insertion of the drug went smoothly and everything was fine. We left the hospital around 10:00 and I told Pishi let's go for our last dinner before our baby is born, so we drove to Richtree resturant for our last couple burger and fries! but they had just had closed. So Pishi suggested to get the fries from Hero Burger next to it. We drove home had the fries while watching an episode of House and by 11:15 I went to bed. I felt period like pains around 1:30 and it got worse and worse as the time passed, Pishi was awake through it and was using the contraction App. on his iPhone to see when we reach the 511 rule. At first the contractions were irregular but by 2:45 it became really sharp and I was in alot of pain during each contractions, the contractions were more regular and even closer, I kept on telling Pishi to call the midwife and he kept on telling me that we are not there yet. By 3:30 I was literary screaming and I thought, neighbours will call 911! but thankfully no one including security came to our apartment because of my screams! At that point, Pishi called the midwife and when she hear me over the phone, she told us to remove the drug and go to the hospital and meet her there. She also told Pishi that if I have started pushing to call her again.
We removed the drug and drove to the hospital while my contractions became stronger by the minute. He dropped me off the hospital door and thankfully there was a girl standing there, she quickly opened the door and pishi helped inside and I started walking toward the elevator, while pishi went to lock the car. As I was walking toward the elevator, had more contractions and screamed further but interestingly no one was around, we went to the assessment room, second floor and pishi left to take the car to the parking lot. As I was waiting for my midwife to arrive, at each contractions, I was screaming! Although there were more couples there, they all seemed fine and no one was screaming. Even one girl behind the curtains told me to shut up! I couldn't really stop myself not to scream as that was the only way I could manage it. The nurse knew me as I was there a few hours ago and I told her, I can't not scream and she hold me to scream as much as I want!
Finally Pishi and midwife came in at the same time, I told her that I want Eepidural to manage my pain and she smiled and said, I kind of knew you would want it and already I have called the doctor. We went to the birthing suite and I was placed on the bed. With every contractions, I was shivering crazy! I kept on telling poor Pishi that it was his fault for coming late if they can't administer Epidural and kept on asking the midwife where is the doctor and she told me that he is with another patient! Finally he came in. My fear was that during contractions I could not stay still as I was shaking and screaming. My midwife, inserted the IV line on my wrist to be ready and then her and Pishi held my hands during the time the catheter was being put in back. I was praying that I don't move and kept on remembering what my aunt had told me about not moving my head during administration of Epidural otherwise I would get a bad headache afterwards. The anaesthetist first numbed the area and we waited for contraction to pass and then he started the process. Thankfully he was pretty pleased with my spine as he was able to get to where needed easily and fast. As soon as the drug rushed into my body, I felt numbness in my feet as I was sitting on the side of the bed and the contraction pain were gone. They asked me to lay down and  kept tilting me side to side to make sure the drug is equally distributed. Within less than 5 minutes, I was completely relaxed and was about to fall asleep and that is when the drama started!
Because of my pain, prior to administration of Epidural, my midwife, couldn't examine to see how far I have dilated. Once I was relaxed, she went ahead to examine and said with suprise that I was dilated 9 cm! During her examination, my water broke. Even though I was numb, I felt when my water broke. She inserted a catheter to my bladder and the I kept saying I don't have to pee why is the catheter being inserted. I was worried it hurt but because I was numb it didn't hurt at all, not during installation and not even during removal. At the same time, my blood pressure dropped drastically and baby's heart rate became irregular. She immediately, called the other nurses for assistance. They kept tilting me back and forth trying to get the baby's heart rate and the monitor, kept showing 150 then 70 and all over the place. The on call obstetrician came in and my midwife explained the sequence of event and she examined me again and said, she feels only dilation of 5 cm but cervix has effaced . However by then my contractions started to slow down and stopped! They waited a few more minutes to get a steady baby heart rate and when it wasn't achieved, I saw the fear in my midwife's face. The OB said that we can't wait anymore and that they baby is in distress. We have to do an emergency C-section. She explained quickly the dangers and without getting me sign a consent form as soon as I said yes, she herself started to drag my bed out of the room. It was then that that I felt fearful for Vianna. They took me to the operating room and called Code pink, as soon as the page went out by the system, it felt like I am in one of "House" episodes, 15 people rushed in. they put a panel between my belly so I can't see the operation. They started putting Betadine on my belly and I could feel it. As the OB was ready to cut me I started yelling wait, at least give me more anaesthetic, I still can feel what's going on! The anaesthetist came over my head and I think he injected more drugs. They started cutting me. I didn't feel pain but I could feel the pressure and the OB's hand when she was pushing different organs aside and trying to get the baby out. I felt so weak and the only thing i could actually feel were my hands. I was put in a cross like position and hands were fallen off the slabs. I could only put them back on. With all the things going on, the only thing I was thinking about was the baby's health and the thought of her not making it even crossed my mind, I was wanted to cry but there were no tears, I couldn't heart was wrenching and at that point, I saw Pishi came in with scrubs, they only thing i could see was his wide shocked eyes!
