At 7 am, the nurse insert my IV, and a Pitocin drip was started to begin my contractions. My doctor arrived at the same time, and told me that my cervix was about 75% effaced and already dilated 2 centimeters. Since I wasn't thrilled with the idea of being induced, I was glad to hear that my body had already begun preparing itself for labor naturally. The doctor said that she was only going to leave me on the Pitocin until 1 pm, then stop it for the night because she simply wanted to use that day to get my cervix more ready for a vaginal delivery. Slightly discouraged at the prospect of another day without my baby in my arms, I did appreciate her concern. She knew that I did not want a c-section, and she was doing her best to abide by my wishes.
I spent the entire morning laboring in bed, attached to the IV (I was allowed up to use the restroom). Although this was not in my plan, it was not bad at all. I was having contractions, but they were not painful until almost noon, and then never became unbearable. My Pitocin dose was at 30 mU/minute by the time I was unhooked at 1 pm. After the Pitocin was unhooked, my contractions quickly lessened, and then totally subsided (something my doctor was not thrilled to hear). I was initially excited to have the IV stopped because it meant that I was allowed to eat something other than a liquid diet. After half a day of laboring with only some chicken broth and jello in my stomach, that hospital menu was very appetizing! We spent the rest of the day hanging out at the hospital, bored and more than a little frustrated. Eric was a champ through the whole process--he encouraged me, and reminded me of what an amazing thing we were there to do....later. I stayed at the hospital throughout the night, with intentions of starting labor again in the morning.
If I hadn't been completely exhausted from a lack of sleep the night before, sleeping in a labor bed may have kept me awake all night. As it was, I slept off and on throughout the night, waking up periodically to achy hips due to the thin mattress and strange make of the bed. My night nurse told me that "these bed are made for birthing, not for sleeping," and offered me a sleeping pill. I declined, instead spending those final hours of my pregnancy feeling my baby move within me; I felt so amazingly close to him, yet still had not met him.
At 5 am, the nurses arrived to ready me for labor yet again. My IV drip was turned on at 5:30 am, and the Pitocin was started at 6:05 am. At 7 am, my doctor arrived, and wanted to break my water. She said that it should speed up my progress, but that if I had not delivered within 24 hours, I would have to have a c-section because of the infection risk. I agreed, with my fingers crossed that my labor would speed up and progress normally. At 7:10 am, she broke my water, which felt like nothing more than a pinch, then a huge gush of warm water--which continued to leak for the rest of the day! My doctor encouraged me to get an epidural (and early!) because she wanted my muscles to be as relaxed as possible, in order for my cervix to open quickly.
Immediately after my water was broken, my contractions began to get stronger. Eric and I watched Saved By The Bell on television for a while, but soon I could barely even concentrate through the contractions. I was watching my IV dosage and told myself that I would go ahead and get the epidural when I was getting 20 mU/minute of Pitocin. By 9 am, my contractions were 45 to 50 seconds long, about 3 to 4 minutes apart, and very strong. I finally relented and asked the nurse for my epidural when my Pitocin was only at 18 mU/minute.
At 9:30 am, the anesthesiologist arrived to start my epidural. As he was preparing his things, I noticed that my Pitocin dose was at 20 mU/minute--my original goal for an epidural. Since I had originally wanted to avoid any medication, I was beginning to get nervous, but he quickly calmed my fears with humor. My epidural was inserted, with only a pinch and a strange cool sensation throughout my lower back. As nervous as I was about the procedure, it was ridiculously uneventful. Immediately, my pain began to lessen throughout the contractions. Since I was not able to move from the bed now, my nurse inserted a catheter--which I think was the worst part of the entire induction. It did not so much hurt, as it was very uncomfortable, and remained so until it was removed.
My doctor arrived at 1 pm to check my progress, and happily pronounced me to be 5 centimeters dilated. I did get excited when I realized that I was not going to be moving from that bed until after my baby was born. It was really happening this time! During the afternoon, Eric and I passed the time by watching a Psych marathon that was on television. The nurse came in every half an hour to rotate which side I was laying, and I tried to get a few minutes of napping in here and there. From that point on, I progressed very quickly (7 cm at 2:20; 9 cm at 3:30).
At 4 pm, my nurse came into the room and began preparing me to push. She removed my catheter and blood pressure cuff. Several other nurses came with loads of supplies, and everything began to happen in a rush. I remember looking at Eric amidst all of the crowd and hurry, and thinking that these were our last few minutes of just us.
