My induction was set for Monday July, 23rd- only 3 days before my actual due date on the 26th. And that was mainly, I think, due to the fact that my doctor was out of town the entire week before that since originally he said he would take me a week early. I was so worried about having another big baby. If you remember Miss Ava was 9 lbs. 6 oz- yes a BIG baby. Well i was so determined to go into labor on my own and I really wanted to have her early. And since my dr was gonna be out of town I really wanted to have the baby before he left.
Well that didn't happen.
At my 38 week appointment I was dialated to a 2, effaced about 80%, and he gave me a Bishop score of 9. ( a score at how effective the induction would be- My score was a 7 with Ava at week 40) So basically a 9 they think you will go into labor on your own. So I was doing everything so I could to go into labor.
I remember leaving work on Friday the 13th and the girls at work all saying I bet you will have her this weekend. Well Saturday I had alot of contractions, but all irregular but lasted all day, then Sunday I still had alot and started Sunday night they actually started hurting more but were about 20 to 45 minutes apart. Sunday night they hurt and were about 10 to 20 apart. Around 2:30 in the morning they hurt and were about 15 apart but I didn't know if I should go to the hospital. Russell was sound asleep and so was Ava. I didn't want to drag everyone up if I wasn't really in labor. So I called the dr to see what I should do. It wasn't my dr- it was a different one. He basically said not to go unless they were 5 minutes apart and were so painful I couldn't talk through them. If they weren't then it was just false labor, but if I was concerned to go to the hospital. So I decided it wasn't bad enough and just tried to go to sleep. The next morning I called my dr's office. My doctor was out of town by this point but I talked to his nurse, and she knows me from all my visits and I trust her opinon much more than the random doctor I had spoken with the night before. She said based on how consist my contractions had been over the weekend that I should go to the hospital right away to be checked out just to make sure everything was okay. She said that I could have a high pain tolerence so not to base if they are real or not just based on pain. Well. at this point the contractions were 20 to 25 minutes apart and uncomfortable but I could handle it. Well, I decided to take a shower and get ready, pack my hospital bag, Ava's overnight bag, charge the cameras. etc and get everything all ready. I was hoping that since I was already 38 and a half weeks they may just induce me since I was already having so many contractions. Well, in the back of my head I was realistically thinking, that this was probably just a waste of time since they probably wouldn't admit me and my contractions weren't close enough together. It was about 4pm by the time I was ready to go. I felt that I was probably fine to drive myself but to be on the safe side called my mom and had her take me. Russ was at work and told him that if the hospital took me that he could come down, but that if they sent me home I didn't want him to have to leave work for nothing since I knew he was super busy that day.
So I got to the hospital, they hooked me up and checked me.... I was still only a 2. I was SO frustrated. All that contracting over the weekend and nothing! I hadn't gone to work that day since I was contracting and in the back of my mind I was thinking, "I don't want to go back to work tomorrow and have another false alarm." I know that's so dumb haha but I just really thought I would have her this weekend. The nurse told me they would monitor my contractions for a hour to see if they would keep me. The contractions hurt and were about 5 to 7 apart. My mom stayed with me and would watch the monitor showing the contractions. She would ask me how I felt. I told her they hurt pretty bad. My mom said that she never would have guessed that based on the way I acted. I guess I didn't show my pain at all. So apparently I have a high pain tolerence. I just don't show it through my face. I guess I hide it pretty well even the hurse would ask me my pain level 1 to 10. She was impressed that I acted so calm. Well at the end of the hour the contractions were hurting more and more but I was still a 2. But she said the baby was lower than before and I was effeced more. She said the contractions were doing something but not enough to keep me. She could tell how frustrated I was, so she said the dr said I could walk around the hospital for the next hour and they would check me and If I progressed by at least 1 cm they would keep me.
My mom said she had to go run some errands so I called russ and told him to come get me in 1 hour. I figured either he could just take me home or stay with me based on what happened. SO there I was SOO determed to progress. I was speedwalking around those hallways, in my hospital gown and flip flips... motivated... doing squats every little while and going up and down the stairs. And the last 15 minutes the contractions were SOOO painful. It was getting harder and harder to not show the emotion and pain though my facial expressions. I was walking past nurses and doctors and visitors and random hospital workers.. It is silly but I didn't want to seem dramatic with my pain. But they hurt... and honestly I wanted it to hurt...the more it hurt the more likely that I was in real labor. I almost though it was all in my head, was I just imagining the pain since I wanted to be done so badly?
