2:30 am - wake with pretty strong cramps
3:00 am - go to pee
3-4:00 am - time contractions in bed, 6-7 minutes apart
4:00 am - contractions reach the <6 minute mark, get up to shower, contractions much less strong
4:30 am - back in bed, contractions mild enough to sleep through now
4:30-7 am - sporadic contractions, fairly strong but further apart
8:00 am - Andy leaves for work, I do random things and lie in bed. Contractions mild but close together.
9:00 am - Andy comes home and we leave for hospital. Still not convinced this is it.
9:45 am - arrive at hospital, get gown, urine sample, check in questions, dilated to 2, 90% effaced
10:30-1 - walk halls, get on birthing ball, contractions very tolerable 3-4 minutes apart
1:00 pm - back in bed. Checked and only at 3. We are given the option to leave, stay, or stay and start Pitocin because things aren't quite progressing as needed. We decide on the Pit because we just want to get it going.
2:00 pm - Nurse Leti starts IV fluids and gets the Pit. Before she puts the bag up, I get a wave of intense contractions back to back, so she doesn't need to start it:)
2:45 pm - dilated 3-4, head low, contractions still manageable but not fun
3:15 pm - mom asks about an Epi. Dad talks her out of it.
3:45 pm - move from bed to birthing ball, contractions on the up
4:05 pm - Dr Emm stops by, dilated to 5. Feeling some motivation.
4:20 pm - back on birthing ball
5:00 pm - back in bed, try to nap
5:40 pm - Leti does rounds, she's confident we will deliver before midnight.
6:35 pm - checked and measuring 7-8, head still low. Things are getting real intense now. It's a mental game to push through. Everyone says 7-10 is the fastest so I tell myself there is no point in an Epi at this point. Everyone comments at how calm I'm being.
7:20 pm - introduced to new nurse Sam and student Molly
7:30 pm - back on ball, biggest contractions yet. Really feeling discouraged and asking for the Epi.
8:00 pm - get up to pee and this time feel lots of pressure
8:15 pm - Sam checks me and I'm about 9.5 cm. the only thing in the way is my water. She tries to 'accidentally' break it with no luck. I'm feeling really helpless, like it will never be over.
8:40 pm - Practically begging for the Epi, but Sam suggests calling Dr Emm to break my water, since that will be faster. I say heck yes.
8:44 pm - Dr Emm here and water is broken. Almost completely dilated, head very low.
8:55 pm - on birthing ball, losing buckets of water slowly.
9:00 pm - back in bed, on all fours. Contractions very strong. Sam instructs me to push slightly with each contraction. Not feeling super natural to push just yet.
9:15 pm - get on back, start actively pushing. Things don't feel instinctive until a few pushes in. I am openly criticizing my insanity. Dr Emm and staff in the room. Everyone is telling me I'm doing great, but I feel like I am not. Dr Emm asks for the mirror so I can see and be motivated. More grossed out but motivated to get it over with. Push for what feels like forever. Suddenly I guess I get a good shove and baby girl comes before they even have a table and supplies at the ready.
9:39 pm - Elliott Eileen Bauman is born
7 lb 8 oz, 20 inches long, with a head of dark hair
Apgar scores are both a 9 (good job, kid!) The next 45 minutes I do skin to skin during third stage (short but uncomfortable) and stitch me. Baby girl has an excellent first feed and we are officially parents!
Side notes: Andy surpassed any expectations I had of him as a birth coach. He was pretty firm in getting me to stick to my original 'plan.' He was encouraging yet pretty much avoided touching me, which was what I wanted.
And as far as the no epidural debate. Obviously now I am really glad I stuck to it. It was really not the worst until the last 3 hours or so. At the time I was certain that I would never do it again and for all I cared they could cut the rest of my kids out of me (honestly I was really telling myself to never have another child again). I was never interested in no meds so that I could have a 'badge of honor' of sorts because I think that's stupid. I just wanted to take the smoothest route, if that makes sense. All of the benefits to no epidural come after delivery whereas the pros of the Epi are obviously during labor. Elliott was born so alert, she had an amazing nursing session right away, and her digestive system was moving right along just hours after birth. She even tested positive for Coombs but still dodged the jaundice bullet probably because of her awesome feeding. Now I can't say all of this was because of no meds, but it obviously didn't hurt. It was also nice that I could get up and moving pretty shortly after all was over. I'm just glad the whole thing is over and done with and we have a healthy baby:)
No comments:
Post a Comment