Finally. My labor story!!

I had a birth plan written, but that never came to play. Nope. Once you're in labor, anything goes.

First of all, this was my first birth and my plan was to go to the hospital near 4cm dialated and to get the epidural at 5cm. Praying to have a vaginal birth because I'm deathly afraid of being cut open.


How it started:
I had my first real contractions midnight on Wednesday. They came about 10 mins apart the entire night. I know they were real because they felt a little painful compared to the braxton hicks I've been getting. But they were still not unbearable. I set up my ipod's stopwatch and excitedly timed every contraction that night. Even updated my facebook.

Everyone got all excited thinking that Thursday was the day. I woke up, walked around, and contractions simmered to only coming once every 20 mins, then 40mins, then an hour.

At this point, everyone thought I was in false labor.

How it dragged:
Midnight rolled around again. I experienced contractions 15 mins apart the entire night, and they were a little bit more painful. Kept timing them, and got really disappointed when they would not get closer together.

Progress assured:
Friday morning came, contractions went back to only 20 mins apart. I had a regular OB appointment scheduled for today, so I was happy at least that I could get an internal. Doctor checked me and got us really excited. She assured us that if the contractions were painful - even if just a little - they were not braxton hicks. Even though they did slow down with change of activity, they were not braxton hicks. Labor sometimes starts and slows down. But I was in early labor, in fact, 2cm dialated, 70% effaced, and baby was at -1 station. Doctor says "Good cervix, for a first timer!"

So, of course we had to ask, "when?" Doc says as we expected, "you could never tell, but soon, anyday now."

But it continued with no end in sight:
We went home, hopeful, and still timing my contractions. Friday night, they came at 8 mins apart. Woke up and they were 10-15 mins apart, and were getting pretty painful. I had to sit down for these and started to concentrate on relaxing and breathing. I kept thinking and saying to my husband that something's not right, they tell you that if you have to stop your activities and concentrate on breathing, that that's when you're in active labor and you should go in. So I called labor and delivery explaining to them my situation, but all they would say is, "we want you to come in only when your contractions are 5 mins apart for at least 1 or 2 hours."
I said, but "I'm doubled over in pain, and I can barely breath through them anymore?? Isn't there anything I or anyone can do?" I'm sure they thought I was just a wussy. I mean how many pregnant ladies go in there every day screaming and wailing for pani meds when they're only 1 or 2 cms?

She said, "it's cruel isn't it? but take a warm bath, and just breath. We can probably give you some drugs so you can sleep, but to be admitted, you would need to be in established active labor."

So I gave up the idea of going in... and thought I would just labor at home with no end in sight and in constant pain. Everytime a contraction came, especially at night when I tried to sleep, I would jolt out of my seat (I'm can no longer lay in bed now it's that bad), and start to pant and moan in pain.

Funny thing is, because my contractions were so far apart still, my husband thought I was probably only near 3cms and was just being really overly dramatic lol. I actually thought so myself! I was thinking, I can NOT believe that this is still early labor. How much more painful is this going to get before I can go to the hospital and get some relief?? I really didn't think I was going to last another night.

Well, Saturday night came. Holy crap the contractions were so bad, my body was convulsing and spasming. I no longer had the ability to even breath. They were coming every 6 to 8 minutes, lasting at least 1 minute. I stayed in the recliner to try to sleep as I have not been able to for 5 days straight now. Then stayed in a warm bath for 2 hours. At midnight, the contractions were finally at 5-6 mins apart. I told my husband and he finally agreed to take me to the hopsital (it's 30 mins away). I got up to get ready, and the stupid contractions went back to 10 mins apart!! LOL It was so frustrating! I told him, "please take me anyways, I really can't do this anymore. Just be fully prepared to have them send us home. But I really want to be checked."

So off we went.

We got to the parking lot, I was fully anticipating my husband to drop me off at the entrance and to get me a wheelchair. He pulls into a parking space and goes, you can walk.

I said, that's SO CRUEL!!! As you can see, he thought I was still too early and needed to use gravity to help her out. So, I actually walked to the entrance. But then I refused to walk all the way to labor and delivery which was a thousand million miles away especially when you're in pain. Plus, I said, if you walk casually into L&D, there's no way they'll admit you. You need to be in some serious pain. He agreed to wheel me up.

Labor and delivery:
I got wheeled in, a little nervous at how the staff would react because I looked perfectly fine. At that point, I only had contractions every 10 mins and could actually talk through them. They were not impressed lol. They took some time finding my file, and asked "were you here yesterday?" No! What does that mean?

But anyways, the nurse took me in a private room, hooked me up to a contraction and a heart beat monitor. We were casually still talking about what it takes for me to get admitted... and that 3 ladies have already been sent home that night because they were only at 1 or 2 cms. Then she proceeded to check my cervix. "Oh, wow, lady, you're definitely staying tonight. You're at 7cm!"

My husband and I looked at each other... in complete shock. I was of course relieved. My husband now super excited to meet his little girl. The nurse said "You fooled all of us! Came in here all calm and perfect, but you're at 7cm. The other ladies were kicking and screaming and were only at 2cm!"

I fooled myself! If I had stayed at home that night, I probably would have been pushing in the morning at home.

