Baby Makes 3
Well on Sunday I went in to the hospital with close together, but not regular enough contractions, I wasn't sure what to do and had called ahead and they told me to come in, but they sent me home and told me to watch cause it was early labor and they would start picking up at anytime. All monday and tuesday was 7-10 min apart contractions, it was horrbile trying to sleep.
Then Wednesday came (induction day). Kevin and I spent the morning relaxing, made pancakes for brunch, and got ready to go to the hospital. On our way I called to confirm that we should be there at 5 and they said I didn't need to be there until 7. So we stopped at a strip mall and we went to Michael's and Gander Mountain, then went and ate pizza. As we get to the hospital I notice the contractions are closer together, but can't tell how much and I don't bother timing them. I'm getting induced right!? nope! they were 2-5 min apart and strong so they decided not to. I thought I had started leaking amniotic fluid earlier in the day so I had them check and sure enough it was. They hoped my bag would break by itself, so they just left it.
Wed night through Thurs morning I did fine breathing through contractions. Until she dropped down to engage (finally, after being -1 all night) and she started hitting my sciatica. Well I ended up getting an fetynol(?), but it didn't help as much the second time. I contemplated for almost an hour, talked with Kevin and my mom and ended up getting an epidural. The contractions were fine, but I couldn't get a break from the sciatica and couldn't breath from the back labor. So when I went in Wed night I was dialated 3cm, by the time I got the epi I was 5 or 6 and that was at about 7 or 730 am. Was finally able to sleep a bit, but then we realized my labor had stalled and I was a solid 6, but I should've progressed at least another cm by now. So they pushed a little pitocin (10mg) to see what was going on. My heart sank as they upped the dosage (once to 12mg and then again to 14mg) until her heart rate dropped (still above 100, so not too drastically) took it back down (to 10mg) and then ended up stopping it because my contractions were strong enough on their own, her heart rate was now fine again, but I still wasn't progressing. Its now noon and I'm still at a 6. It seemed like forever, I was now uncomfortable because baby's head was now pushing on the catheter and the contractions which were now only a minute or so apart made it worse.
By the time 3PM rolled around the nurse looked at me with a solemn face and said, "We're going to wait until Dr. Roberts [my OB] gets here, but I think when she does it'll be time to have a baby." I looked at her knowing and said, "Time to have a c-section right?" and she nodded and said she was sorry and explained I should have been progressed enough to start pushing by then. I said I understood, but was already crying pretty hard.
Dr. Roberts came in and asked if I was okay, I said I was fine, but was just really upset about having to get a c-section. She said it was okay for me to be upset and that if I wanted to wait 3 more hours (tops) ,that she would do that, but that she didn't think it would make a difference. She and the nurses who had checked my dilation were all pretty positively sure that she was stuck sideways and that's why I wasn't progressing. She advised against waiting because my bags had all been broken at this point and since I had now been leaking since Wednesday morning the chance of infection and baby becoming septic were getting high. I agreed about the water and said ya know, at this point it won't make a difference, no matter how much I don't want it, it's for the best and I think if we wait it's just asking for an emergency to happen and I'd rather just get it over with.
So, I cried and the nurses brought in my family and Mary came in (she was the first one I saw) and she asked what was wrong and I said, "I don't want a pity party and I don't want anyone to cry (as I'm hypocritically having tears run down my face), but I have to get a c-section." and everyone was super supportive of the decision my OB and I had made to just take the baby now and not risk any further complications. My mom was great, she didn't freak out (emotionally, not because of the decision), which I thought she might because as I've even mentioned here. I got stuck when she gave birth to me and she had to have an emergency c-section. So, it was great that she was so wonderful and just kept saying that everything would be okay. Kevin was great too and reminded me that after all this time we'd finally have our baby.
What I was feeling at this point was disappointment in myself. I blamed myself at first for the slowing of the progression of labor for getting the epi, but the nurses said it was due to her position, I wasn't so sure. Having watched the Business of Being Born I felt so selfish and stupid. That I had done this to myself and it was karma. I felt and still sort of feel like a failure and less of a woman for not being able to deliver my baby. I was also exhausted having only slept for about 10 hours since Monday. As they prepped me all I did was cry. I tried stopping several times, but just couldn't. [Stupid hormones].
In the OR as they rolled me in and got the sheet up I realized how I was living one of my worst nightmares. Which actually made me stop crying and more scared than anything. The nurses and my anesthesiologist was great. His name was Dr. Wright. He had started my epi previously, had upped the dosage for surgery and was waiting for me in the OR when I got there to tell me what was happening. When Kevin got there they announced that they were starting. After, again, what seemed like ages Dr. Wright said how does 4:49 sound for a time? and we said now? and he said, yep right now and told Kevin if he stood up he could watch.
Kevin stood up, we heard her first cries and his whole face changed (I've never seen him look like that before) and he looked at me with a big smile and said, "It's a girl!" and I started crying again, of course. He left me and Dr. Wright told me he was still getting to cut the cord. He held my hand and said I was doing grear and that my little girl was beautiful. He disappeared as Kevin and baby came into view. I started babbling to her right away about MN and how she had waited long enough to be a snow baby and a Dragon, just like mommy and daddy.
They took Kevin to the recovery room as they finished me up. Dr. Wright came back and told me what they were doing and explained that my uncontrollable shaking wasn't me going into shock, cause, yes, I asked lol.
When I got to the recovery room I got to nurse her right away and lemme tell ya we're naturals lol, at least according to the nurses. :)
EDIT: My OB came to see me after surgery and told me that Izzie was so stuck. (Kevin had said her head was crazy cone shaped lol). She was a little crooked, but was also sunny side up. (Just like I was when I was born via cs for my mom, like mother like daughter I guess.) But she said there would've been NO WAY that Izzie would've come on her own and that I had NOT made it so I had to get a c-section and that it was nobody's fault. Which has really helped me cope with the decision to get the epi, because obviously she was causing me pain BECAUSE she was turned so funny, so all in all I'm glad I didn't suffer through the back labor from 7am until 3:30 in the afternoon. That would've made it all the worse I think.
It's true what they say though, once you see them all the pain goes away. It is seriously one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I'm still upset that I had to have a c-section [tearing up as I'm typing], but I know it was for the best. She's healthy, I'm healthy and that's exactly what should be. Those were my exact words to my OB as I thanked her for not waiting until it was an emergency and for taking care of us so well throughout the pregnancy.
Everyone is thrilled with our little bundle and even though everyone thought it was a boy we're ecstatic that It's a Girl! :D
I have a couple of stories about our stay at the hospital and about our first day home (today, well now yesterday I guess). But I will save that for my next post (maybe tomorrow).
I love ya ladies! Hope this wasn't too long. You know how I like to ramble.
<3 Here's a cute photo from today for your troubles <3
She has been dubbed "Queen Elizabeth" it's very fitting. ;) <3