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Took me 2 months to get this all written down but thought I'd share as it was a fairly positive induction! Don't feel like you have to read it all, it's a long one [**Short to the point version at the bottom in spoiler!]
DH got the day off thinking there was a chance that we would be induced. I knew it was a possibility but really didn't believe it would happen that day. This was Thursday 10/24/13 and I was 37 weeks along - My nst [non-stress test] appointment was at 10am. They hooked me up to the monitors for about 30 minutes. My blood pressure was 140's/80's and I had a headache/sparklers in my vision [had these symptoms for weeks now]. After the doc reviewed my history and the nst results [from this day and the previous one from the week before], she decided that it was time to get the baby out, and sent us straight to L&D across the street to being induced. I was shocked but apparently the standards to diagnosing preeclampsia had changed just days prior to having any syptoms they would dx it as pre-e [I hadn't had protein in my urine at all so far but had all other symptoms] So off we went. [ Don't tell but we stopped by KFC on the way, as i thought they wouldn't let me eat turns out they let you eat until you are in active labor. Good to know lol]
So by the time we got done with eating, found a parking spot and gave me a minute to put my head around what has happening it was about 11:15am. We got checked in and up to the 2nd floor L&D. I was set up in labor room 5. I was hooked up to the monitors, including blood pressure. They did a straight catheter to get a sample of urine to see if there was protein [ouch]. That was still negative. They did an IV - the nurse was shocked with how much I bled from this, she called it a "juicy vain" . They started a drip to hydrate me. She checked me [1.5cm & 0% effaced].
At 12pm exactly she put in a dose of cytotec into my cervix [omg that was the tiniest pill I've ever seen and she lost it at first and had her hand up there for a good 2 minutes trying to get it placed correctly ].
4pm she checked me again. I was now 1.5cm and 70% effaced. I honestly thought I would get another dose of the cytotec but instead they started the Pitocin. The doctor came in and let me know they planned to break my water a few hours after that.
7:25pm I was having noticeable contractions, still bearable but definitely knew they were contractions. Every 30 minutes or so they upped the Pitocin by 1 point. The nurse mentioned that the average level was 7 to get women into a regular contraction rhythm [by the time all was said and done I made it up to 12... guess I'm not so average lol].
9:30pm I was at level 6 w/ Pitocin and the contractions were getting stronger but definitely not regular [3 in a row then a 3-5 minute break, then 3 more then another 3-5 minute break ]
10pm I got up to use the restroom. When I was done I stood up I thought I'd peed down my leg a bit Cleaned myself up and got back in bed. I didn't say anything to anyone at the time. But now, with every contraction, I felt a small gush.... I kept asking dh to give me paper towels as I didn't like the feeling of being wet down there It didn't even dawn on me that it could be my waters.
11:20pm dh convinced me to let the nurse know; she suspected my water had broke, checked and sure enough they had most likely gone when I went to the restroom earlier, plus I was now 3cm and nearly 100% effaced .
12:15am [Friday 10/25/2013] they started the magnesium to help control my blood pressure [I thought it was started earlier but according to dh's notes it wasn't started til this time] They had to do a catheter at this point as well as they have to record the amount of urine being passed.
1:49am my contractions were intense enough for me to finally break down and I asked for the epidural. She checked again and I was still just 3cm That bummed me out but I still wanted the epi.
2:45am the epi is in and for the first hour or so it was amazing. After that is was intense to not be connected to my lower half. I swelled a LOT from all the fluids they were pumping into me But I still appreciated the relief.
3:45am dh and I tried to get some rest. I was having trouble breathing, since the magnesium is a muscle relaxer. They gave me the oxygen mask to help. I was able to get some broken sleep.
5am she checked me again but I was still just 3cm but baby had a few decels in her heartbeat and the doctor came in to discuss c-sec. They turned down the Pitocin to see if that helped regulate her heart beat. After about 2 hours baby was doing much better so the started the pitocin back up. They also started pumping some iv fluids back into me through my hoohaa, as they thought the pressure on baby without the waters was getting to be much. At some point earlier they had also put the two internal monitors in, the one that attaches to baby's head and the other that goes between her head and my cervix to get a better reading on contractions.
