Labor in Norway
Like my pregnancy in Norway post, I'll blab on about my labor experience.
Of course this is solely my experience and I can't speak on behalf of anyone else's as I'm certain everyone's perception and experience is different.
September 17, 2013 - that's a day I'll never forget. I was so excited the night before I could barely sleep. My induction appointment was at 8:30 that morning. I woke up quite early, took a shower, skipped my insulin (thank goodness), ate a nice breakfast at the table with my cat sitting across from me and finally woke the husband up so he could get a move on! I was ready! :-)
I was excited to meet my little girl and I was positively looking forward to bringing her into this world.
I was told previously by many American "veteran moms" that I shouldn't and wouldn't be allowed to eat anything that day. However, I was encouraged to eat by my midwife as I was being induced (which could take some time to even jump start labor) because of having gestational diabetes and they didn't want my sugar to drop. I enjoyed eating.
A couple of hours later I was induced by balloon, which takes longer, but from what I was told and read, it's one of the safest methods of labor induction. It was painless for me despite what I read on the internet - which not knowing what to expect, everything scared me, but I was ready.
I was encouraged to walk A LOT after it was in place. So Arild took me on a tour of the hospital and we also walked through some underground tunnels of the hospital, outside, everywhere. I had no idea what a real contraction would feel like, but we had to stop a few times on this walk so I could cuss under my breath. A few minutes after we returned back to the room, the balloon fell out. Which meant I was at 4 centimeters. I was excited. I was hopeful that labor would pass quickly as the induction was faster than predicted. The midwife and doctors came in to break my water. Again, I thought this would be painful, but it wasn't.
After returning to the hospital, I was strapped to a machine which monitored Pia's heart rate and my contractions. Everything was fine. The contractions hurt of course, but they weren't unbearable at this time. My midwife placed IVs in my hands. Now THAT was just enough pain to make me irritated.
Hours passed. I was having some contractions, but for the most part Arild and I were calling family and updating on Facebook. Everything was fine.
They decided to get things going a bit more with Pitocin. That afternoon we were moved to a birthing room where they gave me the drug. I was ok the first 20-30 minutes, but then they increased it. The contractions started increasing in strength and coming sooner. Soon, I was having 2 contractions every 3 minutes. I stayed as calm as I could, but I didn't want Arild to touch me. I just told him to distract me and talk about ANYTHING but the labor. So he recapped news articles for me. My midwife came in to put a pink blanket and warmer in the baby bed in my room and that was my distraction. I was so excited to finally meet my little Pia. Finally, I was crying. Arild asked if I needed an epidural, I nodded yes. By the time the anesthesiologist came in with the drug, I couldn't talk from the pain, but I was still calm at least. I sat on the bed leaning on Arild as that dreaded needle and tubing was put into place in the lower-middle of my back.
I was STILL 4 cm.
Before the current midwife's shift changed, she told me some good news, we finally progressed to 6 centimeters. Shift change happened and I was feeling like myself again with the epidural. Absolutely no pain. It was wonderful. :-) However, the current midwife came on duty and told me some bad news, the previous midwife was mistaken, I was STILL 4 cm. She brought in a doctor for reassurance.
The pitocin was then making me have 2 contractions a minute. I was STILL 4 cm. My body wasn't having contractions as the pitocin took over, so my midwife slowed it down and began talking to me about preparing for a C-Section. This was 15 hours into labor. I stayed calm through the whole labor which surprised even myself because I figured I was bound to panic at some point, but that didn't happen. My midwife on shift brought doctors in again, who assured me, we were still at 4 cm. I needed a C-Section. Arild wasn't allowed to be in the operating room though as we were told there was no time to wait on him to get dressed. They said that even though this wasn't urgent, they always reacted like it was to be prepared for the times when it is.
So I was rushed to the operating room and explained what would happen. I already knew this, when Pia stayed in breach position I watched several videos on C-Sections and had friends who've had them explain to me in detail what happened. It was ok. More IVs were in place, I was introduced to the surgeon and anesthesiologist and given an extra dose of the epidural. I was numb up to my arms. All I felt was the pressure and tugging and pulling on my lower abdomen, which I was watching in the reflection of the light above me out of stupid curiosity. And finally a huge tug and a cry. :-) My little Pia was born at 02:49 the morning of September 18th, weighing 3,2 kg or 7lbs. 02 oz. I was adamant on skin to skin care regardless of the birth I had. Pia was placed on my chest. All I could do was tell her she had such dark hair and long fingernails. She was so little. I knew newborns were tiny, but it took me by surprise how small a 7 lb 02 oz human is. Finally the most dreaded part, they took her away from me. I went to the ICU and Pia went to NICU. Me for recovering from the C-Section and her for being checked and monitored to assure my gestational diabetes didn't harm her.
Story to be continued... :-)
Of course this is solely my experience and I can't speak on behalf of anyone else's as I'm certain everyone's perception and experience is different.
