Finley Hope's Birth Novela - Updated with Pics!

MamaTree17 · June 2014

I wrote this first for my blog so excuse the obnoxious length and formality of it! Longest story ever short - we had a surprise induction after low fluid levels during my weekly check but it went really well and was a great experience despite me not getting my epidural in time! Due to the nuchal cord I was having weekly non-stress tests and amniotic fluid checks. I went in for a check on Wednesday the 28th at the hospital and the NST went off without a hitch. I was quickly moved to the ultrasound room to check fluid levels. Finley was moving like crazy and I thought that was the reason the tech seemed to double check all the measurements. She then said she was going to bring in another tech to check again but I didn't think anything of it, I thought it was due to her movements and making it hard to get a good look. The second tech came in, did another round of measurements and said to stay put and the doctor would be in. That's when I knew something was up because at our first week of testing the tech said she would run the numbers by the dr and we should be good to go. I texted Mike to tell him I was still there and the dr came in. She explained that the "normal range" of fluid was 5-25cm and both the techs got 4cm for me. That alone was a concern but with the cord around her neck, low fluid levels meant there was less cushion and more risk of the cord tightening. She wanted to check herself but explained that if she also got 4cm they'd want me to be admitted and monitored for 24 hours, I'd be given fluids to see if in turn my amniotic fluids would go up. She checked, also got under 5cm, so went to call my doctor. In the meantime I texted Mike and told him the plan. He made plans to leave work and get Rowan. The doctor then came back and threw another surprise at me - my doctor wanted to go ahead with the induction. I was 37 weeks - full term - and she believed after 24 hours of monitoring we'd be doing one anyway. Honestly I was shocked but fine with it. We knew the baby was okay and I was going to be a nervous wreck until she was born anyway. They wouldn't even let me go to the car, so was walked to labor and delivery by a nurse. I got checked in and could finally call Mike to let him know what was going on. The induction plan was to put in cervidil that night which stays in 12 hours, then we'd start pitocin at 8am when it came out. I was checked and was 1.5cm and 70% effaced which I was really excited about because I hoped that little bit of natural progress would speed things along. That said what I had heard about inductions and my labor experience with Rowan (27 hours) I expected it to be awhile before we met Finley in the flesh. That night I slept on and off but the hospital bed was torture on my tailbone. And the amount of fluids they had me on had me peeing even more then usual and when you have to unplug 5 monitors and take an IV tower with you it's quite the process. At 7am they took the cervidil out but I was still only 1.5cm but 90% effaced and she was high (4 station). They started pitocin at 2ml and planned to increase it by 2ml every 20-30 minutes. The morning went by fine and around noon my contractions started to really increase and become painful. I was trying to be out of the bed as much as possible while still tied to the machines so I just bounced on the birthing ball and walked circles around my IV pole. At 1:30 was checked again and at 4cm they broke my water. She had also dropped to 2 station. The doctor said she expected it to be another 5-6 hours before I was pushing but since it was my second it could be a little sooner. Based on that I decided to wait another hour then get an epidural so I could rest for a few hours before pushing. I didn't want to get it too soon and slow down progress but based on how bad contractions already were with the pitocin I knew I'd have no energy in 5 hours for pushing without it. I didn't want to be as drained as I was with Rowan. Mike went to get lunch and I told the nurse I'd get the epidural when he was back. She started prepping and said the anesthesiologist was ready. When Mike got back an hour later, of course there was a wait and I was in unbearable pain. They called in a back up anesthesiologist who came in 30 min later. It was the worst part trying to sit still for 15 minutes during contractions that were doubled up while she placed the epidural. Once it was done and they laid me down they saw that Finley's heart rate was dropping with each contractions which is normal when she's starting to crown. Instantly I felt pressure and the urge to push. The nurse called my doctor so I could be checked and he was in surgery. They called in the resident doctor and he didn't have to check because he could see her head! Things got a little busy then and I was freaking out because the epidural wasn't working yet. The nurses flooded in to prep the room for delivery and they called the back up doctor from my practice (thankfully my doctors office was in the hospital). My favorite doctor came running in 5 minutes later and said it was time to go. They turned off the epidural and pitocin and said it wouldn't kick in before she was there. I have to get out of the habit of waiting till 10cm to ask for one! They had me push and her head starting coming out right away. After 2 more pushes the doctor said she wanted to give me a small episiotomy so she could come out right away and they could unwrap the cord. I had one with Rowan too so it was no big deal. The next 2 pushes she was out! Much different from the hours and hours of pushing I had with Rowan. The cord was around her neck twice but she still came out screaming and they put her on my chest right away. Finley Hope was born at 3:56pm weighing 5lbs 15 ounces and 19-1/2" long.