Around 7am Got sick - needed two sick bags They gave me some zofran and that helped. I wonder now, if I was transistioning at this point?
11am we had tried sleeping a bit more, dh managed a few hours, I got maybe 2hrs off and on. I started feeling a lot of pressure in my lower back and ribs but figured it was just more intense contractions so I didn't mention it to anyone but dh. This went on for about an hour when dh convinced me to let the nurse know. She came in to check and to our surprise, I was fully dilated and her head was visible! I fully expected to be told I was only 5cm or something. At that point I was so exhausted that I was ready for them to opt for a c-sec. Hearing I was ready to push gave me a 2nd wind for sure.
12pm the nurse called the doctor and told me with the next contraction to push while we waited for the doctor to show. I pushed 3x per contraction [to which the contractions were still off, 3-5 minute break between 3 back to back contractions].
The doctor arrived about 15 minutes later. She had me push a few more times then suited up. Holy crap - that is when it got really real. I knew I was close, which gave me my 3rd wind Between pushes it was a really awkard, everyone was silent, my legs up in the stirups, the brightest stage lights pointed at my nether region, with no one looking at anyone else, just waiting for me to give the signal that another contraction was starting During the waits, I was watching Gold Rush on the tv that was on behind the nurse Anyway, about 6 more pushes and her head was out. I was surprised that I didn't even have to push with the next contraction - she just came out on her own, with a huge gush of fluid [all that fluid that they had been pumping into me was behind her, it was startling how much burst out, and I mean burst! Everyone had to jump back to avoid getting soaked ]
12:38pm 24hrs and 38mins after the induction began our baby girl was born!!
I had requested to have delayed cord clamping so she kept the baby below my belly for about 3 minutes til the cord stopped pulsing. The doctor held her upside down [to get the water out of her lungs, I assume ] She didn't cry at all, and that worried me a bit, I asked if she was ok and the doctor said yep she just had a bit of water blocking her airway. Once the cord stopped pulsing they put her on me skin to skin. Dh got to cut the cord and within about 5 minuted she was rooting so I bf and she latched beautifully. Even the nurses were impressed Right from the moment she was placed on me she just seemed so happy and aware. They took her to nursery for a few hours after our 90mins of skin to skin for some monitoring and a chest xray to see how much liquid was in her lungs. Her oxygen level was a bit low as well. Her apgar wasn't that great at first [I wasn't told a number though] but after a few hours she was doing much better so they brought her to our postpartum room and the rest is history. It was intense and emotional, long and tiring but well worth every minute and I'd do it all again in a heart beat.
Here's a picture of my perfect little rainbow - 6lbs 10.8oz and 20'' long
Short version [TL/DR]
DH got the day off thinking there was a chance that we would be induced. I knew it was a possibility but really didn't believe it would happen that day. This was Thursday 10/24/13 and I was 37 weeks along - My nst [non-stress test] appointment was at 10am. They hooked me up to the monitors for about 30 minutes. My blood pressure was 140's/80's and I had a headache/sparklers in my vision [had these symptoms for weeks now]. After the doc reviewed my history and the nst results [from this day and the previous one from the week before], she decided that it was time to get the baby out, and sent us straight to L&D across the street to being induced. I was shocked but apparently the standards to diagnosing preeclampsia had changed just days prior to having any syptoms they would dx it as pre-e [I hadn't had protein in my urine at all so far but had all other symptoms] So off we went. [ Don't tell but we stopped by KFC on the way, as i thought they wouldn't let me eat turns out they let you eat until you are in active labor. Good to know lol]
So by the time we got done with eating, found a parking spot and gave me a minute to put my head around what has happening it was about 11:15am. We got checked in and up to the 2nd floor L&D. I was set up in labor room 5. I was hooked up to the monitors, including blood pressure. They did a straight catheter to get a sample of urine to see if there was protein [ouch]. That was still negative. They did an IV - the nurse was shocked with how much I bled from this, she called it a "juicy vain" . They started a drip to hydrate me. She checked me [1.5cm & 0% effaced].
