LABOR BEGAN
Around 10:00a.m. Friday morning. I was having contractions about every 30 minutes throughout the day. The contractions began a little stronger around 6:00p.m., and were then about 15 minutes apart. Knowing that labor was imminent, we decided to head to bed early and try and get some rest before the big show began. We laid our heads down at 9:00p.m. and within 2 minutes I had my first “Oh wow, that was really excruciating!” contraction. The next one followed in 7 minutes and then they were 5 minutes apart very quickly. Keith helped me breathe through them and time them. I might add that he also let go of my hand after one particularly bad contraction and left the room. I asked where he was going. He returned with an apple in his hand and proceeded to tell me that he was having bad hunger pains! I wanted to rip his head off, but I also figured we were in real labor now so he might as well eat and get some energy. We waited the necessary 2 hours of contractions 5 minutes apart and left for the hospital.
TRIAGE
You are supposed to be monitored in triage for 1 hour and if you are having regular contractions 4-5 minutes apart for that entire hour, you are to be admitted to your room. At my first check I was 3cm. Well I was having regular contractions but the baby’s heart rate would dip somewhat during them. The doctor ordered an ultrasound, thinking that maybe my fluid level was low being that I was past term. We had the ultrasound, and my levels were fine, so I was back in triage to be observed. I remained in triage for 3 hours. During those 3 hours I wasn’t dilating. They wanted to send me home because I wasn’t “progressing” but decided to admit me because the baby wasn’t reacting well.
THE EPIDURAL
After laboring at 3-4cm for 7 hours and not making any progress, I was already exhausted and starting to lose focus breathing through the pain. Knowing that I had now been at 3-4cm for so long and had a long way to go, I opted for the epidural. It was wonderful. The pain of the contractions was gone, but I could still wiggle my toes and even shift my legs a bit.
THE PITOCIN
Initially, when I had gone into labor naturally, I was relieved that I wasn’t going to have to be induced with Pitocin as planned for the following Monday. After being at 3 cm for 4 hours though, the doctor made the decision to start me on Pitocin to get me dilating. About 20 minutes after being on the Pitocin, the nurse checked me. She said I was at 4cm but that I was bleeding more than normal. She said it wasn’t an amount to make her panic, but that my bleeding would be watched closely. She also then informed me that the doctor would be coming in to break my water and hopefully help speed things up. After about 45 minutes on the Pitocin, a monitor set off an alarm and the nurse came running in. The baby’s heart rate had dropped dramatically. The nurse put an oxygen mask on me and had me change positions. The stopped the Pitocin immediately and the baby’s heart rate recovered. Not long after, the doctor came in and broke my water. He said that due to the bleeding and the baby’s stress, that if it happened again, a c-section would be my best option. He also ordered that the Pitocin be turned on again.
When I heard the word’s c-section thrown out, I was devastated. I never, in a million years thought I would have anything but a normal vaginal delivery complete with episiotomy and everything. It was what I had been mentally preparing myself for for nine months! Of course, I was crying at that point, but Keith was by my side encouraging me and letting me know it would all be okay. He later confessed to me that at that moment, he had never been more scared in his life. He said it took everything he had in him not to start crying with me.
After an hour or two the Pitocin was turned back on to a level 4 (It is considered normal to give up to a dose of 40.) I don’t remember how long it had been at this point, but again, the baby’s heart rate dropped and all the alarms went off and the nurse came in and was screaming for the RN and oxygen was put on me and the Pitocin was turned off. Needless to say it was the scariest moment either Keith or I have ever experienced.
The baby’s heart rate went back up again as soon as the Pitocin was turned off. At that point, Keith and I made the decision that we would not have it turned back on. At this point, I was dilated 7cm. After awhile, the doctor told the nurse to turn the Pitocin on a level 1, but I said no. I wanted to allow my body to dilate on its own. Another hour or two went by and I was at 9cm. I was starting to feel the heavy pressure down below and Keith and I were talking about our options. Even without the Pitocin, the baby wasn’t tolerating the contractions very well. Keith and I began to wonder if a c-section was a better option. We were worried that if the baby couldn’t handle these contractions very well, what was going to happen when it entered the birth canal. At this point, we were only concerned with getting the baby out as safe as possible. I was feeling the pressure and afraid to wait to make the decision. The doctor monitored the baby for the next 30 minutes and the decision was made to have a c-section.
THE C-SECTION
Luckily, once the decision was made, things were set into motion quickly. I had already been given my epidural, so the anesthesiologist only had to adjust the dosage. Due to the epidural, I already had a catheter in place so that too was already done. I was strapped down to the operating table and before I knew it they had already begun. Keith was brought in to sit beside me and hold my hand. I felt a ton of pressure, tugging and pulling- but not pain. It was more uncomfortable. Keith held my hand and watched the whole operation from around the curtain. After only a few moments, he saw something amazing. The baby’s hand reached up out of my abdomen. Keith saw our child’s hand reach out from inside me. Next thing I know, I feel a ton of pressure and then everyone shouting something. I couldn’t quite understand until Keith looked at me and told me “It’s a girl!” I couldn’t believe it. A girl! He left my side to be with our baby. He told me how beautiful she was and stayed with her until the wrapped her up and brought her over to me so I could give her a kiss. They gave her to Keith and they left the room so I could get closed up. The next 15 minutes of the closing of the operation were horrible. I felt robbed of my birth experience. I didn’t get to hold my baby and have the moment of looking into each other’s eyes. I was thankful however that she had her daddy holding her instead. Scarlett Jordan was 7 pounds 10 ounces, 19 3/4 inches long and born at 9:54p.m. (The exact time her mommy was born too!)
THE RECOVERY
The next few hours were a total blur. I was doped up on Demerol, Morphine, Ibuprofen, and Vicadin. Somebody came into the room to either poke or prod me and the baby every thirty minutes. Over the next 3 ½ days, I got a whopping 6 total hours of sleep.
Keith was amazing. He stayed in the hospital with me the entire time changing every diaper and even helping me to walk and go to the bathroom. That is true love! I can honestly say that when my baby was born, I fell in love twice. I fell in love with my baby, and fell in love with my husband all over again.
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