My induction was scheduled for March 4th at 430pm. The plan was to head to the hospital, and have Cervidil inserted overnight. Cervidil is supposed to take 12 hours and only works to dilate the cervix, not induce contractions so I was expected to get a good night's rest before starting pitocin in the morning (insert foreshadowing here). My IV port was placed by the day shift nurse after struggling to get a vein to show on the side of my wrist and the cervidil inserted at 7 pm. She checked my cervix at that time and found me to still be only 2 cm and 40% effaced. She brought the night shift nurse, Ali, in to meet us and they all told us to get some sleep. Unfortunately I had to try and sleep with the monitors on my belly and the IV was killing my hand so while Luke slept, I only managed to get about an hour. Ali came in a few times to adjust my monitors but other than that, we were left alone.
Around 1:30 am, I woke to some pretty strong contractions. I tried to get through them on my own for a while to let Luke sleep more, but my movements and occasional groan woke him up. At 2:30, we decided to call Ali to see what was going on. She came in and tried to check my cervix without removing the cervidil, but after numerous attempts, couldn't find my cervix - yep, that's right. Fortunately she stopped and got another nurse, who realized my cervix was off to one side. They had removed the cervidil at this point, and found me to be 2.5 cm and 70% effaced. I groaned and rolled my eyes and they encouraged me, saying that the effacement was great progress, and I didn't need the cervidil put back in. After a call to the on-call dr, they decided to let me continue laboring without pitocin given the strength of my contractions. The plan was to check me again at 5 and see if I hadn't made more progress, they would start pitocin at that time. My contractions at this point were every 2-4 minutes and lasted about 30 seconds. Ali suggested trying the labor ball, which ended up being my favorite position with Luke applying counter pressure to my hips. I was able to be off the monitors full time too. Ali checked the baby's heart rate at 4 and suggested trying the tub for a change in position. I ended up enjoying the water but the jets didn't help much, so I got out after about 20 or 30 minutes. Ali came in to check my progress at 5 and said I was at 3 cm and almost 100% - they also noted they could feel the baby had dropped a little bit. I was discouraged again and worried about Pitocin, but Ali said that because my contractions were so strong and close together (ever 2-3 minutes and 30-45 sec long, and I was having to moan through them), she was going to hold off on pitocin until my dr could see me around 7.
From here, things get a little blurry. I believe that at this point Ali suggested a new position, me on my knees leaning over the back of the bed so I could rest between contractions. We had realized at this point I was having back labor so we were hoping she would flip around with some new positions. I think I made it through 2 or 3 contractions before my water broke. Poor Luke was behind me at the time and all I could barely yell "watch out, my water broke!" during the contraction. He said he wished I could have seen his face as he flew off the bed as fast as possible. The strange popping sensation and small gush of fluid made me gag as well, and that's all it took to send the nausea I was having over the edge. Luke had buzzed Ali and she showed immediately in time to hand me something to puke into. That combination of an awful contraction, my water breaking and throwing up was definitely something I won't forget! Ali wasn't sure my water had broken since there wasn't a lot, but she realized it had broken behind the baby so it continued to gush with each contraction. She helped me put on fancy mesh undies and I sat on the ball again. In between contractions Luke was looking at the book we received in our labor class. My contractions were so strong at this point and I started to tell him I didn't know of I could keep going without an epidural. I couldn't even remain sitting through contractions anymore - I would stand and put my face into a pillow on the bed, moaning and trying to breathe. It got to be so intense I was trying to contain sobs during the contractions. Luke told me that he thought I was in transition and listed the "symptoms" - moaning, unable to stay still, doubt about being able to continue, not able to talk during or between contractions, speed and intensity of contractions - but I told him there was no way since I was only at 3 cm half an hour ago. After a few more contractions, I caved and told Luke to get Ali, I wanted the epidural. She came in and said we could try IV narcotics to take the edge off, or the epidural. I vetoed the narcotics per my birth plan saying I didn't want it to get to the baby. This ended up being a super smart decision because you aren't supposed to have any narcotics close to birth because it causes the baby to have trouble breathing and they are extremely lethargic. I decided on the epidural and Ali warned me it could take up to an hour because my blood levels needed to be checked again (due to my clotting disorder) and I needed a bag of fluids in my system to prevent my blood pressure from dropping. I asked her to be checked and then would move forward if I wasn't almost done. I was at a 6, and said let's do it. Luke told me later that Ali looked at him and he could tell she didn't think I had time for the epidural. She started my IV and left to call the lab and our doctor to let her know. My contractions were so strong at this point all I could do was roll on my side and squeeze the bar. They were coming every other minute as well. She came back with the lab tech and it took forever to be able to draw my blood between contractions since they were so fast. I'm pretty sure I traumatized the tech since I yelled at her to "do it!" as soon as I felt one contraction ending and she had about two seconds between me telling her another was starting and me ripping my arm away to roll over. Ali said she was going to check me again and found I was at an 8 or 9. She left to call our dr again since I was progressing faster than anyone thought. She told Luke to buzz her if I felt the urge to push. With my next contraction I felt just that. Luke yelled at the nurse over the line that I was pushing and Ali came running back in. She let me push on my side while talking to another nurse about her other patient, giving her the details to take over that case. Then she buzzed the nurses desk and told them to get a nursery nurse down to me and page the resident dr to be on standby, because she wasn't sure our dr would make it.
