Well, it has been a hectic couple weeks now that I have been home with Baby C and LJ and Hubby has been working since we came home. LJ has been coping pretty well for the most part, though I know that many of his tantrums and defiance is because of this huge change in his life, known as a little sister. So, though I know it is taking some time to get this written, here is Baby C's birth story.
As you may remember in past posts, I was in a stalled labor since 37 weeks. At 37 weeks, contractions started every 2-3 minutes, with decent intensity. At that time we went in to the hospital at we were checked. I was 2 cms and maybe 70% thinned. After walking around for about an hour I moved to 3-4 cms and thinned the same. I then stayed like that all night (once I was progressing, they let me stay thinking I would deliver that night). In the morning I was sent home since things stalled out. We figured after some sleep I would maybe start back in to a good labor pattern and deliver that next day. Well, things stayed like that for weeks. On the last day of January I called the doctor as Baby had started to move a little less, though I would feel her give a few good movements one a day or so. Also, I was due in two days and we had a big storm with ice and snow heading our way that was going to last two to three days. If Baby C picked her due date or even one day before or after, we might not get to the hospital due to the weather.
After LJ's labor and delivery I was scared to not be at the hospital for Baby C's birth. LJ came really fast (2 hours of labor) and the cord was tight around his neck to the point of needing it cut before he could be fully delivered. If anything like that happened this time... I didn't want to think of what might happen. The doctors had even said that it would have been very bad if LJ tried to be born on the side of the road. He would not have survived. I didn't want to take that kind of risk. I called and said I wanted to be checked out and discuss induction. This was Monday morning and I had my regular appointment scheduled for Thursday that week. I was called back by the OB nurser and told that they could hook me up and monitor movements but I would have to wait until my regular appt to talk induction. That would be at the tail end of this bad storm and after her due date. I had been in stalled labor with contractions for three weeks! I hit my limit and after talking to the OB nurse and getting that kind of news, I called Hubby and broke down.
Hubby told me not to worry and try not to think about it too much. Things would work out and all that jazz. He did feel the same way I did, but he didn't want me to stress any more than I have been for the last three weeks. I tried my best to just let the rest of the day go by and be with LJ. When LJ went down for his nap, I took one as well since I was just getting so exhausted from all of this.
Around 2 pm the phone rand, waking me up a bit from my nap. It was my doctor's office. The lady on the phone told me that I was scheduled for induction the next day (Feb. 1) at 5 am. It took me a moment, I had no idea what was going on. They told me just earlier that morning I had to wait to talk about induction or anything like that. She then went on to say that she had already called and talk to my husband. I was thinking, "wait, why would you have called him and everything about this?" It didn't make much sense to me. So, I got all of my instructions for the next morning and thanked her. I think she could tell I was completely caught off guard.
After talking with the nurse or whoever that was, I called Hubby. It was then that I found out that earlier, around lunch time, he had called my doctor's office about this whole thing. He told them that they needed to come up with something and when they said a nurse would call him back, he said, "no I am talking to a doctor, not a nurse." He then talked to one of my docs who looked over my file and all before calling him back. She said that we totally had a case for induction and all kinds of things. She was so easy to talk to and accommodating where as the nurse was not. Really, I have a feeling that if I would have talked to a doc in the morning, things would have gone better.
So, we tried our best to get some sleep after getting everything ready for the next morning. LJ went over to his mom-mom's house for the night since we would have to be at the hospital at 5 am, meaning leaving the house no later than 4. I knew that I could not eat anything after midnight, so I made sure take some food to bed with me and eat a little before midnight so I would have the energy I knew I would need for the next day. For about two weeks or so I couldn't really eat too much without getting sick, but I could eat peanut butter and honey sandwiches. Earlier that day we had run out of bread but I wanted some PB&H, so I mixed them together in a small bowl and ate it with a spoon. Man was it yummy! That ended up being what I took to bed that night as well.
We got up and were able to get our of the house by 330 and got up there in like record time, even though the snow had already started to come down. When we got to the hospital, we tried to go back to get induced and found out that there were no beds. They were filled up and tried to call us to tell us not to come when we did, but no one was home when they called. We had to wait in the waiting room until they would have a bed for me. The hospital I go to gets very busy, but it is an awesome hospital to go to. Around 6 or so we got back in to a room and they started my IV. It was not until about 8 or so that they started my pitocin (we had to wait during a shift change and my doctor was able to check me).
