Phoenix870509 Birth Story

Since I have a baby fast asleep on my chest, what a better time to write out my birth story!

Spent Thursday night at my parents house since my mom was taking us to the hospital Friday. My dad made us a nice breakfast and we left for the hospital before 6. Arrived, checked in and they broke my water at 7:22. My doctor was the one out of the seven in the group my husband didn't like. By 9:30 wasn't having many contractions so they gave me pitocin. My mom and husband helped me through the contractions, and my dad even stayed (he left when they checked me and during the birth, but other than that he was there the whole time. That was a nice surprise). By 11 it was too much and I practically begged for the epidural. I was concerned it would be hard to place due to my scoliosis but the anesthesiologist got it on the first try. I was 5cm at that point. After it kicked in I got a nap in, was out for about two hours. Woke up because I started feeling the intensifying contractions. Anesthesiologist came back and upped the dosage. Doc came in and checked me, 8cm. I got another short nap in. I was physically exhausted but mentally I was fine. Bonus of the epi. I could feel the peeks of the contractions but they felt like menstrual cramps.

Around 5 I started feeling a huge pressure on my cervix. I called the nurse and told her I had to push. She asked if I felt rectal pressure, like I had to poop, but it was all in my cervix. She wasn't going to check me, but my husband and I convinced her to. I was 10cm. At that point another doctor from the practice comes in (shift change, much to my husband's relief) and the nurse tells him I'm ready to go. I started pushing at 5:28. Everything I learned in my birth class went out the window as everything they told me to do contradicted what I learned. The doc was very nonchalant about everything, which I found rather calming and reassuring. Baby's heart rate dropped and he was like, eh it's probably due to stress but put her on oxygen anyways. I pushed for less than 15 minutes, DH and a nurse holding my legs and at 5:44pm Benjamin Edward made his grand entrance. They placed him on my chest immediately and DH cut the cord. I was confused because I wanted to delay cutting, but they want the cord cut before the placenta is delivered and mine had detached and was coming out. I had 2nd degree tearing so the doc stitched me up while we bonded. They cleaned him up, weighed and measured him and I got to watch DH hold him for the first time. We were both in tears. He also latched on immediately when breastfeeding the first time.

It was an uneventful, uncomplicated pregnancy, birth and recovery in the hospital. The only thing that really pissed me off was I never got to see the lactation consultant. I requested one every day the 3 days I was in the hospital only to be told no one was there. I was released Sunday and called Monday for a consultation to be told I couldn't be seen until NEXT Tuesday, and it would be $50. DH was (and still is) pissed. But we got over our latching issue with my left side, with the help of several of my friends with breastfeeding experience, and I no longer require their help.