So, after my ER visit, I was scheduled to be induced on 5/24 at 39 weeks for high blood pressure. Because my complaint was heart palpitations, they never actually monitored the baby when my blood pressure was so high, so I left the hospital knowing only that my bp was in the normal range, but not having any idea what having bp spike like that was doing to the baby. I was anxious about an induction, having heard horror stories of failed or stalled inductions, but I was more anxious about something happening to my baby. I had to make a conscious decision to trust my (new) doc, have faith, and trust my body.
At my doctor's appointment on Wednesday the 23rd, I was completely closed and not effaced. To my surprise, my doc didn't give me an out, so I was still scheduled for a 3 a.m. induction the following morning. At 10:00 p.m. the hospital called and we got bumped to "early afternoon". We planned an entirely different morning, one that was leisurely and included homemade crepes and playing outside with our kid. So, we stayed up WAY too late talking and trying "natural" ways to get ready for labor.
After about 3 hours of sleep, we got a call at 5 a.m. saying they had a bed and to come on in. We checked in at the hospital at 8 a.m. and went straight to a LDR room (no triage!), where they started an IV and checked me. I was 2cm and 60% effaced! So, no need for Cervidil: I went straight to Pit around 9 a.m.
My doc came in and explained process and info about breaking my water, which made me entirely nervous and I told her I was really hesitant to start the clock. She explained that the risks of c-section were the same either way (about 80% at that point) and that it might help baby descend gradually and help me get more dilated and effaced. I confirmed with her that the baby wasn't posterior and then agreed to have her break my water. (That hook? Youch!) Once things really got going (i.e. uncomfortable), I sat on a birthing ball for several hours and worked through contractions while M and I watched "contraction TV" and read Us Weekly (me) and a book about succession planning (him).
The next question was when to get the epidural. I didn't want to get it too early and I really wanted to stay mobile as long as possible. By 12, the nurse had upped the Pit and my contractions started to have teeth. After she got back from her lunch break, she upped it again and by around 1:30 p.m., I was having a lot of back labor and asked for the epidural. The epi was placed around 2:15 and when I was checked right after, I was 5cm and 80% effaced.
Then, I started going numb in my chest and arms, which made me itch the way a foot does when it falls asleep. I told my nurse I was numb up to my breastline. She cut the epidural off and got the anesthesiologist back in the room. Once they got it adjusted, I progressed really quickly from there and by around 3:30, I was feeling pressure and was ready to push.
Two rounds of pushing and 10 minutes later, my second son was born! I went from 2 cm to having a baby in less than banker's hours. It was the best labor and delivery I could have hoped for (and one that I would TOTALLY do over again)!
Aside from a poor bruised nose from being pushed so fast and furiously, he was perfect, with tons of dark hair and the cutest little face ever! They placed him on my chest immediately and we got a good nursing session in before his first bath.
He developed jaundice and as a precaution we had to stay longer than we wanted. He wasn't eating well, so we had to finger feed him, which basically means I put my index finger in his mouth facing up while M fed a little tube in on top of my finger. I would hold the tube in place with my thumb while M pumped formula in with a syringe. Yes - that means it took two people and four hands to feed our little boy for the first few days.
Thankfully, his jaundice resolved and he learned to suck the right way and we haven't looked back since!
Baby A has the sweetest little spirit and we are so grateful for him!
~Nichole
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