and the story goes.....
(I'll proofread later...I'm doing this one handed...)
A friend of mine who is a L & D nurse at our hospital offered to change her shift and work the morning I was coming in, so she could be my nurse and deliver Audrey. I felt so at peace knowing she and my doctor would be there. Kathy was great! She had already started the paperwork, had the room ready and only had me come in 1 hr early rather than 2, so we didn't have to be at the hospital until 6 rather than 5.
Once we arrived at the hospital, Danny dropped me off at the visitors entrance and I walked down the long hallway to the elevator (this is so different than going through the emergency entrance and be wheeled up while you're in labor. It felt very strange to me since both boys came when they were ready...) When I got to L&D, Kathy was there to meet me and we started getting everything filled out, blood work done and she started to monitor me and the baby. She said I was already having contractions, which made me feel better about having an induction.
At 7am we started the Pitocin(sp?) and about an hour later, I was starting to really feel the contractions get stronger and stronger and closer together. Pretty much after the contractions got intense and closer together, I was ready for some drugs! I had thought about going natural and was waiting to see how I felt, but once I about ate the bar on the side of the bed, I quickly decided that I did not have to be in that much pain...I have done that before and this time I wanted to be comfortable.
Once the anesthesiologist and her aid got there and we got the paperwork filled out and she prepped me, I was so ready to be out of pain. Once they gave me the epidural, I kept hoping after every contraction that the pain would subside, but it never did. I was numb on my left side, but still feeling every bit of pain on the right. They had me lay on my side and nothing happened (I should mention I have a slight curve in my spine and this may have affected it). They decided to take it out and reposition it and after 15 mins, still no relief. They started saying things I didn't understand and the next thing I know, they've given me a spinal and I am numb from the belly down. I felt like dead weight and had no control of my legs and no feeling at all!
Before I got the spinal, I was already 7 cm and very little cervix was left. Kathy was afraid she wouldn't be able to stop me from pushing, so she called my doctor and Danny called my mom to head to the hospital. Since the Spinal took, I was able to wait on them both to arrive and a little after noon, I started to push.
I was having a hard time knowing if I was pushing since I couldn't feel anything, but the doctor and nurse assured me I was. Kathy was a great coach and both her and my doctor kept calm and focused, which helped.
When Audrey started to come out, Kathy said, "It looks like she doesn't have any hair." I was shocked, all my babies have hair. Next thing you know, my doctor starts saying she coming out brow first, "Brow Presentation." I didn't really know what this meant until I came home and googled it, I'm kinda glad though. My doctor and Kathy both kept their cool, but it seems as though when babies are coming out face up/face first, that they generally result in an emergancy c-section or women push for hours and there can be serious complications for both mom and the baby. Thankfully, in all my numbness, I was able to push and push hard enough to get her out in 20 mins. Audrey was pretty bruised on her nose and forehead, but other than that, no other complications. I was pretty sore once all the medicine wore off. The doctor was trying to rotate the baby and I think this along with her being face up, caused for a good amount of tearing and well a few other things that may TMI:) Lets just say, thanks for Tucks and Epifoam! Oh, and about the hair.... Audrey has a head full and is ready for bows :)
I am so lucky everything went well and Audrey was ready to come when she did. I know with inductions anything is possible and things could have been a lot different. I am also glad we didn't have to brave the snow or worry about being in the hospital on Christmas.
Welcome sweet Audrey Kate!
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 12:33 pm. 7 lbs 9 oz and 19 1/4 inches long
2 comments:
such a sweetie! I love that she has so much hair!
she is so precious! it must be quite a change with all that pink in the house! congrats again. glad the labour went well.
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