My Birth Story...Successful Induction!!!!

As most of you know, I was scheduled for am Amniocentesis on January 29 at 9:30am to check for lung maturity. The Amnio was pretty easy?it was painful and caused me to have contractions throughout the rest of the day, but we knew that was pretty likely as it is a common side effect. We waited for the results for hours! We finally got the news that our nugget was mature and that we were all set to begin induction that evening. So I was scheduled to begin my induction at 9pm. I got a call from L&D around 5:30pm saying they were extremely busy, had no beds and were short nurses?so they would call me and let me know when to come in. As you can imagine I was feeling pretty discouraged?it had already been a LONG day of waiting (it took forever to get our Amnio results back) and I was just ready to get the show on the road! So, by 11:30pm we hadn?t heard back from L&D, so I called them to see if we should just go to bed?we were both exhausted! They said there was no way I was getting in that night and to go to bed?maybe they?d call at 5am or if I don?t hear from them by 7am to call them and hopefully I?d get in that morning. Once again, I was disappointed but there wasn?t anything I could do, so hubby and I went to bed?he, of course fell asleep right away?I laid there thinking and worrying and started having some pretty painful contractions?I thought it would be pretty comical if I ended up going into labor on my own after they told me I wasn?t coming in! So, right as I was finally falling asleep?the phone rang at about 12:45am and it was the hospital telling me it was time to come in! Woohoo! So, we got up and headed out. Within the next 30 minutes we were settled into our room and our nurse inserted my first round of Prostaglandin Gel (I was supposed to have a 2 rounds, but since we started later than originally scheduled, I only ended up with one dose). It hurt pretty badly?but wasn?t awful and I knew it was a good thing to help get things moving! So, for the next few hours, we tried to sleep?I was cramping and contracting and the nurse was in every 30 minutes, so it was hard to actually get quality sleep. At 7am, they started Pitocin and upped my dose every 30 minutes for the remainder of the day and that was the plan until I delivered. My Dr came in around 9:30am and suggested getting my epidural before she broke my water. I was totally on board with that because the contractions were very regular and painful?and we knew it would most likely help take some pressure off my back and ribs since they have been so awful for the past few months since my accident. So, I got my epi about 30 minutes later. I was really nervous and my body was shaking because I was so afraid I?d move and then I?d have nerve damage?but I ended up sitting still and doing a great job! The epidural was awesome! After I got the epi, I started feeling pretty nauseous. I was figuring it was the fact that I hadn?t had anything to eat since dinner the night before, plus I have a pretty sensitive stomach. They gave me Zofran through my IV every 4 hours from that point on, which seemed to help. My Dr came in at 1:30pm and broke my water?it was the weirdest feeling?I watched my stomach, as she broke it and it literally deflated as the water came gushing out! At that point I was still only about 1cm dilated, but 80% effaced?I must admit I felt discouraged, even though I knew inductions can take a long time, I was just hoping I?d start progressing a little quicker...still I stayed positive and kept thinking I?d be meeting our little nugget very soon! So, about 2 hours later my Dr came back and checked me. I was 3cm! Woohoo?I was making progress. She said that getting to 4cm was an uphill battle, but once you get there, things ?usually? start to move more quickly! So, I just hung out the next few hours, attempting to sleep with pretty much no luck? I was really uncomfortable?I had to lie on my sides ALL day?plus my ribs (front and back) were KILLING me?which we knew would most likely happen?every time I thought I couldn?t take the pain anymore, I told myself ?you can do this?you have come so far already!? My little pep talks to myself definitely helped! My husband was amazing the whole time. He was so positive and upbeat, which helped me to stay positive and upbeat! At this point, I was DYING of thirst?but because of all my allergies to medications; the anesthesiologist requested that I not have anything?not even ice chips. That was really rough, my mouth and throat were sooooo dry! So, around 7pm, my new nurse came in?she checked me and said I was 3m but stretchable to 4cm! Pretty good news, but I still felt like progress was going so slow! Regardless, I felt positive?but was praying things would start moving more quickly! So, around 10pm, my nurse checked me again and said I was about 4cm?so, we were getting there! I remembered what my Dr said about getting to 4cm being an uphill battle. I prayed and prayed that the next time she checked me, I?d be like 6cm or more, knowing most likely I?d have maybe progressed a cm. They say on average with Pitocin, after you hit 4cm, most women progress about a cm an hour, so I prepared myself for that kind of progress secretly hoping it?d be a lot more. So, around 11pm, I started having a TON of pressure in my pelvis and my butt. I let my nurse know?she said that was a good thing and we were making progress. I pressed my epi button to add more because the pressure was so bad, but it didn?t help?the pressure just got worse and worse! Around 