38w 2 days (1-28-08)
This is the night (Wednesday) before my induction. 38w 4d (1-30-08). Look at the huge difference in my "front" shots. I bet that if I wouldn't have been induced that I would have went into labor anyways...look how much G "dropped" in 2 days time!!!
So that last week of my pregnancy kind of went like this. I had an appointment on Monday 1-28-08 and I was still the "same" (2 cm dialated and soft, but still long and closed). So my doctor kid of "roughed" me up when he did my examine and told me he would see me at the hospital Thursday morning at 7AM. I went for my non stress est that afternoon and G looked fine and my blood pressure was fine too. The nurses "confirmed" that I was on the books for Thursday morning and they said "We'll see you then'!!
So the next 2 days (Tuesday & Wednesday) I had a little bit of mucousy discharge and a terrible backache. But I forged ahead and was a cooking and cleaning woman. I got article of clothing in the house laundered and I got every bed washed and remade and I finished up my freezer meals. I had a "weird" day on Wednesday and I actually thought I might be going into labor on my own...but I made it through the day and to the hospital on Thursday. My parents arrived at our house late Wednesday and we got everyone settled and finally got our selves to bed. Here is what happened the next day according to how I wrote my birth story:
We got up at 6AM on Thursday, January 31to get ready since we needed to be at the hospital by 7AM. We got there and there were several people in front of us at registration, but the line was moving fast and since I was already pre registered it only took about 3 minutes and we were in the elevator on the way to labor and delivery.
They got me in a bed and all hooked up and started my non stress test. Told me Dr. Lear would be in to put the prostaglandin gel in my cervix. He showed up about 8:00AM and checked me and I was still the same, about 2 to 3 cm and long and thick. He put the gel in and I had to lay down for ½ an hour. I asked him what the plan was after that and he said that if the gel is going to work it usually happens within 4 to 6 hours. He said it may or may not give me contractions. He also said it may just help thin me out. He would be back about noon to “check on me" and then he would decide whether or not I was gonna stay and have a baby!!! WTHeck...you mean I might still have a chance of leaving this hospital still pregnant!?!?! If that happened he said he would just bring me in next week and try again....at that point I was PRAYING for labor to start!!!
So after I laid there for ½ hour I got to get up and was told to walk the halls. While by the time the ½ was up I was feeling “something” so I was getting encouraged. My DH and I just walked and walked and walked. About once and hour they would stick me on the monitor for 15 minutes to check baby and I took a few bathroom breaks here and there....but other then that we walking fools!!! All during walking my “contractions/cramps” were coming fairly regular but they were not lasting long to me. So I was really unsure whether I was gonna get to stay or not!!!
At noon they put me back in bed because my dr was due, well you know doctors and he was late. I think he got there about 12:30PM or 12:45PM. He checked me and I was just 3cm, but I had thinned to 50 % effaced....so he said I was definitely in early labor and I was staying!!! HOORAY!!! So he broke my water and “roughed me up” and “stripped” my membranes. There was no turning back now...I was having this baby one way or another!!!
So laying in bed was torture for me and I told them I needed to get up as soon as possible because I really wanted to try and not get the epidural. So by 1PM I was back standing beside my bed (over tons of pads to catch my gunk) leaning on the birthing ball. Then it was like all the sudden my pain was HORRIBLE....my contractions were so hard (like reaching 70 on the monitor) and long!!! I looked at my DH and said....”I can’t do this…I need drugs....go tell them I want the epidural”!! My nurses came in and got me back in bed, to check me. I had dilated to 4cm and 80% effaced and they told me they were off to call Dr. Lear to see if I could get the epidural...in the mean time they would get my IV started so I could get my fluids in that I needed for the epi and to also start my antibiotics (I have mitral valve prolapse and need them for birth). The only problem with that was my swelling...you know all the swelling I have been battling for weeks...it was so bad and my veins are so deep that NOBODY could get an IV in me. I swear they poked me 12 times. During this time period (I don’t know exact times because I closed my eyes shortly after they put me in bed and I didn’t open them till G was out of me!!!) I all of the sudden felt tremendous pressure...down there. I knew exactly what it meant...I about cried, I about screamed, I about wept. I cautiously told DH...“go tell them I am feeling pressure.” My nurse checked me and it was what I feared...I was entering transition and there would be no epidural for me. My nurse confirmed my worst fears and said the words out loud...”your 7cm, it’s too late and you won’t be getting an epidural”.
Shortly after that or it might have been during it that one nurse got an IV in my hand and started my antibiotic (since I was already at 7cm and it was PRIORITY #1), but we shortly discovered that she had blown the vein and all that medicine was “pooled” in my wrist and it had swelled up to about 10 times it size.
So they needed to get a “professional” up to me to get me an IV. Shortly after that a man entered my room and said “Did you call anesthesiology?” My nurse said “no we called IV therapy” Well to make a long story short this dude got pissy with my nurse because she called the wrong number and started arguing with the nurse about which number sh SHOULD have called. My DH went off on the guy and was like “Can’t you see my wife is in pain and she has to have these antibiotic because of her heart so just shut up and do the darn IV”!!! Needless to say he wasn’t gentle... I was in the middle of horrendous contractions and he is man handling my arm and flicking me hard to get a vein to pop, but he did get it in and then left the room in a huff. Thankfully I don't really "remember" how rough he was...my mind was on something else at that moment!!!
So once that was in I was 9 cm, so they gave me like a drop or two (really I think later the nurse told me it was like 1/4 of a normal dose) of stadol to help me with the pain. And the next thing I know I am like “I need to push!!!” My nurse checks me and I am complete, but I have this little rim (I had it with L too) and she tells me to just start blowing through the contractions and she is gonna go call Dr. Lear. Well I blew through I think one contraction and then I said screw that and I just let my body do what it wanted to do..so near the end of each contraction I was just naturally letting my body bear down. But I wasn’t really pushing and that was so much better then trying to blow through those darn things.
My doctor showed up and said let’s see what’s going on down here and he “checked me” by pushing the rim away and telling me to give a "practice” push. He then says “OK I am going to go suit up and we are going to have a baby” The whole time I am thinking...are you crazy it’s going to be forever till this baby is born...he is huge and still not even engaged….I am going to be pushing FOREVER!!! I pushed for over an hour with L and finally need the vacuum to get him out. Well DH told me later that when he was watching the doctor's face when I gave my practice push and his eyes about bugged out because in that one “practice” push I brought the baby all the way down and he was ready to crown!!!
So the doc dresses in record time and with my next contraction I pushed one more time and G’s head came out and the doctor was like “I’m just gonna suction his mouth" and I said “No, I don’t think so...get him out...get him out”. Then one more push and he was out!!! He did not cry right away and I was freaking out and kept saying....”is he alright...is he alright” about a hundred times and then he started to wail!!!
My doctor placed him on my tummy and then the rest is (as they say) history!!!!!!!!! I did tear just a little so I got a few stitches. Then after they did all the stuff they needed to G him and I just spent and hour in the room cuddling and talking before they took him to the nursery and moved me to my room.
So that was my thrilling birth and even though I wanted the epi and knew that if I had got it I would not have regretted it I am so glad that I ended my birthing experiences just as I started them.
OK one more thing before I go....Tara Sroka Designs is having a CT call and you can find more info about it ::HERE:: Also click this ad and make it bigger to read all about it!!!
Have a great day folks....we are actually getting so snow today after it was like 50 degrees yesterday...screwy weather!!!
~~Later
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