Childbirth Sucks

Childbirth sucks. Don't get me wrong, it is worth it, it just sucks and I am never doing it again. NEVER.

We had originally been scheduled for a 7am checkin with an 8am start on the induction. At 5:45am we were called to say we had been bumped and to call back at 10. Of course I was already in the shower. I called at 10 and they said come as soon as possible (before we lose our spot). We called Sarah to come watch Isaak and we headed off to the hospital. My pitocin was started at 1pm and my water was broken at 2pm. I was 4cm at this point. The breaking of my water really got things moving. At 3:30 I cried Uncle and asked for half a dose of Fentanyl, wanting to take the edge off of the contractions and not really knowing how long labor was going to last. I was 5 cm now.  At 3:45 I was to 6cm and my nurse started calling for my OB to come to the hospital as I was going to go fast. At 4pm they told me not to push when that is what actually brought relief. I tried not to but wasn't very successful. The nurses got me upright and prepped and I think I only pushed 5 times, Katherine was born at 4:15pm. My nurse delivered her as my OB was just leaving her office  to come to the hospital and the oncall OB was running from the office across the street. She made it in time to deliver the placenta. 2 hours and 15 minutes. And no, I wasn't trying to go fast.

At one point, between pushes, Kevin made a reference to how easy a 3rd child would be. I told him to f*** off. The nurses all got a kick out of it.  I am glad to say, my child bearing years are over. Kevin gave me a wonderful mother's day gift with his visit to the doctor last week.

As we were leaving the hospital on the 24th, the nurses said Katherine's birth was the birth of the year, not only was it in record time but they delivered her with out an OB.

Amsterdam - Portland Comparison
Several people have asked about my experience in the US versus the Netherlands.  My prenatal care was very comparable. The major difference was a urine test and weight at every OB appointment in Portland, whereas in Amsterdam it was never checked.  I was on a baby heart rate monitor and uterine monitor for Kate and not Isaak. But then I was induced and they wanted to watch her reaction to the pitocin and my blood pressure.  My nurse and I discussed pain management and how all I had to do was ask if I wanted medication, versus getting a vigorous head shaking and blank look from the first assistant with Isaak.  Oh, and the best difference...was the offer of pain medication. I had half of a dose of Fentanyl to take the edge off of my contractions at about 3:45. It really only made it so I didn't care about 1 contraction, the rest I felt and cared about. After Katherine was born I was offered the 2nd half of my Fentanyl in my IV (which I gladly took). My lovely nurse then offered me 3 advil, which I again gladly took, followed by the glorious words "would you like a vicodin?", to which I replied, "Yes, Please!".  Whereas with Isaak it was 2 regular strength tylenol.