Labor Day Meme

Yeah, I posted this yesterday, but somehow managed to mark it as private.  I am now two days late.  Whatever.

From Amy

How long were your labors?

Raisin: about 17 hours — I woke up late Sunday morning with mild contractions, and she was born about 12:30 Monday morning.

Orange and Apple: 24 hours?  I think?  I went to the hospital on a Saturday night, but it was obvious that they weren’t going to be born for several hours, so the doctor ordered me some meds so I could sleep for a little while.  We started again Sunday morning, and they were born Sunday afternoon.

How did you know you were in labor?

Raisin: a little bleeding, and contractions.   I was following my progress in The Book so I could call the midwife at Exactly The Right Moment.  39 weeks.
Orange/Apple: I’d been having contractions for several weeks, but they were coming much faster and harder that night.  35 weeks.  (36 weeks is generally considered full-term for twins.)

Where did you deliver?

Hospital, both times.

Drugs?

Raisin: intra-thecal morphine at about 5 cm.  This was excellent, as I could still feel the contractions but the edge was taken off, and I could feel to push.  I was sick after the birth, though.

Orange/Apple: Pitocin, because my contractions didn’t seem to be moving things along.  They were monitoring me and the babies, so I couldn’t walk around (didn’t really want to anyway, because I was a freaking house).  They tried breaking the waters, but that didn’t work either.  Then the OB resident talked me into an epidural.  I don’t really regret it — they were born without complication, and that’s all that matters — but I do wonder what would’ve happened if I’d held firm.  The epidural lasted much too long, and it made me feel disconnected from the delivery process.

C-section?

Thankfully, no.  (Amy’s line, so let me just add: Amen)

Who delivered?

Raisin: CNM, who happens to be male and an ex-Marine.  He rocks.

Orange/Apple: who WASN’T there?  The OB on call from my practice was supervising (while evidently another of her patients delivered without her — sorry, whoever you are!).  The head OB resident from the hospital delivered the babies, and her med student delivered the placentas.  Each doctor had a nurse or two.  The anesthesiologist was hanging out (with a nurse) in case they had to put me out.  Each baby had a pediatrician and a couple students and/or nurses (although they disbursed pretty quickly once it was obvious the babies were fine).  I just saw an episode of Jon & Kate… about the birth of the sextuplets, and they said there were 75 people present for the delivery.  This does not shock me as it might’ve 2 years ago.
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Anyone else want to do the meme? Answer the questions on your blog and leave a comment below. Happy (belated) Labor day!!!