Time: November 12 2020, 07:30 am PST. Vihaan in sanskrit means dawn. And, true to his name, he was born early morning! Date was exactly what the doctor had predicted. Place: Swedish First Hill Campus, 747 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122. Suite number: 555
Nurses: The first nurse at night: Frequently measured body stats such as blood sugar level, BP, temperature etc. Would count to 10 literally every time Sneha pushed. This was a pretty good idea. Patient with all our questions. We had more nurses later on, as we moved from triaging area to birthing suite to post-partum suite and their shifts changed every 12 hours. Most of them were nice but not all. Doctor: Even though they sometimes deliver 3-4 babies in a shift, I am surprised by the energy with which our doctor would encourage Sneha to push. I almost fainted when Sneha got Epidural. Apart from this, the delivery was uneventful. And, oh yeah, that Epidural was a great idea. We should have done that the moment Sneha was admitted. Sneha was pretty strong the whole time. While the nurse expected her to push 10s at a time, Sneha would often try to 1-2s more. The nurse said she’ll shake the baby right after birth to make him cry (so that he spits out fluids from his mouth). He didn’t need that - he cried the moment he came out! But not for long. The first song he listened to was Trains by Porcupine Tree.
We participated in a few presentations on what to expect from the delivery process. Following are my (incomplete) notes from them. Session 1 Contractions: True: Last longer, become stronger over time. Don’t stop when you change your activity. Duration: 1 minute long. Frequency: Start every 3 minutes. Apps available. Warm up: No regular pattern, lose intensity over time. Not everyone feels them. How labor starts: 10%: water breaks. Both gush or trickle of fluids possible. Also, if dampness arrives multiple times. Even if no contractions, that is a sign of labor. Clear or yellowish. They’ll ask for color. Shouldn’t have any odor. 90%: contractions. Stages: 1st stage: 1st: early labor. Emotions: happy, excited. Contractions are 5-30 minutes apart, ~30 seconds long. So, mild. You’ll have to wait for ~8 hours. So, distractions are important. Sleep, rest and hydrate. 1st: active labor. 45-60 seconds, 3-5 minutes apart. Emotions: serious, focused. Might not automatically know when to unload bladder - so, keep doing that. Changing positions may help. Out of bed as much as possible. Important: relaxation, rhythm & ritual. Didn’t understand. Check videos by Penny Simpkin. When to go to the hospital: 511 rule. 5 minutes apart, 1 minute each, going on for 1 hour. Go sooner if: Vomit. Unable to walk or talk through contractions. Vaginal bleeding. 1st: transition. ~30 minutes. Intense. Strong contractions. 2nd stage: Time to push! 4th stage: first few hours after birth. Baby comes out fully fed. Born in quiet alert state. Epidural: Pain medication and takes ~15 minutes to relieve pain. Numbs lower part of the body. Can get whenever you ask - possibly during active labor state. Ensure fetal monitoring is always on, if going this route. No affect on baby or mother’s mental state. Ensure hospital has forwarded to pediatrician. Cesarean birth: Only 1% urgent. Others are planned. To do: Pack a hospital bag. Make a postpartum plan. Session 2 Essentials: Diapering: Diapers: Hospitals provide for use there. Disposable diapers. Diaper wetness barriers: Probably use when needed. Diaper rash cream: zinc oxide or something. Put thin layer and then cover with barrier. Wipes/wash cloth. Go front to back. Clothing: Cutest size: only last for 3 months. Keep tags so that you can exchange. Wash before use but not right after you buy them (otherwise you won’t be able to return them later). Dye and fragrance free detergent. Sleeper gown. Swaddle blanket: pre-made useful. White noise machine: soothes the baby and good for routine sleep. Baby loves routine which can let them know it’s time to go to sleep. Baby gear: Things get recalled all the time, so fill registration form and mail it in. Safe place for baby to sleep: Firm and flat surface. Don’t let them sleep in a sitting device. Also, don’t leave them there for >20 minutes if awake. Nail clipper. Cut when asleep. Nasal aspirator maybe. Bathing stuff: Tub: there are some that go over sinks. Baby wash/lotion: zero/low fragrance. Can use a regular towel but might have to create a hood. Use temperature to check bath water temperature: 95 to 100 Fahrenheit. 1-3 inches of water. Don’t leave baby in water even for a second. Be prepared beforehand or take baby with you if you have to get some stuff. At home: Be careful about the umbilical cord. Sponge bath until this is gone. 2-3 times a week. 1 diaper on 1st day, 2 on 2nd etc. until 7-8th day. ~6-8 diapers a day. Track because that gives an idea on whether the baby is getting sufficiently fed. Feed every 2.5 to 3 hours on average. Good time to change diaper around this. Don’t wait for them to cry to feed. Good sign they are hungry if they turn their head towards someone’s breasts. Make silly faces and talk about random things. They cry if: Hungry. Too cold. Not if they are too hot. So, be careful. In worst case, they can cry for ~5 hours! Session 3 Fevers are very important for the first 3 months, especially first 1. First vaccination after 2 months, so won’t have enough immunity until then. Recommended books: Heading Home With Your Newborn. The Happiest Baby on the Block. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. Resources: https://healthychildren.org/English/Pages/default.aspx
Allegro: Allegro pediatricians don’t visit Swedish hospital on delivery. The following are accepting new patients: https://www.allegropediatrics.com/care-team/providers/jean-sahs-md-faap-doctor-bellevue https://www.allegropediatrics.com/care-team/providers/mona-chhabra-md-faap-doctor-bellevue https://www.allegropediatrics.com/care-team/providers/david-reuter-md-phd-faap-doctor-bothell Seattle Children’s Hospital: Don’t have any.