OK...so it finally happened! I'm so excited to finally be able to type up this long anticipated told and retold story about my birthing experience.
Well after I totally made that post about being so frustrated with waiting for the baby to come and how depressed I was that I was given a inducement date. That just made things so real, that perhaps he wasn't really coming on his own.
The next day...was Thursday the 16th. I woke up around the time my hubby wakes up for work (6:30 am) with some strong braxton hicks so called similar PMS cramping. Now I had BH cramping everyday for about a week (they were strong and quite regular, every 20-40 minutes for a week). I had just seen my OB on Tuesday and despite my claims of strong BH, I was only 90% effaced and 1 good cm still. I made that frustrated post, since at that appointment my OB stated my uterus wasn't 'favorable' and set my induction date for next Thurs 6/23.
Well--back to Thursday morning. I woke up with pains but not 'unbearable'. I went pee- simply because my BH would usually let up if I-- A. Peed or B. Eat/Drink. After peeing I felt better and got back into bed. But the pain was still annoyingly there. I wanted to complain to my hubby but I kept it to myself as he would try to stay home from work in anticipation. And I didn't want him to waste time off for BH. I kept quiet.
Shortly after he left-- I had a BH that made me grab my headboard. It was really strong. I had another one after that when I tried to get up and ended up leaning over my dresser clutching my stomach. I decided to get up and walk around and bounce on my birthing ball. I noticed that pain got worse and it was in a pattern. I would have to get off my birthing ball and sort of clutch the couch or table. I went back and forth in my mind wether or not I should call my hubby. Finally I decided to call him because the pain was worth him riding the hour back home (yikes!). Hubby was really receptive and could tell that something was not right with me, he came back home. While waiting for him, I spoke to one of my best friends, and we concluded that I was indeed really in labor! I got really excited and really nervous.
When hubby came home I had consistent contractions about 10 minutes apart for 2 hours. I called my doctor and she wanted me to go in to L&D ward. I got really excited and so did my hubby. The pain was pretty bad about a 5 on a scale of 1-10. When we got there, I got hooked up to the fetal monitoring and they checked me for dilation. A mere 2 cm. But at least I was indeed in early labor! I couldn't be admitted just yet, the nurse asked me to walk around for an hour to see if things progressed. Hubby and I walked around for an hour and then came back once my contractions reached about 5-7 minutes apart. I was so excited yet in a lot of pain--I'd say it moved to a 6 at this point.
We got hooked back up to the machine...and waited. My 5-7 minute contractions died down to a mere 10 minute apart contraction. I looked at the clock and an hour had passed and no Dr had came back to see us. Finally an hour and few minutes later...the Dr comes back to check. Still only 2 cm, no progress made. My hormones were racing naturally--and I was so upset. Dr. discharged us and told me come back when the contractions were 3-4 minutes apart for 2 hours or as long as you can stand it. This is my first time hearing this vs. the usual 5 minutes apart, lasting one minute long and for one hour. I took the instructions and cried to my husband about how I was going to possibly last with the painful contractions...creeping up to a 6 on the pain scale by this point. Dr. told me to take tylenol. Hmph. Male doctor...that was like a slap in my face to anyone in labor. Take a tylenol. ^%^$^$#%@%$^!!!
Anywho...we went back home around 1 pm. I labored. And labored. My contractions were getting more painful and lasting much longer, but never moved passed the 8-10 minute mark. My hubby would just follow me around my house--when I had a contraction I'd drop down to my knees and rock, with him behind me. He'd say things like "It's gonna be over soon-- it can't last forever" "Ride the wave"...and as cheesy as it was, it really REALLY helped me to hear that. Sometimes he wouldn't say, or he'd spend time breathing with me which also helped alot. Sort of distracted me to try to match his breathing.
My hubby's parents happened to arrive and by that point I was having horrible pains. A good 7-8 on pain scale. I didn't want to be around them, or anyone else and was having so much trouble dealing with the long contractions.
Around 9 pm I had reached my max. I had called several women I knew to confirm that I was indeed feeling normal things. I had started having really bad chills, and my contractions were lasting minutes. But still--my contractions were only 7-8 minutes apart. I told my husband to pack it up--because I couldnt deal with it any longer. The best way for me to explain my contractions...were just painful all over body experiences. When people said you would really know when you were having contractions...I totally understand now!
So we packed it up and headed back to our hospital. Longest 20 minutes in my life! I coached my husband to just tell the front desk that my contractions were 5 minutes apart. I needed help!
When we got to the hospital my pain was at hard 8!! The staff knew I was in the real deal from when they saw me earliar. They immediatlely got us to a room and checked me for dilation. I was almost 5 cm!! I couldn't believe it! I was so glad I had went in when I did because God knows where I would have been waiting around at home for contractions that were 3-4 minutes apart of hours!