September 17, 2013 - that's a day I'll never forget. I was so excited the night before I could barely sleep. My induction appointment was at 8:30 that morning. I woke up quite early, took a shower, skipped my insulin (thank goodness), ate a nice breakfast at the table with my cat sitting across from me and finally woke the husband up so he could get a move on! I was ready! :-)
I was excited to meet my little girl and I was positively looking forward to bringing her into this world.
I was told previously by many American "veteran moms" that I shouldn't and wouldn't be allowed to eat anything that day. However, I was encouraged to eat by my midwife as I was being induced (which could take some time to even jump start labor) because of having gestational diabetes and they didn't want my sugar to drop. I enjoyed eating.
A couple of hours later I was induced by balloon, which takes longer, but from what I was told and read, it's one of the safest methods of labor induction. It was painless for me despite what I read on the internet - which not knowing what to expect, everything scared me, but I was ready.
I was encouraged to walk A LOT after it was in place. So Arild took me on a tour of the hospital and we also walked through some underground tunnels of the hospital, outside, everywhere. I had no idea what a real contraction would feel like, but we had to stop a few times on this walk so I could cuss under my breath. A few minutes after we returned back to the room, the balloon fell out. Which meant I was at 4 centimeters. I was excited. I was hopeful that labor would pass quickly as the induction was faster than predicted. The midwife and doctors came in to break my water. Again, I thought this would be painful, but it wasn't.
After returning to the hospital, I was strapped to a machine which monitored Pia's heart rate and my contractions. Everything was fine. The contractions hurt of course, but they weren't unbearable at this time. My midwife placed IVs in my hands. Now THAT was just enough pain to make me irritated.
Hours passed. I was having some contractions, but for the most part Arild and I were calling family and updating on Facebook. Everything was fine.
They decided to get things going a bit more with Pitocin. That afternoon we were moved to a birthing room where they gave me the drug. I was ok the first 20-30 minutes, but then they increased it. The contractions started increasing in strength and coming sooner. Soon, I was having 2 contractions every 3 minutes. I stayed as calm as I could, but I didn't want Arild to touch me. I just told him to distract me and talk about ANYTHING but the labor. So he recapped news articles for me. My midwife came in to put a pink blanket and warmer in the baby bed in my room and that was my distraction. I was so excited to finally meet my little Pia. Finally, I was crying. Arild asked if I needed an epidural, I nodded yes. By the time the anesthesiologist came in with the drug, I couldn't talk from the pain, but I was still calm at least. I sat on the bed leaning on Arild as that dreaded needle and tubing was put into place in the lower-middle of my back.
I was STILL 4 cm.
Before the current midwife's shift changed, she told me some good news, we finally progressed to 6 centimeters. Shift change happened and I was feeling like myself again with the epidural. Absolutely no pain. It was wonderful. :-) However, the current midwife came on duty and told me some bad news, the previous midwife was mistaken, I was STILL 4 cm. She brought in a doctor for reassurance.
The pitocin was then making me have 2 contractions a minute. I was STILL 4 cm. My body wasn't having contractions as the pitocin took over, so my midwife slowed it down and began talking to me about preparing for a C-Section. This was 15 hours into labor. I stayed calm through the whole labor which surprised even myself because I figured I was bound to panic at some point, but that didn't happen. My midwife on shift brought doctors in again, who assured me, we were still at 4 cm. I needed a C-Section. Arild wasn't allowed to be in the operating room though as we were told there was no time to wait on him to get dressed. They said that even though this wasn't urgent, they always reacted like it was to be prepared for the times when it is.
So I was rushed to the operating room and explained what would happen. I already knew this, when Pia stayed in breach position I watched several videos on C-Sections and had friends who've had them explain to me in detail what happened. It was ok. More IVs were in place, I was introduced to the surgeon and anesthesiologist and given an extra dose of the epidural. I was numb up to my arms. All I felt was the pressure and tugging and pulling on my lower abdomen, which I was watching in the reflection of the light above me out of stupid curiosity. And finally a huge tug and a cry. :-) My little Pia was born at 02:49 the morning of September 18th, weighing 3,2 kg or 7lbs. 02 oz. I was adamant on skin to skin care regardless of the birth I had. Pia was placed on my chest. All I could do was tell her she had such dark hair and long fingernails. She was so little. I knew newborns were tiny, but it took me by surprise how small a 7 lb 02 oz human is. Finally the most dreaded part, they took her away from me. I went to the ICU and Pia went to NICU. Me for recovering from the C-Section and her for being checked and monitored to assure my gestational diabetes didn't harm her.
Story to be continued... :-)
 |
| Welcome to the world, Pia!!! :-) |
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| She didn't let me hold her like this very long. Maybe 3 weeks. :-( Sometimes I miss her being this little. But mostly I look forward to raising her into a sweet little girl. |
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| And here she is today! :-) |
Comments
Oh how beautiful is she!
I loved this blog post, perfect timing for me to come across it, I'm a fellow expat in Norway and we are beginning to start trying for our first so I'm trying to grab as much information as possible!
I'd joined you blog, if you fancy popping by to say hello Im over at
http://the-british-one.blogspot.no
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