Team Green Turned Team PINK!! (@JamieK1882 Birth Story-long!)

JamieK1882 · November 2014

Sorry it's taken me so long to write this, but it's been a little crazy around here (in a good way!). So here's my baby's birth story...

Warning: It's really long. Short version: On Thursday. Nov. 13th we welcomed our LO, Adalyn Elizabeth. 6 lb 9 oz 20.5" Team Green turned Team Pink!

Tuesday, Nov. 11th I was exactly 39 weeks and had my 39- week appt. It was Veteran's Day so DH was off work that day. In the morning we ran errands (looking back on it, a lot of nesting-style things happening haha). My appt was at 2:30pm and DH offered like 5 times to come with me but I kept saying "no, it's just a quick heartbeat check I'll be home by 3:30pm." So I got my appointment which was at the hospital. During my exam they tell me that my urine had 2+ protein in it and my blood pressure was running a little high. I had always had low blood pressure (110/70's), but it was slowly rising to 130/mid-80s. I also had been having a super annoying ringing/whooshing sound in my ears. Also my stomach was measuring behind, so the doctor decided to send me upstairs for another urinalysis, NST, and ultrasound.

I started with the ultrasound where I was told Baby looked fine. There was a long wait for the ultrasound, so it was later in the day by the time I got to the NST/urinalysis. They had me hooked up to the NST for over an hour, so it was evening by the time I finished and a new doc was on call. More protein was found in my urine, so this doctor decided to keep me for a 24-hour urine collection and observation. I was taken to my room for the night where I called DH to bring me some stuff since I had nothing with me.

The urine collection started Tuesday at 6:30pm, so I was told that by 7:30pm on Wed they would make a decision on what to do next. However, the next morning around 8:00am, a THIRD doctor from the practice was rounding and came to see me. She said since I was 39 weeks, it was probably safer to go a head and induce me without even waiting for the rest of the urinalysis. I couldn't believe it but was definitely excited. Started calling/texting everyone that we were having the baby on Thursday. DH's parents were vacationing in St. Martin (due to come home on Friday), and they immediately changed their flight to come home that night. Later that evening I was moved to a l&d room and at 9pm cervadil was started.

Thursday morning, my original doctor from the Tuesday appt was back at the hospital. He came to see me, but wasn't convinced we should do the induction. I was so disappointed since I was so ready at this point AND we had already started the cervadil. I was still only 1cm, but the doc said we could start pitocin and try for a few hours. He said if I didn't progress, though, they would stop and try again on either Friday or Monday. At 8:00am Pitocin was started.

By 9:00am I was REALLY feeling the contractions. I couldn't believe how painful they were getting in such a short amount of time. Both sets of parents got there and came in to say hi, but I was in so much pain by this point I wanted everyone OUT. Another half hour later, contractions were so so painful I thought I would die. I mean, I knew labor would be painful, but I was definitely a naive FTM who had no idea how bad it could get. Even though I was only 3cm at this point, the epidural was ordered. The anesthesiologist came and had a really hard time getting the epidural in. He finally did after 2 sticks, and I waited for the relief I was promised. It never happened. I continued to be in pain, so they called a nurse to re-dose my epidural. She said that perhaps it "didn't work," since I was progressing quickly. They re-checked but I was still only at 3cm and the re-dose didn't help either. At this point, they called a second "better" anesthesiology to re-administer a second epidural. Later DH told me that the nurse quietly told him that if this didn't work we were out of options (I'm glad they didn't tell me this at the time). Luckily this one took and omg the relief was the best thing on this planet. I was completely numb from my stomach down. I felt NOTHING. They re-checked me, and I was already at 9! (I went from 3cm to 9cm in less than 30 minutes!!). They told me to start pushing.

Pushing was interesting since I couldn't feel a darn thing, but I just concentrated on making my stomach contract (as if doing an ab workout). According to the nurse, I was a VERY good pusher (guessing in this instance that is a compliment haha). She quickly called my doctor because the baby was on its way!! The doctor came and we did a few sets of pushes (I honestly don't remember how many, but it was only for a few minutes). Then my doctor got called away because another girl was having her baby and she didn't have an epidural. He asked me to not push, which was easy since again, I was completely numb. The doctor got back quickly, a few more pushes and baby was here! We were SHOCKED to find out our LO was a girl. EVERYONE was convinced I was having a boy, so I couldn't believe it.

Our precious angel Adalyn Elizabeth joined us on Thursday, Nov. 13th at 12:08pm (following an 8am induction-super fast!). 6 lb 9 oz; 20.5"
I know it's cliche, but we are totally in love :x