On Wednesday, July 6 we had our 40 week doctor's appointment. According to my midwife, my blood pressure was a little elevated and I looked puffy. My midwife was concerned so she wanted to refer me downstairs to labor and delivery. I was wheeled down there (I wasn't even allowed to walk!) at about 4:30 or so. I was checked out by the doctor on call and he decided to admit me and induce labor based on my blood pressure and the fact that we were 40 weeks, 2 days. I was only about a "loose 1" centimeter dilated and about 50% effaced. I got hooked up to pitocin, the fetal heart monitor, the contraction monitor and the blood pressure cuff. This is where the fun began...
Pitocin can be increased to 20 milliunits/minute and that's exactly what I got. The contractions started coming stronger than ever, but so far it was managable. We were supposed to sleep but there was no way I was falling asleep now. I also tested GBS positive during pregnancy so I had to get antibiotics during delivery, which they started at this time. I ended up having an allergic reaction to it so they stopped that one. About 8 hours into the pitocin, I elected to get a dose of Stadol thinking it was a better option than the epidural at this point in time. It was awful. It basically made me feel drunk. It didn't stop the pain, it just made me less aware of it until right when the contraction was bad. There was no way for me to relax or prepare for the contractions! I believe I was still right around 3 centimeters at this time.
The doctor was worried about me because my blood pressure was staying high so he ended up hooking me up to magnesium sulfate. Yuck! It basically makes you feel like your veins are on fire. It was no fun!! Our doula, Jade got there and was an amazing help. She made me feel so relaxed, but it was getting to the point where I was exhausted, starving and just plain done. My body was wearing down. About 10-11 hours later I elected to get the epidural. My pain was becoming pretty bad (the pitocin was now up to 30 mu/min!) and I was still only about a 4 or 5. At this point in time the epidural was the best thing to ever happen to me. After 19 hours on pitocin induced labor I was hurting bad and I guess I needed that extra bit of help. (If you fight the contractions too much the pitocin could become less effective at dialating you, and because I hadn't slept or eaten in almost 24 hours I needed to relax!) The epidural helped me jump to a 7 and 100% effaced. It took me about 5 more hours to get to a 8/9. By this time the pitocin was becoming ineffective. The epidural was wearing off, so they increased it to try to get me to completion. The worst part was about now when I felt like I needed to push. My body was ready but my cervix was not. I could NOT get from a 9 to a 10. Imagine being told not to push for 3 hours. THREE HOURS! It was awful. Honestly that was probably the worst part about my labor! After 3 hours I was starting to swell, which is very bad. They ended up taking me for an emergency c-section after about 29 hours of labor. For a moment I felt like a failure. There is honestly nothing I could have done differently, but after so long of wanting and preparing something and it was all changed. My birth plan was shot to heck. BUT in the end a healthy baby, healthy mom is the goal of Bradley Method and that is what we had :)
At 2239 on July 7, 2011 our beautiful baby boy was born. All I was able to hear was his cry, but oh what an amazing sound. DH went over to the nurses to watch while they cleaned him up. When they brought him to me to kiss and snuggle... I fell in love with him instantly. Oh and I about lost it when they told me his weight. 9 pounds, 6 ounces. 22 inches long. Are you kidding me??? He is definitely a hoss.
The best feeling in the world is holding him in my arms. After 9 1/2 long months he is finally here. He is perfect in every way. He looks just like his daddy, but has my nose. :)
Christopher Aaron
July 7. 2011 2239
9lb, 6 oz 22 inches
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