I went to bed on the 3rd after taking a bath because of some mild contractions and a sore back. I woke up at 3:00 with a very painful (at least I thought that was pain) contraction. I thought I just had a really full bladder and that's what was causing it to hurt so much. After I went to the bathroom, I laid down and continued to get them. After about 20 minutes I went downstairs.
After about an hour and a half of contractions about 4 minutes apart I went to wake up DH. We decided to wait it out a little longer before we called anyone. At 4:45 I called my sister (D) and had her come up. DH got up and took a shower and I got a few things ready.
My sister arrived about 6:00. I had just paged the Dr and was waiting for her to call me back. I had to page the Dr again and she finally called me back about 6:45. I was in the middle of a contraction so D talked to her. She said to come in and get checked (duh). We headed down to the hospital and got there about 7:15. The nurse at L&D check-in was a little rude because the Dr hadn't called to tell them I was coming.
Nurse #1 (don't remember her name) came in to monitor me and ask all the pre-admission questions. I think the contractions were coming about 6 minutes apart. She kept me on the monitor for a while because she wasn't getting a good reactive tracing on the baby. She had me drink a bunch of apple juice and that got the baby moving and gave her what she wanted to see. When she checked me at 7:50 I was 3.5 cm, 95% and -1/-2 station.
A lady came in to ask Nurse #1 if a student could observe. She told her she was almost finished and the lady left the room. Then she asked if I minded having a student. I said I didn't care, but she was telling us how she hates them hanging around because some of them aren't even nursing students. So I said "Actually, I don't want any extra people in here." Then she blessed me. lol
Of course she couldn't just admit me and made us get out to walk. My mom had arrived by then and I put my clothes on and we went to walk around outside. It was a really nice morning. We walked around for about an hour (from 10-11). DH made a run to McDonald's while we were walking to get some breakfast for him and D. They ended up giving him twice what he ordered so I was sneaky and ate a sausage, cheese and egg mcmuffin. The apple juice I had to drink was giving me major gas pains. Those hurt more than the contractions.
I was monitored some more - this time on the birthing ball - and true to my shy uterus I wasn't having very many contractions. She checked me again and I was still at 3.5 and 95%. My cervix was more anterior which was a good sign so she "allowed" us to walk around for another hour (from 12:15-1:15). She gave Mom the assignment to keep me walking at a fast clip for an hour and Mom took that job seriously. I was SO sleepy and we had Mom on one side and D on the other dragging me all over that hospital.
I was having contractions about every two minutes. We got back to the room and she hooked me up to the monitors once again. I was having contractions, but they were back to about 6 minutes apart. I was checked again at 2:06 and was a 4 (still 95% and -1/-2), so she finally decided to admit me.Shortly after, at 3:00, a new nurse came in. Her name was Jenna and she was GREAT. Nurse #1 was really friendly, but she didn't seem very excited about accommodating me and my birth plan. She told me I was high risk so I had to have the monitors on at all times. She told me I couldn't get my bracelets wet and that they didn't have the wireless monitors so I wouldn't be able to get in the tub once I was admitted. That was a lie because my sister used them 7 months earlier (to the day!). Anyway, Jenna was fantastic. She told me I could put my bracelets and the IV under the water. I just had to wait for them to start the IV and then I was able to get in.
Ahhhh, the water felt so good! D stayed in the bathroom and kept me company. She knew right away when I was having a contraction and would remind me to relax. I was having regular contractions, but they were manageable with the water. I had to be monitored for part of every hour. Jenna worked really hard to find the wireless monitors, but once she finally did we found out the receiver in the bathroom didn't work. She offered to switch rooms, but I decided it wasn't necessary.
I got out of the tub and was monitored on the birthing ball. My contractions were still pretty steady and I was having to focus on them. I was able to get back in the tub after about 20 minutes. We decided to get my cervix checked after I needed to be monitored again and then see what we wanted to do.
D's husband ("J" who was watching his son and our two boys) called around this time. He had taken the kids to do something he had to do for church and forgot a bottle for the baby. So he was going to stop by the hospital for D to feed him. DH went down and brought the boys up to say hi. DS1 (almost 4 at the time) ran in and asked "Is the baby here yet?" He was SO excited for the baby to be here. DS2 (5 days shy of 2) saw me and just kept giving me the hugest smiles. They stood on a stool at the side of the tub and raided my ice. DS2 accidentally dropped one in the tub and said "Ah! Ice swimming!" And that's all he did the rest of the time was drop ice in my water.
I had a couple contractions while they were there and just told them I needed quiet. D helped me relax through them. The contractions I was having in the tub the first time were very close together, but short and easy to get through. These were spaced out more but longer and more intense.
DS2 was really sad when he had to leave, but I think he got over it pretty fast. Mom and J took the kids over to her house to play for a bit and give J a little break. DH called his sister and she said she would come up and spend the night with the kids.