12am, I had so much pressure! I also felt like I NEEDED to push and it was to the point where it was hard not to push, so I called the nurse?she came in and checked me and said ?Oh my gosh! You are fully dilated and his head is right there!!!!? We were all completely surprised?I progressed to 10cm from 4cm in about 2 hours!!! Talk about progress!!! I started crying because I was so happy, it had been a long day and I was so ready to meet our son! So, my nurse called my Dr, who was also surprised that I progressed that quickly, but very excited! My Dr headed to the hospital, she requested that I did not do any practice pushes and wait until she got there because he was so low and I probably wouldn?t need to push long! So, my nurse comes in with a big glass of ice water and says ?You are having this baby vaginally! You can have some water!!!? For some reason I felt such a relief when I heard her say these words. So, I had a few sips of water and tried to stay comfortable until my Dr got there. As soon as my Dr walked in, I cried again, because I felt so relieved to see her and was so excited?but nervous too! So, within a few minutes, at 1am, I started pushing?I had to push three separate times for each contraction in 10 second intervals. It was pretty intense?the pressure was insane! I was exhausted?I had maybe sleep 4 hours in the span of the past few days?but I just keep focusing on the end result, our baby boy. My husband was amazing, so were my Dr and nurse! They all cheered me on and were so supportive! His head was so low and I knew it?I could feel it all?like I said, the pressure is so intense. About an hour into pushing I was thinking ?omg, how do women push for hours on end?! I am so tired already!!!? Anyway, all of a sudden, around 2:15am, I just knew the end was near?and my Dr confirmed this for me! I was pushing with all my might?it was so hard, with each set of pushes I got more and more exhausted! During the set of pushes right before the set of pushes when I delivered him, I began to experience what they call ?The Ring of Fire.? And believe me, it felt like I was on fire!! It was all the pressure I had been feeling, but with a horrible burning sensation too! It hurt so badly and I knew I had to get him out in the next set of pushes! I was so determined! So, the next set of pushes was it! Teddy was born at 2:28am on January 31st! He was 5 lbs, 15 ounces and 19 inches! He is such a tiny little thing!!! I ended up pushing for just about an hour and a half. When he was out, it was such a relief in so many ways! I was in my own world for a few minutes?actually probably more like seconds. I just sat there while everything was going on around me! Our son was here, I couldn?t believe it! They put him on my chest within a few minutes?it was amazing; I couldn?t believe he was finally here! I ended up with a 2nd degree and while they took Teddy over and cleaned him up under the warmer, my Dr stitched me up. I then, delivered the placenta, which was really easy?my Dr pushed on my tummy a few times and it just slid out?kinda grossed me out?she showed it to me?I took a quick peek and had enough! Haha. My hubby was over with Teddy while he was getting cleaned up. A few minutes later, they brought him over to me and I was in love. A few minutes later, they took him to give him a bath, my husband went with him. I stayed in our room, just resting, I was soooo tired! My nurse was trying to get me to eat a few crackers so I could take some Motrin, but I was nauseous and exhausted and I didn?t feel like eating. They gave me some more Zofran?but that didn?t help at all. A few minutes later, they made me get up and go to the bathroom...it was pretty hard because I was so dizzy and nauseous and still semi numb. After the bathroom, I was still so nauseous, but then they brought Teddy in and I forgot all about it for a few minutes. Seeing my husband with Teddy made me fall in love with him all over again. It was such an overwhelming feeling. He is already such a good Daddy! We fed Teddy and snuggled him for a bit?then he headed off to the nursery for the night. They decided to give me Phenergan for the nausea and that pretty much looped me out within a few minutes and I was asleep. I never even took the Motrin. About an hour after I had fallen asleep, our pediatrician came in?I have no idea what she said to me or anything?I was so out of it. My husband doesn?t remember either, he was sound asleep too! Labor was a long and difficult process?it was honestly the hardest thing I have ever done, but so incredibly worth it. I am so proud of myself and cannot believe I did it! I have always been terrified of labor and delivery, but I made it through!!! I am so happy that despite all the issues with my ribs, I was able to deliver vaginally?I am really happy we all decided to attempt it after all! I am still pretty sore?my ribs are sore, but feel so much better without the pressure of his little body pressing against them. I have the most amazing husband; I couldn?t have done it without him! I also have to say I had the most amazing Dr and nurses (the best nurse was my night nurse, the one present for delivery. I consider her an angel sent to help me during the roughest part of my labor and then, delivery), I could not have done it without them either! As I sit here looking at our little nugget, it is completely clear that it was all worth it?all the pain, issues, everything I dealt with during my pregnancy?ALL worth it! We have a beautiful, perfect baby boy and I would do it all over again in a second.