1-24-2008 - At 5:10am on January 23rd, 2008, Adela Marceta Jazvo was born in Sacramento, California. Branka was 8 days past her calculated term when we went in for the induction.
Now that we came home and Branka is resting I can add something to the web page.
At 6:15am we arrived at the hospital. We were all a little nervous and Branka was a little scared. Her mother Mara had only slept for 2 hours the previous night. Branka says she slept well, but I know better, she hadn't slept well for weeks. I guess most women who are 41 weeks pregnant can't really get too comfortable in bed.
In the hospital Branka was quickly processed and taken to a room where she changed into one of those gowns that make you feel self-conscious. The fact that the room was right next to front door didn't help either.
We'd been hearing rumors about how women tend to go into labor around a full moon. When I asked our nurse whether there was any truth to the rumors she replied “Yeah, it gets crazy when it rains to.” Needless to say, we would have actually seen the full moon had it not been raining.
Shortly after we arrived, a young mother-to-be and her 'boyfriend' were with no concern, inhaling bags of McDonald's fast-food while being admitted into triage. I couldn't help overhear the triage nurse ask “Are you here for a C-Section?” To which the girl smugly replied “Yep”. Of course the nurse then asks “Did you know that you weren't supposed to be eating just before the operation?” The girl then breaks into the standard “Nobody told me nothing!”
Wow, what stark contrast to Branka's approach, I mean here's Branka reading every scrap of information available and preparing for any scenario possible and these kids waltz into the hospital with this laissez-faire attitude. I guess they figured it was someone else's responsibility to keep them on the right track. I wonder if their children will grow up knowing any different.
A good thing about an induction is you can plan around it. A bad thing is that scheduling one lets fear build up as you ponder the possibilities, which is one of the reasons Branka chose to go with an epidural anesthetic. While I'm listing good things and bad things, a good thing about an epidural is that it numbs the pain. A bad thing is that too much of it can prevent you from walking around or pushing during a contraction, both of which probably would of helped Branka, a whole lot.
I got ahead of myself she didn't get the epidural until 12 hours into the ordeal. Lets go back a little and explain what happens in a hospital during a shift change. During a shift change the staff that got to know you, your needs, your situation, your preferences leave and new staff comes in. The new staff repeats the same questions and makes the same mistakes that their predecessors made with the exception that the patient gets worn down just a little more, the patient becomes less likely state a preference in treatment or to correct a mistake. During the twenty-three hours before Adela's birth there were multiple shift changes, creating plenty of unnecessary excitement. Some of which includes:
- unforeseen dosage changes, oxytocin & anesthetic
- three room changes before delivery
- part of the sprinkler system falling down on Branka
- dozens of people coming through the room
- a staff that was more into a c-section than letting Branka have a natural birth
(click to enlarge) |
After only 1 hour, Mara decides she likes being a grandmother. |
| Pictured here, three generations, Mara, Branka and Adela. |  |
 |
Adela's first weigh-in, 7 pounds, 2.5 ounces. |
| Here she is after about a minute, getting cleaned. |  |
 |
After 23 hours of Branka can relax a little. |
| I was overwhelmed with emotion(crying) and very, very happy. Even after she threw up on me the second time. |  |
 |
Adela gets a good look at one of her grandmothers. |