Finally: Birth Story (long)

At my 39 week appointment I discussed with my doctor the options should the baby not arrive by my due date (6.29.11). I had experienced higher than normal blood pressure and was feeling very uncomfortable. At that appt. I was also 3 cm and 70% effaced. He talked about letting me go to 40 weeks but I may have given him the death look and suggested inducing the Thurs. after my due date on 6.30.11. 

My next appt. was exactly at my 40 week appt. and once again my blood pressure was even higher than the previous week so I knew that inducing was a good option at that time as it had been discussed the previous week.

We got to the hospital on 6.30.11 at just after 4 am and got checked in. By 5:30 am I was started on Pitocin and didn't really feel anything different. My Dr came to check on me at about 7:45 am and was anxious to get things going, so he asked if I wanted him to brake my water and I agreed. I was still at 3cm and 80% effaced. The contractions started but they weren't too uncomfortable. I really wanted to labor as far as I could before getting any medication.  Close to 11 am J and I discussed me getting the epidural and I didn't want it yet but he could tell I was getting uncomfortable and suggested I get it earlier before things got tougher and I couldn't still still. So I got the epidural then and I was 4cm, 90% and 0 station.

The epidural was set to the lowest level, I could still feel every contraction, I remember telling J "oh, that was a big one" and he would confirm by looking at the monitor. Close to 1:30 pm I was at 7cm, 100% effaced, and +1 station, the dr. told me that I would possibly start pushing in 2 - 3 hours. I couldn't believe it!! I wasn't nervous (even though we didn't go to any child birth classes), I was anxious to get going and meet my little girl. I started to feel more uncomfortable and didn't want to increase the epidural so J increased it once because he saw how uncomfortable I was.

At 2 pm, the dr. came in to check me again and I was 8 cm, 100% effaced, and +2 station. He said he'd be back by 3pm and to get ready to push because the baby was ready.  At 2:30 pm, I started to feel a lot of pressure and told the nurse, they told me that I could increase the epidural but I didn't want to because I didn't want to lose feeling in my legs and wanted to experience as much as possible without so many pain meds. 10 minutes later, I told the nurse to get the dr. because I was ready...there was a lot of pressure and I just felt like I was ready.  The dr. came in, checked me and I was 9.5 cm, 100%, and +3 station.  He told me to push with the next contraction that he would help complete me. I did as he asked and I was ready by 2:45 pm.

He walked out to get ready and I did some practice pushes with the nurses. At 3:00 pm, he returned and I was ready to push full on. I started pushing and I swear I felt like I couldn't do it - as a matter of fact, I was saying "I can't do this, I'm not going to be able to do this" and everyone was encouraging me to push, DH was coaching me as well as a resident nurse. It felt like the most difficult thing I had ever done.

At 3:26 pm our little one was born - I was in complete shock and I think I still am. I am very pleased with the way things happened, I was able to feel enough but yet take the edge off the pain. I actually felt the ring of fire and felt when I tore (2nd degree tear). The most amazing feeling though was when she came out - I can't really explain it but I felt her head, shoulders and rest of her come out of me. At that time, everyone said "she's here and I remember looking up and seeing them put her on my stomach, they suctioned her and she started to cry. This is all a blur but I remember them asking J to cut the cord. 

The funny part of the whole thing was that one of the nurses said "it's a boy" and all along people were telling me, "you never know, it could be a boy" so in the back of my head I had this fear that we were ready for a girl but would have a boy. Now, I don't know what made her say that obviously she didn't have a clear view of things. Immediately everyone else said "no, it's a girl!"  I didn't laugh at the time, I was still out of it and in shock.

I do remember kissing my daughter and saying "Happy Birthday Alexa".

If you've made it this far - you all get a cookie or a drink! Your choice!