Liam's birth story - long
On Thursday night I started having contractions. They were pretty uncomfortable but not painful. They carried over into my sleep and I was actively dreaming about them all night. On Friday I had not one contraction. I was pretty frustrated by that. On Saturday we were non-stop on the go including lots of park time and walking and by 6pm I went to the hospital. I got here and was 1 cm, so they sent me home.
Because of Saturday, Nico wanted me to stay rested on Sunday. Contractions were strong and I was explaining to Evie a lot that mommy had a tummy ache, but that it was ok because it meant the baby was coming soon. I took a bath through them and after got bored so Josie took me to Target to get some last minute things. When I got home, I called my friend Jenny to ask her about her marathon labor. Then I called the midwife. She said I was probably better off staying home, but when I had a contraction on the phone with her, she said they sounded pretty intense, and to come in. Lisa was already on her way to pick up Evie and after that we went to the hospital.
We got checked into an observation room, where Kay, the midwife did a pelvic exam. 1 friggen centimeter. I was in excrutiating pain and it was for one friggen centimeter. I cried. I told Kay how dissapointed I was and how my old doctors had labeled me a failure and how I felt like I was right back there. She said I had way too much baggage going into this labor and that I had to just let go and get through this one. She said to go home and stay there until I felt the urge to push. But first I had to be on the monitors for 30 minutes. A nurse came in and was very vague, but said she had to have Kay look at the strip. Then another nurse came in and said he was not tolerating the contractions and if I wanted to go home, it would be against the advice of medical professionals and I would have to sign a waiver. They kept me on the monitors for another 30 minutes. Then Kay came in and said that I was clearly not tolerating the contractions so it would be her recommendation that I stay, get an epidural, which would slow down my contractions (which were 1-3 minutes apart). She said if that happened, they would give me a low dose of pitocin to speed them back up. I was delighted to hear the word epidural.
I got into my room around 6:30 pm. They had to do labs on me and blood work before I could get my epidural. I was in pain. Finally got my epidural around 9pm. The anestetist was kind of a jerk and the first attempt had me screaming bloody murder. Not to mention, he kept threading and doing his thing through every contraction, just telling me to stay still. It was not easy. His second attempt was better, with no shooting pains in my right leg. I felt immediate relief from my contractions.
After that, I dosed in and out of sleep. My overnight nurse, Connie, tried to start the pitocin around midnight. William did not like that, his heartrate dropped, so that lasted about 20 minutes.
In the morning, my new nurse, Kathy came in. I recognized her as the woman who taught the water birth class. She was fantastic. She found a position on my belly with the pitocin that William was very tolerant to. By this time, I was 4 or 5 centimeters and I was a little more hopeful. Around this time, my water broke on its own, too. So now, I had broken my water and made it to 5 centimeters on my own with no intervention. With Evie I stalled at 4 cm and had my waters broken by the hospital staff. So I was already feeling positive. But my contractions slowed down significantly to around 7-9 minutes apart. Kathy said "no contractions, no baby". She upped the pit to 4. This was around 8 am. My epidural was wearing off and I decided I was going to not have it renewed so I could feel the birth. Now I am on pitocin and no epidural and they were really just very pressure-y. A lot of pressure. I asked Kathy if she had to guess, how much longer. She said an hour per cm, plus 1-2 hours for pushing. I was looking at a 3pm baby. I was tempted to ask for a new epidural but decided against it. I liked feeling the pressure because I could visualize the baby and what was happening.
By 10 am, I was 9 cm and 100% effaced. They told me to keep it up and let them know when I felt like pushing. Around 20 minutes later, I felt like pushing. I wasn't quite at 10 yet, but they said I could. Kay held her hand insde my cervix while I pushed and Nico and Kathy helped me hold my legs. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I tried on my left side, my right side, my back. I was in my own world and doing my own thing, no one else was there. They had me get up on my hands and knees. By this time I was exhausted. I have no idea what time it was. I needed a break so they let me sit a few contractions out. I was just rocking and breathing through them.
Before I knew it, there were an army of doctors and nursed around me telling me about fetal distress and the need for a c-section. I had no idea what anyone was saying, I just knew I was going into surgery. I didn't say anything to any one. I never even said I understood what was happening. They wheeled me into the OR while Nico got changed. The anestetist (a new one, very nice) was by my side. I was screaming so loud, the contractions hurt so much. I was strapped to a table and I couldn't even move through the contractions. I kept asking "When are they going to stop?" They renewed my epidural but it was so soon, I could feel them cutting me. I was screaming and they kept asking me what hurst? Your side? NO! My abdomen! I've having contractions, I can feel the cutting.
