(copied from my journal)
Okay, let me see if I can remember how everything went.
Awoke 3am ish August 10th with contractions, feeling stronger than Monday's, but 13-15 minutes apart. Sent DH on to work, keeping an eye on it. Contractions got closer together as the day went on. By 1:30, they were about 5 minutes apart and lasting about a minute, but decided to go on to my doctor's appointment instead of going to L&D. Had DH come home and drive me to the doctor. Contractions in the car were hard.
They continued through the doctor appointment but spaced out to about 7-8 minutes and were still bearable. I was checked, and I was 3cm! the contractions were doing something this time! The doctor said the 5-1-1 rule was the one to follow. Shortly after we got dinner and went home, I timed them and they were coming 4.5 minutes apart and lasting for over a minute for over an hour. Went to L&D around 6 pm. Contractions in the car REALLY sucked, had a hard time with contractions, had to stop what I was doing to get through them, but could still talk and what not. Was still a 3 at triage. Spent 1 hour walking around through the halls. Still 3cm and baby very high - sent home. I was quite unhappy, the contractions had been going all day, never letting up and getting more and more intense. I was sent home to "take tylenol and sleep". I couldn't hardly make the drive home, let alone get sleep. I took anxiety medication and tylenol when I got home, then threw up all I ate and probably the tylenol 30 minutes later, but I was too worried to take more not knowing how much got absorbed. Tried to sleep for two hours, waking every 4-6 minutes for contractions. I could not really make it through them at all, screaming and crying and what not. Eventually around Midnight I could no longer lie down, I had to stand. I couldn't sit on the toilet for the pain. I called L&D and begged them to admit me and get me an epidural, there was no way I could make it any further at home.
Come to find out I was having bad back labor, it was BAD.
They told me to come in, they'd admit me - if there was no change they'd give me IV pain meds so I could rest, or if I was more dilated I could get an epidural. Well I got there around 12:45. By the time they checked me in, asked me 20 million questions, asked for my history about 3 times, etc - went through countless difficult contractions, was at the point by the time we got to the hospital of having to vocalize through contractions. I FINALLY got checked around 2:30 and got my IV - then had to wait for bloodwork before my epidural. I was 5cm easy then, so that was good, at least I was in active labor naturally. I got my epi a little after 3, which was rough considering I was begging for it at midnight! They really shouldn't have sent me home.
The next time I got checked I was an 8, and the doctor was concerned about decels, and asked if she could break my waters. Well at 8cm, I was surprised my waters hadn't broken yet so I was okay with it. Unfortunately I then stalled, since when does AROM stall labor? Had to be careful with my position because he had some decels so they kept rearranging me. Waters were broken around 6 am, if I recall. Waters were clear - no meconium.
Just took a long time for me to go from 8 to 10, a really long time. And baby was still high, due to OP presentation. They actually just had me push through the last little lip of cervix, because we waited and waited for the lip to clear and it just didn't. Finally got to pushing shortly before noon, Harvey was born at 1:12 pm. I was a little upset, the doctor (older doctor, not mine just the one on call today, but the one who delivered DS1) did an episiotomy on me without even saying a word, just snipped it. I was pissed. But it was done before I could say anything. I know in one more push he'd have been out without the episotomy, so why do it? But nothing I can do about it now. i'm upset and I hope it heals well, I don't really want scar tissue there you know, it kind of freaks me out.
Unfortunately it was specifically mentioned on the consent forms I signed, but so was a c-section, that doesn't mean that I want it done without discussing it first!
Well anyway, 7lbs, 3oz, 20 inches long (DD was almost the exact same, she was 20.5 inches long, same weight). Such a small weight for 41 weeks compared to her at 39+6, well I guess it's only a week difference and one day, but I was worried he'd be bigger with the GD and all.