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XP: My VBAC TOL Birth Story (long)
I went in for my induction on Monday morning at 6:30am (2/28, 8 days past EDD) as planned. DH and I
finally got settled in our room and my OB came in around 8. It was
right around then that I actually started feeling "real" contractions on
my own. I started to get really excited about the day. OB did an exam
and I was still only 50% effaced and 1cm dilated but she was able to
break my water. The process was extremely painful. After another hour
or so a low level of pitocin was started. I was having regular
contractions but they weren't getting any stronger yet. I labored like
this until around 2pm when the OB added an internal catheter monitor
which gave them the ability to get a more accurate reading on the
contractions as well as the internal pressure of my uterus. The
contractions were getting stronger and they had been 3 minutes apart for
a while. They then started to increase the pitocin over several
hours. Around 9 pm, the contractions had been extremely painful for a
while. When I was checked internally, I was only 80% effaced and 2cm.
My OB started talking to me about having an epidural line put in and being prepared for a c/s because if it became an emergency it would take time to get the epidural or spinal in place and at that point they would have to go with general anesthesia to save time. I asked if they would put in an empty line for the epidural since I was committed to going pain med-free. The anesthesiologist agreed to that since I had the epidural w/my c/s before and hadn't had any problems with it. I wanted to wait until I was checked again before having it done though. I was really hoping there would be progress since my contractions were SO painful for so long. I was checked at 10:30 and was still only 80% effaced and 2-3cm. At that point I was extremely discouraged that my body was not responding faster. When I was induced with DD I was already 3cm and almost completely effaced when I went into the hospital. The though of laboring this hard for another 12 hours (24+ since the water was broken) was making me lose my hope. My OB was wonderful and not pressuring me at all. She was completely supportive of me laboring into the morning and past that if I wasn't showing any signs of infection. Her only concern was that I wasn't thinning out more and the baby wasn't dropping to put pressure on my cervix to help. Being tethered to the monitors made it so that I could basically just pace the length of the room, which I did for most of the day and it wasn't helping.
Around 11pm I gave up. I told my OB that I didn't think my body was responding and I just couldn't imagine another 12 hours of laboring like that and it would more than likely result in a RCS anyway. She asked me several times if I was sure and then went to prep for it. My husband and I laid down to snooze a bit while we were waiting. They were going to do a spinal in the ER rather than the epidural because it was quicker and I'd be able to get up and walk sooner because they take it out immediately after surgery and it doesn't take the time to wear off like the epidural. Right at midnight the OB and several nurses ran into the room and said that the baby's heartbeat had dropped and they had me roll over to try and get it back up. It wasn't changing at all and they started freaking out and calling for an emergency c/s. Everything happened at lightening speed at that point and it was terrifying. My husband was not allowed to be present at the birth.
Ivan James was born at 12:17am on 3/1/11 via emergency c/s under general anesthesia. The umbilical cord had been wrapped tight around his neck which is what caused his heart rate to decline and probably what was keeping him from dropping and my cervix from dilating/effacing. I'm thankful that he's here and he's healthy. I don't have the feelings of loss that I had with DD's c/s birth. I didn't get my VBAC but I feel like I gave it my best try and I appreciate that my OB gave me the opportunity and was supportive throughout the TOL.
My OB started talking to me about having an epidural line put in and being prepared for a c/s because if it became an emergency it would take time to get the epidural or spinal in place and at that point they would have to go with general anesthesia to save time. I asked if they would put in an empty line for the epidural since I was committed to going pain med-free. The anesthesiologist agreed to that since I had the epidural w/my c/s before and hadn't had any problems with it. I wanted to wait until I was checked again before having it done though. I was really hoping there would be progress since my contractions were SO painful for so long. I was checked at 10:30 and was still only 80% effaced and 2-3cm. At that point I was extremely discouraged that my body was not responding faster. When I was induced with DD I was already 3cm and almost completely effaced when I went into the hospital. The though of laboring this hard for another 12 hours (24+ since the water was broken) was making me lose my hope. My OB was wonderful and not pressuring me at all. She was completely supportive of me laboring into the morning and past that if I wasn't showing any signs of infection. Her only concern was that I wasn't thinning out more and the baby wasn't dropping to put pressure on my cervix to help. Being tethered to the monitors made it so that I could basically just pace the length of the room, which I did for most of the day and it wasn't helping.
Around 11pm I gave up. I told my OB that I didn't think my body was responding and I just couldn't imagine another 12 hours of laboring like that and it would more than likely result in a RCS anyway. She asked me several times if I was sure and then went to prep for it. My husband and I laid down to snooze a bit while we were waiting. They were going to do a spinal in the ER rather than the epidural because it was quicker and I'd be able to get up and walk sooner because they take it out immediately after surgery and it doesn't take the time to wear off like the epidural. Right at midnight the OB and several nurses ran into the room and said that the baby's heartbeat had dropped and they had me roll over to try and get it back up. It wasn't changing at all and they started freaking out and calling for an emergency c/s. Everything happened at lightening speed at that point and it was terrifying. My husband was not allowed to be present at the birth.
Ivan James was born at 12:17am on 3/1/11 via emergency c/s under general anesthesia. The umbilical cord had been wrapped tight around his neck which is what caused his heart rate to decline and probably what was keeping him from dropping and my cervix from dilating/effacing. I'm thankful that he's here and he's healthy. I don't have the feelings of loss that I had with DD's c/s birth. I didn't get my VBAC but I feel like I gave it my best try and I appreciate that my OB gave me the opportunity and was supportive throughout the TOL.
TTC #1 Cycle 14 - IUI#1=BFN, IUI#2=BFP | TTC #2 Cycle 8=BFP!!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: XP: My VBAC TOL Birth Story (long)
Congratulations on another beautiful addition to your family. All's well that ends well. I hope you are healing well! How is BFing going?
what is TOL?
Wow, that's quite a story!! Glad you are both healthy. I thought you couldn't be induced for a VBAC TOL (trial of labor) - maybe just my docs won't induce a VBAC. Something about the Pitocin contractions being too strong?
Hope you heal quickly and enjoy your precious little guy!
Sorry that you didn't quite get the birth you wanted!!
But congrats on your precious baby boy!
Off to the beach
DS 7/18/2010
Handy 2.0 Due Early August
2011/2012 Races
12/17/2011 Christmas Caper 10K
2/11/2012 Have a Heart 5K
3/17/2012 DC RNR Half Marathon
4/22/2012 10M Parkway Classic
10/28/2012 Marine Corps Marathon