My "Too Fast for an Epi" Birth Story! (Long!)

asnowracer · March 2009

Joseph Nathaniel was born 5 days early at 1:27 a.m. on Wednesday March 25th weighing in at a hefty 8 lbs. 10 oz and 22 inches long!

I had a shortened cervix and was on strict bedrest from 25 weeks to 36 weeks, and my body was still recovering and gaining my muscle tone back. Surprisingly I lasted another 3 weeks moving around, even with the last cervical measurement of 1.1 cm long (at 34 weeks). I'd been dilated and pretty effaced ever since 34 weeks. Just goes to show you though, babies will come whenever THEY are ready!

I?m still shocked at how fast it all happened?I had an appointment that afternoon and disappointed because I was still the same as the week before: 2cm dilated, 90% effaced and he was still pretty high up at -2 station.

10pm Tuesday night I felt the first painful contraction, they came about every 5 minutes. I was told not to come in until that lasted 2 hours. I called my mom and told her this ?might? be it but we weren?t sure and I took a shower around 10:40.

11:10 contractions were coming 1-2 minutes apart all the sudden. I decided to skip the rest of my ?beauty routine? and we left, wet hair and the first clothes I could find.

11:30 At the beginning of the ride I texted some friends and said I wasn?t 100% sure but we were heading in. By the end of the 13 minute drive, they were so painful and definitely coming every minute apart. I was yelling to DH to drive faster!

My hospital moved me so quickly! By 12:00 midnight I had been checked in through the ER, taken up to L & D triage, hooked up to monitors, and checked. I was 4 cm! I asked about the epidural ASAP but was told I had to wait for blood work, for the doctor to arrive to check me, and THEN they could call the anesthesiologist.

12:30 Officially admitted, brought to my room?.BEGGED for timeframe on when the anesthesiologist would be called.

1:13 Doctor arrived, checked me and said ?You?re not going to want to hear this, but there?s no time for an epidural?you?re 9 cm.? I went from 4 to 9cm in an hour and 13 minutes! This is the point where I panicked and started blubbering ?I can?t do this without help! I?m not strong enough!? I remember him breaking my water and pulling out the stirrups for me, I started crying and they put the oxygen mask on me. The nurses and my doctor were so awesome and calmed me down and got me focused to start pushing. I pushed for 14 minutes and he was here.

I had no idea at the time but the cord was wrapped around his neck really tight and his heartrate had dropped. I remember them talking about his rate but I had no idea it was at a dangerous level. I was told later that they he had the forceps out and were setting up for an emergency C-section but didn?t need to because I handled the pushing well. DH said he was so scared?the baby?s head came out and he was blue as can be and he wasn?t breathing. When the doctor told me to stop pushing I thought he was just delivering the shoulders but DH said he cut the cord from around his neck to free him and that?s when I was able to finish pushing.

They skipped bringing him to me and brought him over to work on him. I still remember how surreal it was to look over and see this baby, I couldn?t believe he was actually mine. I didn?t notice he still wasn?t crying. I asked ?What is it?? My doctor said ?It?s a boy.? Finally they got him to cry and THAT?S when I realized he hadn?t been crying that whole time and started to worry. He scored a 5 on his first APGAR and then brought it up to an 8.They said that can happen when the baby descends so quickly.

In a few minutes he was perfectly fine and he eats like a champ! We?re still in the hospital until tomorrow since there wasn?t enough time for him to get the antibiotics for the positive Group B Strep. Every single minute of my 11 weeks on strict bedrest was worth seeing his sweet face. Oh?.Fast Delivery + Gigantic Baby = Rough recovery and a 3rd degree tear, but it?s getting easier! An added bonus of a quick delivery is a perfectly round little head!

mojobaby · March 2009

Wow. Congrat, he is adorable!

JCM · March 2009

That is an amazing story! I love the picture of him looking up at you. It is very, very sweet and he does have a perfect round little head!

NatPhoto09 · March 2009

Take care of yourself and your beautiful baby boy...thanks for sharing your fast epi free birth story.

Genny2118 · March 2009

Look at him looking at you! So precious! Congrats to you! Loved your birth story. I always said that I wanted a short labor with little pushing. (Instead I ended up with 11 hours of labor with nearly four hours of pushing.)

j&jp · March 2009

YAY!!! So happy for you. Maybe this was our reward for being on bedrest for so long - short labors with short amounts of pushing. :-) (Of course I also did have a partial third degree tear from such quick pushing - and she was only 6 and half pounds!)

He is beautiful. Maybe someday we can get him and Maddie together for a playdate :-)

Good luck and feel better. Enjoy your little one!!!!!!!!!!

el25 · March 2009

My experience was similar and I heard those dreaded words too. I was begging for an epidural, and the nurse assured me that I would have time. Low and behold when my Dr. arrived, I was fully dilated. There was no time for the epi, I just had to push. That pain is a pain I will never forget but it was so worth it.