As we approach my son’s third birthday, I thought I’d share his birth story. Yes, it’s cliche, but the day he was born, is one I will never forget, and I think so fondly of it, despite a few unexpected turns.
I had a very uneventful and healthy pregnancy...zero morning sickness, good energy levels. Except for the fact that I had a protruding stomach, felt a little off balance, had difficulty breathing and my ears plugged every day during the last trimester, I felt great. I do credit a lot of that due to the fact I was able to workout the whole time.
My due date was June 5, and I started maternity leave one week prior. I wanted as much vacation and sick leave in the books, but taking just one week was stressful because I felt like I had a lot to do still - finalize the nursery, prepare more freezer meals, clean everything again, and I even made some of those padsicles for post partum healing. My first weekend off and up to my due date, I kept saying, “the baby doesn't have to come today!! I just want to get this one thing done.”
Well, June 5 came and went. We saw my doctor that day week, and I was dilated at three. He felt that once I was in labor I was going to go fast. Just in case, he went ahead and scheduled an induction the following week. He said he didn’t think I was going to need it, however, he wanted to make sure I was on the calendar.
Every night my husband and I went to bed, we kept thinking that that night was going to be it and I would wake up and we would be rushing to the hospital. By that time, I wanted the baby out so I didn’t have to go through the induction, but nothing.
The day of my induction I woke up with great trepidation. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact I had never stayed in a hospital before and I absolutely did not want to be induced. I sitll hoped to go into labor naturally. We were supposed to go in that night so my mom came in and we ran errands. We pulled into a parking lot and I realized I had a voicemail from the hospital. I sighed a huge sigh of relief when it was one of the nurses calling to see if I could come in the next day because labor and delivery was swamped.
My husband and I spent that night walking and walking and walking. I had braxton hicks contractions the whole time, but nothing that made me think, oh this could be happening.
The following day I cleaned the house again and made us a steak dinner. My husband played video games while I got a shower, and made sure things were in order one last time. I cried. As much as I was done being pregnant and wanting to meet my son, I dreaded being induced.
We loaded up the car and headed to the hospital. The trepidation set back in, especially when we checked in and were asked questions about advanced directives.
Once that was over, we headed to labor and delivery where the nice nurse asked me all sorts of questions. They didn't give me the traditional medication for effacing because I was at a 77 percent, so my husband and I were given permission to walk outside, “as long as we didn’t leave the premises. This helped calm me down. His parents brought us tacos snd since I hadn’t started pitocin, I was grateful to eat a few late that night. Then we settled in. The next morning I was still at a 3, but they got the pitocin started. My parents rolled in around 7:30 and my mother-in-law came, too. I was contracting, but I actually couldn’t feel anything. We visited, we walked. I was starving so the nice nurse brought me some liquid food.
Well, June 5 came and went. We saw my doctor that day week, and I was dilated at three. He felt that once I was in labor I was going to go fast. Just in case, he went ahead and scheduled an induction the following week. He said he didn’t think I was going to need it, however, he wanted to make sure I was on the calendar.
Every night my husband and I went to bed, we kept thinking that that night was going to be it and I would wake up and we would be rushing to the hospital. By that time, I wanted the baby out so I didn’t have to go through the induction, but nothing.
The day of my induction I woke up with great trepidation. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact I had never stayed in a hospital before and I absolutely did not want to be induced. I sitll hoped to go into labor naturally. We were supposed to go in that night so my mom came in and we ran errands. We pulled into a parking lot and I realized I had a voicemail from the hospital. I sighed a huge sigh of relief when it was one of the nurses calling to see if I could come in the next day because labor and delivery was swamped.
My husband and I spent that night walking and walking and walking. I had braxton hicks contractions the whole time, but nothing that made me think, oh this could be happening.
The following day I cleaned the house again and made us a steak dinner. My husband played video games while I got a shower, and made sure things were in order one last time. I cried. As much as I was done being pregnant and wanting to meet my son, I dreaded being induced.
We loaded up the car and headed to the hospital. The trepidation set back in, especially when we checked in and were asked questions about advanced directives.
Once that was over, we headed to labor and delivery where the nice nurse asked me all sorts of questions. They didn't give me the traditional medication for effacing because I was at a 77 percent, so my husband and I were given permission to walk outside, “as long as we didn’t leave the premises. This helped calm me down. His parents brought us tacos snd since I hadn’t started pitocin, I was grateful to eat a few late that night. Then we settled in. The next morning I was still at a 3, but they got the pitocin started. My parents rolled in around 7:30 and my mother-in-law came, too. I was contracting, but I actually couldn’t feel anything. We visited, we walked. I was starving so the nice nurse brought me some liquid food.
The doctor came in around 3 p.m. and wanted to break my water. I’m not sure why, but I was not comfortable with that. Maybe it would have helped, I don't know. But, the nurse confirmed that a 3 might not be the best time to do that because it starts a timeline and if the baby isn't born within that time frame, it could lead to a C-section.
About 5 pm the nurse, who was one of my favorites, came back in. She said she was going to talk to the doctor about taking me off pitocin that night, and letting me eat. This was music to my ears. I was a tad disheartened nothing happened but I was also starving, so I agreed to this plan, as did the doctor.
To Be Continued…
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