Friday, March 6th I worked until 2:15, met my love at my work, and the two of us headed up to our doctors appointment! First we had an ultrasound, followed by a meeting with the doctor. The ultrasound seemed normal and fine and we loved to see our little peanut on the screen! They estimated he weighed somewhere around 6lbs even. We went into the exam room after that to wait for my fabulous doctor. While we were waiting, the ultrasound tech came back in and told me that she missed a measurement and needed to rescan. I wasn't too worried, but my husband looked a little concerned (he is the nervous nelly out of the two of us!). I went into the room alone and the tech started to scan the cord. While she was doing that, the radiologist who was reading the scans at another location called the tech. I couldn't hear what he said, but he instructed the technician to take a few more measurements. After that he asked to speak to my doctor! That's when I started to feel nervous.
I was sent back to the exam room to wait on my doctor. We could hear him in the next room on the phone with the radiologist and he seemed pretty serious and matter of fact. Hubby and I were feeling very anxious at that point and had to wait 35 minutes to be seen!! (We later found out the doctor took his final patient before us so that he wouldn't have to rush through our appointment).
Finally he came in and we knew by his face and by the two nurses he brought with him that he had some kind of news for us. The news was this: after a flawless, problem free pregnancy, my amniotic fluid level was dangerously low and no one knew why. Based on the baby's projected weight, the fact that we were 37 weeks along, and the fact that we had no other issues, they were making the call to begin induction as soon as possible. I was so terrified. Thank goodness my sweet husband was there to ask the questions I couldn't think of! The doctor assured us that this was the right move for mommy and baby and that a situation like this could result in a stillbirth in a matter of days. He did a cervical sweep and determined I was dilated to a 2, 50% effaced, with a "favorable cervix". We made the call and decided yes we must start the induction.
My doctor was on call that evening at the hospital so he instructed us to head right over and he would meet us there. I was so nervous, so was my love. I called my mom (she was the other person I wanted in the delivery room with me besides my husband because I knew she would help keep us both calm) and she headed to my house to grab our hospital bags and head up to the hospital. My love called his dad just so they were aware, but we didn't call anyone else. We wanted to see what was gong to happen first.
We arrived and were sent to triage in labor and delivery. They hooked me up to the monitors and determined I was having irregular but consistent contractions! Mom arrived, my doctor arrived, and I was admitted and brought in to a delivery room. Here is how my induction happened:
My doctor explained he wanted to "ripen my cervix" overnight with a medication that is inserted in the cervix and would *hopefully* cause dialation and as a result, labor. The medication (Cervidil) was inserted at 7pm. I began to have stronger contractions right away. Mom, hubby, and I ordered dinner from a nearby restaurant, ate, then mom went home for the evening.
My contractions were strong enough that sleeping was near impossible. The overnight nurse offered a morphine shot to help me sleep. She told me I would need all of my strength tomorrow and so sleep was crucial. I decided the pros outweighed the cons and I accepted the shot (ouch). I was able to sleep for a while, but by 5 am I was in active labor and sleep was elusive.
7 am the Cervidil was removed and I was dialated to a 6. I was hooked up to potocin, however the drip was not started. They wanted to let me labor on my own for a while. And labor I did, holy moly! The on call doctor, whom I really liked, broke my water at about 830/9 (right about when mom came back!), and the contractions turned really painful. I decided on an epidural at about 1130/12 and thank goodness I did. It took two tries to get it right, but it was heaven! I even napped a little bit!
My contractions did this weird thing where they slowed down from every five minutes to more erratic. They decided at 230/3 to start the lowest dose of potocin drip. That's when we had a problem. My little ones heart rate dropped too too low. Before I even knew what was happening, my room was full of nurses. One was strapping on an oxygen mask, the others were moving me in crazy positions trying to get the baby's heart rate back up, and yet another was making the call to prepare the operating room, all while trying to reassure me that we would be ok. Finally, at the very last minute, his heart rate stabilized and they held off on a c-section. They checked my cervix to see what happened and they realized I had dialated to 9cm and the baby had gone from a -2 station to almost fully dropped and engaged. They stopped the potocin right away as they determined that was the cause of the sudden dialation and dropping. After they allowed me to stabilize a little bit, they wanted me to try pushing to move the baby downward and fully into position. This is where things get hazy for me. I pushed for what seemed like only a short time with the nurse. She checked me and determined I was probably ready to push for real because the baby's head was right there and I was feeling pressure.
The doctor came in, checked me, and told me it was definitely time! The only problem was, my contractions were so strong, as was my need to push, that the doctor barely even had time to get her gown on! Literally she was holding the babies head as the nurse was tying her gown on her! One or two pushes after she sat down he was out (sunny side up, too!).
All of the pain, pressure, and stress was gone the moment I heard his first little cry and he was placed in my chest! He was perfection! My husband and mom were incredible! We all three were amazed and in love with the little baby boy who was born at 5:58pm! It was such a beautiful moment! One I will never forget! I get all teary thinking about it even now!
I am now a month postpartum and I can tell you all, everything was worth it and I can't wait to do it all again!
More soon on the light of our life, however it's time for feeding and snuggles! More later xoxo
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