This is my birth story:
So Wednesday (Dec. 8th) at 9:15 a.m. I had an OB appointment. I had noticed that I was more swollen, I had been having some unusual nauseous, and I had been having consistent headaches in the front of my head, PLUS I fell on Sunday even though I had no bleeding, pain, or less baby movement.
I told the doctor all about this. I had protein in my urine and my blood pressure was elevated. So my doctor (Dr. Gabriel) sent me to the hospital (Southern Regional). They decided to induce me in triage (BTW I go to a practice and the first time I met Dr. Youngblood was at triage...and he had to check me. Talk about shaking hands, right?) and I was admitted into L&D.
When the nurse put in the IV so I could get fluids and antibiotics, I was so swollen she had to dig into my arm and THEN the vein wasn't good and was getting swollen so she had to dig into my hand. I cried a LOT. My mom and MIL had to leave the room. My mom went to try and find another nurse. lol But since I was so swollen it was like 'digging in the dark'.
Then she put in a Cervadil and said it may be a while since I was only 30% effaced and 0cm dilated. They thought they were going to have to put more than one in but they started me on pitocin after the 12 hours (actually 13 because they gave me an hour to eat and walk around since I wasn't allowed to on the Cervadil and wouldn't be able to on the pitocin). I had started having contractions on the Cervadil even though they weren't showing up on the monitor. They gave me something to help me sleep that night that made me feel warm and loopy but it was to calm my body (they gave it to me later that day but it didn't help much since I was having regular contractions at that point although it did help me sleep in between contractions). My sister and my mom stayed the night (I got very annoyed with them and my husband but it was because I was in pain and they were laughing at me not being nice).
I'm glad they were there though because since my contractions weren't showing up on the monitor the nurses didn't think I was progressing. So my sister and husband pushed the issue. Then a nurse came in and told me to tell her when I was having a contraction, when I was they moved the monitor and YUP I was having one. Then she asked me to do it again and she had to move it again but YUP I was having one. So they decided to check me. I was 5 cm dilated. And I asked if this meant I could have a epidural. lol If my sister hadn't pushed the issue and I hadn't asked then I wouldn't have got one because by the time the anesthesiologist came and put in my epidural I was dilated to 9cm. No one was allowed to be in there when I was getting the epidural except my husband and the anesthesiologist had FOUR other people ahead of me (and they kept saying he would be there any minute, HA!). It took longer to get than expected but they didn't rush because no one thought I was far along as I was. So once they put in my catheter and broke my water they checked me again and I was at 10 cm. They said all we had to do was wait for her to come down the canal!
I actually fell asleep and woke myself up snoring at that point. I couldn't feel any pain. And getting the epidural was not scary at all. I guess because I was in so much pain by the time I got it. I was in so much pain I was begging Hubby to run down and find the anesthesiologist. lol
I could feel when she came down, I could feel my contractions, I could feel her head come out but not in a painful way. My epidural was just enough so that I had an awesome birthing experience. I pushed for 45 minutes (pushing is NOT like taking a poop, BTW, regardless of what the baby books tell you - DO YOUR KEGELS!). Elizabeth Nicole was born at 2:56 p.m. on December 9th, she weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces and was 18 and a half inches long.
Clean up took longer than expected and even Hubby wasn't allowed to hold her at first because she was having trouble breathing because of fluid in her lungs. But she has no problem breathing now, she's a screamer! :) I only had to have six internal stitches. I didn't need an episiotomy. I'm breastfeeding and it's going...we are both still learning but she's going potty like a champ! So I know she's getting something. :)
I can't believe my little one is here. I'm so happy and it all feels so surreal. More pictures to come soon! :)
