My "dreaded induction" actually went pretty well.

piperjayne · August 2013

Short version: Natalie Margaret was born at 11:37 pm on August 28th after being induced at a day shy of 42 weeks. She was 7lbs even and 20.5 inches. She is nursing really well and is super sweet.

Long Version:

So as some of you know, I was really dreading being induced after a really bad experience with a really long and hard as hell induction with my son. I did NOT like how my body reacted to the epidural, and it was important to me to avoid it this time around, but I knew that with pitocin that is easier said than done. We went in at 7 am Wednesday morning, and after being checked for the first time, I found out I was only 1 cm and 50% effaced despite being almost two weeks overdue. My midwife wasn't going to be able to break my water to see if that would put me into labor, so I opted to use the foley catheter to manually dilate my cervix instead of pitocin. She told me this would only get me to like a 4-5, and then we would have to decide where to go from there depending on how I reacted. They put it in around 10, and it fell out around 2. She checked me and I was at a six and 80% effaced, which made me super happy. FYI, this method really wasn't painful. I had contractions because of it, but they were very manageable. If you ever need to be induced, I'd recommend trying this route. It was awesome to get to a 6 without having any pitocin or really much pain. After that, she was able to break my water. The hope was that it would put me into active labor, but my contractions started to space out and get less painful, so it was time for pitocin. It gets a little fuzzy after that, but I know that I dealt with the contractions pretty well up until 8 cm. Going through transition med free is nooooo joke. I sort of went crazy. It felt like FOREVER, but it really wasn't too long. I was a little...melodramatic at this point. I told my husband I was going to die, that going natural was a stupid idea, and when he told me that I was almost done, I told him he was WRONG but he very much was not. My midwife told me to roll on my side to rotate baby's head so that baby could descend. I did it, despite the fact that I started to feel pushy the contraction before that. Immediately when I rolled on my side I had the UNBEARABLE urge to push. I've never felt anything like it. I though it was strong with my son because I had a pretty weak epidural, but holy crap. I screamed that I had to push, and she told me to wait and roll back on my back and I screamed that I couldn't. She and my husband guided me back onto my back and her head popped out. Another (completely involuntary) push and her body was out. My husband started crying and they put her on me, and I immediately forgot the pain (which was not the case with my son, I was pretty distracted even after he was born) and my midwife informed me that I didn't even tear, despite how quickly she came. It was a very crazy experience, and unlike anything else. I have absolutely no qualms with people getting epidurals, but I knew from my son's birth that it was not for me and was thrilled that I was able to follow through with going med free. She is a way better nurser than her brother, which is a relief because it's something I was really worried about. We love her so much. Her dad is crazy about her. And for all those ladies still waiting, coming from a former 42 weeker, you REALLY won't be pregnant forever. I swear. I know it seems like it now, but you'll have your little one in your arms soon