October Baby: Birth Story

Original due date: October 31^st

Growth Ultrasound on October 12^th: measuring 8lbs 3ozs, head measured 40 weeks! My Doctor suggested that I get induced due to how large DS seemed to be. Induction scheduled for 10/24, at the doctors appointment on 10/21 my cervix had not progressed, He said that my cervix was maybe a fingertip dilated and still high, so I had to go into the hospital the night before the induction to have Cerdavil to help me progress. We arrived at the hospital on 10/23 to have the Cerdavil administered, it has to stay in for 12 hours. I had to have a full bag of IV fluid before they could place it so it was inserted at 7pm. The hospital food that night was terrible, looking back I should have had DH go get take out for me.

At 7am the nurse came in to remove the Cerdavil and she said to herself ?uh oh? but I didn?t ask why she said it. I figured it was not where is was supposed to be. She checked me and I was still barely a fingertip dilated but my cervix was lower and softer. The next nurse on duty started the Pitocin around 7:30, I decided to try to take a nap but they had me hooked up to so many monitors that it was very uncomfortable, and the nurses and the techs came in the room about every half hour. The monitors showed that I was having contractions but I couldn?t feel them, looking back now I am glad I didn?t feel them yet. My nurse was great, she was able to talk to me about the whole process and let me know what was happening. The Pitocin was upped every 15 to 30 minutes. My MIL arrived around 11 (I did not want her there that soon but I didn't have a choice), I was still barely dilated, it felt like it was taking forever and that I was going to be there all night.

There had been no discussion about breaking my water and at 12:45 it broke on its own. I was only 2cm dilated! I never thought that my water breaking would actually sound like a water balloon popping but it really did. Even my MIL heard it, and she was across the room. I was so happy that my water broke on its own but I had no idea what to expect next.

My Mom and Sister showed up shortly after my water broke.  After talking for a while, Mom, Sister & MIL went down to the cafeteria to eat before things got crazy. While they were away my nurse upped my Pitocin and WHOA did things change. The contractions came hard and fast, like nothing I have ever felt. I wanted to try to go natural but the Pitocin had other plans.

My nurse taught me how to breathe through the contractions and to switch sides that I lay on, it helped a little. I asked for meds to take the edge off, so they gave me a shot of something in my butt cheek. This medicine did not help, supposedly it takes away some of the pain at the beginning and end of the contraction? that is not where I needed it!

I asked for something stronger and they gave me Nubain which was good but didn?t last long. With the Nubain I was actually sleeping between contractions, 30 seconds to 2 minutes. I never believed that people could do that but I sure did.

The nurse came in to see how far along I was dilated, based on how strong my contractions were everyone guessed 4cm, which is where I needed to be in order to get the epidural. When she announced that I was 4cm I think the curtain that my family was standing behind moved because they all yelled in excitement.

The anesthesiologist came in around 5:45 to place the epidural. That was the worst, not the putting in itself, having to sit on the edge of the bed hunched over while he placed it. I had 3 very strong contractions while he was placing it and I was not allowed to move which was torture. Finally the epidural was in and I told my nurse that I felt the urge to push. She decided to check my progression, I was 7 almost 8cm and changing quick.

They told Jason to go get the people that were going to be in for the delivery because it was going to be soon. The doctor was called, my mom and MIL came back in the room. They gave me some oxygen and told me I was going to be able to push soon. The nurse helped me get to 10cm, she said it didn?t take much.

My MIL left and my sister came in for the delivery. The nurse was talking me through the contractions again. Pushing 3 times in a row on each contraction was hard, by the third one I was exhausted but with each next set I thought to myself ?I can push harder? and I did.

The Doctor came in and he decided to do an episiotomy since DS was coming so quickly. After pushing 4 sets my DS was born at 6:17, the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck 3 times but he was fine. He was beautiful, and perfect 7lbs 9ozs, 21 inches long. Much smaller than they had thought. Come to find out I never did get the epidural because I had progressed so fast but strangely enough labor did not hurt, it was more of a relief when I was able to push.

After all was said and done it was not a bad experience at all, however, I would not be induced again due to size. Pitocin sucked!