12 years ago
By 39 weeks I was dragging my kids to go on a walk with me every night. We had a routine we would walk that was just shy of 2 miles. On some of the walks I was having contractions and felt like the walking was helping, but on others it felt like I was going to be pregnant FOREVER. In fact, I am pretty sure I said that to Kaylee at least 3 times. "It's FINE. I am just going to be pregnant forever. Just get used to it. I am NEVER having this baby". I even resorted to making the following pictures of the 5 stages of pregnancy. I was definitely on stage #5.
The doctor tried to schedule an induction date for 39 weeks at my 38 week appointment with everything that was going on with covid 19. There was a a lot of restrictions at the hospitals, and many OB patients were opting to get induced to help. At this point I was being told that if I had any symptoms of Covid-19 than I would have to labor alone and they would test me and take my baby away until I am shown ke ato be negative, but if I was positive they would keep the baby away for 2 weeks. I was also told I could only have one person with me when I delivered, but if they had any symptoms they would not be allowed to come in to the hospital and I would have to deliver alone. A few hospitals weren't even allowing spouses to come in to the delivery even if they didn't have any symptoms. There were a lot of unknowns at this time and it brought a lot of stress and anxiety. Despite all of this, I really felt like we should wait until my body was ready or at least until the due date. So we said a lot of prayers on keeping us all healthy, and made sure the 2 weeks before my due date that we stayed quarantined. We didn't grocery shop or see anyone. We ordered our groceries online and picked them up. We carried hand sanitizer everywhere with us, and the kids washed their hands A LOT.
When the baby still wasn't here as I got closer to my due date, we decided to schedule the induction for a couple days following the due date on May 5th. Since I had a miscarriage before I found out I was pregnant, they had to guess the due date based off of the ultrasound. So they gave me a due date of anywhere between May 1st and May 3rd. I told them to go off of May 3rd so I could mentally prepare for later rather than earlier. I had had one night where I had contractions waking me up in the night and I was sure I would go into labor on my own and soon. I had my bag packed and even texted my mom in the middle of the night once, but it just didn't happen.
So May 5th I woke up at 6 am and called the hospital to confirm the induction was going to start that morning at 730am. I made some oatmeal and called my mom to come over to be with the kids. The nigh before was a long one. Kinslee woke up a few times, Kaylee struggled to fall asleep, and Connor came up a few times in the middle of the night. We later found out he even called Grandma Scott at 2 in the morning because he couldn't sleep and he was worried about me. That morning when I was in my bathroom getting ready I opened the door and he was standing right there waiting for me. It scared the crap out of me. I told him he had been up all night, I loved him, but he needed to go back into bed. We left the house at 7 am and we could see Kaylee and Ashlynn in their bedroom window waving and watching us leave. All of the kids were nervous to have us leave and anxious to meet their new baby sister.
When we got to the hospital they had us wear a mask when we came in after they checked our temperature and asked us if we had any symptoms of covid-19 (runny nose, fever, cough). I had to get tested for Corona the day before so I knew I was good to go, and I was grateful BJ didn't have any symptoms as well. I couldn't imagine having a baby without him, and feel really sad for those women that had to do that.
It always takes a little bit to get started, but after 3 attempts at an IV they were finally able to start the pitocin running at 4 at 830am. Our nurse Collette said she would try to slowly increase the pitocin so I could let my body do it mostly on its own. I was grateful for that, because I could tell my body was ready to get started. Sure enough the contractions were 3-5 minutes apart shortly after starting the pitocin. By 1030 they increased the Pit to 8. At 1140, I was listening to church music and bouncing on the birthing ball while breathing slowly while on a portable monitor. The nurse checked me and I was 4cm and 80% effaced. She then increased the pit for the last time to 12. They called my doctor and she said she would come and break my water around lunch time.
