My first pregnancy was relatively uneventful and my husband and I were excited new parents. As my due date got closer we found out my OB was scheduled to go on vacation starting when I was about 40.5 weeks. While my OB was sure I'd have the baby before he left town my husband and I agreed that there were legitimate reasons for me to be induced, but my OB's vacation was not one of them.
I was due on a Saturday. The Tuesday after my due date my husband and I went to the OB and my Dr. told me that since I was past my due date he wanted me to go to the hospital every 5 days, starting the next day for a non-stress test (NST) to make sure our son was healthy and thriving in my womb. At that point I still wasn't dilated or effaced. The Dr. considered stripping my membranes, but since I was "so closed" he said it probably wouldn't work. My OB also wanted me to come back Thursday morning, his last day in the office before his vacation. Wednesday my husband and I went to the hospital and waited while I was monitored for an hour. My son was doing wonderfully and I wasn't having any contractions so I went home while my husband went back to work.
Thursday morning my husband and I arrived at the OB's office for our 7:30 appt (the first one of the day). After over an hour of waiting the receptionist informed us that he was still at the hospital attending to a birth and asked if we could come back in the afternoon. My husband went to work for a few hours and I went home. At 2:30 Thursday afternoon we were back in the OB's office. I still wasn't dilated or effaced, but my OB said "If you'd been here this morning I probably would've induced you." What I was thinking (but didn't say) was, "Um . . . we WERE here this morning. You weren't AND I don't want to be induced just because you're going on vacation". Instead of saying anything I just thanked God for the way it worked out since I didn't want to be induced for that reason.
Friday night I started feeling a bit uncomfortable. I wasn't having contractions, but I knew something was going on (I was 40 weeks, 6 days. In Phoenix. In the summer. I was LOOKING for signs labor was imminent!). Basically I felt like I was having menstrual cramps---the pressure was dull and constant--not sharp or coming and going so I knew they weren't contractions.
Saturday morning I told my husband, "Um . . . if you want to go in to work and get things done before you leave for the next two weeks today would be a REALLY good day to go do that." My husband almost NEVER works Saturdays so he knew it had to be serious for me to suggest that. When he asked "Why?" (knowing the answer) I told him, "I've been up all night feeling like I have cramps". Due to some things going on at work that day my husband would've ended up having to go in, even if I hadn't already suggested it. (BTW--he told me he got major bonus points at work by telling them he was working while I was in the earliest stages of labor). Because I suspected that the show was about to go on I sat on the couch and did NOTHING that day. I didn't want to wear myself out and be tired if I was going to be in labor, soon.
By the time my husband came home from work, at about 6, I was tired of sitting around the house all day and suggested we go out to dinner. Before I got dressed for dinner I asked my husband to take some final "belly shots" since I knew they would probably be the last pictures of me pregnant. Here is one of those. Yeah, I should've kept the shirt COVERING the belly!
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| At 41 weeks pregnant wearing one of my husband's shirts while realizing I was in the early stages of labor. |
We went to a restaurant around the corner from our house and when the hostess/server saw us she said "Hi! How are you two (glancing at my belly) oh . . . THREE of you doing tonight". My husband told her (with a straight face) "I'm fine. She's in pre-labor" I don't think I've ever seen any one's eyes be that big :). I had been consistently having contractions since the first one when I was putting on my flip flops, but hadn't said anything to my husband. I had looked at my watch when each one started and noticed that they were about 5 minutes apart. Since my OB told me to wait to go to the hospital until they were consistently 5 minutes apart for an hour I hadn't felt a huge sense of "this is it" urgency at that point. Finally, at 7:30 we had our food and were eating when I told my husband, "We don't need to leave now, but after we're done eating it might be a good idea to go home and grab our bags before heading to the hospital." My husband asked, "Why?" and I said, "Because I've been having contractions every 5 minutes for the past 30 minutes". After we were full we asked for to-go boxes and my husband told our server (the same woman who had seated us) and told her "We're heading to the hospital now . . . " I have never received my to-go box OR my check as fast in my life :)
We got to the hospital about 8:30 or 9pm. It was around midnight when they finally decided to admit me and give me my epidural. Because it was so late on a Saturday night I was assigned to the Dr. on call. My OB had already given me the name of another Dr. who was covering for him while he was gone, but since that Dr. was off for the weekend there was a 3rd OB taking both of the other doctors' patients. Though I was told her name I couldn't remember it. My husband and I jokingly called her the "3rd string"
At this point the time gets a little fuzzy, but here's what I remember:
I was told to lay on my left for 30 minutes and then lay on my right for 30 minutes through out labor. At one point, in the middle of the night, the overnight nurse had me lay on my left. Immediately she started getting VERY busy and put an oxygen mask on my face as she started making phone calls. Because I couldn't see the monitors I didn't know what was going on. Though he is an engineer by trade my husband is a certified EMT and his mom and sister are both nurses so my husband is pretty well versed in medical situations. Neither my husband or the nurse were talking to me (the nurse was busy with her phone calls, watching the monitors and putting the mask on me). After a few minutes when it seemed a bit calmer I asked the nurse what happened and she told me my son's heart rate dropped into the 50's, but it had stabilized as long as I stayed on my right. The oxygen mask I was wearing was to make sure my son had enough O2 while I was in labor. During the busy few minutes my husband could see the monitors and knew what was going on, but I was blissfully ignorant. Both he and the nurse were trying to keep me ignorant until I asked what was happening.
