We went to the hospital Wednesday, April 22 at 8:00p.m. to begin the inducing process. I didn't realize that I would immediately get into the hospital gown, be hooked up to an i.v., and basically getting down to the business to trying to get the baby to come.
Early Thursday morning, they began giving me pitocin to start getting contractions. The contractions started off well, but things soon began to go awry. I think we jinxed it when they first gave me pitocin, because my contractions began being really strong and regular immediately. So, my nurse commented that everything was moving even faster and better than expected and she thought we may be having a baby quicker than expected. But, by that evening I was only dilated to a 2 and when they began to up my amounts of pitocin than I began having very irregular contractions. I started having contractions that lasted ten minutes a piece and was really wearing on my uterus.
The initial plan of attack was to take me off pitocin for an hour and than restart to see if my body would reset and begin working better, but by Thursday night I was still only dilated to a 2 and my contractions were again very long and irregular. Dr. Goff suggested we give me the epidural and break my water to try to progress my labor. We followed his plan, but by Friday morning I was stuck at a 4 and was again having irregular contractions. Dr. Goff told us we may need to start thinking about a C section.
Steve and I discussed the situation and decided that if I hadn't progressed by noon on Friday that we would do the epidural. At this point, I hadn't eaten since Wednesday night and I was beginning to feel really weak and tired. By noon, no progress had been made and it was decided to go ahead with a C section.
I was SO scared to do the C section! I mean, it's surgery! Plus, I hadn't eaten in two days, had barely slept, and in the last couple of hours they wouldn't even let me have anything to drink (for good reason since women get very sick during C sections and often throw up). I was afraid that I was too weak to go through the surgery.
We were told we would do the C section at 2 p.m., but the two C sections before me went so quickly that I ended up having the C section at about 1:20. I didn't like having to wait after making the decision to have the C section (cause I was starving!), but it ended up being great because they took me off pitocin- my contractions completely stopped- and I got an hour nap before the surgery.
I was so scared being wheeled in to the surgery room! The medicine was taking forever to completely numb me and they kept testing me to see if I was ready for them to cut, but I could feel everything they were doing. Finally, they got started. At this point, I asked where Steve was because he hadn't been brought in yet. I think they forgot to get him. Steve came in and held my hand. My mom, in her scrubs, was in a utility closet that had a window looking into the surgery room. (Mom got the great view of EVERYTHING-she saw the whole surgery!)
The minute Addison was born, I could hear her crying. I heard them move towards the other side of the room, showing mom Addison. Suddenly, Dr. Goff popped Addison over the sheet scaring me. (I thought they were still on the other side of the room). When they started cleaning her off, Steve asked me if he could go be with Addison. I totally let him go, but being a wuss, I had one of the doctors hold my hand while Steve was gone.
After they cleaned up our baby Addison and I had been sewed up, they started wheeling me back to the room. At that point, someone put Addison in my arms. I was completely concentrating on holding her because I felt so groggy from the medicine and the surgery.
Overall, it was long, but it was still a great experience. Addison was never in distress, so I'm glad that she was safe the whole time I was in labor. The worst part of the labor for me was the epidural and not eating for two whole days. The epidural had to be put in three times becuase it kept going towards the right and not numbing my left side at all. I think part of the problem was my nurse just wanted to lightly hold my hands when I needed someone to really hold onto. Luckily, after the second time she had to leave and I got a new nurse that really let me hold onto her during the epidural. Dr. Goff tells me that future deliveries will be much easier. We found out during the C section that Addison was transverse (her head was coming out sideways), so she was never going to make it out without a C section. Once they cut me open, they also discovered that my pelvis is too narrow for birthing babies. Dr. Goff said he felt really bad that I didn't get the delivery that I was wanting and he was afraid I felt robbed of the birthing experience I had wanted, but I really don't feel that way. Yeah, I had planned on a regular delivery, but I just didn't know that I didn't have that option. I kind of think you can't feel robbed off something that was never an option in the first place. Dr. Goff jokes that now I have a zipper and that it will be much smoother in the future.
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