The Birth Story
Part Two
We had made our way to the hospital. The entire mile long trip that seemed like 70 miles. Every bump, turn, and stop sign along the way were seriously intensified.
(A little something no one bothers to tell you)
We went to the registration desk, and the woman checking me in looked mortified. I guess I wasn't very attractive at that point, and the look on my face told her I was in pain, because she didn't wait for a nurse to come down from the maternity floor, she herself started to wheel me up. A nurse had met us half way and after a quick elevator ride, we were on the maternity floor.
I bypassed the triage room (the awful room I spent many hours in just five days earlier) and was put in a labor and delivery room. One nurse came in and quickly took my vitals and hooked me up to the monitors. While she was doing that, she told me that she had a "Mom" getting ready to deliver, so she couldn't stay long. Once she left, another nurse and lab tech came in to take my blood and get my IV hooked up.
Things from there start to get a little blurry.
For a definite, my nurse that was with me until 7 pm came in and started filling me in on things that would happen and began asking me the questions that they needed to know. She also started my penicillin drip, because I was positive for GBS. This was a MISERABLE experience.
Apparently the hospital had just gotten a "new IV drip system" or something, and this nurse, along with all the other nurses working the entire time I was in labor, had no idea how to work these new systems. Instead of diluting the penicillin with my actual IV fluids, they ran it straight. So not only was I having extreme contractions but my forearm felt like it was on FIRE and going to fall off. Talk about pissing off a woman in labor.
Another definite was that the midwife that was at the hospital all day, and was expecting me came in and checked me. At 2:30, NINE hours into labor, I was 2 cm dilated and still about 80% effaced.
At that point, I knew I had a LONG road ahead of me.
The hospital had a nice big jacuzzi tub for laboring mother's to sit in, and that was the first thing I requested to do. My nurse took my IV off and closed the site so I could get the area wet, I changed into the swimsuit I thoughtfully packed, and I was off to the tub.
For the next two hours or so, I sat and relaxed in the wonderful tub. It was seriously amazing until the water started getting cold, and my contractions became more intense. We went back, and I was checked again. No progression. So I was told to walk around.
After walking for a bit, I was completely exhausted and asked for some type of drug I could get through my IV to help take the edge off so I could relax, and maybe even sleep. I was told I could get the drug, and they just had to get it out of the pharmacy. After an hour, and still not having anything, my nurse came back and told me that they were actually out of the drug, so there was nothing I could get, and that my midwife wanted me up and walking around some more.
(Enter evil death glares here)
More time had passed, and I had had enough. I talked with my midwife, and we decided that it was time for me to have the epidural, and that way they could push pitocin and really get things moving. This was at 7:30 pm, FOURTEEN hours into labor.
Two hours of waiting for the anesthesiologist, and it was finally my turn for the good stuff.
This was also a dreadfully memorable experience as well.
In the sixth grade, I was diagnosed with scoliosis, so I let the anesthesiologist know, and wouldn't you know, the curvature in my spine happened exactly where he needed to put the catheter for my epidural. Because of this, there was a lot of fishing around in my spine on his part, and a lot of screaming on mine.
Once it was in and done, we went through the scariest part of the entire labor. As the meds worked their way down my body, it caused my blood pressure to sky rocket, and Baby's heart rate to drop.
All I remember is being very spaced out, and not able to focus on anyone or really comprehend what they were saying to me. I was rolled to my left side, oxygen put on and they pushed some sort of drug that brought my blood pressure back down. The baby's heart rate came back to normal, and we were back in business.
My midwife checked me and I was at 4 cm.
My nurse ordered that I get some sleep, and for the next four and a half hours, Dean, my Mom and I attempted to sleep, however constant alarms going off in my room prevented us from doing so. We never found out what the alarms meant, but we just continually turned them off after the nurse had the first few times with no worry.
At about 2 am, my nurse came in and checked me, and I had only progressed to 5 cm.
Completely relaxed, and four hours later, and I only progressed 1 cm?!
It was time for the pitocin.
They started the drip, and luckily it didn't effect the baby at all, so I was well on my way to having the little guy.
The next three hours was more pretending to sleep and watching TV.
When they came back at 5 am to check me, I was 8 cm.
FINALLY. Some progress. Except from this point on, I was throwing up every 15 minutes, and began getting the shakes.
Transition.
My nurse had started getting the delivery cart together, and warned the midwife of my condition.
At about 6:30, I felt an enormous pressure and kept telling the nurse that I needed to push. After being told several times that I wasn't ready to, the nurse finally gave in and told me that if I needed to push, I should just push.
The midwife came in prepared to check me and determine the baby's location.
(I'd like to point out that at this point that my water has yet to break)
Just as the midwife was about to check me, my water burst.
Not broke... BURST.
Dean claims my water shot all the way across the room, but I think he was exaggerating.
Everyone in the room heard the pop, and somehow my midwife matrix moved out of the way so as to not get any on her. My water was a pea green, there was definitely meconium in the waters.
They had cleaned me up, and my midwife checked me. As she did, the nurse informed her that I had been complaining that I needed to push for a while.
Instead of getting a number of where I was, the midwife, with a VERY shocked expression looked at the nurse and said, "uh, his head is right there..."
