Birth Story - Induction and C-Section

I just want to say that we could not be happier to have our little girl our and in our arms.  There is no other feeling like it.

Wednesday, I was admitted at 12:00 noon to start medication to help ripen my cervix.  I was not dilated or effaced, but my cervix was soft before the medication.  They administered a second dose around 9:00 PM that night and my cervix had gotten very soft, but not yet dilated.  The medication gave me some mild contractions, but nothing regular, so I got to sit in the Jacuzzi tub for a while so I would be able to sleep. 

Around 7:00 AM on Thursday morning, the pitocin was started by IV.  That did give me some mild contractions as well.  Around 9:30 AM, the doctor checked my cervix.  I was dilated around 1 cm and about 50% effaced.  At that point, she stripped my membranes, which hurt like hell.  We continued the pitocin until about 2:30 PM, and there was not much progress.  I was only dilated 1 to 1 ? cm?s, so she broke my water and inserted a scalp electrode to monitor the baby.  This hurt like a ***!!  Not only that, but the electrode came off right away so they had to do it again. 

At 5:00 PM, when the doctor came to re-insert the scalp electrode, I was about 3 cm's. I asked for something for the pain.  I had wanted to have a natural labor, but the contractions were very painful after my water broke.  They gave me Nubian, which didn?t help very much with the pain.  It did make me very hot and very dizzy feeling.  I was able to sleep for about 10 minutes before the contractions started bothering me again and I had to try and breathe through them. 

At 6:30 PM, I asked the nurse how much worse the contractions were going to get, and she said a lot worse, so I requested an epidural and received it at about 7:00 PM.  It was fantastic!  The worst part was sitting hunched over while trying not to move and breathing through a contraction.  After it kicked in it felt wonderful.  I could still feel everything to the point where I had control of my movement, but I felt no pain.  I could feel the pressure of the contractions, but it was a very dull feeling. 

We rested until around 11:30 PM when the doctor came to check my progress.  I was still only about 3-4 cm?s, and at that point the baby?s heartbeat was dropping with the contractions.  The doctor tried to stimulate her, but she didn?t respond with her heart rate going up, so we decided to have a c-section as it didn?t look like she would be coming out on her own without endangering her.  Instead of getting a spinal, they increased the medication through my epidural.  The anesthesiologist also gave me something to drink which was supposed to neutralize any acid in my stomach in case I would vomit and it would get into my lungs.  Well, it did succeed in making me vomit.  I was taken down to surgery and at that point I think my body went into shock because I couldn?t stop shaking.  As the doctor was performing the surgery, she had to ask me why I was still deep breathing, and I told her I was just extremely nervous and trying to calm myself down.  When they pulled the baby out, they put so much pressure on my upper stomach that I started to get nauseous again.  After not eating all day and already throwing up, I didn?t think there would be anything else left, but I was wrong. 

Kate Aubrey was born at 1:02 AM on 12/05/08.  She was 7 lb 7 oz and 20 ? inches long.  She is the most beautiful little girl I have ever seen and I feel like I found the thing I never knew was missing in my life. 

After the surgery was done and Kate was looked over, the doctor told me that the cord was wrapped around her chest, which is why her heart rate had decelerated with contractions, so it was a good choice to have the c-section instead of waiting any longer.  I also had pre-eclampsia, and the placenta had started to age and had a lot of calcium on it, so I am glad we decided to be induced instead of wait for her entrance on her own.  We did have to stay an extra day in the hospital because Kate had jaundice, and it was so hard for me to watch her laying under the lights all alone for hours on end when I wanted her in my arms, but I knew it was best for her.  She is doing well now and we hope it continues that way.