Successful Induction Birth Story (long)

Christine610

Hazel?s Birth Story   The doctors thought that the baby might be growing too large, and recommended inducing at 39 weeks. We had a non stress test done on 6.17.10, and the baby moved only slightly, they scheduled the induction for Saturday 6.19.10 at 7:30am. We arrived at the hospital on time and checked in to room 6 in Labor & Delivery. We went over a bunch of paperwork, and the nurse had me undress and put the hospital gown on. My belly was hooked up to monitors to watch for contractions and baby?s heart rate. Dr. C came in and broke my water at 8:20am, she said I was dilated 1cm. The procedure didn?t hurt at all and she did it very quickly. After your water breaks it continues to leak until you have the baby! This was so gross, I just laid in bed on puppy pads and leaked fluid! I?d have to run to the bathroom and have the nurse mop up after me! At 8:30am the nurse (D) placed an 18g IV catheter in my left hand (on the side-down from my thumb) she said I had really tough skin, but she did a wonderful job placing it, although I asked for 1 more piece of tape. She started IV fluids (LRS) and said she?d go get the orders for the pitocin. At 9:20am she started the pitocin. DH and I watched American Wedding on TV while we waited or things to kick in and start happening. At about 10:20am the nurse increased my pitocin and BF (my bestfriend) arrived about this time to hang out. I talked to the nurse and she said I would only be checked for dilation periodically, and probably only when I started to feel the contractions. At about 11:30am the nurse increased my pitocin, I think I could start to feel the contractions only slightly, and they weren?t at all painful. At about 12:25pm we had a new nurse (G), and she increased my pitocin again, and I was feeling the contractions, but they weren?t too terrible yet. We started to watch True Blood Season 2 on DVD. At 2:44pm the nurse increased my pitocin, and checked me and said I was 80% effaced and 2-2.5cm dilated. This vaginal check hurt really bad! I think the nurse had no idea how rough she was! The contractions were getting tougher and tougher, and I just kept telling myself I see how they the felt in ? an hour. I was afraid the epidural would slow my labor down. At 3:00 we had a another new nurse (M) she checked out the monitors and watched me have contractions (by this time they were pretty bad, I was holding DH?s or BF?s hand, and just trying to breathe through them. Between the contractions I had a lot of lower back pain, and so I felt I wasn?t getting a lot of rest. The contractions were 30-45 seconds long, and 2-3 minutes apart.) M said that it might take 45-60 minutes for the anesthetist to get to me. I told her I?d keep that in mind, and told myself we?d see how I was doing at 3:30pm. About 5 minutes later I told myself maybe at 3:15pm I?d ask for him, but then at 3:15pm I decided I could do 15 more minutes. As soon as the clock hit 3:30pm I asked for the epidural. M came in and checked me and said I was 3cm dilated and she?d make sure Dr. C was okay with the epidural. At 4:10pm the Anesthetist came in, and they would only let one person be in the room, so I asked DH to stay. I sat slumped on the edge of the bed, and M held my shoulders and DH held my hand. The anesthetist had it done in 3 minutes, and I hardly felt anything. Just a quick poke, then a hot numbing/stinging (which felt really good!), then he taped the whole thing to my back and they put me on my back so the nurse could check me again, and put a urinary catheter in. At 4:30pm I felt amazing, such a relief! M placed the urinary catheter, and checked me I was 4cm dilated. At 5:30pm I was feeling very good, couldn?t feel my legs unless someone touched them, and then they felt all tingly like they were asleep. M checked my again said I was 5cm almost 6 cm dilated. DH & BF went to the cafeteria for some dinner. I was given crackers and peanut butter. At 6:10pm DH & BF came back from dinner, and M checked me again, and I was 9cm almost 10cm dilated! She was concerned that there was a lot of bleeding. Dr. C was at another hospital and so M had Dr. S in to look at me. Dr. S looked and wasn?t too concerned, my blood pressure had stayed nice and normal. (That stupid cuff left bruises on my arm by the next day, they took it so often!) They decided they would have me labor down for a little while, let my body push the baby down as far as it could, so I would have to push less. They usually rotate you from your left side to your right side every 30 minutes, so that the medication in the epidural would be evenly distributed, but every time they put me on my right side, the baby?s heart rate would drop, so they decided to leave me on my left. Because I had progressed so fast they thought that the pitocin had just done exactly what they wanted it to. Jump start my body into having contractions, but now my body was running the show. At about 7:30p M had me do some practice pushes, and said Dr. C would be here around 8:20p. After a couple pushed she left to call Dr. C she would need to be here faster, I was a good pusher and the baby was ready. She also brought the mirror in so I could watch. After that it?s all a blur. Dr. C came in and had me push with each contraction I would put my hands on my belly and feel my abdomen tightening, then I would hold my breath and push 4 times fast and hard in a row, then stop eat ice chips catch my breath and wait for the next contraction. I could watch the baby?s head come close to my vaginal opening and then get sucked back in. Dr. C gowned up and I knew I was close, a couple good pushes later the baby?s head popped out with lots of dark hair! Seconds after the head popped out the baby stuck it?s hand out! Straight up all 5 fingers spread wide!! It was practically waving. I think I pushed a couple quick hard pushes (these I did with my eyes closed so I could concentrate). AT 8:31pm the baby came completely out and they faced it towards us and said ?It?s a Girl!? I saw her little vagina and thought Really it?s a girl? I had convinced myself all day long it was a boy! They laid her on my chest for a couple minutes and I cried, so happy she was here. Then they took her and had the NICU team (who they had standing by just in case) double check her. It took forever for them to weigh her and measure her. Then they wrapped her up and handed her back to me. I gave her off to Randy, and asked for my cell phone, so I could start texting. Dr. C had started to do things again between my legs, and I wanted to concentrate on something else besides her. I couldn?t feel anything but I was uncomfortable sitting there all spread eagle while people were milling around. She checked out just fine and we got to hold her while they cleaned up. Various nurses cleaned up and I was given some strong ibuprofen, and asked for some food, I was given apple juice and a ? of turkey sandwich (it was delicious, but I ate only ? of it very slowly so I wouldn?t get sick). About 2 hours later I still couldn?t move my left leg, so they rolled me onto a postpartum bed and wheeled us down to our postpartum room. The hospital plays chimes when a family moves out of labor & delivery to postpartum, it was very sweet.   Things I would change: I didn't realize how the hormones would affect my body temp I was either super hot & sweaty postpartum or freezing cold. Pack for both - layers! The pad you wear (for 2 days after birth) is ginormus!! Bring pants that are big in the crotch to make room for it. I still hate my belly, I knew it wouldn't go away, but I didn't think I'd be bothered by it so much. Breast feeding is really hard. I was in tears before I gave up, but I pump every 4 hours now and I'm making more than enough for her!! Pumping was a good decision for me plus DH enjoys feeding her. Have someone take pics of the birth, you can stash them on a CD and never print them, but I didn't have them taken and I wish I would have. Bring a notepad and keep track of gifts you receive in the hospital, it makes it wasier to write thanks yous later.

bandwife928

Congrats.  I love the name Hazel and I think your suggestions for things to make the hospital stay better are great!

JinglesChic

Congrats!

Hazel is a cute name.