Induction turned c-section (epidural issues, blood clots, & more)

I went in for my scheduled induction (for medical reasons) at 7:30pm on Saturday April 17th. It took a while to get admitted and settled in. When they checked me I was still at 4 cm, 80-90% effaced, and LO was head down face down - I hadn't changed in weeks. My nurse gave me an IV and started Pitocin around 8:00pm. About an hour later my doctor came in and broke my water. It was a small gush followed by a little bit of leaking. Then SO made me laugh which caused a huge gush of water! I soaked the bed. Breaking my water didn't hurt at all. I was easily able to handle the contractions without pain meds.

I was fine until around 11:00 pm when all of a sudden the contractions hurt extremely bad. I was barely able to breath through them (accompanied by lots of cursing) and I was crying. I immediately knew I would not be able to handle the pain so I asked for an epidural. My plans for a bed free birth went out the window.

It only took about 10 minutes for the anesthesiologist to arrive. He attempted to do the epidural twice in my lower back but he couldn't get it. He was able to get it in my upper back. Getting the epidural was slightly uncomfortable but not painful. He gave me a test dose of anesthesia but it did nothing. I got no relief. He gave me another slightly larger dose. All of a sudden I couldn't feel anything from my neck down and I couldn't breathe. It turns out the epidural was placed too deep making it a spinal. Still, I shouldn't have reacted so intensely to the medication.

They stopped the Pitocin and I spent the next 2 hours totally out of it. I slept for most of it. I had to wear an oxygen mask and the anesthesiologist didn't want to leave my side. He stepped out a time or two to do other epi's but he stayed with me for the majority. He was so sweet! Little Thomas was totally fine through all of this.

Once I felt okay the anesthesiologist re-did my epidural. It was right! I still had absolutely no feeling in my lower body though. I couldn't even roll over by myself or move my lower body. I stayed that way until a little after LO was born. I was checked again - only 5 cm and Thomas was transverse. They re-started the Pitocin. I labored until around 8:00am. I was at 8cm. Woo hoo! I was finally making progress.

By 9:30am I was 10 cm but Thomas was then sunny side up. I just couldn't catch a break! I labored down for an hour and tried some methods to get him to move. He would move for a minute then go right back to sunny side up. The nurse said I could try doing some practice pushes but I developed a lip on my cervix so I had to stop pushing and wait for a while. Gosh, that was excruciating!

At 11:00am I was able to start pushing again. LO was still sunny side up. After a few pushes I could tell that something was wrong by the way the nurse was acting. She called the doctor in who said that Thomas wasn't making progress when I was pushing. His heart was erratic with every push and oxygen didn't help. The doctor said we had to try either a vacuum, forceps, or c-section. She took the time to talk to me about my options, risks and benefits for each, etc. Then it was time to get things moving. She couldn't get the forceps in so she tried the vacuum. Thomas' heart rate went ballistic and before I really knew what was happening I was being rushed in for an emergency c-section.

They had to give me general anesthesia because there was no time for anything else. Since I was going to be completely out my SO wasn't allowed to be in the room with me. He waited patiently in the hallway. My nurse stood by my side talking to me and explaining what was going on while everyone rushed around me preping for surgery. She really helped me keep my cool.

I was knocked out and LO was born at 12:32pm on April 18th. He is 21 inches long and 7 lbs 12 oz. He is much bigger than anyone expected! The nurse had estimated him at right around 6 lbs and I've been measuring small for my entire pregnancy. The doc told me there was no way I would have been able to deliver him vaginally so at least I have that for peace of mind. While they were doing the surgery they noticed a severe blood clot in my labia. They had to cut it open, remove the clot, and stitch me back up.

When Thomas was born the pediatrician immediately took him out to SO. Together they went to get LO checked out, weighed, measured, etc. SO also gave LO his first bath (he even remembered to take our hippy baby wash! I really hate J&J). Once LO was checked out he and SO went back to my room and bonded. I missed all of this because I was still out. This might be TMI but holy smokes my vagina hurts! My incision on the other hand is totally fine. I've only been taking ibuprofen and I've gotten up out of bed already. I'm still on oxygen but I should be off it tomorrow.

So basically I got the worst of a vaginal delivery and the worst of a c-section all at once. Nothing really seemed to go right. All of the staff were freaking amazing though! Once I woke up in recovery the nurse called SO to bring the baby to me. I still can't believe he's my baby! He's absolutely wonderful. He's very calm and nurses like a champ. SO is amazing with him. They bonded right off the bat while I was still in surgery. They're cuddling right now.

Even though everything happened in exactly the way I didn't want it to the experience was still good mostly due to how calm and supportive SO and the staff were. I'm thankful to have such a healthy baby boy!