Missing because (Birth story, long)

Hannah2016 · May 2010

Hello everyone. I've been gone from the Bump for so long but I have a wonderful reason! Let me start at the beginning.

Warning: There's some TMI at the beginning

Thursday, May 14th, I woke up feeling like I had passed something. I excitedly thought, "Yay, bloody show!" Well, I got to the bathroom and found a lot of blood and continued to pass some scary clots. Not so exciting. Called the doctor on call and he said to come on into L&D. Of course the bleeding stopped but DH and I went in. They checked me: only 2cm. I wasn't feeling any contractions, Baby was doing fine, and since the bleeding had stopped, they sent me home. I saw my doctor that afternoon and she didn't know why I would have so much blood but she felt like Baby would be here soon.

Friday was uneventful, as was Saturday morning until 9:30. I was sitting at my computer and felt a gush. I excitedly thought, "Yay, water broke!" Well, I got to the bathroom and it was all blood, way more than Thursday. Not so exciting and really really scary. I called the on call doctor again as I packed to go to the hospital. I was going whether he thought I should or not. I was scared.

We got there, I was admitted. I had still felt ZERO contractions during this whole process. They checked me again and I was still only 2cm! So, the on-call doctor ordered an ultrasound to rule out placental abruption. The placenta was fine, cervix was fine, Baby was fine, but my amniotic fluid was really low. They couldn't put a cause and effect together between the blood and the low amniotic fluid but I'm just glad they found it.

So, they decided to induce. Now, my plan had been to go all natural childbirth, but the health of my baby was at stake so I was glad to do it. They hooked me up to the Pitocin and we started waiting. We waited, and waited, and waited. I could feel contractions, but they were like Braxton Hicks! No pain at all! Just my belly going crazy. And my cervix was still only 2cm and 50% effaced! So they couldn't even break my water. They pumped me with the highest dose, and still nothing. It was such a long day and I was getting really frustrated, tired, hungry, and scared for Baby.

They turned the Pitocin off for a couple hours and told me to sleep while they waited to turn it back on. I tried but, yeah right. So, I walked. Up and down the halls hoping that would get her to drop lower. Finally, they turned it back on and soon after that, they were able to break my water.

After all that, 20 hours after being admitted, labor finally started. I was so hungry, so exhausted, and so emotional. I used all my relaxation techniques and my DH was SUCH a good coach. But I realized 2 hours into such intense labor that I was going to break if I didn't get some relief. So I got the epidural and it was the best choice of the whole day. After the contractions, the needle felt like nothing. And the relief and rest I got after it kicked in was heaven. It also relaxed me enough that I could dilate quicker. I went from 3cm to 10 in 2 hours. While I slept! They woke me up, checked me and said, "It's time!"

It was such a blessing after all that emotional tension for 24 hours, the labor was really really easy. I only pushed through 8 or 9 contractions. I felt so powerful and ready for her to be born. My DH was wonderful and loving, my friend was there supporting me. My doctor wasn't there but the on-call doctor was amazing.

After 20 hours of waiting and 6 hours of labor, Abigail Bernice was born. 7lbs, 3oz and 18.5 inches long. She is beautiful and sweet and my little miracle.

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