Another thing I kept on thinking during that time was the sterility of the operating room! Only a crazy person like me think about this at the time of this crisis! I felt like the operating room door wasn't closed and I was looking for air locks but I couldn't see it afterwards when Pishi and I were talking he mentioned that there were airlocks and I also realized that the time that the OB wasn't there she was scrubbing in.
Going back to the story! They finally got Vianna out and I saw them move her to a station to examine her in a flash. My midwife said she is okay and the doctors were checking and doing the routine activity. In the mean while, the OB was stitching. I felt that part took longer than the actual taking the baby out! They confirmed that baby was fine but there was some water in her longs and that they are taking her to NICU for observation. They brought her to my face and rubbed her face to my face. I can't possibly explain how I felt at that moment. I was still worried for her but the joy that filled my heart was incredible.
All that time, Pishi was on my side over my head not even for a second took her eyes off me.
Our princess was born at 6:20 on April 10th and everything happened so quickly that by the time Pishi ran to the car to get the cord bank kit it was too late. When the OB asked if anyone knows if we are keeping, with all the strength I had, I yelled out yes! But since she didn't have the kit, they prepared it with the company that works with NYGH.
Also because, things happened so quickly, the operating crew didn't have time to verify the number of surgical instruments they started with! So once everything was completed, they brought in the X-ray machine and took an X-ray to ensure nothing is left inside me! They had to do it 2 times, because the first time, they saw something but it was part of the blanket! The OB gave the green light and then, they took me to the recovery room. I was shivering uncontrollably. They kept of putting hot blanket on me and still was cold. The nurse told me that she can't put anymore blanket on me because my body temperature was rising! She told me to inhale count to five and then exhale to control the shivering and it actually helped but I was still very cold. They told me it was the effect of the drugs at the same time another anaesthetist came over with big needles and inserted them into my belly on both sides with more pain medication.
Meanwhile, pishi started filling in the information for the other cord blood banking company as they had to come and pick it up within an hour! Later on when pishi followed up with the company we chose, we were pleasantly surprised that the other cord blood banking company waved all fees and returned all the money back to us.
My midwife said to me around 7:45am, "I thought I couldn't get away from a meeting I have at 8:00 because of your birth but due to the change in plan I have to go now"! The recovery room nurse, kept on checking my vitals every 15 minutes and wrote the report. Pishi brought everything to our room and by 9:00 I was discharged to the mom and baby area. Even though we had requested a private room, only Semi Private rooms were available. It seems that night and day, they were very busy with spike in baby birth! The nurse assigned to me was an Afghan lady and she was very nice. By 10:30 I called my mom and told her that we are at the hospital and that the baby is born! She couldn't believe it. She was furious with me and thought that I purposely didn't tell her that we had gone to the hospital, similar to what she did with her mom! I kept on telling her that it wasn't on purpose and that things went down so quickly that there was not time.
Within 15 minutes she came to the hospital and told me that she was awake before 6:00 and was thinking of me! I guess telepathically she kind of felt I was in distress! I was given only liquids for the first 8 hours on the first day and stayed in the hospital for 4 days and 3 nights. During which, the nurses and the lactation specialist were very helpful. We had 2 neighbours in our room. Both had boys and both were crying alot and our princess was quite content once they brought her from NICU on the 3rd day.
Within 2 hours from her birth, her lungs were doing fine. Her doctor decided to keep her further for observation which ended up to be better for me as I was completely out of it due to the C-section. Although at the time, I was being frustrated from moving back and forth between departments and wanted to know why they are not releasing her! I guess I was getting depressed why every mom had their child next to her bed and mine wasn't! Come to think of it, it was all emotional and it was better that she was being monitored scientifically! All other babies were crying non stop and really did not have the same level of care. Our princess and I had the utmost level of care! The nurse was calling us every 3 hours for feeding her and once her blood sugar was established to be steady and she was peeing as per her feed, she was released to me, not even to her father. When they brought her to our room, I was in the shower and they waited for me! They checked our name tag bar codes to match and the nurse read her info for me to sign to ensure they are giving me the right baby!
During our stay another friend of ours who also had given birth a day before me came to visit me and gave me good advice. We got a photo package from the hospital which ended up to be a good decision. The pictures of our princess at the hospital ended up to be beautiful. The good thing was that the shooting happened when my parents were there too and they also are in the pictures! The photographer said I normally do 40 pictures but your baby is beautiful that I have done 70! She gave us the presentation, calender and the original pictures on a CD the same day within couple of hours and the price was very reasonable considering that some will go back to the hospital.
During my stay, the food service was good, the menu had variety of foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Pishi, Vianna and I came home on Saturday April 13th and we couldn't be more over joyed to be at home. Later my mom came with food and in the afternoon Pishi's parents arrived from Iran!
I can't thank Pishi and my family more for their support during the time of Vianna's birth and recovery at the hospital. I thank God that everything went well. I started writing this story a few days back and kept interrupted by her needs but finally I am done transcribing all the memories of her arrival in this world. May a day come for her to read this and know what had gone on before, during and after her birth! Since we have come home, we were blessed with numerous phone calls and messages from all our family and friends from all over the world. We indeed are very lucky.