So I was induced for mild pre-eclampsia at 39 weeks.
The induction was supposed to start at 7am on the 31st but was held off until 11:30. I arrived at the hospital and was admitted and the iv was placed. I was checked out by a midwife an hour later and was only 1-2cm 50% effaced so we chose to insert a foley bulb to ripen my cervix (water balloon placed on my cervix and it falls out at 4cm) but all hell broke lose on the delivery floor and it wasn't inserted until 4pm.
As soon as the bulb was in place, the contractions really started to hurt but since it takes anywhere up to 12 hours for the bulb to fall out, they let me walk around and eat something. About 45 minutes into the induction, I was in extreme pain so the nurse gave me phentenol to take the edge off and it worked. I spent the next three hours very happy. I went to the bathroom around 7 and the bulb fell out. The pitocin was started and I was able to last another 4 hours before I asked to get the epidural. I really didn't need it at that point but it was 11pm and I wanted to sleep.
The epidural was administered and the only horrible part was the numbing cream going in. After that, it wasn't bad. Right after the epidural, the doctor checked me, I was at 5cm and he broke my water. I was able to doze during the night until 3 when I woke up in pain again. I was given another dose of meds through the epidural and slept the rest of the night. In the morning I had only progressed another centimeter. The pain came back and had to ask for another dose of meds.
Finally at 10 in the morning, the doctor checked at told me I was close to 9cm and had two hours to get to 10cm before we discussed any options. At that point, I wanted to be done and anything sounded good. Thankfully two hours later, I was fully dilated. I had to wait another hour and a half to start pushing.
I pushed for 2 hours and 7 minutes. It was tiring but it felt better than doing nothing during a contraction. All but 5 minutes of this was trying to get his head out. I had to have an epiesotomy but I didn't feel it over the "ring of fire" of his head crowning. As soon as his head was out, I had one push and the rest of him came out. Two minutes later, the placenta just fell out.
He was placed on top of me and I was so relieved to be done with labor and to have my son. Everything I went through in the 24 hour labor was forgotten the moment he was placed in my arms.
So far so good, I seem to have a very content baby. The first night I slept 4 hours in one stretch, he has taken to breastfeeding and my milk has come in. Last night I got to sleep inbetween feedings. I only hope this continues. My mom flies out here in three days and she cannot wait to meet her first grandchild.
xxx
