Let me introduce you to Audrey Elizabeth
Stats:
11.1.11 3:06 pm
7 lb 4 oz (a lot smaller than originally thought, thank goodness) 21 inches
(long and skinny)
Birth Story:
I hadn't really experience any contractions before giving birth, no BH, nothing... My mom had c-sections and so she never experienced them either and so she couldn't explain them to me. Since I hadn't had any, I was really hoping my water would break and that was what would send me into the hospital (I was GBS positive, so if it broke, the hospital had to keep me)--however, having your water break before contractions start isn't a high percent.
Halloween night, I was planning on trick-or-treating with a friend of mine, my sister, and her son (just to get out of the house), my husband had school that night and was going to be home late. It ended up being too cold for my sister, so I was just going to go over to my parents house, walk my dog, and watch a movie with my mom and my sister. Later in the evening, I felt some 'leaking' but didn't think much of it--I feel when you are super preggo you constantly leak pee whether you want to or not. It seemed a little bit more than usual, but nothing big, every time I would go and 'check' to see if it was my 'water' or urine, I would naturally pee anyways (natural affect of a pea sized bladder). I just finished hanging out with them, went home, put pjs on and went to bed. At about 1 am I woke up, again feeling 'wet', but I also woke up sweating (another 'perk' of being preggo), again, went to the bathroom to 'check' but again, it wasn't a lot and I couldn't tell (I think these emotions were a mix of being paranoid about GBS and being anxious to get the baby out). I didn't want to wake up my husband, so I did some research on the internet to see if your water could 'leak' out, and not just 'gush' break. According to the internet this was possible--I got completely dry and changed and sat in bed, awake for 3o minutes to see if I was indeed leaking. After about 40 minutes, I decided I might be, woke up husband and called the hosiptal. They said to come in and they would test--I took a shower, and got cleaned up, etc. at about 3 am we showed up at the hospital. Good news, my water had ruptured, they had to keep me. Bad news, no contractions-- this equaled an anticipated longer stay in the hospital (they were thinking a 11.2.11 baby). My dr. was on call that night, but not the next day (she stopped by to say 'hi' before she left) :) and told me who was on call the next day :(
*When she said the name of the dr. I felt sad. When I had originally gotten preggo they wanted me to use that dr. but after looking at her picture, I judged her and felt she was too young, and wanted someone with more experience--my dr. was full, but with a little begging/pleading, she took me on as a patient.
Bad news: they couldn't start pitocin (there wasn't enough nursing staff--apparently it was SUPER busy that day). Good news: Still no contractions.
Shift change: 7 am--I meet my nurse, SUPER nice, she said they can start pitocin but have to wait, since I hadn't had really any contractions, they had to get some of the other patients up and running first. No big deal, I just slept...
I started feeling contractions around 8 am. Nothing big, and still pretty far apart. Mom and dad came to hang out. The new dr. came in to say 'hi'. Dad and husband went out for breakfast. Mom stayed with me. I started getting stronger contractions. My nurse stepped out of the room and I threw up while she was gone. When she came back I told her and she said it was a good thing, my body was responding. Dad and husband come back, contractions started around 10 am (my dad has to leave because he doesn't like to see me in pain and not be able to do anything about it).
The nurse checks me and I'm at a 5! (When I came in I was at a 3 and 70%)
The nurse goes on a 30 min. break at 11:30, asks me if I want an epidural request before she goes, I tell her 'no' but will let her know when she comes back. Her replacement nurse comes in and checks me at about 11:45 (I'm at a 7--WHAT!? but really feeling it). My nurse comes back, I ask for an epidural and she calls one in. Bad new: 2 back to back c-sections, it'll be like an hour.
Options: Hold out or systemic medication. My birth plan said no systemic medication, so I decided to hold out. The issue was between each contraction now, I wasn't getting a 'break'. My contraction would decrease, but never go away. After about 15 min. I caved in. They shot me with just 50 of the 100 dose of the medication (since I had an epidural coming). BANG--boy did just that little bit hit me. I had to close my eyes. I was glad I got it, it helped a lot, but it was a good thing they didn't give me a lot.
12 pm: Epidural comes :) They give it to me--it's not the best feeling in the world and by 12:30 it's in. NOT WORKING :(, shorter contractions? yes, a little. Less painful? no. Starts actually working at about 1:15.
1:30 Dr. comes in and tells me this is going to be a vaginal birth, there is no plan b (it was really busy that day). She obviously was joking. Checks me, I'm at a 9 but there is one more sack which needs to be opened--she breaks it, tells the nurse to check again in an hour and let her know. Funny story: I tried to help them check me by opening my legs; however, they were completely 'numb' and the nurse and the dr. had to run to catch them. Whoops.
At this point we are looking at pushing possibly around 3 and having a 6 pm baby (since I was on an epidural, pushing takes a little longer)! Husband calls his family to let them know.
2:30--Nurse checks me, I cannot feel ANYTHING (epidural is definitely working now) and pitocin was turned down to a super low dose (my body was taking over), she is very surprised, I'm well at a 10 and at a +3 (which doesn't really exist, just her way of letting me know, it was getting time to push). She has me do a 'pretend' push, to see how far back the baby really is and quickly tells me to STOP (she can see the baby's head and hair and needs to call the dr. ASAP).
2:45--Dr. comes in, says she's happy I stuck with plan A and was so efficient about it. We talk about my pushing and how to do it-I was still on 100% epidural (they had no time to turn it down). The first contraction comes and I push (not able to feel a thing, or know if I am even actually pushing or just sounding/looking like a fool). She says that was great, but if I hold my breath the pushes will be stronger. Next contraction--I push and hold my breath. 'STOP, SLOW DOWN'--the dr. tells me, the baby is coming too fast... I have no idea how to 'slow down' so I just stop holding my breath. She then pulls the baby out and Audrey arrived at 3:06. Dr. tells me I should be in the baby birthing business--I felt bad for judging her, I actually REALLY liked her and would have her as my dr. if I give birth again.
To top it off and as a treat to myself, I had my first deli meat sandwich in 9 months from Jimmy Johns :)
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