At 12pm exactly she put in a dose of cytotec into my cervix [omg that was the tiniest pill I've ever seen and she lost it at first and had her hand up there for a good 2 minutes trying to get it placed correctly ].
4pm she checked me again. I was now 1.5cm and 70% effaced. I honestly thought I would get another dose of the cytotec but instead they started the Pitocin. The doctor came in and let me know they planned to break my water a few hours after that.
7:25pm I was having noticeable contractions, still bearable but definitely knew they were contractions. Every 30 minutes or so they upped the Pitocin by 1 point. The nurse mentioned that the average level was 7 to get women into a regular contraction rhythm [by the time all was said and done I made it up to 12... guess I'm not so average lol].
9:30pm I was at level 6 w/ Pitocin and the contractions were getting stronger but definitely not regular [3 in a row then a 3-5 minute break, then 3 more then another 3-5 minute break ]
10pm I got up to use the restroom. When I was done I stood up I thought I'd peed down my leg a bit Cleaned myself up and got back in bed. I didn't say anything to anyone at the time. But now, with every contraction, I felt a small gush.... I kept asking dh to give me paper towels as I didn't like the feeling of being wet down there It didn't even dawn on me that it could be my waters.
11:20pm dh convinced me to let the nurse know; she suspected my water had broke, checked and sure enough they had most likely gone when I went to the restroom earlier, plus I was now 3cm and nearly 100% effaced .
12:15am [Friday 10/25/2013] they started the magnesium to help control my blood pressure [I thought it was started earlier but according to dh's notes it wasn't started til this time] They had to do a catheter at this point as well as they have to record the amount of urine being passed.
1:49am my contractions were intense enough for me to finally break down and I asked for the epidural. She checked again and I was still just 3cm That bummed me out but I still wanted the epi.
2:45am the epi is in and for the first hour or so it was amazing. After that is was intense to not be connected to my lower half. I swelled a LOT from all the fluids they were pumping into me But I still appreciated the relief.
3:45am dh and I tried to get some rest. I was having trouble breathing, since the magnesium is a muscle relaxer. They gave me the oxygen mask to help. I was able to get some broken sleep.
5am she checked me again but I was still just 3cm but baby had a few decels in her heartbeat and the doctor came in to discuss c-sec. They turned down the Pitocin to see if that helped regulate her heart beat. After about 2 hours baby was doing much better so the started the pitocin back up. They also started pumping some iv fluids back into me through my hoohaa, as they thought the pressure on baby without the waters was getting to be much. At some point earlier they had also put the two internal monitors in, the one that attaches to baby's head and the other that goes between her head and my cervix to get a better reading on contractions.
Around 7am Got sick - needed two sick bags They gave me some zofran and that helped. I wonder now, if I was transistioning at this point?
11am we had tried sleeping a bit more, dh managed a few hours, I got maybe 2hrs off and on. I started feeling a lot of pressure in my lower back and ribs but figured it was just more intense contractions so I didn't mention it to anyone but dh. This went on for about an hour when dh convinced me to let the nurse know. She came in to check and to our surprise, I was fully dilated and her head was visible! I fully expected to be told I was only 5cm or something. At that point I was so exhausted that I was ready for them to opt for a c-sec. Hearing I was ready to push gave me a 2nd wind for sure.
12pm the nurse called the doctor and told me with the next contraction to push while we waited for the doctor to show. I pushed 3x per contraction [to which the contractions were still off, 3-5 minute break between 3 back to back contractions].