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| After the first scare |
As long as I kept the oxygen mask on and stayed on my right side my son was fine. We have pictures of the monitors showing us that his heart rate was 117 after the scare. Through all of this the nurses were in touch with the Dr. on call.
Throughout the night I wouldn't fully dilate, despite having come in at a 3 and being 41 weeks so I was given pitocin. (At some point a Dr. was delivering next door and the night nurse asked her if she would come break my water). Even after being given the maximum dosage of pitocin I was "stuck" at a 9.5 for quite a while. I believe it was hours. I know the nurse was trying to get me to fully dilate, but she couldn't. At this point the nurse told me she was off for the next few days, but she wouldn't be surprised if I was still there on Tuesday when she came back to work because I'd had a c-section. That was NOT what I wanted. I FINALLY dilated about the time the shift changed.
Once I met the new nurse my son's heart rate was stabilized, I was fully dilated, BUT he hadn't dropped far enough for me to be able to deliver him. Throughout my labor my parents were with us in my room, but my mom had made it clear that she thought my husband and I should be alone (with the medical staff) as we welcomed our first child. My dad left the room whenever the nurses came in, but my mom stayed in my room and behind the curtain to give me some privacy. At one point the morning nurse thought maybe if I started pushing I would drop. She had my mom and my husband help. I could tell my mom was a bit uncomfortable, but she obeyed the nurses command to help me. That didn't do the trick. The nurse told me "You're probably going to have a c-section" and left the room. I cried and silently prayed, "Lord, I don't want a c-section". Less than 10 minutes later the nurse came in and my son had dropped.
At this point it was about 8:30 and the nurse told me, "The Dr. will be here at 9. Don't push, even if you feel the urge". A few minutes later I told her I needed to push and she said, "Don't". Um . . . ok . . . At 9 the nurse had me start to push. My husband, the nurse and I were the only ones in the room. I remember thinking, "Um . . . shouldn't there be a few more people in here?" I pushed a few more times. The nurse made a phone call and stepped outside. This part is VERY fuzzy (after all, I'd been up for more than 24 hours already). My husband said the nurse and Dr. were having a "discussion" on the phone. All I know is I was told the Dr. wouldn't be there until 10 and not to push. Um . . . Ok . . .
At 10am the Dr. came in. Looking back I remember her having been in a few other times during the night, introducing herself and checking on me, but she didn't really play into the story until this point. When the Dr. came several other nurses came by with her and they brought several trays of equipment with them. It felt like the whole maternity ward had stepped into my room. Since this was my first I didn't think too much of it.
The Dr. had me push a few times. After a few pushes the Dr. said in a very no-nonsense manner, "Your baby is in distress. He needs to come out NOW. We're doing an episiotomy and using the vacuum. He's coming out NOW". Um . . . Ok.
I pushed a few more times while the Dr. used the vacuum to deliver my son. My husband jokes I had "Nike" imprinted on my bottom because of how hard she was having to pull while I pushed (as in she had her foot on my bottom. Obviously, she didn't). I do know, from my husband's description that the ENTIRE vacuum was used. I also know my son never dropped below a 0 station.
At 10:07 our son entered the world. I don't know how long it was until my son took his first breath, but I know it was long enough for me to have the conscious thought, "Come on, Baby. Breathe." before we heard a faint cry. The cord had been wrapped around his neck 2x. Every time I pushed his heart rate dropped and he was nearly strangled by it. His initial APGAR was 6 and he was rushed over to the nurses who gave him oxygen. He recovered quickly and his 5 minute APGAR was a 9. Phew.
Honestly, as I look back I'm amazed at how well everything turned out. I know several friends who have had emergency c-sections for "failure to progress" for less reasons than I did with my son. a) I wouldn't dilate b) He wouldn't drop c) The cord was wrapped around his neck causing his heart rate to drop. My husband's grandmother lost two sons in childbirth because they were strangled by their cord. I'm very aware at how differently things could've gone for all of us that night.
I have since met women who are labor and delivery nurses at the hospital where I delivered. Their consensus (confirmed after I had a "boring" delivery at the same hospital) was that the Dr. was prepared to do an emergency c-section in my room, without taking the time to wheel me into the ER and prep me there. Yes, it was that close.
I'm extremely thankful for the medical staff that night at the hospital who did what was necessary for my son and I PRAISE GOD for his grace and his mercy in allowing my son to be a normal, healthy 6 year old today.
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First family picture. Excuse Mommy and Daddy's appearance. We'd been up all night :)
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