Around 11-12 pm they got us admitted, hooked up to the machine and offered my epidural. They gave me 'nubane' (spelling?) in a drip. That drug was horrible. It made me feel very woozy and drunk. But I could still feel my contractions and it was all very distracting. When I got my epidural it was the first time I was away from my hubby and I had contractions while they were prepping me. The nurse asked me to hold on to her and use my breathing techniques to get through them. I shouted "OW OW OW THIS HURTS THIS HURTS IT HURTTSSS". She said 'Remember your breathing techniques' and I snapped at her 'THIS IS MY BREATHING TECHNIQUE!!'
After the epidural things had definitely settled down. I was checked again at 1 am and was a full 5 cm. Nurse said she would come back in a few hours to check me. My hubby passed out on a cot, and bless his heart he had been up all day with me and also hadn't eaten. I tried to rest, but the wooziness of the nubane drug and the anxiety of my labor kept me tossing and turning. The nurse came back at 5 am and checked me...she said I was 9 cm! She said we were just waiting for my water bag to break and then we'll be delivering the baby! I was so excited! I had heard alot about how epdiruals slow down your labor but luckily mines kept trucking!
An hour later she came back at 6 am--and stated my water bag still hadn't broken although it was bulging like a overfilled balloon. She said once it broke, the baby could start coming down the birth canal and we could deliver at 8 am. Long story short--my water never broke on it's own. The nurse tried to break it when she checked me, and told me it was water bag of titan. We had to wait for the doctor to come and use the hook. So that took forever--I mean hours later the doctor strolled in and popped it. She said there was meconium in the fluid--which meant my late coming but impatient child already took his first poo. Ugh. They had to get respirortay team in the room when I delivered due to the fact that he could ingest it and need help breathing.
Around 11 am we started our practice pushes. My hubby held one side of my leg while the nurse held the other and we practiced pushing baby down the birth canal. That was exhausting. We took mini breaks and watched price is right in between. I'll never forget that. Finally after an hour of practice around 12 the doctor came with respiratory team and we were all ready for showtime.
The emotions going through my head were completely crazy. I was excited, scared, anxious and overwhelmed all at the same time. I couldn't believe what I was just about to do. I started feeling my body pushing naturally and went with the flow. We tried a new pushing position where I grabbed my own legs. I realized then---that I could feel my leg. I could feel my leg. Which meant I could feel other things. The doctor stretching me out and the baby's head decsending. I started freaking out. The nurse could tell the epidural was running out because she tried to convince me it truly was a good thing, now that I easily push. I mentally went nuts--but had to remain calm. I mean what could I do--I thought to myself. Close my legs and suck baby back up for a few more days?? The baby was coming out and my epidural was running out and I would probably feel pain. But there was no turning back.
Doctor made me push a few times and she said the baby was sort of sliding back up behind my pelvic bone. They used the vacuum on me. The suction wouldn't stick because my baby had so much hair! So I kept hearing and feeling the suction break, and it would freak me out. Finally once the baby had been pushed past my pelvic bone the doctor told me to give it all I had. I pushed and low and behold I felt the head pop out (literally pop out) and then the body came and the doctor flipped him around.
I looked at this purple/blue big headed full of hair baby screaming bloody murder with his long fingers all over his face.
I started screaming and crying. My husband thought I was still in more pain. But I started screaming 'Omg--that's MY baby' 'I just had MY baby' 'He's MINE!'. I couldn't take my eyes off him. The whole time he was being cleaned and warmed by the on call team. The doctor pulled my placenta out and sewed me up. By that point I could feel down there and it was painful. It was more painful because it took 20 minutes and I couldn't hold or touch my baby until she was finished. I could barely see him while they were cleaning him and I became so overwhelmed with our bond being missed I started crying out of sadness. They provided me with stupid nubane again. THEN--they brought him over, but the drunk feeling that drug gave me wouldn't allow me to hold my baby correctly. I kept telling my hubby to take him because I couldn't hold him or focus. I was really upset.
After we got to our recovery room--and things got settled, my hormones changed again. I became elated after the nubane wore off. I was mentally sane and over joyous. I spent hours calling family and friends and telling the story and how happy I was. I kept asked the nursery team when I could see him since it had been a few hours since the delivery. They explained he was a little cold and needed to get his body tempature back up to par. I waited patiently.
Finally they brought him in. He was swaddled like a burrito and I was so googly eyed and in love with him. I stared at his face and cuddled with him. I started breastfeeding right away and even though it hurt I felt so bonded with him.
Things were great at the hospital...it wasn't until we left home...where I realized what a major impact this baby created in our life....
The first few weeks...