At 1255. My contractions were 2.5 minutes apart but not too strong yet. I asked the nurse to bring my fentanyl so I could mentally rest before transition hit. I knew I wanted to take the fentanyl before the pain was too bad, because I didn't want it right before delivery. The doctor came in at 1:10 and broke my water. I was still at a 4 and 80% effaced though I could tell my body was gearing up to deliver. I asked the doctor if she was going to be close now that she broke my water. She said, "Yeah, I will be right across the street". She then told the nurse to call her when I was dilated to a 8 so she didn't miss "transition". I was a little surprised she said to wait till I was an 8, because I usually start transition at a 7 and it is really quick after that that I deliver.
At 1:45pm I told the nurse over the call button I was starting to feel things more and I think she should call the doctor. At 2pm I called and asked the nurse to come into the room because the pain was getting more intense and I thought I was getting close. When she came into the room I told her she should call the doctor. She said, "Well, let me check you first". I said to her, "I already know what your going to say. Your going to say I am a 7 and I am going to have this baby in about 20-40 min." Well, she didn't say that. She said, "You are a 5 1/2 and 80% effaced". WHAT?! I was shocked. I really felt like I was starting transition. The pain was intense and I did not think I had that long left, but when she said I was only a 5 1/2 I said, "I want an epidural then!". I just didn't think I had it in me to go another hour or so in that much pain, and I said, "I want to enjoy this last pregnancy". They called the anesthesiologist and said he would be in soon. At 2:05 I said, "Where is he?" They said, "He is coming. He just needs to get the orders in the computer and then he will be on his way. We are just listening for his cart to come down the hallway". I said, "I can't hear the cart. Do you hear the cart? I don't think he is coming". ha ha Once I decided I wanted to be out of pain, I wanted to be out of pain right then! At 2:10 I said to the other nurse in the room, "Go find him and find out what is taking him so long". She got on her vocera and said, "Yeah, room 404 is getting pretty anxious. You on your way?" He said in a slow (not in a hurried voice), "Yeah, I am just leaving now". When he got into the room by 2:15 the nurse had me on the edge of the bed ready for him to put the epidural in my back. She was holding my hand while I squeezed it and helping give me counter pressure on my knees and feet. BJ was at my back putting pressure there while we waited for him to set up.
At this point I knew the baby was coming soon because the pain was so intense, but I wasn't mentally able to tell them it was too late for the epidural so I just pushed for the anethesioloist to hurry in hopes of it helping the pain a little bit. I was feeling contractions what felt like every min or less and I told him, "You better hurry. I am going to have another contraction soon". He said slowly and again NOT IN IN HURRY "It will be a couple more contractions before you will feel any effect". Again, I should have told him not to bother at this point. He got the catheter in and while the syringe was still attached to my back, they helped me lean back into the bed. The moment I layed down I felt a ton of pressure and pushed. The nurse said, "I see the head!!" She then squeezed my legs together and held them there for a sec and said, "No no no, don't push." She then called on her vocera and said, "we have a baby in here. I need some help!". I then pushed again an the anethesiologist just starred at me and the nurse said, "the head is out now, so I need you to push again". I quickly pushed the third time and out came the baby onto the bed". Several nurses came running in the room and all helped rub down the baby and clean her off, while the nurses were talking to each other saying "Is there a doctor anywhere close". They called my doctor on her cell phone and she sprinted over. The anethesiologist said, "Well. I hope you felt a little relieve from that epidural". If I wasn't in total shock I would have punched him in the face jk, but for real. BJ said later that I was more in control this time than in previous delieveries that he didn't think I was that close either. Dr. Hansen came running in at 2:32pm and quickly realized she missed the whole delivery. I could tell on her face she was a little frustrated, but she came over and delievered the placenta and stitched my 2nd degree tear up. My right leg literally starting getting numb right after she finished stitching me up. GAH!!! Stupid epidural!! I am pretty sure I will always be mad at myself for getting that epidural, but I can say with 100% certainty that I felt it all. The baby was born at 2:25pm. She weighed 7lbs 4 ounces and was 20 inches long. The special care nurses contemplated taking the baby to watch her because she was a little stunned at such a quick delivery, but the decided to let her come do skin to skin and slowly adjust to the environment with her mom. I was so grateful, and the baby did adjust so much better with her mom and dad. Her breathing went from sounding rattly and congested to calm as she looked up at my face. BJ always shows the love he has with his face and he mouthed I love you.
