The Birth of Chloe Kate ( kind of long )

I went in to my 38 week appointment and found out I still wasn't dilated at all. I hadn't had any contractions yet either which didn't surprise me since I am a first time mom. During the ultrasound my doc discovered I had really low amniotic fluid. She told me she was going to see what day the hospital had room for me to deliver that week because she didn't want me to go much longer with low fluid. I was so freaked out because I figured I had a least a week to a week 1/2 left before my baby girl would come. Turns out the only day the hospital had room for me was the next day. To my surprise my doctor told me to pack my bags, and be at the hospital at midnight to begin inducing. Whew! Were we ever nervous and not ready : ) After signing a billion papers and getting my IV for Group B Strep, I finally got the Cytotec(?) pill at about 2 am and tried to get some sleep. At about 5 am they started the pitocin and I soon started having some contractions ( hardly felt them though because it was a low dose of pitocin ). The day went on and I was only making a tiny bit of progress. I was only 2/3 cm when they came in and offered to give me an epidural. I wasn't even in bad pain yet, but they wanted to break my water soon and I decided I would rather not feel anything when they did. So I got the epidural, and to my surprise that was the worst part of my whole birth experience! I wasn't even prepared for the epidural to hurt because most people say it's no big deal. Maybe it was the doctor who put it in, but it definitely hurt me. They kept saying don't move, but then a huge electric type shock went through my body as it went in and I jumped because it scared me. Either way, I forgot about all the pain as soon as it was over. I was in heaven! The epidural made me totally numb down there, and worked perfectly! So they broke my water ( didn't feel a single thing ) and upped the pitocin. The contractions were coming stronger, but weren't dilating me. I never got past 4 cm. : ( Around 9:30 or so they told me I was going to have a csection. Even though I feared I would have a csection because I wasn't progressing, I still didn't really believe I would have one. From the time they told me I would have one, to the time I was in the operating room on the table was not even 5 minutes. THankfully my husband was still able to be with me even though it was a last minute decision to do the section. I couldn't have done it without him. I've never been in the hospital before, let alone had surgery. So this was scary for me. The doctor's gave me something to calm me down because I was shaking so bad. I didn't feel them cut me open, but it hurt a little when they were taking her out because she was wedged in a weird position they said. Once she was out I watched them clean her on the table beside me. I was so happy to have her out finally! I didn't get to hold her because my body was still shaking so bad. But my husband put her up to my face so I could kiss her : ) It was all worth it for that moment! Chloe was 7lb. 12oz and had a good amount of brown hair. I was so happy to hear her cry for the first time. The next thing I remember, I was in a recovery room with a bunch of people standing around me talking. It is kind of a fuzzy memory, that is the only thing I don't like about my experience. I don't know what drugs they gave me, but they sure made me loopy! They brought her in to nurse, and I don't remember after that. I fell asleep while she was nursing, but I hear she latched on great! haha As far as recovery goes, I was fine until they made me get out of bed the second day and walk to the bathroom to shower. OUCH! I felt like I might faint, but the nurse was right there helping me walk so nothing would happen. I was in the hospital 3 days total. I felt pretty good about two weeks later, just a little sore on the incision site. Overall, I wish I could have had that birth experience most mother's get but I am just happy my baby girl is here!