Rebekah Joy's Arrival (at 42 weeks!)

My little stubborn lady decided to stay an inside baby right up to 42 weeks. While the wait was killing me, I was actually surprisingly comfortable for being so pregnant, so I really had no complaints. So here it goes--

My induction was scheduled for 8am on November 1st (42w). I was so nervous about being induced, and really wanted to go into labor naturally. DH and I decided to make an appointment with my midwife on October 30th to discuss pushing back the induction just a few days, as I had been having mild contractions and was hopeful that labor would progress. My midwife said she was uncomfortable with pushing the date back, but decided to do another internal to see how things were looking. I was finally 1cm dilated, so she went ahead and did a membrane sweep. This is when things really took off.

(Day before induction-- Oct. 31st) DH and I went home that evening, and I had mild cramping. It wasn't really uncomfortable or anything, so I thought nothing of it. We went to bed around 11 that night, and at 4am I woke up from the contractions, which at this point still were not painful, but just annoying. I tried to sleep for a few more hours, but it didn't really happen, as I was way too excited. Fast forward to 10am, the contractions were definitely painful. We began timing them. By 1pm I couldn't even stand up through them, so we headed to the hospital. They timed them there at 8 minutes apart still, and I was 2cm dilated. We were sent home, which made me mad, because I knew we would be back soon, and the hospital is a 40 minute drive from our house.

It's 5pm now, and I tell DH that we need to go. I am exhausted at this point already and I have really only eaten some crackers and yogurt. My appetite was totally gone. After being monitored at the hospital from 6pm until 11, they finally admitted me to labor and delivery. I think they just felt bad for me honestly, they knew my induction was the following morning, and that I was already 42 weeks along haha. It worked to my advantage, so whatever!

(Nov 1st) At 3am they checked me, and I was only 3cm, but far enough along to get an epidural. I hadn't planned on getting one, but I was so exhausted at this point that I was willing to do anything for some sleep. That thing worked like a charm too! For 2 hours I had total relief from the contractions, but then they came back and the epi had to be redone.

At 10am they began the pitocin. I was measuring at 5cm at this point. Then noon came around, and I told the nurse that I really had to poop. I begged her to let me just go to the bathroom (you can't get up and walk around with an epidural... but I could move my legs so I felt confident that I'd have no issues). She told me that I didn't have to poop, and she checked me and confirmed that she could feel the head. I told her that she was just getting my hopes up and that I would go and push and just end up with poop instead of a baby LOL! Sure enough, it was time to push. Pushing didn't hurt at all, until she started crowning, and holy crap I have never felt so much pain (they had turned off the epi so I could push). After 2 hours Rebekah Joy joined the world at 7lb 9oz and 20 inches long. We just love her to pieces!