Finally the hour was up. I waddled back to my room very uncomfortable and in pain. The nurse checked me. I had progressed and was now 3 1/2 and about 100% effaiced. She said I was borderline so she called the doctor. By this time Russell was there with me. I told him the pain was so bad I don't think I could survive at home to deal with this all night until I was 5 minutes apart without an epidural. Now it hurt and I was trying to hold back tears. I HATE crying in front of people. I didn't want her pity I just wanted to have this baby. She told me that the doctor decided not to keep me. Are you kidding me?? The contractions were killing me.
She said that they could give me a morphine shot for the pain.
Basically the point of that was if the contractions were real the drug would help by helping take the edge off and help me sleep tonight (it was about 8:30pm now) but I would still feel pain but if it wasn't real contractions then the drug would take away all the pain and I would know it was just braxton hicks. I knew it was real but I don't think the nurse belived me. She said that the drugs wouldn't hurt the baby and just make her sleepy if anything. That was a concern of mine. But next to that I was really worried about NOT feeling the pain. Does that make since? If they take away from the contractions then what if I don't know I'm in labor and don't get to the hospital in time to get the epidural and have the baby. The nurse said not to worry and that I would know if I was in labor and by then the drugs would have worn off. So I got the shot and felt better right away but still felt pain. Like she said it would just take the edge off the pain. So I told Russ I was starving and wanted a yummy strawberry shake, fries with fry sauce all the fatty foods I have been avoiding. I felt like it had been a rough night to say the least and the drugs were making me not care I just wanted to eat. (and based on how the next 12 hours would be I am beyond glad I did). So we went and picked up Ava and headed home. We were all tired so we just went right to bed when we got home. Which was about 10pm. I was so tired from the drugs and I slept hard, and painfree for 6 hours.
I woke up at 3:54am in SOOO much pain. Well I guess the drugs had officially worn off by then and I knew that I was in real labor. I started timing my contractions using notepad on my iphone. 3:54, 4:08, 4:29, 4:39, 4:44, 4:56, 5, 5:07, 5:14, etc. They lasted about 60 seconds and were pure HELL. The most pain I have ever had. I though I was going to die. And no position I could sit, stand, lay would ease the intensity. I crawled downstairs to suffer by myself. I didn't want to wake up Russ till I was ready to go to the hospital. It was weird because in between the contractions I felt fine, great, almost eurphoric.. It was the worst pain of my life during the contraction then the most relaxed and perfect during the 5 to 9 minutes in between. So I called my mom between one of the "breaks" letting her know to plan on us dropping off Ava sometime in the next couple hours. I told her I was waiting until they were 5 minutes apart till I would go. I didn't want to have to lay on that uncomfortable hospital bed in this much pain only for them to tell me I hadn't progressed enough. Well around 6 am I was literally crying in pain. I couldn't take it anymore. We all have our pain max, our pain limit and I had officially reached mine. I woke up Russ and was doubled over on the floor of our bedroom screaming and crying. Which of course freaked him out. He told me we had to go to the hospital right then. I told him they weren't 5 minutes apart so I didn't want to go yet. He told me that the nurse had said if the pain was unbearable to come back even if they weren't 5 minutes apart.
I had somehow forgot that part...
He said he had never in all the years he's known me seen me in that much pain and we had to go he was worried. So within a few minutes he threw everything in the car( I was glad I had backed everything the day before) and my mom showed up to stay with Ava.
I was literally crawling to the car. The pain was beyond what I can describe. And I had this intense urge to pee, but I hadn't drunk anything, and everytime I would try i would hurt even more and nothing would come out. So wieird..
Russell was speeding as fast as he could, running red lights... he was afraid the baby was gonna come on the way there.
I was screaming.. it was seriously like a dramatic delivery from a movie.
Nothing like what I had with Ava. So we get to the hospital which is in orem so was like a 20 minute drive he got there in like 14 minutes. He gets a wheelchair to wheel me in-
I can't even think about walking at this point.
The contractions are about 3 minutes apart. I am checked into a room and he leaves to park the car.
Then nothing....
No nurse came to check on me ..........
and I am on the hospital bed bawling my eyes out!!!
Russ gets back just a couple minutes later wondering why has no one helped me yet. I told him I just can't take it anymore....
Help me... please HELP ME!
He was freeking out and then the nurses are come in (now its about 7 am).
The nurse waits until my contractuion ends and then checks me... all I am thinking is I better be more than a 2 now. Well after she checks me she doesn't tell me what I am. she starts talking to the other nurses and everything is happening so fast.
She asks me if I planned on having a epidural, "YES of course! Why... what was I?"
"Your a 9. The baby is coming now! Its too late for an epidural. But if you want we can get you a spinal for the pain."
