XP: Team Green...Turned Team Blue (My birth story)

Hey ladies,

So I wanted to share with you all my birth story. Warning it is a bit long so I apologize for that. I was due on 9/22 (tomorrow) but starting on Tuesday 9/16 I started having contractions. They were very intermittent about 1 1/2 hours apart. I was beginning to think it as false labor and that was confirmed at a doctor's appointment later that day. They were concerned about my blood pressure so I was sent over to the hospital to be monitored. They checked me and said everything was fine but I had to follow up with my doctor on Friday. Wednesday continued the intermittent contractions as did Thursday. Thursday they were getting closer but I kept saying to myself this is false labor they aren't close enough yet, though I did notice I was starting to have brown spotting. We went to Epcot to walk around that night and by the time we got home contractions were 10 minutes apart and getting closer together. I went to use the bathroom before bed and had red spotting. It was enough to make me concerned so we called the on call doctor. At this point contractions were 5 minutes apart so she said to come on in.

I got to the hospital where they checked me and told me that I was 1cm and 80% effaced. They explained I could go home with pain medication or I could walk around the hospital but if I didn't make progress then I'd go home with pain medication anyways. They also explained that if this was true labor, nothing I took for pain would help and to come back when contractions were 1-2 min apart. I decided I wanted to be in the comfort of my own home and when we got home took Tylenol for pain. Unfortunately nothing helped for pain and it got continually worse, to the point I was screaming in pain. My DH wanted to go back to the hospital but I was soo upset about being sent home earlier that I didn't want to go through that again. At about 4am he finally convinced me that we needed to go in and be seen. So we get back and when in triage I was crying in pain saying please don't send me home. The nurse said well we will see. Luckily I had progressed to 3cm but still 80-90% effacement. Ladies I won't lie, I was in soo much pain. The nurse came back and said well your staying and I assume you want an epidural. I was all for it (kudos to those who can labor without it). We got admitted to the birthing room around 6:15am and I got the epidural right away. It was amazing and helped me get through labor. At this point I was 4cm so they broke my water. Baby wasn't responding well so they put a monitor on his head and also started giving me fluids to replenish the broken water. I was slow to progress so they started me on pitocin to get contractions more regular. Baby wasn't tolerating that real well either and I had to be moved a couple different ways on the bed. We finally found a good spot and I slept on and off. Finally when I was about 7cm they decided to start the pitocin again. Around 7pm when the shift change for the nurses was I was at 8cm and almost completely effaced. By 7:45pm they were ready to have me do a few practice pushes. They had me do them with the contractions and they had me stop after 2 because the head was already coming. They had called the on call doctor from my practice and she was on her way, but it seemed baby had another plan. I had my legs up waiting and I could feel him coming out of me. The nurse got concerned because she really didn't want to deliver my baby. Luckily the doctor got there and after 3 more contractions of pushing, team green became team blue at 8:07pm. DH was soo happy to make the announcement. The doctors and nurses commented how great of a pusher I was (who knew). They gave him to me to do skin to skin and the doctor stitched me up. I have a 1st degree tear that required 2 stiches but other than that I really can't complain. I asked the doctor how long labor was considered and he said from the time you are 3-4cm until you give birth. So I count myself lucky that I was only in labor about 14 hours. Baby Conner had a full head of hair and looks just like his daddy. He is a small boy at only 6lbs even and 18 inches long. We did have to have his blood sugar tested while at the hospital because of his small size but he passed all of his tests with flying colors. I'm just in awe of him. Its hard to believe on 9/17 of last year I was having my laparoscopy to find answers for IF and here a year later I have this beautiful baby boy.

Congrats to those who had their babies recently and good luck to those who are due soon.