Day 44: 2nd Catch!!

I worked Night Shift last night-first shift since I got back from the Bukid.  I was really tired, as I hadn't really gotten much sleep for almost 48 hours (starting to become a pattern!! yikes!!), and since my last handle was July 2nd, I happened to be first up!!

Amber had a Cont. in labor, and another one was endorsed to us-both around 6-7 cm dilation. Ate´ Suse took a fancy for the endorsed gal who had some interesting complications, and I had no problem giving her up, since I was hoping for some sleep.

Just as endorsements ended, another gal walked in in active labor. Since I wasn't sure if I was going to have the endorsed gal or not, Maria started doing vitals on her, and then after Ate´ Suse decided to take her gal, Maria asked me if I wanted her labor. I told her no, that she'd already started her, and so I'd just wait for the next one.

Within only a few minutes, Maria needed a charter, as her labor was getting pushy. Meanwhile, Amber's cont. had her baby!! 10:41 PM

At 10:54 PM, Maria's labor gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Then, at 11:12 PM, Ate´ Suse's labor had her baby (who had to be transferred to the hospital, due to complications)!!!

Picture of our Birth Board: 6 births in just over 5 hours!!!

3 babies within 31 minutes of each other!!!! I had to wonder to myself, "What is it like to have 2 gals delivering babies almost right next to you?? What is going thru their heads???"

Then, at 11:40 PM, "Lalai" came in, in active labor (though with a ways to go still). I was up next, and I remember thinking to myself (not that it mattered to me), "How ludicrous is this situation??? I could have (hypothetically speaking), delivered 2 babies and be done with births for the night!!"

Joy and I did an IE on her around 12:30 AM, and found that she was 6 cm dilated, 80-90% effaced, 0- +1 station, and BOW Bulging.  Lalai was 24, G3P2 (her kids were aged 3 and 2-girl and boy), and was due 37 6/7 by LMP and 39 via U/S, graduated from a local Bible School (when asked 'Religion', she'd say 'Born Again), spoke good English (Praise the Lord!!) and had a lot of questions.

She asked if it was okay for her to make noise during labor, because at the other place, they highly discouraged it, and kept telling her to "Be Silent!" and "Be Quiet!". I explained to her, how that it was totally fine for her to make noise, but if she started raising her voice up high, we would try to help her bring it down lower, etc. She was very happy.

She also wanted to know how long it would take for the baby to be born, how long they'd have to stay at MMC, etc. (Her past labors were extremely fast-last one was 4 hrs.) (This labor ended up being 19 hrs. and 57 minutes.) I talked her through it all, and then she asked if it was okay to go out and walk in the corridor, which she did.

My Dear Ate´ Suse with her 'Captain's Hat'

BIRTH TEAM: me as Primary, Joy as Secondary, Maria as Assistant, and Julie as Charter. (And Ate´Suse as Supervisor, though she wasn't at the birth.)

I was able to catch a few winks of sleep, while she walked around. At 1:40 AM, we had her go to cubicle, as her contractions were strong, and she was in transition. At 2:18, her water broke, with no staining and light vernix. This time, I was able to preventatively guard against another baptism (maybe too much! :p)

Baby GIRL was born at 2:20 AM!!!! No tear (we did perineal pressure and really worked with her contractions to ease the baby out.), Praise the Lord!!! APGAR Scores were 7 and 9. Baby had quite a bit of vernix, especially in her creases (though not as much as some of my little siblings did!!) At 2:33, placenta was born-complete. Her EBL was 250.

About 1 hr. after birth, she started hemorrhaging slightly, so we gave her a shot of Pit, which solved the problem. Her bana was there for the birth, and helped take care of her afterwards, but was VERY tired, poor man!!

Tired Mama and Watchful Papa!!

Baby Exam was normal-no abnormalities, though baby was a little early: her Plantar Reflex was weak, her footprints were not fully mature either, and she had a good amount of vernix.

The Bana named her 'Marian', which means "Full of grace and favor and precious like myrrh". She weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. and was 21.5" long.

There were also 2 babies born after mine: at 2:51 AM and 4:19 AM, respectively.... In the past, the max amount of births I've had on my shift has been 3 births, though many of the other girls had experienced upwards of 5/shift. I guess a few days ago, there was a shift where every one of the 10 beds was filled with a labor or postpartum!!! Imagine that!!!

What I Learned:
- Communication is extremely important
- How to block the SROM effectively
- How to help prevent tearing by doing perineal pressure
- How having a good birthing team is so amazing and less stressful.
- How important it is to not feel pressured.
- What a blessing it is to be able to communicate with your laborer.

I have declared my ways, and Thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes. Make me to understand the way of Thy precepts: so shall I talk of Thy wondrous works.

~Psalms 119:26-27 ~