We went in for a scheduled induction Friday morning at 8:30. As we were checking in we saw Dr. Delightful in the hall and he was disappointed that the hospital didn't let us come earlier. (He was only on duty until 8:00 that night).
After admitting we went into an "induction suite" which was bright and very clinical looking as it was originally designed as an OR but they couldn't use it as one because of the attached bathroom. There we sat for about an hour before we even met our nurse (who was a mom at the school I teach at- small world), got an IV line, and was finally greeted by Dr. D. This was going very slow.
The doctor decided to do a foley catheter in my cervix to dilate it. Before the procedure at about 10:00 am I was still only dilated to a one and 25% effaced. After the procedure I asked if this could fall out accidentally or only once I reached 3 cm. He said it was secure and the balloon rarely fails and falls out before dilation. He started me on a small amount of pitocin and left the room. Not two minutes after he leaves the catheter falls out. I was not happy. It wasn't the most painful procedure, but I certainly didn't want to get it done all over again.
He comes right back in and I jokingly say, "Does that mean I'm at a three already?" Turns out I was. I dilated from a one to a three in the course of a few minutes. Things were looking up.
We sat in our "suite" for about another hour before we were finally moved to the labor and delivery room. They kept coming in to up the pitocin every half and hour. It was uncomfortable and I could feel the contractions but they didn't seem very strong and I had a feeling nothing much was happening. My biggest complaint was hunger. I was so hungry. No food with pitocin. The doctor had said they might turn it off around dinner time so I could eat. I was looking forward to that.
Things changed at 3:00 pm. I was laying in bed and I heard a pop and felt a gush. My water had broke on it's own. Then the contractions started to hurt. They were coming so fast. If I would have had a longer break in between them, they would have been more tolerable.
It is important to note here that no one had checked me since around 10:30 am when I was a three. I was seriously considering an epidural for the pain at this point but I had no idea what progress (or lack of) I had made. I also was still very hungry and once I got the epidural there would for sure be no dinner in my future. It was about 4:00 pm and I was told my doctor wouldn't be in to check me until 6:00! There was no way I could take the contractions until then. Screw hunger, contractions won out. I asked for my epidural.
It wasn't until about 5:00 that the wonderful effects of my epidural kicked in. It really was one of the best thing I ever decided to do. At first I was worried it wouldn't work or that one side was taking and the other side wasn't. It did it's job though and I was pain free, and ready for a long night of laboring. I didn't care how long it took anymore. I could finally relax.
I finally had some visitors come in once I was more comfortable, just some immediate family members. Around 7:00 (my doctor was, so far, an hour late checking me) I was surprised to feel a lot of pressure in my ass. I suddenly remembered what they said at our childbirth classes about feeling like you needed to take a BM. I ran this by DH and he looked about as shocked as I was. I wasn't ready for this yet. I had no idea if I was dilated enough for all this. My progress had been a mystery to me all day. I decided to shoo the guests out and ring the nurse. Once I told her my symptoms she said, "I bet your baby is down low and you are about a 9 1/2 or a 10. I will let your nurse know when she gets off break in ten minutes." WHAT?!
By now the pressure was building to the point I felt I needed to push. I told DH to go tell them to come in now! Lazy nurse said she'll go get my nurse off her break to insert my catheter (which hadn't been done yet). This whole time I'm thinking, "Why won't someone stick their hands in my vagina?!" So they both come in and do the catheter. Finally, finally both nurses check me. I was fully dilated and plus three station. Maddy was on her way out.
From then on, things moved quickly. They paged Dr. D who was rounding the corner to finally check me. He agreed I was ready to go. Everyone was running around trying to prepare trays, break down my bed, and all the other delivery things they do. Meanwhile I could not believe I was ready to push. Especially since the whole time (for no real reason) I thought this would end in a c-section. Once I realized how this was going to go down I was ready to get her out as quickly as possible.
The epidural was perfect. I could feel each contraction and I knew when and how to push, but there was no pain, just intense pressure. My friend once told me, "It feels like you're taking the biggest shit of your life." That is a great way to describe it. Although maybe a little gross.
I am very proud to say that it only took 15 minutes from the first push to the last. My nurse told me not to tell many people that. I did pay the price from a fast delivery by a second degree tear as her shoulders sprang out. The pitocin and my contractions did most of the work for me.
It was, looking back, a pretty easy, smooth delivery. I am amazed at what my body could do. Infertility shook me and made me feel broken. In the end I overcame and gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. For that, I will be forever grateful.
How about some more pictures?
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