Quicker than I knew it, the room filled with tons of people. Extra people for the baby because he passed meconium in the water, people for me, and wouldn't you know it, it was 7 am... shift change.
The nurse and midwife that were with me for the whole process so far had left and I had a new midwife (the midwife I had just seen in office before going to the hospital the day before!) and nurse to deliver the baby. Honestly, I was fine with this because the nurse and midwife I had for my labor didn't make me a happy or comfortable mom to be.
It was time to push. Dean's mom took a position at my head, my mom had my left leg beside her, and Dean worked his way to the foot of the table and watched the whole thing. A mirror was brought in like I requested, and the pushing began.
19 minutes later, my baby boy was born.
Dean cried. I cried. Our Mom's cried.
He's perfect in every way.
25.5 hours in labor, 19 minutes of pushing, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
I have never felt a love quite like this and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
For the next two hours or so, I sat and relaxed in the wonderful tub. It was seriously amazing until the water started getting cold, and my contractions became more intense. We went back, and I was checked again. No progression. So I was told to walk around.
After walking for a bit, I was completely exhausted and asked for some type of drug I could get through my IV to help take the edge off so I could relax, and maybe even sleep. I was told I could get the drug, and they just had to get it out of the pharmacy. After an hour, and still not having anything, my nurse came back and told me that they were actually out of the drug, so there was nothing I could get, and that my midwife wanted me up and walking around some more.
(Enter evil death glares here)
More time had passed, and I had had enough. I talked with my midwife, and we decided that it was time for me to have the epidural, and that way they could push pitocin and really get things moving. This was at 7:30 pm, FOURTEEN hours into labor.
Two hours of waiting for the anesthesiologist, and it was finally my turn for the good stuff.
This was also a dreadfully memorable experience as well.
In the sixth grade, I was diagnosed with scoliosis, so I let the anesthesiologist know, and wouldn't you know, the curvature in my spine happened exactly where he needed to put the catheter for my epidural. Because of this, there was a lot of fishing around in my spine on his part, and a lot of screaming on mine.
Once it was in and done, we went through the scariest part of the entire labor. As the meds worked their way down my body, it caused my blood pressure to sky rocket, and Baby's heart rate to drop.
All I remember is being very spaced out, and not able to focus on anyone or really comprehend what they were saying to me. I was rolled to my left side, oxygen put on and they pushed some sort of drug that brought my blood pressure back down. The baby's heart rate came back to normal, and we were back in business.
My midwife checked me and I was at 4 cm.
My nurse ordered that I get some sleep, and for the next four and a half hours, Dean, my Mom and I attempted to sleep, however constant alarms going off in my room prevented us from doing so. We never found out what the alarms meant, but we just continually turned them off after the nurse had the first few times with no worry.
At about 2 am, my nurse came in and checked me, and I had only progressed to 5 cm.
Completely relaxed, and four hours later, and I only progressed 1 cm?!
It was time for the pitocin.
They started the drip, and luckily it didn't effect the baby at all, so I was well on my way to having the little guy.
The next three hours was more pretending to sleep and watching TV.
When they came back at 5 am to check me, I was 8 cm.
FINALLY. Some progress. Except from this point on, I was throwing up every 15 minutes, and began getting the shakes.
Transition.
My nurse had started getting the delivery cart together, and warned the midwife of my condition.
At about 6:30, I felt an enormous pressure and kept telling the nurse that I needed to push. After being told several times that I wasn't ready to, the nurse finally gave in and told me that if I needed to push, I should just push.
The midwife came in prepared to check me and determine the baby's location.
(I'd like to point out that at this point that my water has yet to break)
Just as the midwife was about to check me, my water burst.
Not broke... BURST.
Dean claims my water shot all the way across the room, but I think he was exaggerating.
Everyone in the room heard the pop, and somehow my midwife matrix moved out of the way so as to not get any on her. My water was a pea green, there was definitely meconium in the waters.
They had cleaned me up, and my midwife checked me. As she did, the nurse informed her that I had been complaining that I needed to push for a while.
Instead of getting a number of where I was, the midwife, with a VERY shocked expression looked at the nurse and said, "uh, his head is right there..."
Quicker than I knew it, the room filled with tons of people. Extra people for the baby because he passed meconium in the water, people for me, and wouldn't you know it, it was 7 am... shift change.
The nurse and midwife that were with me for the whole process so far had left and I had a new midwife (the midwife I had just seen in office before going to the hospital the day before!) and nurse to deliver the baby. Honestly, I was fine with this because the nurse and midwife I had for my labor didn't make me a happy or comfortable mom to be.
It was time to push. Dean's mom took a position at my head, my mom had my left leg beside her, and Dean worked his way to the foot of the table and watched the whole thing. A mirror was brought in like I requested, and the pushing began.
19 minutes later, my baby boy was born.
Dean Anakin Reiter Pennington
May 12, 2012
7:19 AM
7 lbs 11 oz
21" long
Dean cried. I cried. Our Mom's cried.
He's perfect in every way.
25.5 hours in labor, 19 minutes of pushing, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
I have never felt a love quite like this and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
What an awful experience you had! SO glad he is ok and healthy :) and that you are ok too!
ReplyDelete