As I said in a previous post, at my 38 week appointment I found out I was at 4-ish cm and 75%-ish effaced. At week 39, nothing had changed. At my 40 week appointment, I had progressed a little to definitely a 4, with some coaxing up to a 5 and about 80%. My Dr said she was pretty sure I wouldn't be back the next week for my 41 week appointment.
So my due date came, and went, and no baby. The next day, on July 1st, nothing was going on in the morning. David and I ran a few errands and I found out that my friend Rebecca, due that day, had had her baby that morning. I was happy for her and then totally jealous. I was due first! :) So that afternoon I decided I needed to try harder. It was a gorgeous day, so David and I planned a long, long walk. We would walk to Raina and Emile's, then up to Jamba Juice and finally home. The whole walk would be like 7 miles or something. It was just over 3 miles to Raina and Emile's.
On the walk over to Raina and Emile's I started to feel some contractions, and they were actually starting to get painful. We stayed at Raina's for a while and while there, the contractions kept coming, still uncomfortable and fairly regular. I thought that I would be okay to walk home, but after a while realized that that wasn't a possibility. We had to get Raina to give us a ride home. So much for Jamba.
Once home, I decided to lay down and drink some water to see if the contractions would settle down or stop. They didn't. I called my mom to double check what real contractions should feel like, since I had soo many Braxton Hicks ones throughout the pregnancy. My contractions never spread around my back--just centered down low like horrible menstrual cramps. After describing what I was feeling to mom, she pretty much ordered me to get to the hospital. I called Labor and Delivery and told a nurse my symptoms. She at first said that I could come in, or wait a little longer at home. When I told her how progressed I was at my appointment the day before she changed her tune and said to come in right now. David and I grabbed all of our stuff, and headed to the hospital.
When we arrived we got situated in the room and they took my blood pressure, checked me, etc. I hadn't really progressed any from the day before, but they could tell I was having contractions and I knew they hurt. They decided to monitor me for a while, and they were worried because my blood pressure was really high when I first arrived. So I got to stay on the bed for a while--not so fun. After a while they told me I could walk around, just to be back about 7:00 to see if I had progressed anymore.
We headed down to the Cafeteria to get some food in me before they didn't let me eat anymore. I didn't have much of an appetite, but forced myself to eat half a sandwich. While there the contractions will still coming and still painful. I told David that they could not let me go home tonight. I was in too much pain. We had to do whatever we could to make them keep me--I was having this baby tonight.
Back to the room, more waiting for them to come and check me again. When they finally arrived, I had progressed a little but not much. By this time it is close to 8:00, and the resident who checked me listened to what I wanted (to have this baby tonight) and said she and the rest of my "crew" would pow-wow and figure out what to do. Since I was already to term, they had no problems helping things along.
Well a little later I received an IV, I got hooked up on Pitocin, and I found out that I was finally, formally, admitted to the hospital. I told my doctor(s) that I wanted an epidural, but I wanted to get myself to 6 cm before I got it--less time with the epidural in (less chance of it wearing off). I loved the way they listened to my wishes during the whole process. I really felt like I was in control. So the Anesthesiologist came in and talked about the epidural, and I gave my whole heart consent to it, etc. About this time my awesome sister-in-law, Shonda, showed up to take labor and delivery photos. After a while (sorry, timing it fuzzy here) they came back in and checked me and I was definitely progressed to my 6 cm. Epidural time! David helped me focus and the nurse and doctor gave me warm blankets because I was freezing and shivering. By midnight the epidural was in and it was time to lay back and wait and "relax".
Well, I got to do all of that but relax. The epidural didn't take effect! I could still feel the contractions and they hurt! I was told to wait a while because sometimes it can take an hour to be fully effective. Nope! An hour came and went and then some more time went by. At 2 the doctors came in and checked me again and I was at an 8. The broke my water then. The anesthesiologist came in and gave me a heavier dose of medicine. That did the trick, mostly. I could still feel the contractions a little bit in one spot of the my right sides, but I was okay with that because it was the only indication i was still having them (I didn't even feel the "pressure" the nurses kept talking about). But it was enough to let me relax a bit. By this time it was 3 and I was finally able to rest, not sleep, but rest while David and Shonda got a little sleep. At 4 they came in again and I was fully dilated, effaced and Eli was already at +2 station. Time to start pushing! We did some preliminary pushes to see how I did and the nurse decided that I would need some coaching for timing and breathing. She started and then David took over as my coach. He was the best coach I could have asked for. They brought in a mirror so I could watch the whole thing.
I started pushing for real at about 4:20. And an hour and 40 minutes later Eli was born at 6:02 am July 2, 2011. 7 pounds 11 ounces and 20.25 inches long of pure joy and heaven.
People are surprised with how long I had to push, but it didn't bother me. Since I didn't labor for hours and hours getting to a 4 or 5 like a lot of people do, I did that without any labor at all, I wasn't thoroughly exhausted. When he finally came out I was glad I was done pushing, but I still felt like I could have pushed longer if I had needed to. Also, my contractions stayed fairly spaced out all through pushing, which added time since I had to wait for them. But now I have my little angel boy and I couldn't believe how quickly I fell in love with him!
Just a note about my "crew" and mentioned. Since I delivered at OHSU, a teaching hospital, I had an entourage. When I first arrived I was seen by a family medicine Dr from England who was doing a rotation in Labor and Delivery, as well as a resident. She ended up leaving later but I had that resident and another one actually deliver Eli, with an "official" OB observing, plus a 3rd year med student observing, and 2 nurses. Then with David and Shonda it was a packed room.
I surprised myself with how I handled labor and delivery. I was in a good spirits the whole time--smiling most of the time. Just once David tried to comfort me and I pushed his hand away because I didn't want to be touched, and then 5 minutes later I grabbed his hand back. But right at the end of pushing my blood pressure cuff went off, between contractions, and all I could do was laugh and say "really?!". Of all things, that was just one more and it just made me laugh, if you can believe it. I also didn't think I would want the mirror, and I did. I looked at my placenta (sorry if that is TMI), and I felt his head before he had fully crowned. All things I didn't think I would do, but in the moment I wanted to and I'm glad I did.
Anyway, long story and all most people want is the next part anyway. Enjoy!
2 comments:
What a great story! I am so excited to see him and you on Tuesday!!!
Thanks for sharing your story! That's lame your epidural didn't work for a while. I was worried as I read that it didn't work at all, but whew! I'm glad for you that it did :)
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