So it was time to decide if I should get any pain meds. Husband said "you've made it this far already..." So I waited a little bit.. until I got really really nervous about the pain during pushing, and opted to get it. An hour later, I was hooked up. It took 3 tries, but I didn't feel any pain and got immediate relief. I was not able to sleep because my body has been in complete shock and sleep deprived for 5 days. Everytime I would fall asleep my body would convulse.

Then the scary part:
Here's where things started going wrong though. I did not make much progress after getting the drug. The nurse came in every hour to check and I was stalling. She even broke my waters and that didn't do very much. I was stuck at 8cms for 4 hours.

During this time, the epidural got more and more effective, to the point where I could no longer feel my legs or move them. An hour after they last checked me at 8cms, the nurse for the next shift came to check and voila, I was complete. She asked if I felt any urge to push, or any pressure in my rectum... I said no. She did an internal and told me to push, I tried. She felt no movement. I'm completely numb - up to my pelvis.

The baby's head was already trying to squeeze through, as we could see on the heart monitor (she was beating a little erradictly). The anesthesiologist came to lower my dosage but told me it would take at least 1 to 2 hours for it to leave my system.

I asked the nurse if that was a concern because baby is already trying to come out?? She said "sure. she looks ok. Heartbeat is fine." Then told me to turn from the right to the left side for some reason I can't remember. Immediately, baby's heart rate dropped from 120 to 50. Nurse didn't say anything but gave me an oxygen mask and told me to put it on and breathe very deep breaths. The rest happened all too quickly and so I don't quite remember all the details.

Suddently another nurse walked by and asked if we needed help. The first nurse said "Yes, can I please have some help?" 5 more nurses showed up.

Baby's heartbeat would not stablize. They turned me on my right side, then on my left side. Then the heartbeat monitor came loose. We got no heartbeat. My husband's in a major panic attack and almost passed out. A house doctor came in because my doctor was in surgery. They did so many different things to try to get baby's heart rate to stablize. My responsiblity was to breath very deeply, so I focused on that. All of a sudden the house doctor tells me I need to start pushing. So with all my might and strength, I pushed. And pushed. And pushed. "Am I doing it right? is there any progress?"

"You're doing fine, let's do it again with the next contraction." So we did this 2 or three times. Until my backup doctor finally arrived who was stuck in traffic. He took at look at our progress and said "I think we're going to have to go the other route. This is going to take too long and stress the baby even more." I said "you mean, c-section?" "Yes." "Right now??" "Yes, my dear, right now!" At that moment, since I had the impression that it was a life or death situation, I thought they were going to put some general numbing medicine on my belly and cut me up right then and there. I was so scared! But they wheeled me to the surgery room and had time to prep me.

I kept asking questions like "is this going to hurt? am I going to feel the knife?" Ironically, at no point did I ask if baby was ok because I knew (probably from watching so many delivery shows on tv) that baby was going to be fine as they have the best equipments and have probably dealt with these emergency situations many times before. When my husband finally came in, I held his hand really tight and started to cry. I had an incredible urge to hold the nearest nurse's hand on my other side, but didn't.

The procedure wasn't too bad... I just felt a whole lot of pulling and pressure. They got her out in no time and she was so healthy and beautiful. Everything went without a glitch. Except the drug. I don't know if they keep giving me too much or what, but towards the end when they were stitching me up, I had trouble breathing and my chest got really really heavy. I had to take the oxygen mask off to be able to breathe. I kept asking if this was normal, I didn't get a straight answer. But the anesthesiologist lowered my medication... and I finally figured that the meds went too far up my body to my chest. I was getting so freaked out.

Anyways... scary part over, and now I have a very beautiful healthy girl. She's so perfect. This is my long labor story. Even through all the pain, and the scary parts, I'm ready for the next one.

Baby girl's stats:
Born October 5, 2009
9:03am
7lbs 8oz
19.5 inches long

Progress

So what happened since yesterday morning.

Had a show.

Contractions slowed to about once an hour. Until about 12am. Started having regular contractions again 12 mins or so apart. I slept through the night, while waking up to most contractions. They were not too bad.

Got up this morning at 8am... contractions slowed to 20 mins apart... then 30 mins.

Had my regularly scheduled 40 weeks doctor's appointment... checked my cervix, voila! I'm in early labor. 2cm dilated, 70% effaced, and at -1 pelvic station. She said "good cervix esp for a first timer".

yay!!! "Could be any day now, your husband could help speed things up."

So, went home. Contractions were about 30 mins apart still. Had hubby "help".

Immediately, contractions came 20 mins apart for 2 hours and became a whole lot more intense. Wow it worked??

Since they were still pretty sparse, we decided to head out to a friend's birthday party. Nothing much progressed... until I got home... it's about 11:30pm right now and my contractions are coming 10 mins apart, and getting even more intense. I may just need to lay down with these contractions because the backaches are bad.

Bloody show

I think that's what I'm seeing this morning. Bloody mucus.

More contractions

Couldn't sleep because 1. she's punching me nonstop, 2. more contractions!!

11:30, 11:35, 11:45, 12:01, 12:14, 12:34, 12:45.... they are starting to get a bit more than just "uncomfortable".

I better try to get some sleep.

I've also been peeing every hour too.