I was DX with Gestational Diabetes in my 7th month. I was put on insulin and a 2700 calorie diet. We all did well, but then I had contractions and was put on modified bedrest. I got so huge that I could barely walk. I also had terrible heartburn and developed an allergy to some antacids. I went in once a week for a Bio profile and NST. Baby was doing really good. On 9/26 my OB wanted to induce. The afternoon before he did an amnio to access lung development. Bill dropped me off at the hospital and would come there after all the gelling and when they started pitocin. My doula, Sue, got there and wanted to make sure I was treated well. Well, OB's brother came in and said that Cameron's lungs were immature and they didn't want to induce that day. I had to go in everyday for NST and an U/S to determine size as well as another Biophysical profile. Monday, I went in for my regular OB appointment. I was barely 1 cm, floating, and 30% effaced. They did another NST in the office and decided that Cameron wasn't responding well. They told me to get over to the hospital and they would begin the induction. I got there at 12:30pm Monday. They did hooked us up to the monitors and said that he was doing fine. They started to do Prostaglandin Gel and walking. I had 3 applications that day and had only very mild contractions. I went to 1 whole CM that day and 50% effaced. I was at -5 station. Tuesday morning they did two more applications of Gel and more walking. I got to 2 cms, but still 50% effaced and -5 station. At 2:30pm they started pitocin. They increased it and I didn't have a lot of contractions. By that evening they were regular and 3 minutes apart. I was still at 2 cms, 50% effaced, -5 station. I was put on insulin IV with blood glucose tests every hour and given a soft diet.

This went on for 10 hours and they maxed me out of Pitocin. My doula came that evening and we have pictures of all the monitors, IV's and stuff. It was kinda funny. That night OB ordered my pitdrip off so I could sleep and ordered two more gellings. The plan set by me and the OB's was that as long as baby was OK I could go on as long as I wanted. So the next day, it was back to the pitdrip. This ended up like the day before with me getting to 2.5 cm, 50% effaced, -5 station. I wasn't allowed to walk since the pumps had bad batteries. They would beep if I was off of them too long. Since I had the insulin IV, they didn't want me unplugged for very long.

This went on all day and after 10 hours, they turned it off to begin again tomorrow (Thursday morning). I had some really good contractions, but am not the type to scream, moan, or wince at pain. They decided that this meant that I wasn't having good contractions. I got a bloody show that evening. I begged them for some time off the monitors. I had those things on since Monday non=stop without a break except showers.

So Thursday morning rolls around and I'm really exhausted. The thought of doing this again and being turned off really upset me. Note: They estimated the baby to be 9 lbs via u/s the week before. So Thursday morning, my progressive OB is at USC teaching and I got his less progressive brother. We talked as we did every morning since Monday. The baby's heart rate was dropping a bit and was on the lower line of the monitor. I felt that since I had 3 other babies before and 2 while on pitocin that something wasn't right. I consented to a C/S and was scared to death. The anes. came in and did the epidural. It didn't take since the catheter crimped. She tried again, but my right side wouldn't get numb. She then said that they would put me out. OB said NO!!! Try again. I do not want her out. The baby may have some problems. So she did the epidural again which it finally took on my right side. They began and I was shaking from all the drugs. I felt all that tugging and a stinging feeling on my left side. The baby came out screaming and I was so relieved to have it finally over. His cord was wrapped around his neck and his head was stuck and couldn't fit in the pelvis. His head was 39.5 cm around. His shoulders were 20 inches around and his chest was 39 cm around. He was taken to the table where 7 people were working on him. The ped said that he was very healthy. They were making bets on his size. 10 lbs, 9 lbs, etc. They took him into my labor room and did his blood work. His Blood sugar wasn't too low then. They weighed him and the ped came in surprised that he was 11 lbs 3 oz. I only got to put my cheek on his cheek and didn't get to hold him. They got me cleaned up and brought me to my room. I was far away from him. Then Camerons blood sugar dropped and he was sweating. They let me hold him for 10 seconds and whisked him away to NICU where he would get IV glucose. His breathing was very rapid and he was very red. They said he had a high blood volume and his feet were purple. I got sent to my room and begged them to take me to NICU to see the baby. No luck. The next afternoon, I got my IV out, catheter removed and got to sit in the chair. I went to see him, but they wouldn't let me nurse him. I got a pump right away. Nothing would come out. I saw him 3 times that day and was told I couldn't see him before dinner due to shift change. I was incredibly bummed out and peaked at his chart. "Mom not bonding with baby". Only saw him 3 x's today. WHAT?????? I asked them repeatedly when could he come out. They sent me a social worker to visit me.

I'm still pumping and still nothing. They let me nurse after he had his bottle. He wouldn't latch on at all. He kept spitting the nipple out. Saturday, I went down there to see him and then later that afternoon they brought him to me. I peaked at the chart and there was a note, "mother bonding with baby". I was bonded a while ago!!!! That night, there was tons of people coming in so the OB sent me home on Sunday. My legs started to swell and I had a pain in one. They had to do a Doppler study to rule out blood clots. I had a touch of post partum pre=eclampsia, but was otherwise OK. Cameron is really good baby. He fitted right into the family really well.

During this entire time, my father got DX with lung cancer in September. They gave him 2 to 4 months. He was sent home to die basically since it was so progressed they couldn't do anything for him. Hospice was there and my sister, who is a nurse, took time off work to care for him on a full time basis. He was really out of it by the time Cameron was born. Cameron was a week old when we took him to his house and he looked at him and cried. That was all he would do with him after that. He got steadily worse, on 10/28 he was so bad that we knew he wouldn't finish the week out. I spent the entire week there with Cameron. We talked, joked around, went over memories, it was the best week of my life. By Friday he was really bad that we did an impromptu Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday. I have 11 brothers and sisters so all of us were there except one.

He got up and said the blessing on the food, went to bed and never got out since. Sunday, it was Camerons blessing day. We went ahead with it. None of my family was there, but it was a really nice blessing. We went over to his house and he was incoherent. He would come in and out. I sat by his side as much as I could. We all took turns lying beside him stroking his head and holding his hand. He's Catholic so the priest came over and gave him his last rights. This was on Monday. He died at 5:30am Tuesday morning. My mother had died 11 years prior. It was an incredible month with a birth and a death.