Suddenly, without any sort of a "starting point," without any doctors, without ever being pronounced to be 10 centimeters dilated, at 4:30 pm, I was pushing! I didn't know if I was doing it right or if anything was happening, but I pushed with all that I could. My nurses were wonderful--encouraging me through it all, proclaiming me a "good pusher", and promising that my little guy would be out soon! I pushed and pushed and pushed....and pushed!
By the time my doctor arrived, I had been pushing for a half an hour, and the nurses could see the baby's head when I pushed. But, when I stopped pushing, he would go back up. Thankfully, his heartbeat remained steady. We tried pushing while I was on my side, but it was to no avail--this baby was stubborn! I pushed for an hour, until I was completely drenched in sweat and shaking. I wanted a break so badly, but I wanted my baby in my arms more! The longer I pushed, the closer the head came to emerging....but then would disappear again when I stopped to breathe. Through it all, the baby's heartbeat remained strong and constant. I remember the nurses telling my husband to look at the baby's head while I pushed, and he did. My husband, the man who swore that he would not look past my shoulders when I was in labor because he did not want to see anything gross, looked at our baby's head--and when I saw the amazed look on his face, I was even more determined to push harder. Again, I pushed for all I could, but the baby simply would not descend all of the way. The more I pushed, the more they monitored his heartbeat--which stayed perfect.
Soon, my doctor was threatening a c-section. She knew that I wanted to birth this baby naturally, and she said that she did not want to do a c-section at this point, but she wasn't sure that I would be able to get him out any other way. She told me that I had 15 more minutes to push, then we were going to have to do a c-section. When she left to prepare for the surgery, and the nurses began checking me for jewelry to be removed, I was absolutely determined that I was going to deliver this baby naturally. I pushed even harder and longer than I had been; I was begging my baby to descend in my mind. I prayed with every breath. For a half an hour, I pushed with every single muscle in my body. I focused on my baby, watching his perfect heartbeat on the monitor and praying. I had three nurses shouting and cheering me on, and my amazing husband whispering encouragement in my ear when I was finally able to push the baby down to where he needed to be.
My doctor returned, just in time to do an episiotomy. I saw her pull out a big needle to numb me, and I prayed that I wouldn't feel it. I didn't feel the needle or the cut, but I did feel tremendous pressure from my baby's head. When they finally told me to push, I barely had to push when I felt his head emerging. Even with my epidural, I felt him come out, and I am so glad for that amazing experience.
Nathaniel Isaac was born at 6:03 pm on August 18, 2010. When he emerged, the doctor was shocked to find the cord wrapped around his neck--after the perfectly steady heartbeat throughout the duration of labor. He had also had a bowel movement during labor, causing him to be covered in meconium. It was the scariest moment of my life when she held up my silent baby, began suctioning his mouth and nose, and ordered that someone from the nursery get there immediately. Although it was probably only a few seconds, it felt like an hour before I heard him begin to cry--and then I started crying too! I watched them cleaning my baby across the room, while I delivered the placenta (which required no pushing; I felt it practically fall out) and was stitched up.
The first time that I got to hold Nathaniel was the most incredible experience. I was still laying down and being stitched up, so it was an awkward position, but I was finally holding my baby boy in my arms! He was so tiny and new, and all I wanted to do was hold him forever. Sadly, they needed to take him to the nursery to be checked, so he was whisked away with my husband.
Again, the birthing room was a flurry of activity while nurses cleaned everything up as quickly as they had brought it all in. Within 15 minutes, I was left alone in the room with a menu and told to order myself dinner quickly before the cafeteria closed. It was a strange feeling to be truly alone for the first time in 9 months. I had just done the most amazing thing of my entire life, and there was nobody there now to talk to about it. I wanted to see my baby and my husband more than anything.
It wasn't long before my husband arrived to tell me that Nathaniel was 6 pounds, 8 ounces, and 20 inches long. He was getting warm, but would soon be allowed to come back to see me. He was perfect. I cried when I heard the news. Eric was thrilled to be a father, and rushed back to be with our son. My dinner arrived, and I quickly ate. Soon, Eric and Nathaniel came to see me, and I finally got to hold my baby while my husband made lots of phone calls to tell our family the exciting news!
No comments:
Post a Comment