I am finally getting a moment (where I'm not typing with one hand over a feeding baby) to write out my full birth story (provided said baby doesn't wake up and start crying for food lol). So here goes:
Wednesday 8/24 - I go in to the doctor because I was having an intense headache and had had it since the day before and I was worried about blood pressure issues. I was scheduled to go in the next day anyways for another appointment. My pressure was fine and I was FINALLY checked for dilation, etc. I was 39 + 6 at this point. They hooked me up for my weekly NST and for some reason baby was being very unresponsive. After drinking OJ and monitoring for awhile they were still unhappy with her heartrate and movement so they scheduled me for a biophysical profile. The results, according to the doctor were "Okay." which made me nervous. So I asked about induction. I had started losing my plug the two days before but no bloody show and no other signs labor was starting. The doctor agreed, given the tests from that day, it would be better to get baby out asap. I was checked for dilation and was only dilated a fingertip. She scheduled me for 7:30 am the next day.
Thursday 8/25 - I arrive at the hospital at 7:30 for my induction. They explained I would start with a pill to soften my cervix because it was a fingertip dilated and about 10% effaced..not soft and not reallhy favorable for labor. So after two hours of fooling around (IV, history, waiting, etc) they gave me my first dose of misoprostol which they inserted behind my cervix. They would check me every 4 hours and I'd get another dose after that. 5 1/2 hours after my first dose (because they were slow) they checked me and I was dilated to 1 cm and 50% effaced. They had told me I would start to get some "period like" cramping as my cervix softened and dilated. I started after the second dose getting some pretty intense cramping...and was pretty upset I wasn't dilating faster. They seemed happy with the progress though and kept reminding me it could take days for the entire process. So my hopes of having the baby that day kinda went out the window since I was moving so slow.
After another 5 hours or so they came to check me again and give me cervadil instead of the miso which they would leave in for 12 hours and check me again afterwards. In the meantime the cramps had gotten almost unbearable and I asked to take a bath to see if that would help (it didn't). They wouldn't give me an epidural until I was 4 cm dilated and I didn't want it to slow me down so I just had to deal with the pain. I asked about other pain meds and they said they could give me something but I should wait til they checked me because I could only have so many doses and if I wasn't progressed they didn't want to give it to me so early on. So after my bath they came to check me and give me the cervadil and surprisigly I was 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced.
So they put the cervadil away and started me on pitocin to bring on contractions. The cramping was so bad though I begged for something for the pain so they gave me Demerol...which pretty much just doped me up but did nothiing for the pain. My OH needed to go home to take the dog out and feed her and my mom was considering leaving because it was taking so long and the nurse said, even at 3 cm it could take a lot longer so she told my OH to go and my mom stayed til he got back an hour later. I was in and out of it, very fuzzy from the Demerol and my "cramps" apparently had transitioned to contractions but they felt the same to me, just twice as bad and my mom kept asking if I wanted them to come check if I was dilated to 4 cm so I could get my epidural. I kinda yelled at her and told her it wouldn't happen that fast (she was annoying me lol). Every contraction I breathed through I felt like I was going to pass out. I was kinda upset that when things got so bad my OH wasn't there but the nurse had told him it was a good time to go. Finally he came back after an hour or so and I was in so much pain I finally asked to be checked. I was hoping they were going to say I was 4 or 5 cm this time because I WANTED that epidural lol. The doctor came in to check me and as he's feeling around he goes, "Uhh...she's at 9." I couldn't believe my freaking ears!
Suddenly all the nurses were rushing in and around preparing for the baby and it dawned on me, no epidural, there's no turning back now. They got me in position to push and asked if I felt the urge. I didn't really (baby was still -2 station and my waters were in tact) but at the next contraction I tried. I wasn't doing it right, I was pushing with my legs instead of bearing down and I was so so tired and still doped up. I pushed a few more times and then they raised me up to let gravity bring baby down...it didnt really work...finally they broke my water (uh duh) which had some meconium in it and baby started to come down some. I probably pushed for another 20 mins or so and finally they had me grab the bars at the end of the table (uh duh again) which allowed me to push a LOT better and I felt her coming.
When she crowned, it sucked but it wasn't so bad...my body had definitely taken over and was trying to get her out. Suddenly they told me to stop pushing (I didn't know it, but her shoulder was stuck on my pelvic bone) and nurses descended on us trying to maneuver her out. Finally she came out, all 8 lbs 12 oz of her (what a shock that was!). They took her immediately away (OH didn't get to cut the cord) because of the meconium and the shoulder dystocia. She wasn't moving her left arm at first. Gradually she started moving it and while they stitched up my 2nd degree tear, OH got to hold her and bring her over for me to see. They took forever stitching me up and eventually I got to hold my baby girl. I was in love from the second I saw her!
