Isaac Daniel's birth story

I went into my dr. appointment monday afternoon having contractions. I thought they were just the regular "practice" contractions. I was checked by the OB and I was dilated to 4cm and was 70% effaced (which was a change from 3 cm and 50%). She stretched me and said that she thought that she'd see us in labor and delivery that evening. I really didn't think I'd go into labor, since it was a bit earlier than I went with my other two babies.



On the way home from the OB, my contractions started getting stronger. I decided to take the kids for a walk around the neighborhood to see if they would continue. While I was walking, they were definitely keeping up. By the time E came home, I was having them every 3-5 minutes with significant pain. I think that was about 4:30.



I made dinner for E, but by the time it was out of the oven, I was sick to my stomach with the contractions. We called my MIL around 6 to tell her to go ahead and head over to watch the kids. By the time we made the transfer with the kids and made it to the hospital, it was around 7.



Our local L & D isn't infamous for being speedy. E and I walked the halls for over an hour before they took us back to our room. We requested a wireless monitored room, and we got one that had the equipment in it. Unfortunately, the equipment wasn't working right. But, they kindly let me do intermittent monitoring. So, I was on the monitors for 15 minutes and off for 45.

Once we did the initial 15 minutes of monitoring, they went ahead and checked me. Still 4 cm and 70% effaced. Baby was at a -2. I wasn't discouraged, though, because I knew that something had to be changing soon!

During those off 45 minutes of monitoring, E and I walked the halls, walked in our room, bounced on the ball, etc. Trying desperately to get the baby to move down and open my cervix. My contractions were getting stronger, but not necessarily closer together. The nurse checked me several other times, with very little progress. The nurse said that the dr. would be in in the morning and she would likely break my water.

At 3am, my OB had another patient who walked in (dilated to an 8. sheesh!) and she came in and checked on me. At this point, I was only dilated to 6cm. We started to think that the extra amniotic fluid was preventing the baby from putting pressure on my cervix to help dialate it. So, I consented to having my water broken.

We *knew* there would be a lot of fluid. But, its hard to describe HOW MUCH fluid there actually was. It just kept coming. It was, in the moment, a bit of needed comic relief. 1 hr later, the nurse checked me again. Crap! Still at a 6, a tad more effaced, but baby still at a -2.

This is the point where things start to get off of my "ideal birth". Baby boy's heart rate was doing funky things on the monitor, and my contraction monitor didn't seem to be picking up ANY of the contractions. Since the external monitors are notorious for being unreliable, we did an internal monitor. I've never had an internal monitor put in with out an epidural. I have to say that this may have been the most painful part of the entire process.

Once the internal monitors were in, I could no longer get out of bed. This is pretty much the point in my labor that I started to panic. I couldn't find a position to relieve the intense pain, and I was swearing, screaming, praying through every contraction. Poor E tried to help, but I was really past that point. I waited until 5 am. I asked the nurse to check me again. If I was still at the exact same spot I was when they broke my water, I was getting an epidural. She checked me. Still the same.

Here's the crazy part. I thought that I'd be disappointed with myself for getting the epidural since I wanted to go with out pain medications. However, looking back, it was a very smart decision on my part. I hadn't had sleep in over 24 hrs, and I was physically and mentally exhausted. Considering the fact that the baby wasn't born for another 4.5 hrs, I think it was a good decision, indeed!

I rested on and off until about 8:30. I started to get super sick to my stomach with every contraction (even though they didn't hurt). After my epidural, I declined getting cervical checks because I decided I didn't want to be discouraged any more. When I started getting sick, the nurse said it was time to get checked.

At 9 am, she checked me and I was 9cm dilated, baby was a +2. She came back 30 minutes later and I was complete. She called the OB and asked if we should do practice pushes. She said "sure. I'll run in if I have to".

I pushed through one contraction and the nurse told me to stop and not push. While she called in Dr. C to tell her to run, it literally felt like my body was pushing the baby out with the contractions. Dr. C ran in, got her things on, and told me to push. I pushed through one more contraction and Dr. C started talking about getting an episiotomy since I was tearing pretty bad. However, baby boy had other plans. The next contraction he was born. With out the episiotomy, but complete with lots of tears.

Dr. C put the baby on my chest to wipe him off. I absolutely adore that part! It was the best feeling in the whole world! The funny part is that he peed coming out, he peed getting weighed, and he peed getting suctioned. Then, before we went up to our room, he pooped in the blankets!

Baby I is doing so well. Our family is slowly adjusting to having another family member. A and O and I are all sick, ,but with different things. So, baby I and I have been holed up in our bedroom trying to avoid contact with the big kids. But, we are so in love with our newest little man. He is such a miracle!