Birth Story

I'm not one for sharing a lot of personal details, but I wanted to document our story somehow, so here it is.

At our 38 week appointment, my blood pressure was high, so they sent me to Labor & Delivery to make sure I wasn't developing preeclampsia. By the time I got there, my blood pressure was going down, and I assumed it was just a fluke.

So, we went to our 39 week appointment the following week. I had been having contractions pretty regularly, mucus plug was coming out, so I knew we were close. I was 3 cm dilated, 70% effaced. Right off the bat, my blood pressure was high again. I was not a happy camper. Our doctor told us to go have lunch, then head to L&D because we were having a baby today.

Number one, I had no idea how to comprehend that. We ate lunch at Haruno, our favorite sushi place, and I couldn't do anything but sit there in shock and disbelief. Number two, I was pretty darn upset that I was being induced. It was the one thing, next to a c-section, that I absolutely did not want. But, I was ready to have baby girl in my arms.

We headed to the hospital and started the drugs. We figured this was going to be an all night process, so we didn't tell anyone we were being induced until they broke my water. One of my worst nightmares was everyone waiting at the hospital and hearing me push a kid out. No, thank you!! They had been ramping up the pitocin for a few hours- and I could barely feel the contractions. I had been feeling them more on my own the day before!

We called all our family to fill them in and then, they broke my water. I went to the bathroom, but by the time I was done, I was in so much pain I could barely walk back to the bed. I tried to sit on the birthing ball- which had been a big part of my plan, but it wasn't cutting it. I crawled back into bed and asked for some pain meds via iv. Well, they didn't get to it fast enough, and I was in so much pain and knew this labor could last for hours- so I asked for an epidural for relief. Best choice I've ever made. They administered it around 7 pm. Within an hour, I had dilated to 7 cm, 100% effaced.

At 9 pm, I was at 9 1/2 cm, and ready to start pushing. I was amazed at how darn fast it all went. I didn't even have time to take it all in. Baby girl was ready to be here!!

So, I started pushing at 9 pm. My husband helped hold my legs and did a great job encouraging me. We made a little progress but not much. Baby girl couldn't make it over my pelvic bone... knew she'd have her dad's head LOL. After two hours of pushing, things were starting to get serious. My bladder was swelling from the catheter, and the baby was starting to get hot. I was beginning to panic because I knew this could lead to c-section, which was my worst nightmare.

So, they decided to use the vacuum. We only had three tries, so I pushed my damn hardest on the first try- and they used the vacuum and gave me an episiotomy, and out she came!! We wanted her placed on my stomach immediately and to delay the cord cutting, but the cord was so short, they couldn't get her on my stomach, so Ben cut the cord pretty quickly.

And then she was on my chest. And the waterworks wouldn't stop. I couldn't believe she was actually here!! I could feel some sharp tugs as they stitched me up and when they pushed out the placenta, but I had her in my arms, and they could have sawed off a leg and I wouldn't have cared.

She's here- it's not quite how I planned- but she's here, and she's beautiful. And we're the happiest people on the face of this planet.