At my last doctor’s appointment on the 29th of October my doctor did another growth ultrasound to check his size. The ultrasound showed that he was 9.6 pounds and I still had a week and a half until my due date. My doctor was worried he was getting too big and wanted to induce me on Monday. We decided to think about it that night at home. I really didn’t want to be induced, I wanted to experience the whole labor thing on my own. After a lot of thought and consideration we decided to go ahead and get induced. They moved my date to Tuesday but wanted me to check in on Monday the 2nd.
We went to the hospital on Monday night about 5:00 pm so they could start me on Cervidil to help induce labor. I was only a fingertip dilated and 50% effaced that night. They gave me an Ambien that night to help me sleep since the Cervidil can cause a lot of cramping. The Ambien knocked me out which meant that I wasn’t breathing enough for the baby so they had to put me on oxygen all night so his heart beat would go back up. The next morning they check me again before starting the Pit and the Cervidil had done nothing to help progress my labor because I was still dilated and effaced the same as I was the night before. I hurried and showered and got ready for the day before they started me on the Pit, and mentally prepared for a long day.
They started the Pit at 8:00 that morning. The contractions weren’t too terrible and John and I were able to play cards and watch 24 on the laptop. At 12:30 my doctor came back to check me and strip my membranes, which was a very painful experience. I had at least dilated to a 2 and was now 80% effaced. He decided to break my water to help move things along.
After he broke my water they turned up the Pit which made the contractions come hard and fast. I got in the tub which helped the pain a lot. My sweet nurse didn’t believe me when I told her that my family has really long labors and it was going to take me a long time to progress, and after only an hour in the tub she was nervous to get me out and check me again. I got out and back in bed because they wanted to be able to monitor me and felt it was easier in the bed. I tried asking to get in the chair but she didn’t want me to. When she checked me I was only a 3.
The contractions were coming so fast that it was hard to stay on top of them. John was great and helped me with my breathing. I couldn’t cry because it made the pain worse, so with every contraction tears would stream down my face as I breathed through them. At 4:30 the nurse asked if I wanted her to check me or wait another hour for the doctor to come and do it himself. I only needed to make it to a 4 before I could get my epidural. I debated for a minute about waiting for the doctor because I didn’t want to have her check me and me still only be a 3. I finally couldn’t take it anymore and had her check me. I had made it to a good solid 4 and she asked me if I wanted an epidural, to which I couldn’t say yes fast enough. In fact I think I said along the lines of “I made it, holy crap I freakin made it to a 4!” I have never been so excited to get a needle stuck in my back in my whole life.
It took about 45 minutes before the anesthesiologist made it to my room and when she walked in I told her how much I loved her and how she was like my Santa Clause. The epidural was crazy, it basically felt like my legs went to the dentist. I guess I thought I wouldn’t feel anything, but you still do, just only a little bit. It was really wild. Once that kicked in I was set. They turned up the Pit even more and left us to get some sleep. It was 5:30.
We both just got to sleep when my nurse came running in and turned off my Pit and grabbed the oxygen to have me breath. She also started pushing the IV as fast as she could. Robinson’s heart rate had dropped into the 90’s. He wasn’t responding too well to the high dosage of Pit. It made my contractions come too hard and fast and he didn’t have enough time in between them to rest. They called the doctor who had me take a 30 minute break and to put me back on the Pit at the same level as before. The same thing happened. We did this 3 times before the doctor finally came back in.
By this time John and I had already talked about the fact that a c-section was looking like our only choice at this point. The doctor checked me and I was still only a 4 after 5 hours. We talked to the doctor and all decided that a c-section would be best for the baby. I started crying because I really wanted to have a regular birth. John and the sweet nurse talked me through my tears and they called back in the anesthesiologist to get me numb from the chest down. It was now 9:30.
After they got me all numbed they gave John his scrubs and told him to get dressed and where to met them. Before he could even put on his scrubs Robinson’s heart dropped again, this time into the 80’s. I was in and out of it because of all the drugs they had given me and I remember trying so hard to stay awake. I remember them saying they had to go now because his heart was so low and I remember everyone grabbing things and running me into the OR. I remember how bright the lights were in the OR and I remember the doctors talking to me and each other. I started shaking out of control and I kept telling them how sorry I was that I was shaking and that I couldn’t make it stop. They put a warm blanket on my chest which helped a lot. The anesthesiologist told me they were going to do a test to make sure I was numb enough before they would let John come in. They must have done it because I remember them saying “get her husband, hurry and get her husband”. John walked in and sat down by me. It was only a few short minutes later that I heard my boy crying. It was amazing. There really are no words to describe how his cry made me feel. I started sobbing and John stood up and looked over the curtain and he told me how good he looked and then he said, “and he got lots of dark hair just like you wanted babe”. John went with the baby to be checked out while they stitched me up. As they were pulling him out one of the people in the OR said, “wow that kids a brute” because he was so big. Everyone was commenting on how huge he was. I guess they don’t get many 9 pounders here. He was 9 pounds 4 ounces and 22 inches long.
I am getting to see him for the first time here.
After they got me all fixed up I waited in the recovery room for John to bring me the baby. I am holding him for the first time.
John is one proud daddy.
He is just one day old here.
At this hospital when you have a c-section you get a room with 2 beds which was great for John to have his own bed. He and Robinson snuggled all day like this.
Here we are ready to leave the hospital. This is our very first family photo.
Seriously could you just die? I am totally in love with this kid.
His very first home.
My mom has been down and I can’t even begin to tell you what a wonderful help she has been. She has cooked yummy dinners for us and has kept Robinson out with her at nights so we can get some sleep. I am going to be so sad when she leaves. Good thing my sister Randa comes the same day Mom leaves.
I didn’t swell at all while I was pregnant, but this is what my feet looked like after 7 bags of saline solution and 2 bags of Pit.
We are so happy to have him home and that he is healthy and happy. I am recovering really well from my c-section and feel amazingly blessed by having Robinson in my life.