Are you kidding me!! I'm already a 9??!! This was my biggest fear that I wouldn't make it in time for the epidural but I did NOT want to go natural so I told them "yes" on the spinal... obviously!
This all was happening so fast.
Literally within a couple minutes of her checking me I was transfered to the next room and was getting prepped for delivery. So many people and instrements. I was in so much pain and now I knew why.
The nurse told me that the only thing keeping that baby in me was my strong water bag. She said if that would have broke I would've had the baby at home or in the car on the drive over.
Seriously??!! Oh my gosh that would've been awful.
As I lay there in pain I remember the sweet nurse helping me through my contractions. Telling me how to breath, counting with me. I put my feet on the bed, knees up and she told Russ to push towards me as I was breathing through the contractions. It was actually helping. It was like magic. Thats when the doctor showed up and so did the anastisiologist... also magic.
I was SOO lucky that the anestialogest was already at the hospital and was there to give me my spinal within 5 minutes of her asking me if I wanted one. Within a minute of getting the spinal I felt better.
First thing the doctor broke my water. Apparently the baby didn't like that and the heart rate dropped dramatically... and I went from a 9 cm to a 7.. The water bag was bulging out of me holding me open. They said that's why I had to feel like peeing. That was the baby wanting me to start pushing.. So glad I didn't push her out at home..
So now I am a 7.. the problem is now that the spinal block only lasts for 2 hours and I did NOT want to feel the pain of labor so now we are on a time limit. The doctor was concerned about the heartrate of the baby.... ( now I was afraid I was getting a c-section) so they didn't want to give me any pitocin if the baby was stressed out or it would end up with a c-section. So they hoped I would progress to a 10 on my own. Well 10 minutes later I was still a 7. But baby was doing better so they gave me just a little pitocin. And left me to progress.
About 5 minutes later I started feeling pain in my lower abdoman. I was surprised since I though the drugs were suppose to take away the pain.
The spinal was wearing off... it had already been over a hour since they gave it to me. The nurse checked me.
I am now a 10... baby is coming.... now!
So where is the doctor...
The doctor who was taking care of me earlier, is now in surgury and can't come. So they have to find another doctor.. They tell me to not push yet. The pain is getting worse. I can feel the presure of the baby's head and the contractions hurt now. I asked for meds. But they tell me its too late now and anything they give me will cross the placenta and affect the baby and labor.. So all I want now is to get this baby OUT OF ME!!
If I am gonna feel this I want to get it over with.
They find the doctor in what feels like forever but its only been about 5 minutes.
And they let me push. I can feel my contractions so I know when I push. It hurts so bad. But I am still numb in some places, I can't feel my legs and and some parts down low
but I CAN feel the contractions and the baby dropping lower and lower and going through the birth canal and it HURTTTT!!
Seriously I don't know why anyone would opt to go drug free. So I just wanted to be done. I forgot my breathing at this point and I just was in pain. I only pushed 4 times and 11 minutes later my sweet, perfect baby Londyn was here. She was born at 9:01am , 7 lbs- 7 oz, and 19 1/2 in.
While I was pushing her out it was alot of pain and then a release and I could feel her come out and the presure was gone. But there was still pain, then the after birth and placenta has to come out and the doctor had to push on my stomach to get that out. OUCH!! I think that was worse than the actual birth of the baby. It felt like I was being gutted with a hook. SOOO painful. Now they could give me drugs though, the baby was out. So they loaded me up on morphine as the doctor started sewing me up. Apparently baby's big head did some damage on on the out. At least I didn't feel the sewing. And I was distracted by my perfect little girl in my arms.
After all that drama and pain....
here in my arms, was this amazing, gorgeous, gift from heaven... pure perfection... and at that moment it was all worth it. All 9 months of sickness, and days of contractions. We finally had baby here!
I was so happy, my heart grew in that moment... bigger, stronger... I now had two girls... two amazing daughters that I loved. And not one more that the other but loved both.. I was so happy.. so happy to finally have her here. I was ready to start the rest of my life.. my life with my wonderful husband and our 2 girls. And feelling so grateful to be done, grateful to have made it to the hospital on time, grateful to Russell for making me come to the hospital when I wouldv've waited at home longer. And if I would have.. Russ would have delivered our baby... at home or curbside of state. So I am so grateful he got me to the hospital on time.
Within a hour after having her I could feel my legs and was up walking to the bathroom within a half hour of that. They had the IV out of me before noon. The recovery was so much faster. I only stayed 1 night in the hospital and we went home the next day at noon. They said since me and baby were both so healthy and doing great we didn't need to stay the 2nd night if we didn't want to. And I didn't want to. I wanted to be home, I wanted to be with my family.. with Ava and start life..
