I Can Officially "Go Here" Now...

chevronseven · July 2014

...because I became a parent today!

So at my 41 week appointment yesterday everything looked fine, except my MW asked if I had been having any itching and I remembered that I had and forgot to bring it up. She said that could be a symptom of cholestasis, which has a higher stillbirth rate (with no warning signs on regular tests) the further along you are into gestation. She recommended inducing since I was overdue anyway and was already 3 cm dilated and could skip Cervadil and go straight to Pitocin. We figured better safe than sorry, so we went in last night to get things rolling!

Got to the hospital at 6:30 and after answering all the check-in questions, getting hooked up to the IV and monitors, etc. they got me started on a very slowly increasing drip around 8 p.m. I was a little wary of the fact that no midwives were on staff until the next morning and I would have to deal with doctors I had never met until then. I just knew they wouldn't really pay much attention to my birth plan (med free with minimal interventions), and I was right but I'll get to that.

My husband and mom were there with me and we watched Netflix til about midnight like we would have if we were home (she's visiting from New Jersey until mid August to help out) then tried to get some sleep since I still wasn't feeling any of the contractions I was apparently having. (Got my hopes up this meant I was gonna have the world's easiest labor, like Brooklyn Decker in What to Expect; HA!) Well it turns out it's very difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position when you're hooked up to so many things. I FINALLY got in a comfortable enough position to fall asleep and what do you know, the goddamn doctors came in and WOKE ME UP to ask how I was doing and did I want them to break my water. No asshole, I want to rest while I still can, and since my birth plan says I want to let things run their own course, WHY ARE YOU EVEN ASKING?! But I politely declined and tried to go back to sleep with no luck. I just tried to pass time quietly so at least my cheering squad could get a little rest.

Started feeling intense contractions
around 2:30 or 3 a.m. and made DH wake up and sit in the bathroom with me while I labored in the tub (Heaven). Got too hot in there so the nurse suggested I sit on a birthing ball for a while, which I also really liked. I kept my med free plan by relying on DH applying counter pressure to my hips and back, and also by trying vocalization with low moans. Labored on my side in bed for a while, then went back to the tub and started having urges to push so they got me out. My water broke on the bathroom floor and then they checked me and I was fully dilated! They let me rest and push as I wanted for a while before making me change positions every so often to get things really moving. Once I started actively pushing it took about 3 1/2 hours, during which time I was all about giving up (I was crying for the forceps or the vacuum or a c-section, whatever would get this kid the fuck out of me without me having to push one more time!) and my wonderful husband and MW gave me the
tough love and encouragement I
needed. My mom was visibly just horrified at how hard it was for me since both of her labors went so quickly, but she was also very positive and encouraging.

I FINALLY pushed out my 9 lb 5 oz baby James at 3:24 p.m. and he is perfect! His looks clearly favor his daddy, which I was hoping for. He has already been welcomed by two out of 3 sets of grandparents, one set of great grandparents, and one aunt and uncle out of three. I am exhausted and sore (2nd degree tear with stitches) but so relieved and excited.