I got out to be monitored again at 5:55 and Dr Minton (same Dr that delivered D's baby!) checked me. I was at 5cm and 100%. It had been about 4 hours since I was last checked. I was getting tired and wanted to get the show on the road so we decided to break my water. I needed to be monitored for about 10 minutes after that to make sure the baby was fine.
I was on the birthing ball, but the contractions were so much worse. I had a hard time getting a grip on the last two before I could get back in the tub. D was SO good helping me to relax and supporting me. I decided to try one contraction in the tub and see how I did. It still hurt like hell, but it was more manageable in the tub. I knew that there was no way I would be able to survive and had the nurse get the ball rolling on the epi.
The contractions were coming fast and furious. D and DH were so good trying to keep me from losing it. I started crying and told D that I couldn't do it. I almost made her lose it, but she was right in my ear telling me to breathe and relax.
I started getting tingly and told DH I needed some oxygen. He called the nurse and she said as soon as the next contraction was over I had to get out of the tub. They worked really quickly to get me out and sit me on the side of the bed. I was in massive pain. The contractions weren't giving me much of a break. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning on D and I could feel her quivering from the position she was in, but she wasn't going to give up. DH was behind me rubbing my back and holding the oxygen mask for me.
Having the oxygen mask there helped me to concentrate on breathing deep and calmed me down ... for a few seconds. I pretty much went primal. One contraction I started doing deep moans. I could hear DH trying to comfort and shush me, but I wasn't in control. The next one I started rocking back and forth. D and DH were trying to get me to relax and I had to squeak out "I need to rock!" There was no break, I kept starting to cry out, but D did really good about getting me to attempt to breathe. Then I started pushing through the pain. I said "I'm pushing and I don't care if it's okay."
At some point Jenna had me sign the epi consent forms and my handwriting was insane. The pushing and oxygen kept me still enough for the epi. D was supporting me and DH was right next to her giving me his hand to squeeze.
Seemed like the epi took forever to place. I have no clue the time frame of how long it took from tub to epi. They got it in and after a couple contraction it started to kick in a little and they laid me back. Jenna gave me a few minutes to collect myself and then she put the catheter in and I had her check me. Figured I would be a 7 or something. All I had was an anterior lip. (it turns out I got the epidural at about 7:20, so it was only an hour and 20 minutes from AROM at 5cm to complete and 0 station)
Mom arrived and I tried to get some rest before pushing. I was so exhausted. I threw up and must've kinked my back somehow because it was really bothering me. I wanted to start pushing and get it over with, but the Dr had an emergency so I had to wait about 20 minutes. We took guesses to the baby's "stats": I guessed right about 7 lb and 20-20.5 inches; DH 7'10 and 20 inches; Mom 7'4 and 19.5 inches; D 7'4 and 21 inches.
The epi wasn't as strong as my others; I could still wiggle my feet and feel pressure with the contraction. Found out later that my pulse was really high and the drug Dr gave me less than normal. I was pushing with the contractions anyway because there was a butt in my ribs that was bothering me.
Jenna and the Dr came up and we did a couple practice pushes about 8:45. Jenna was really great about my birthplan. She told the Dr how I wanted to help bring the baby up, wait for the cord, cut the cord, etc. She talked to me about the pitocin after the delivery and explained why it was a good idea. My concern was the fact that I wasn't supposed to have it because of the c-section, but both her and the Dr said that once my uterus wasn't extended it wasn't an issue. I had Mom on one side and DH on the other with D taking video.
The Dr was really funny. He said "you call that a push? Your sister pushed much better than that." I was also commenting on the view I had in the mirror and he told me to quit playing or he was going to take it away. My contractions slowed down a bit as soon as I started pushing, of course. I think I only pushed for 5 or 6 of them.
After his head and shoulders came out, I was able to reach down and help pull him onto my belly. He felt SO tiny! We rubbed him a little bit and suctioned him and then they clamped the cord. DH didn't really care if he cut it, so I did it. It was a really odd sensation.
Daddy called seconds after DS3 was born and got to hear his first little cat-like cries.
I held him and we ooh'd and awe'd over him for a little bit. Then we had him weighed because we were all curious. I was sure he was about 7 pounds. I couldn't believe he was 7.5!
They brought him right back and I asked DH if he wanted to hold his baby. "Yes!" He was passed between the three of them while I was FINALLY able to eat something.
I was so tired. So very tired.
Dr and Baby
The Dr and all the nurses left the room for a while and we had time to just play with the baby. We decided on a name and after I ate we gave him the chance to nurse and he latched right on and went to town!
The nurse came back to do the vit K shot, eye drops and bath. That's also when she measured his head and length. She said he was perfect, but of course I knew that.
I have wished many times that I would've had the nurse check me before I got the epidural because I was so very close to being done! However, my mom wasn't there and most likely would've missed the birth and my sister might not have had a chance to grab the camera. So it all worked out. ;)
My other birth stories can be read here (DS1), here (DS2), and here (DS4)
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