This post will be long because I want to share my birth experience with you. If you don't want to know (it is TMI), skip to the bottom for pictures!If you've been following my blog, then you know that Brad and I have been hoping and planning for a "natural" birth (not just no C-section, but no epidural and ideally no artificial anything). You also know that lately we had been watching labs and blood pressure and swelling in case I ended up with pre-eclampsia... which I did. My mom had this, too, so when my blood pressure went high, my doctor/midwives all knew we were probably going to induce eventually. Although my labs had been great, pre-eclampsia apparently comes on like a freight train, and it's a train you want to get off safely with baby. The morning my OB got the labs, they called and said, "It's time to have a baby." What!? I wasn't due for two weeks and thought I had at least one more! I knew that my body was likely not ready to do labor without the works - cervical dilation and something to start contractions and keep them going.
Brad and I got to the hospital at 10:45am on Monday, January 18. Midwife Liane discussed with us the options for cervical dilation, one of which is mechanical, not medicinal. It's basically like a water balloon that they inflate once they insert it on the other side of the cervix, then the synthetic hormone pitocin makes contractions push the full balloon against the cervix, hopefully forcing it open and soft. We chose this option instead of a medicinal option, one of which has not been tested very thoroughly. Having pitocin already meant being hooked to an IV and having a heart rate and baby monitor on at all times.
The nurse started putting an IV heplock in my arm for the pitocin and any other needed items. I was trying to relax and breathe deeply to avoid a foggy head, but she had trouble getting the needle in. I had one medium bowl of cereal at 8 that morning, and by 10:45 would already have had something else to eat. My low blood sugar plus vein gouging caused me to start feeling woozy and sick. I started seeing stars and told the nurse I needed some juice. She sent Brad "ASAP" to get some and got the IV in. I started coming back when all of a sudden she told me she was putting me on IV fluids. I thought "What for? I'm coming back and just need some sugar." Plus, I requested no routine fluids in my birth plan. I was woozy enough that I didn't question her. Then, she was on her phone and one by one multiple nurses came in the room and started firing questions back and forth. In a matter of minutes, I was on oxygen, one nurse did a cervical exam (which according to our plan should not have been done by anyone but my doctor or midwife), one of them shaved me, and Liane came running in the room. Brad was getting out of their way, and I took the mask off, and said to him, "I have no idea what's going on." There was a calm, and then Liane explained that the baby's heart rate had dropped to a very low level but had come back just then. 7 more minutes, and I would have held Samuel in my arms after an emergency C-section.
Likely, this happened because I started fainting, and oxygen flow to the placenta momentarily dropped. In fact, Liane said the OB had the same thing happen with a patient the weekend before. It didn't matter; from that moment on, I was on careful watch. I could have nothing but water just in case.
So the pitocin started and the balloon was ready at 1:45pm on Monday afternoon. This would be like compressing the early and false labor stages from a couple of weeks into several hours (I think). We would wait until the balloon came out, and then we would be ready for active labor. Because my OB's office is awesome, and because my blood pressure was staying stable (Oh, I forgot to mention I had a cuff on monitoring the BP every 30 minutes, too.), and because Samuel's heart rate looked OK, they kept the pitocin on very minimal amounts. They also allowed me a popsicle. The contractions were mild, and the first part of labor lasted until 4:45am Tuesday morning. I had stayed in bed because of the balloon - and to rest. I knew I would need my strength. The balloon came out, and I was dilated to 4.5 cm.
They upped the pitocin (again, slightly and over time) to get everything moving along, and I got out of bed when the contractions started getting stronger. I was hooked to 5 different things, so I couldn't really go anywhere. I got on the exercise ball right next to the bed and was there practically all day. I had to unhook everything to go to the restroom. Every time I moved, the baby's heart rate monitor might pick up my monitor, and the nurse would come in, reposition the monitor, type notes in, and observe for a little bit. Finally, they put a pulse monitor on me as well. The contractions themselves were not terrible, I thought for most of the day. The bouyancy of the ball and being able to move my hips and back and deep breaths helped me take one at a time. AND, I really could not have done them without my coach, Brad. He did anything and everything to help me get through them. He was a verbal encourager, and he just kept working at all the relaxation techniques we had practiced. They got me through. Nothing besides the ball was comfortable to me because I had no energy. My legs were already jello. My arms had been holding the bed all day. Nothing besides moving on the ball really helped. I thought several times, "The Lord is my strength."