Around 6:30, our dr flew into the room. She had come from the gym and was still in workout clothes. She dropped her bag on the floor and grabbed a gown. I had been pushing for about 3 or 4 contractions, trying to bring her down. I remember how hectic it all seemed, with our dr and another nurse trying to set up for delivery. The tray kept getting bumped and things were falling on the floor. Our dr sat on her stool and asked me to turn over on my back. Everyone seemed really frazzled and a little panicked, but they managed to stay calm and keep me as calm as possible. She told Luke how to hold my foot and Ali held my other foot. I remember saying that I was terrified, but I pushed for three contractions, and I'm guessing I pushed 4 or 5 times each contraction. The pain was SO intense but it was so much better to be pushing finally. I felt like my contractions were spaced a little further apart at this point too, so I got more of a rest between. After the third contraction, dr m said she was going to reach in and tickle her head because her heart rate (which had done so well up to this point) was dropping a little. She said we really needed to try and get her out on the next contraction. I had a burst of fear, imagining episiotomies, forceps, and vaccuums as the next step if I didn't get her out. When my next contraction came, I gave it everything I could and out came her head! Dr M told me to just give little pushes, and I felt her shoulders each pop out, and then the rest of her body slid out, face up. She was born at 6:42am and I was in shock!! I looked down and saw this beautiful baby with a head full of hair. Luke started crying which was amazing. Our dr said she should get a 10 on her Apgar because she looked so great as she came out, which is pretty unheard of in Colorado due to the lack of oxygen. Dr M asked Luke to cut her cord after a minute or two and she was put on my chest. Luke and I just kept saying oh my gosh and saying how beautiful she was.
The first picture of this little girl!
I was able to do skin to skin for a long time without any interruption. As far as the rest of my delivery, I kept snuggling her while my dr finished up down below. She had to wait a while for the placenta and I ended up having to push it out more than usual because the umbilical cord was tearing away from the placenta and was barely attached. I also ended up with a small tear that needed 6 stitches, which wasn't pleasant at all.
The nursery nurse asked after about 30 minutes if she had tried breastfeeding yet and because she hadn't, she said she would come back later to check her out and weigh her. It was over an hour later that she came back, after we were able to let her latch on her own. Breastfeeding was a big source of nerves for me, and I was shocked that it hurt from the first time! (Given, weeks later we are finding out she probably has a lip and tongue tie which could be to blame.) We also decided on her name during this time alone, as a family of three. We debated a minute which name would be her first name, but decided on Evelyn Brooke, and Evie for short. As an adult I like having two name options, and I wanted the same for her. Naming her after my aunt and great aunt felt wonderful, because it truly ties our family together through more than marriage.
Once Evie's nurse came to weigh her and examine her, my nurse returned to make sure my uterus was still contracting - something people conveniently forget to tell you about by the way! She helped me get up to use the bathroom as well, which actually helped my pain level because it wasn't adding pressure to my uterus anymore. Luke stayed with Evie during her examination, including the vitamin k injection and blood draw.
I came back from the bathroom in time to see her weight and make sure Luke got a picture. This beautiful girl measured 19.75" long, her head was 13.5", and she weighed 6 lbs 11 oz. We couldn't believe what a peanut she was!
After her weight, Luke held her and was able to snuggle her for the first time. It wasn't until I saw my wonderful man holding the baby we made that I started to cry. I'm crying now even thinking about it!! I LOVE the picture I took of them, because happiness and pride are literally bursting from him.
Papa and his girl
We were moved to the postpartum room by 9 am and my family was able to come there shortly after. My recovery was really pretty easy and I was shocked at how good I felt. I had some soreness and my uterus cramps were the hardest part, but all I needed was Tylenol for a couple days. I didn't experience any pain from my stitches luckily, and wouldn't have known I had any if I hadn't been told. We felt so good that we decided to go home after one night instead of two, which kind of caused drama for our nurse strangely enough. Apparently no one does that, in addition to forgoing a bath in the nursery (you ain't takin' my child!) so I felt as though I was being slightly difficult for her. Oh well! Evie did great after delivery as well, aside from some jaundice which cleared up once my milk came in that weekend.
We are so obsessed with this beautiful girl, and are so lucky to be her parents!