They started my pitocin and I just loved the way the one nurse described it to me. She told me that it would be like "being hit by a Mack truck." Well, dude, my first labor was like being hit by a Mack truck! I knew I would be in for a "fun" time. I knew from LJ's delivery that I could go natural, and I wanted to go for as long as possible with no added drugs. Of course, anesthesia did come in and talk to me in case I needed a section or wanted an epidural.
Well, things progressed rapidly. My contraction were getting stronger, but I was breathing through them nicely. Around 1030 my doctor checked me again and I was now 6 cms and almost completely thinned out. I had Hubby text both moms to let them know where we stood. It wasn't long before things started moving more and the nurse had the pit stop increasing until we saw how things went at the dose I was currently at (I think it was 6.0 units).
On a side note, one main reason we went to this hospital was so my Aunt who is a Delivery nurse could be there. This is her hospital and she lives mere minutes away. As it came to pass, Tuesday was one of her days at work. She did not want to be my nurse, but more of a support person for me.
Shortly after 1030 my nurse let me know that she was going to be in another room with a pushing mom, but she would be back as soon as she could be. For the interim, I was getting another nurse: my aunt. :) I wanted to get on the birthing ball to ease some of the discomfort and help things move nicely. Well, this is then where I stayed for some time. Once on the ball, my contractions really kicked in and I was humming and toning with every contraction. My aunt was doing her best to keep my one monitor on Baby C's heartbeat as being on the ball made things move around that we kept losing her tracking. Also, she was moving down farther causing us to lose her tracking as well.
At 1108 I was on the ball doing all I could to not push and my water broke. Contractions were coming right on top of each other and moving was the last thing on my mind. I had to get in to the bed so that my doctor could check me. With things as they were, (I knew she was moments from being born) moving of my own volition was not quite an option. It ended up that Hubby and my aunt basically lifted me in to bed so that the doctor could check me. It was then that I also got some O2 to help with Baby's heartbeat and make sure she was getting the oxygen she needed through all of this. Panting through contractions is not fun when all you want to do is push.
Doc came to check me and as Hubby puts it, he didn't even really get to the first knuckle. She was right there and ready to be born. He suited up while I panted and did some slight pushing. They did not have to tell me twice to push. I gave two long pushes and I knew she was almost there, but I needed to rest. They tried to have me push one more time, but I said no and rested and got my breath. When the next contraction came on, I pushed and her head was out. Again, her cord was around the neck and needed to be cut before she could be delivered completely. Then I pushed just enough to get the rest of her body out. Really, that was just a total of three pushes.
Baby C was born at 1120 Feb. 1st after being induced just a couple hours earlier. She was great. They did a quick check of her and cleaned off a little bit of the fluids and such and she was able to be put on my chest.I had made sure to tell my nurse that I wanted her on my chest and to try to get her to eat as soon as possible. This time that could actually happen. I was thrilled. With all of the hormones racing through my body, I was high from the experience. I was sort of laughing uncontrollably for a while afterwards.
Baby C began to eat within a half an hour or so after she was born. I was so thrilled that she latched on with relative ease. After all that I went through with LJ and the problems getting a good latch and such, I worried that she would have a problem latching.
Baby C was able to stay with us the entire time we were in the delivery room, which ended up being quite a few hours as they were now also full upstairs, but had moms leaving, so I waited for a room upstairs to be ready. Hubby, Baby C and I just enjoyed our time together. After a little bit, my parents and younger sister came up to visit. We were still in the delivery room when they arrived. Everyone ate up time with Baby C. She was so precious and everything. She even ate once or twice more before we went upstairs. This made me thrilled even more so.
While this may not have been as fast as my first delivery, it sure did move quickly, and of course it wouldn't be as fast as I was induced to help move things along. I am so happy to have fast deliveries really. It is much easier to go without the pain meds when things move fast. I didn't have a chance to get meds, both times. Yes, I did need two stitches, but really, that isn't bad in my book. When things move as fast as they do for me, I think it helps things after delivery. I felt really good. As intense as things were, I was tired, but not utterly exhausted like I could have been. I am beyond thrilled with the outcome of my birth story (delivery).
My Baby C, though a Diva in the womb, is an angel now. I am so glad I have been able to take the time and write up this birth story. I may have been induced, but it was still such a positive experience. I wish more moms could have the positive experience with pitocin as I did. I know many others can feel badly towards pit after they have negative experiences with it.
Well, now I am just rambling on and getting off topic. I know that this was a long post and if you have stuck with me through it, thank you. :)
Until next time... Happy Living!