My idea of time during the labor is really warped; some things seemed really short but were hours long. The great thing was, induction was working. The few times I was checked, I had progressed until I was at 9cm. At this point, I was leaning on the bed any time the contraction(s) came (I had some triples), and rolling on the ball. I was having to breathe very strongly. My back started aching, and I started feeling distinct pressure in my pelvis. The nurse said to tell her when I started feeling this all the time. It was such a strong feeling, and it was very hard not to push. This was the most difficult thing about the whole experience - not pushing the baby down when my cervix wasn't ready. After a while, the sensation was stronger, but still not really constant. The nurse checked, and I still had some to go. She recommended getting in bed because she thought the ball must be inhibiting the baby's movement down. She was right. I spent grueling time in the bed trying so hard not to push. Sometimes, the urge overwhelmed me. A few times I conquered it and breathed through. Finally, I said, "I have to push NOW." They checked, and sure enough - we were ready!
I had no idea how much work the pushing was going to be once we got there. I had a couple popsicles, a glass of chicken broth, some jello, and 3 hours of sleep to work with. I had no energy left. Regardless, I had to push the baby out. So the nurse and Brad helped me through it, every time. I faded on the third round consistently, but they just kept telling me how good I was doing, and that kept me going. I remember at some point saying, "I'm tired." Duh. I was using a sheet tied to a squatting bar to leverage against for pushing. I was bearing down with everything in me - my voice, my neck, my back. They kept telling me how strong I was. Are you kidding? I'm so weak. Finally, Dr. Sebestyen was called in. The baby's head was crowned, and they brought a mirror. I smiled at his little hairs (he has hair!). I pushed stronger and harder and watched them pour olive oil on Samuel's crown to help ease my skin. During one push, they said, "OK, now just gentle pushes." I kept my eyes closed because I thought they were just trying to help the tear that was forming. All of a sudden, they said, "Here's your baby!" Oh, I cannot describe what I felt when I opened my eyes and saw him, so slimy and wonderful. They put him on my chest, and Brad and I just melted right there. He's here - he's here - we did it! Team Pete did it! Thank you God for out little boy! He hears!
Our time in the hospital was pretty good. The little man passed all of his tests, including feeding. He is an avid eater, and doctors and nurses have commented on his strength and his suck. We were ready to go home when we left Thursday.
Lots of special people have visited Samuel so far!
He's been having a lot of fun being on the outside:
He even slept in his big boy crib last night for the first time!
And got a bath today, 1 week old.
And my mom also threw a shower for us at our home. I think her gifts lie in event planning:
Once that mural was in, the nursery just looked ready for the little man - and Brad and I are ready for him to come, too! We have about 2 and a half weeks left until the due date, and we'll find out Tuesday if we're still looking at having to induce. I had to go to the doc unplanned on Thursday, and I had lost 7 POUNDS since Monday - all fluid from my legs!! And my blood pressure had lowered to 122/78. This is still not normal for me, but it shows the bed rest is working!! When I first put those compression hose on, I started crying. I hadn't slept well, and I was trying to get hose on with this huge belly, and I could only get them up half of my calf because of the swelling. I had Brad try to tug on them, too. They were pretty painful pressing on the fluid that first day. But when I took them off that night, Brad and I were impressed - my feet actually looked normal. The next morning, I was able to get the hose all the way to my knee (with some huffing and puffing). Now, the swelling is really being kept at bay. My legs still feel bruised, and I think I have some new varicose veins from all the swelling, but they feel SO much better than they did.
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