Saturday, August 22, 2009

I'm going to be an aunt again, any minute now...

My sister Shari called me last night. Seems that my other sister Laurie, 39 weeks pregnant, went into labor around dinner time (East Coast). They went to the hospital last night and she was in active labor.

So, I barely slept. Terri and Shari and Mom and everyone else promised to keep us Hawaii-folk informed. We got a text at 1:30 our time saying that Laurie was dilated to 9 and they were going to push soon. The doctors said that the baby would be born by 10:00 am (which was 3 hours ago).

I didn't hear anything for several more hours, and I woke up every few minutes to make sure that my phone was still turned on.

Just a few minutes ago, I got a text that the baby is face-down and they are trying to turn him.
(Update: he's almost fully turned so hopefully it will be very, very soon.)

I don't understand why the doctors try things for hours and hours before they finally succumb to a c-section. When I was in labor with Abby, I pushed for 3 hours. (BTW, there was no way she was coming that way. Her head was way, way too big...) I started BEGGING them to give me a c-section.

Why isn't the threshold smaller - is it really safe to push so long? I do not claim to know anything about labor and what's safe and for how long, but I have always assumed that pushing for so long isn't healthy. (Maybe it is and I don't understand, but I can't imagine.)

I'm not there with my sister, she's over 6,000 miles from here. But I hear she's a real trooper and that it should be any moment now. She has a gaggle of family there with her, and we are there in spirit and in thought.

He's almost here, almost ready to join the world, to be held by my sister and her husband, and to become a physical part of the family.

I love you, Laurie and Dion, and we are anxiously awaiting your new arrival!

2 comments:

LaurieG said...

It's Laurie, so for all the readers out there, labor was very difficult and I ended up having a c-section, I had to be put out so I missed all the normal joys of seeing your baby being born. We are both doing well and staying at the hospital a few more days. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers from Tiffanys friends and loved ones.

RangersGirl said...

Wooohoo on the baby!

I think why they (doctors) try the 'normal' way first is that the pushing helps get all the stuff out of the babies lungs and stuff - - its kind of like a butterfly coming out of a coccoon.

If I ever have children, because of my age, it will most likely be C-section, no choice - - but I don't see that ever happening so not even going to think about it.