All in all, I couldn't have asked for it to be easier really. Giving birth to an almost 9 lb baby with no epidural was not in my plans, but it could have been drawn out for days an it wasn't. Quick and overwith...and all the pain was more than worth it!
https://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q79/Braven05/Avery%20Amelia/Avery.jpg
https://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q79/Braven05/Avery%20Amelia/Avery2.jpg
https://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q79/Braven05/Avery%20Amelia/AveryBath3.jpg
Wednesday 8/24 - I go in to the doctor because I was having an intense headache and had had it since the day before and I was worried about blood pressure issues. I was scheduled to go in the next day anyways for another appointment. My pressure was fine and I was FINALLY checked for dilation, etc. I was 39 + 6 at this point. They hooked me up for my weekly NST and for some reason baby was being very unresponsive. After drinking OJ and monitoring for awhile they were still unhappy with her heartrate and movement so they scheduled me for a biophysical profile. The results, according to the doctor were "Okay." which made me nervous. So I asked about induction. I had started losing my plug the two days before but no bloody show and no other signs labor was starting. The doctor agreed, given the tests from that day, it would be better to get baby out asap. I was checked for dilation and was only dilated a fingertip. She scheduled me for 7:30 am the next day.
Thursday 8/25 - I arrive at the hospital at 7:30 for my induction. They explained I would start with a pill to soften my cervix because it was a fingertip dilated and about 10% effaced..not soft and not reallhy favorable for labor. So after two hours of fooling around (IV, history, waiting, etc) they gave me my first dose of misoprostol which they inserted behind my cervix. They would check me every 4 hours and I'd get another dose after that. 5 1/2 hours after my first dose (because they were slow) they checked me and I was dilated to 1 cm and 50% effaced. They had told me I would start to get some "period like" cramping as my cervix softened and dilated. I started after the second dose getting some pretty intense cramping...and was pretty upset I wasn't dilating faster. They seemed happy with the progress though and kept reminding me it could take days for the entire process. So my hopes of having the baby that day kinda went out the window since I was moving so slow.
After another 5 hours or so they came to check me again and give me cervadil instead of the miso which they would leave in for 12 hours and check me again afterwards. In the meantime the cramps had gotten almost unbearable and I asked to take a bath to see if that would help (it didn't). They wouldn't give me an epidural until I was 4 cm dilated and I didn't want it to slow me down so I just had to deal with the pain. I asked about other pain meds and they said they could give me something but I should wait til they checked me because I could only have so many doses and if I wasn't progressed they didn't want to give it to me so early on. So after my bath they came to check me and give me the cervadil and surprisigly I was 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced.
So they put the cervadil away and started me on pitocin to bring on contractions. The cramping was so bad though I begged for something for the pain so they gave me Demerol...which pretty much just doped me up but did nothiing for the pain. My OH needed to go home to take the dog out and feed her and my mom was considering leaving because it was taking so long and the nurse said, even at 3 cm it could take a lot longer so she told my OH to go and my mom stayed til he got back an hour later. I was in and out of it, very fuzzy from the Demerol and my "cramps" apparently had transitioned to contractions but they felt the same to me, just twice as bad and my mom kept asking if I wanted them to come check if I was dilated to 4 cm so I could get my epidural. I kinda yelled at her and told her it wouldn't happen that fast (she was annoying me lol). Every contraction I breathed through I felt like I was going to pass out. I was kinda upset that when things got so bad my OH wasn't there but the nurse had told him it was a good time to go. Finally he came back after an hour or so and I was in so much pain I finally asked to be checked. I was hoping they were going to say I was 4 or 5 cm this time because I WANTED that epidural lol. The doctor came in to check me and as he's feeling around he goes, "Uhh...she's at 9." I couldn't believe my freaking ears!
Suddenly all the nurses were rushing in and around preparing for the baby and it dawned on me, no epidural, there's no turning back now. They got me in position to push and asked if I felt the urge. I didn't really (baby was still -2 station and my waters were in tact) but at the next contraction I tried. I wasn't doing it right, I was pushing with my legs instead of bearing down and I was so so tired and still doped up. I pushed a few more times and then they raised me up to let gravity bring baby down...it didnt really work...finally they broke my water (uh duh) which had some meconium in it and baby started to come down some. I probably pushed for another 20 mins or so and finally they had me grab the bars at the end of the table (uh duh again) which allowed me to push a LOT better and I felt her coming.
When she crowned, it sucked but it wasn't so bad...my body had definitely taken over and was trying to get her out. Suddenly they told me to stop pushing (I didn't know it, but her shoulder was stuck on my pelvic bone) and nurses descended on us trying to maneuver her out. Finally she came out, all 8 lbs 12 oz of her (what a shock that was!). They took her immediately away (OH didn't get to cut the cord) because of the meconium and the shoulder dystocia. She wasn't moving her left arm at first. Gradually she started moving it and while they stitched up my 2nd degree tear, OH got to hold her and bring her over for me to see. They took forever stitching me up and eventually I got to hold my baby girl. I was in love from the second I saw her!
All in all, I couldn't have asked for it to be easier really. Giving birth to an almost 9 lb baby with no epidural was not in my plans, but it could have been drawn out for days an it wasn't. Quick and overwith...and all the pain was more than worth it!
https://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q79/Braven05/Avery%20Amelia/Avery.jpg
https://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q79/Braven05/Avery%20Amelia/Avery2.jpg
https://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q79/Braven05/Avery%20Amelia/AveryBath3.jpg
I'm pretty stressed out TBH, a bit of PND I think, hope all is well for you!
xx