Finally Nico arrived and held my hand. He was crying. He kept telling me I did a great job. I think he was really scared because this time was an emergency section.
I could see the whole surgery in the reflection of the surgical lights. I was totally entranced by it. They had a really hard time getting him out. First of all, they had to push him back into the womb from the birth canal. Second, when the doctor went to pick him up, his head slipped out of the doctors hands and then he flipped himself over. He just did not want to leave. He had to get pulled out butt first. I felt numb and raw and when William cried for the first time, I had no reaction. It took him a minute to cry and they called Nico over to them. I heard them whisper to him that they were taking him to NICU. Nico stayed with me a few more minutes then they came and got him and brought him to stay with William in the NICU. He swallowed a lot of blood and possibly some meconium, so they wanted to observe him for a few hours.
It felt like it all took hours to me. I few times I fell asleep and I was so scared I was going to die. But my anastesiologist stayed with me and he was awesome. (As a matter of fact, this morning before he left, he came in to check on me and say goodbye.)
When I talked to Kay after the surgery, she explained that the cord had been wrapped over the top of Liams head. They tried moving it, but when i was pushing, it would push the cord flat and his heartrate would drop. He was in extreme distress by the time we went to surgery. Mentally, I am ok with this c-section. I know it was the only option left. I know to continue to go forward would have been so bad. I also know I had the section because my care providers exhausted all other options and it was the only way for William and I to both come out of it healthy.
This recovery has been much harder than my c-section with Evie. For one thing, abdominal surgery after more than a hour of pushing is hard. For another, its a repeat section over my old scar. The surgeon said there was a lot of scar tissue to cut through. But I feel every muscle in my body. I wrenched my shoulder while pushing, I am a wreck. But its all worth it. He is perfect in every way. A champion nurser. He is happy and serene. I love him so much!
Re: Liam's birth story - long
Wow..so much to go through. Nico must be so proud of you for your strength through it all.
Snuggle that sweet little man lots and best wishes for a speedy recovery!
DD- 9
DS-6
c/p- April 2016
missed m/c- 6w5d; discovered 8w2d- September 2016
What a story! I'm glad you are at peace with the c/s. I was so worried you'd feel dissappointed again, but it sounds like Kay did everything to help you avoid that feeling. Thank goodness for people like her! My advice is to take advantage of the hospital staff while you can and rest rest rest. Stay on top of those pain meds and don't forget to get up and walk! Congrats again- enjoy that sweet boy!
Wow! how scary, but I'm glad that at the end you both are fine. I'm not friends with you and FB so I haven't seen the baby
hopefully you'll post a pick on here soon 
Wow, what a story! Sounds like quite a whirlwind! I'm glad that you were able to experience labor the way you wanted to, and even though a c-section was necessary, the end result is always worth it!
Congratulations on your beautiful healthy boy!
Mommy to Abigail Elizabeth (11/4/11) and Brady Jasper (7/2/09)
my blog
Abigail Taylor 09.18.2008
Whew... thats a lot! All worth it. Congrats!
this wife bakes.
One of my favorite cakes ever! I had a blast making this..all handmade with buttercream suds!!!!
Wow. That an ordeal. So glad all is ok now and you have a beautiful, healthy baby boy. I don't know if you ever read my birth story last year, but it's very similar to this. It was a very traumatic c-section birth after 3 days of labor. It was emotionally and physically hard for me and to this day, it's still painful to think about everything that happened.
I love the end of your post where you say it's all worth it. So, so true. My doula always told me that everyone is born in a way that is perfect for them and for whatever reason, our sons chose a difficult path
Already little adventurers choosing the road less traveled!
Hope you have a speedy recovery.
Ok I have tears in my eyes reading this. You did an amazing job. You went through a lot emotionally to get to this through out your pregnancy. I am so glad everyone is happy and healthy. I can't WAIT to meet Liam!! I hope you are feeling better today. He is absolutely beautiful. Congrats mama! I bet Evie is PRECIOUS with him. Hugs and love to you all.
P.S. I miss our 7:30am chats already.
Wow, what a story. I am so happy that you got to exhaust every option to avoid a csection...and while you ended up with one, at least you know you did all you could. The dude at Northside that gave me the epi was a whack job also....it was sunday night and so early in the AM I am thinking the A team was at home...the nurse even apoligized for him. He wouldn't stop talking and was saying some stupid stuff...ok, not about me.....not about me.....
So happy you are finally with your boy in your arms!
Hey lady ....sounds like a rough delivery but you did great. I totally feel you on the labor, pushing and then c-section. I had the same with Colton. It takes a while to heal and recover but just rest when you can.