XP: Birth Story (Really long!)

Hi ladies!  I had my baby on Thursday, Nov. 6^th.  I wasn?t a big poster, but a regular lurker and thought I?d share my baby?s birth story.

I went to the Dr. on Wednesday morning (Nov 5).  She checked me and I was 3 cm dilated and 50% effaced.  The Dr. stripped my membranes, which was rather uncomfortable, but it didn?t hurt afterwards.  At 8 p.m., I started feeling period-like cramps.  I?d had minor little cramps on and off for a few days, but they always sort of came and went and I never would notice when they started and stopped.  This was definitely different, and I had the biggest urge to clean out all the pipes.  I pooped about 6 times in a half an hour (totally TMI, but we?re all strangers!).  The cramps were still slow and indefinite, until around 9 when I could definitely sense a pattern.  DH and I sat in the bedroom with the lights out and timed the contractions at an online contraction counter for 2 hours.  They were really consistent at 2 and half minutes apart for 2 hours, and usually around 30 seconds.  We decided to go to the hospital because they were so close together.

            We got to Labor & Delivery around 11, they evaluated me in the triage, and of course, as soon as we got there, the contractions started backing off in intensity.  They hooked me up to the fetal heartbeat monitor and the contractions monitor.  They checked me and I was still only 3 cm.  So, really, no progress since that morning.  The dr. said I could stay if I wanted, or I could go home, it was up to me.  We decided to go home, that was around 12:30 a.m.  In hindsight I?m really glad we went home, though I spent the next 12 hours agonizing over when/whether to go back to L&D.  At home, the contractions were getting more painful and consistently 5 minutes apart.  I settled in to try to get some sleep, but it was impossible.  At 2 a.m. I got sick all over.  After that I had horrible heartburn/acid reflux with each contraction.  I would try to sleep in between, but they were really painful.  I tried coaching myself to get through them, repeating in my head ?only 30 seconds to go? and I had it down to 5 or 6 really deep breaths for each contraction.  I kept thinking that if I could just make it to 8 a.m., we?d re-evaluate whether to go back to the hospital.  Well, 8 a.m. rolls around and there really was no change; same intensity, still 5 min. apart.  I got up and started to walk in circles around the house, trying to make a decision about what to do.  I was just so scared that they would tell me there had been no change and we should go back home.  After 2 hours of walking and almost no sleep the night before, I was so tired.  I decided to sit/lay down on the couch around 10:30 a.m.  As I lay there, the contractions started slowing down weren?t consistent, one would be 6 minutes, one would be 9.  I don?t know why that made the difference, but I decided we should just go.  So, we both showered and gathered our stuff back together and went back to L&D around 12:30 p.m. on the 6^th.

            Got to triage and once again the contractions started lessening in intensity. The nurse practitioner evaluated me and when she said I was dilated to 5 cm, I almost started crying because I was so glad and I knew they?d admit me then. 

            They asked me what I was considering for pain and whether I wanted an epidural.  I had hoped to go natural, but had planned to keep all options open to see what I could handle.  At that point, after having labored at home all night with no sleep, I could not imagine going to rest of the way without the epi.  I asked for it right away, but I was still really scared about getting it.

            They moved me to the L&D room at 2 and I promptly got sick again.  I barely made it to the basin, but I felt so much better after my stomach was empty.   The anesthesiologists came at around 3 p.m. to do the epi.  I delivered at a University hospital, so there were 3 of them, the attending, the resident, and a med student.  I was really scared to get the epi, but it turned out ok.  The actual insertion didn?t hurt at all, I really didn?t feel much, but it was torture trying to maintain the curled back position they need to get the epi in. 

            I felt soooo good after the epi, it was amazing.  But they were very careful to explain that while it would help with the contractions, it wouldn?t do anything for the pressure that I?d feel as I got closer to delivering and the baby moved down.  Around 5 p.m. they started me on pitocin, which was another thing I had hoped to avoid.  But since I had the epi and was feeling nothing, I didn?t have any problem with starting the pitocin at that point.  And honestly, I wanted it to move as quickly as possible.  The nurse put me on the lowest dose, so that was good.

            At 6 o?clock they checked me and I was 6 cm.  They broke my water bag at that point.  The nurse told me that for most first labors I should expect to dilate around 1 cm per hour, so I figured we?d be getting to the action around 10 p.m. or later that night.  DH was in and out calling people and whatnot, and, thinking we had tons of time, he went to get something to eat, go to the bathroom, and make more phone calls.  Almost as soon as he left, I started to feel pressure in my rectum.  I kept pushing the epi button, but it wasn?t making any difference.  I had the worst feeling like I had to poop really badly.  It started out small but kept getting worse with each contraction.  At that point, it was just me, my mom, and the nurse in the room.  The nurse saw me and left to get the Dr. to come back to evaluate me.  She was gone for probably two or three contractions, but in that time, they went from ?ok, I can breathe my way through this, even though it really hurts,? to me breaking out in tears with each contraction because the pressure was so intense. 

            The Dr. came back with the nurse, evaluated me, and lo and behold I was 10 cm and ready to push!  I was so glad, because if the pain/pressure had gotten any worse and I still wasn?t ready I would have totally lost it.  While they were getting things assembled, the nurse and the resident had me practice push a few times.  I pooped myself, but I could not have cared less.  The nurse cleaned me up before anyone noticed.

            The Drs. came in and we were ready to go (once again, teaching hospital, there were A LOT of people in the room, but I really didn?t care).  The only problem was, DH was nowhere to be found.  He finally came back into the room and had this look of total shock on his face.  Rather understandable as we thought we?d have until 10 p.m., and here it was only 8:15.

            I started pushing and it was hard. REALLY, REALLY hard.  I had almost no energy, I?d been in labor for 24 hours at that point.  I pushed through about 5 or 6 contractions, which were 2 mins. apart.  I can?t even describe how hard it was.  I didn?t think the urge to push felt good, as I?ve heard some people describe.  When I?d get through a contraction and try to recover myself, as soon as I felt the pressure starting again, I just felt like giving up (which, of course, I know you can?t, but it was so hard and intense!).  Everyone was really great about coaching me.  My mom was next to my head and was the best, counting out to 10 for each push.  DH was really quiet, but he was good.  After 5 or 6 contractions, Frances was born at 8:30 p.m.  She was purple and covered in the white stuff when she came out.  They laid her on my chest and the only thing I kept thinking was how hot she was.  DH cut the cord and the wiped her off.  She was so beautiful and had the biggest conehead (which is gone now).  She was born on her due date, at 8:30 p.m..  She weighed 7 lbs, 8 oz. and is 19.5 inches long. 

            Things are going well, it?s really weird to have a baby in the house with us!  Breastfeeding is going better than expected, so that?s good.  My recovery is going ok.  I did have a small upwards tear.  One thing no one told me was that it?s rather hard to control your pee afterwards, and hard to tell when you have to go.  I peed on myself at least once because I had no idea I even had to go, and once I get going, I can?t get it stopped.  But I?m doing my kegels, do yourself a favor and do some while you still have the chance! 

            Sorry no pic yet, DH forgot to take the camera USB cord out of his bag before  he went to work today.  I?ll post one later.

Take care, ladies, and good luck!