The doctor arrived about 15 minutes later. She had me push a few more times then suited up. Holy crap - that is when it got really real. I knew I was close, which gave me my 3rd wind Between pushes it was a really awkard, everyone was silent, my legs up in the stirups, the brightest stage lights pointed at my nether region, with no one looking at anyone else, just waiting for me to give the signal that another contraction was starting During the waits, I was watching Gold Rush on the tv that was on behind the nurse Anyway, about 6 more pushes and her head was out. I was surprised that I didn't even have to push with the next contraction - she just came out on her own, with a huge gush of fluid [all that fluid that they had been pumping into me was behind her, it was startling how much burst out, and I mean burst! Everyone had to jump back to avoid getting soaked ]
12:38pm 24hrs and 38mins after the induction began our baby girl was born!!
I had requested to have delayed cord clamping so she kept the baby below my belly for about 3 minutes til the cord stopped pulsing. The doctor held her upside down [to get the water out of her lungs, I assume ] She didn't cry at all, and that worried me a bit, I asked if she was ok and the doctor said yep she just had a bit of water blocking her airway. Once the cord stopped pulsing they put her on me skin to skin. Dh got to cut the cord and within about 5 minuted she was rooting so I bf and she latched beautifully. Even the nurses were impressed Right from the moment she was placed on me she just seemed so happy and aware. They took her to nursery for a few hours after our 90mins of skin to skin for some monitoring and a chest xray to see how much liquid was in her lungs. Her oxygen level was a bit low as well. Her apgar wasn't that great at first [I wasn't told a number though] but after a few hours she was doing much better so they brought her to our postpartum room and the rest is history. It was intense and emotional, long and tiring but well worth every minute and I'd do it all again in a heart beat.
Here's a picture of my perfect little rainbow - 6lbs 10.8oz and 20'' long
Short version [TL/DR]
At 12pm exactly she put in a dose of cytotec into my cervix. 1.5cm & 0% effaced
4pm 1.5cm and 70% effaced. Start Pitocin
7:25pm Noticeable contractions, still bearable. Every 30 minutes upped the Pitocin by 1 point.
9:30pm Level 6 w/ Pitocin, contractions getting stronger but not regular [3 in a row then a 3-5 minute break, then 3 more then another 3-5 minute break]
10pm I got up to use the restroom. My water broke while I was peeing, though I didn’t realize it at the time.
11:20pm Now 3cm and nearly 100% effaced
12:15am [Friday 10/25/2013] Start magnesium to help control my blood pressure. Also got a catheter
1:49am Asked for the epidural. Still 3cm
2:45am Epi is in
3:45am Tried to sleep but needed an oxygen mask [magnesium is a muscle relaxer and I was having trouble breathing]
5am Still 3cm. Baby had a few decels and the doctor came in to discuss c-sec. Turned off Pitocin. Inserted catheter to push water in where baby was.
Around 7am Got sick, twice. Zofran giving through IV. Tried sleeping more.
11am feeling a lot of pressure in my lower back and ribs
12pm Nurse checks me - Fully dilated and her head was visible.
12:38pm Sofia Marie was born!!
4pm 1.5cm and 70% effaced. Start Pitocin
7:25pm Noticeable contractions, still bearable. Every 30 minutes upped the Pitocin by 1 point.
9:30pm Level 6 w/ Pitocin, contractions getting stronger but not regular [3 in a row then a 3-5 minute break, then 3 more then another 3-5 minute break]
10pm I got up to use the restroom. My water broke while I was peeing, though I didn’t realize it at the time.
11:20pm Now 3cm and nearly 100% effaced
12:15am [Friday 10/25/2013] Start magnesium to help control my blood pressure. Also got a catheter
1:49am Asked for the epidural. Still 3cm
2:45am Epi is in
3:45am Tried to sleep but needed an oxygen mask [magnesium is a muscle relaxer and I was having trouble breathing]
5am Still 3cm. Baby had a few decels and the doctor came in to discuss c-sec. Turned off Pitocin. Inserted catheter to push water in where baby was.
Around 7am Got sick, twice. Zofran giving through IV. Tried sleeping more.
11am feeling a lot of pressure in my lower back and ribs
12pm Nurse checks me - Fully dilated and her head was visible.
12:38pm Sofia Marie was born!!