On March 24th I went to my regular OB appointment for a non-stress test. The doctor decided that because a few red flags were raised for me having pre-eclampsia that he would strip my membranes and then induce me the next morning. I was 3cm dilated after that so it was very exciting. So I call into work and tell them I will not be returning for three months and go home to take a walk, eat spicy food and have sex to get things going. Well none of this worked and so after a very, very long sleepless night we went to the hospital at 7:00am on March 25th. About 8:00am they started the pitocin through an IV to start the contractions. They also hooked me up to a fetal heart monitor and a monitor for the contractions. Every twenty minutes the nurse was in to check my blood pressure and pulse. At noon the doctor broke my waters to help me progress even more and said if things kept progressing as they were I’d be holding my baby by 10:00pm! So all morning and part of the afternoon I had contractions but they weren’t bad. The worst part was that the baby’s head was acting as a cork so each time I moved anywhere water and blood would leak. Chelsey and I did cross-word puzzles and word searches and scrabble to entertain ourselves.
They then moved me into the large labor and delivery room that afternoon as the contractions were getting stronger. We continued on playing games as the contractions got stronger and Chelsey helped me with my breathing. Make as much fun a Lamaze as you want movies, but it does help! I even listened to some relaxing music, Beethoven to be exact. The really strong contractions started about 5:00-6:00pm and I tried out a lot of positions including sitting on a very cozy birthing ball. By this time I was so hungry because I was not allowed food and when the nurse suggested I order something to keep in the fridge for after the birth. Looking at the food menu distracted me for a few contractions. The pitocin had been upped every 20 minutes and then stopped for a while as my contractions looked regular and strong, but then they started fizzling out so they kept upping the dosage again. By this time I was in serious labor and could not entertain myself anymore. I started to feel a little queasy and asked Chelsey for the bag and as soon as he stepped out to get the nurse I was puking. After my stomach settled I labored for a couple more hours while Chelsey rubbed my back and shoulders and rubbed a hot water bottle up my back it was heaven.
At 9:30pm I was still only 5cm dilated and the doctor suggested that if I wanted to take pain medication I could relax some and then later get into the shower to help with any pain. I had wanted to try a natural childbirth but I felt that if it could help me progress I would try it. I opted for morphine in my IV and as soon as it hit me I was asleep. I was sleeping through contractions even I was so tired out. When the morphine started to wear off I was able to get up and into the shower and it was very difficult to get me out it felt so good. After that I was back into bed still laboring but able to sleep between contractions. I was still feeling pretty good and an hour later was at 7cm. Things continued on this way until about 2:00am, then the bad stuff started happening. With each contraction the baby’s heart rate was dropping significantly. My doctor came in to check my progress 30 minutes later and I was still only at 7cm and he told me the news that scared me and broke my heart, I’d need a cesarean.
By 3:30am I was prepped and getting wheeled in to the operating room, I’d go in alone and then Chelsey would be brought it. I was crying so hard because I was scared for the surgery, the spinal injection, and just so damn tired out. The nurse and anesthesiologist were angels and I was prepped with no pain and was lying flat on my back ready to go. Chelsey came in and they got started. I made me tell me his guess, a girl and mine was a boy. A little later a felt an immense amount of pressure as if someone was standing on top of me yanking my insides out. They told Chelsey he could look up and he said “Oh my god”, so of course I say “what is it?”
“I don’t know yet, it’s only the head.”
I could tell he was so excited and then the rest of the baby comes out and my doctor says “It’s a girl!” Chelsey repeats this news and we both start tearing up. We can already hear she has a very healthy set of lungs which she is putting to good use. The nurse brings the baby over and hands her off the Chelsey and we are both looking at her squishy face and of course think she is about the most perfect thing ever, even if she is swollen and covered in vernix. They call out the time as 3:48am. I give her a quick kiss before she and Chelsey are off to the nursery while I’m sewn up. I’m in and out until they are done and then I’m off to recovery for a half hour. After that I’m wheeled past the nursery where I get to see her again which was so nice since the next 6 hours I’m to be flat on my back.
After I got some medication for the shaking Chelsey and I sleep for a few hours.
At about 7:00am I suggest the he go home and shower before people start arriving, but first we have to decide on a name. While I was still laboring we both said we really like Petra Josephine for a girl, and never decided on a boy’s name. So when he was getting ready to leave I said “So what is her name?”
“I don’t know, Petra Josephine?”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, Petra Josephine it is.”
And we shook on it. About noon I finally get to see my baby, she has an IV for antibiotics because she had some fluid in her lungs. She was also given a little oxygen but was otherwise fine. I then got to hold her for the first time and of course just started crying. I thought she was utterly perfect.
Our before pictures and of course Petra!
We had a nice time and spent most our time picking out clothes for Petra rather than ourselves, my how we’ve changed already.
