At 38.5 weeks I was showing signs of pre-eclampsia and had been having high blood pressure at my last few appointments. I had been sent to triage for NSTs 3 times in 9 days. That day, after leaving another NST, they sent me home with a 24 urine catch. I got the results back a few hours later and there was no protein in it, so I was okay. My doctor told me that if I didn’t go into labor on my own on Sunday (4/22) to come in on Monday and she’d help move things along. I was a fingertip dilated but other than that, nothing else was happening.
I didn’t go into labor on Sunday but I wasn’t ready for dr intervention, so I didn’t go in until Tuesday. At the appointment my BP was 140/90, so I was sent to triage yet again. I got sent home with another urine catch, brought it back the next night at 8 pm and headed home to wait for the results. I got a call at 11 pm and the dr told me since there was now +4 protein in my urine and I was 3 days overdue, that I needed to come in and get induced within the next hour or so. My husband was brewing beer and said we couldn’t leave until it was done (thanks, babe). I went and packed the rest of my stuff and we arrived at the hospital just before 1 am on April 25th. We got put into a room right away and I was started on cervadil at 4 am. My contractions started immediately and holy hell, they were bad! They were never more than 2 minutes apart. I told the nurse that I was determined to do it med free and unless I had asked for the epi 3 times, to not give it to me. She was completely supportive and never once asked me if I wanted it. At around 8 am, I woke my H up in tears because the contractions had gotten even worse. He tried timing them but they were too close together. The nurse came in to check on me and H told her that he thought my contractions were about a min apart. Nope, they were 15 seconds apart. H’s grandma wanted to come in to see me and was trying to get me to open her gift. Are you kidding me?! I gave H the “get her the hell out of here” face.
After 9 hours of excruciating contractions, the cervadil was removed at 4 pm but I was only 3 cm dilated. I was told that I would be allowed to get into the shower and be unhooked from the monitors but the dr started pitocin at 4:30 because I wasn’t progressing fast enough for her liking. I was pissed! The pitocin only made things worse and I couldn’t handle the even stronger contractions. I finally gave up and got the epi at 6:15. I could still feel everything through it but they were dimmed down, which helped me relax a bit. The nurse came in at 7 and I told her I felt like my butt was going to fall off, so she checked me and I was at 10 cm. She had me do practice pushes but since I still felt every contraction and the pushing, it quickly turned into the real thing. I had to be put on oxygen because Lincoln’s HR was dropping a bit. Lincoln John A. was born at 7:46 pm on April 25th and weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces and was 18.5 inches long. He had blonde hair like my H but was the spitting image of me as a newborn.
Wow! I had a similar experience with the Cervidil and then the pitocin contractions being hard and super painful. It sucked! He was the sweetest tiny little newborn and now such a handsome little man! I love that slide picture!
I had contraction flashback after reading how close together yours were, mine were the same way on pit...no break in between! Lincoln is as cute as ever, happy birthday!! That 6 month shot is melting my heart, he's so cute!
ugh cervadil is the worst. I'm sure I will be speaking more of this tomorrow in my birth story. But yeah suck-tastic.
oh looking at his newborn pic is making me feel the feelings. He was such a wee thing and so adorable. And look at him now with that big grin. I feel like he's one of the most photogenic babies I've ever seen!
ugh cervadil is the worst. I'm sure I will be speaking more of this tomorrow in my birth story. But yeah suck-tastic.
oh looking at his newborn pic is making me feel the feelings. He was such a wee thing and so adorable. And look at him now with that big grin. I feel like he's one of the most photogenic babies I've ever seen!
I know! I always look back at his newborn pictures/videos and it makes me so excited for another.
Aww dying at tiny wrinkly Lincoln!! I hear ya on those pit contractions, back to fucking back! Also my DF's dad wanted to come in and see us while I was in earlier stages of labor, I was zoned out on the ball and completely ignored him. It was slightly awkward...
Aww dying at tiny wrinkly Lincoln!! I hear ya on those pit contractions, back to fucking back! Also my DF's dad wanted to come in and see us while I was in earlier stages of labor, I was zoned out on the ball and completely ignored him. It was slightly awkward...
I was on the ball too and trying to not die from the pain. She kept shoving the present in front of me and saying "I got this for you. Open it." I almost grabbed it out of her hands and threw it across the room.
I love L, he has the best smile! And all the pics. Thanks for sharing your birth story!
I was so worried about MIL butting in that I told DH that she couldn't come visit for at least 2 weeks. Did your H's grandma have her kid(s) while knocked out or scheduled C-section? I'm so blown away by how clueless women who have given birth can be about labor.