Baby Goddess Birth Story
Feb 23, 2017 18:27:57 GMT -5
Post by notagoddess on Feb 23, 2017 18:27:57 GMT -5
Friday morning, I had my weekly OB appointment. My OB checked my cervix and it was long and fully closed. I asked if that meant likely going overdue and having an induction. He told me that no, for all I know my water could break in the parking lot, or I could have a bunch of contractions overnight and have the baby the next day. Still, I was discouraged. I had had regular contractions the day before for a few hours and I had been hoping they did something. I ignored similar sensations at work on Friday. On the way home, I gave my mom the update and told her what the OB said. We both laughed at the idea of having the baby overnight.
I was lying on the couch that evening when I had a painful contraction, much stronger than before. A few minutes later, I had another one, and then, another one. I started timing them and they were less than five minutes apart and 30-40 seconds long. After they continued for an hour, I called my doula to let her know what was happening. I quickly showered and got the rest of my hospital bag ready. Then, I labored at home for a while. I tried all the positions I had read about and had my husband rub my back and bring an essential oil diffuser and dim the lights.
Things got intense quickly. From the first few contractions, I had the shakes really bad. This made it difficult to rest in between contractions since I was shaking and chattering uncontrollably. A few hours in, I also started getting very nauseous. I called my doula again and told her to meet us at the hospital.
It was much harder to manage the pain once we got to the hospital. Lying on my back on the exam table was excruciating. They examined me and told me that I was only 1 cm and 80% effaced. They kept me for monitoring in triage for 3 hours because the fetal monitor wasn’t showing enough decels. I threw up from the pain. At the end of 3 hours, they checked me again – I was still at 1 cm. They said I had the choice of going home for several hours or checking into the antenatal unit to get IV pain meds. I decided to go home.
I labored in the tub and in bed, trying to get some rest between contractions. It was difficult since I was shaking and throwing up, but easier than at the hospital. Eventually, I felt it was time. I was running out of energy and having trouble coping with the pain. When they checked me this time, I was 4 cm – enough to get admitted. As I got up from the exam table, my water broke. We celebrated the progress.
I asked to get the epidural ASAP. The pain was overwhelming after my water broke, and I was utterly exhausted after 15 hours of labor and no sleep. The epidural was painless and brought immediate relief. I was still shaking though. I got Pitocin after a few hours of no progress on dilation. That worked quickly and soon I was fully dilated.
Unfortunately, I had spiked a fever that was causing tachycardia in the baby. They wanted to bring it down before I started to push. I waited for an hour for the antibiotics and fever reducer to kick in, marveling that I would soon meet my baby. The OB came back and told me it was time.
I got a second wind when it was time to push. I found it enjoyable compared to the first part of labor. But after a few pushes, they told me that baby wasn’t coping well with the pushing on top of the fever. Her heart rate was dangerously high and she needed to come out in the next push. The OB was going to use forceps to get her out. This was not how I imagined my baby entering the world and I was scared for her safety. I started to cry but got myself together in time for that final push. The epidural numbed me and I did not feel the episiotomy.
I watched her coming out and waited for her to cry. Once she did, I cried too – tears of relief and joy. We were able to do immediate skin-to-skin and my husband cut the cord after a few minutes. Labor and delivery was more difficult than I had hoped for. But the result made the process seem less important, and at the same time, more special. It was what it took to get our baby into the world.
I was lying on the couch that evening when I had a painful contraction, much stronger than before. A few minutes later, I had another one, and then, another one. I started timing them and they were less than five minutes apart and 30-40 seconds long. After they continued for an hour, I called my doula to let her know what was happening. I quickly showered and got the rest of my hospital bag ready. Then, I labored at home for a while. I tried all the positions I had read about and had my husband rub my back and bring an essential oil diffuser and dim the lights.
Things got intense quickly. From the first few contractions, I had the shakes really bad. This made it difficult to rest in between contractions since I was shaking and chattering uncontrollably. A few hours in, I also started getting very nauseous. I called my doula again and told her to meet us at the hospital.
It was much harder to manage the pain once we got to the hospital. Lying on my back on the exam table was excruciating. They examined me and told me that I was only 1 cm and 80% effaced. They kept me for monitoring in triage for 3 hours because the fetal monitor wasn’t showing enough decels. I threw up from the pain. At the end of 3 hours, they checked me again – I was still at 1 cm. They said I had the choice of going home for several hours or checking into the antenatal unit to get IV pain meds. I decided to go home.
I labored in the tub and in bed, trying to get some rest between contractions. It was difficult since I was shaking and throwing up, but easier than at the hospital. Eventually, I felt it was time. I was running out of energy and having trouble coping with the pain. When they checked me this time, I was 4 cm – enough to get admitted. As I got up from the exam table, my water broke. We celebrated the progress.
I asked to get the epidural ASAP. The pain was overwhelming after my water broke, and I was utterly exhausted after 15 hours of labor and no sleep. The epidural was painless and brought immediate relief. I was still shaking though. I got Pitocin after a few hours of no progress on dilation. That worked quickly and soon I was fully dilated.
Unfortunately, I had spiked a fever that was causing tachycardia in the baby. They wanted to bring it down before I started to push. I waited for an hour for the antibiotics and fever reducer to kick in, marveling that I would soon meet my baby. The OB came back and told me it was time.
I got a second wind when it was time to push. I found it enjoyable compared to the first part of labor. But after a few pushes, they told me that baby wasn’t coping well with the pushing on top of the fever. Her heart rate was dangerously high and she needed to come out in the next push. The OB was going to use forceps to get her out. This was not how I imagined my baby entering the world and I was scared for her safety. I started to cry but got myself together in time for that final push. The epidural numbed me and I did not feel the episiotomy.
I watched her coming out and waited for her to cry. Once she did, I cried too – tears of relief and joy. We were able to do immediate skin-to-skin and my husband cut the cord after a few minutes. Labor and delivery was more difficult than I had hoped for. But the result made the process seem less important, and at the same time, more special. It was what it took to get our baby into the world.
