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Birth story (a little long)
Here's my birth story. Sorry it's so long but once I started writing it I figured I'd just fill in all details.
I checked into the hospital around 8PM on Friday, June 12th. They got me started on trying to thin my cervix and make it favorable for labor. I can?t remember the drug they used but it was a tablet inserted vaginally and they administered it every 4 hours. So we got started on the drug and I ate a meal around 11PM since I more than likely wouldn?t be able to eat in the morning.
Patrick and I got some sleep and around 3AM I started having contractions. They just felt like really bad cramps one right after another but were pretty bad on the pain scale. So come 7AM I asked for the epidural because the doctor said it would be alright to have it as long as I needed it and my cervix was now favorable for labor. So around 8AM they started the drug pitocin which helps your body develop contractions and helps you dilate. Pitocin is a pretty strong drug that can sometimes have negative effects on the baby and right away Declan was doing great and I was starting to dilate more and got to around 5cm.
When they administered the epidural my body initially didn?t like it and my blood pressure dropped really low, I started feeling lightheaded and dizzy, and I started having heart palpitations. They hurried me onto my left side and gave me oxygen. After about 5 mins I started feeling better but was still having the heart palpitations which they think might have been caused by my hypoactive thyroid. During this whole time the baby was doing just fine though. They also gave me a shot (can?t remember the drug name) which helped my body react a little better to the epidural drugs.
Come 10AM the pitocin was really going and I was having contractions every 3 minutes and they were getting more intense. As the contractions got more and more intense they started effecting Declan. Every time I would have a contraction his heart rate would go way down which made the doctor think he had his cord wrapped around his neck or was maybe holding onto it. They decided to insert a monitor into my uterus to monitor my contractions more closely and attached a heart rate monitor to the top of Declan?s head. By this time my water had already broken and because they wanted to try and get Declan off of the umbilical cord they decided to insert a tube into my uterus to put fluid back up there. I had so many things in and out of my body at this point I couldn?t keep count! LOL! But the epidural was wonderful and I didn?t feel anything at all.
My doctor was still worried about Declan?s heart rate not improving and that it kept dropping after each contraction so she stopped the pitocin to see if he went back to normal. He did so we gave him a little rest and around noon they started the pitocin again at a really low dose to see how he kept reacting.
By 12:30 my doctor wasn?t happy with how things were progressing any my only option was an emergency c-section. We couldn?t continue the pitocin because it was effecting the baby and my body wasn?t progressing on its own. So Patrick suited up for surgery and they rushed me into the OR. I got more drugs through my epidural so I wouldn?t be able to feel anything during the surgery. The whole time they were prepping me Patrick had to sit in the hallway and wait and he said it was the longest 10 mins of his life and he was so worried about what they were doing to me. Finally they brought him into the OR and they started cutting me open to get Declan out. The first words out of the doctors mouth were ?Look at all this hair!? and then she said ?His eyelashes and so long and adorable!? Patrick then stood up to take a peek at the baby and when he did we heard him start crying. It was such a wonderful moment! They moved the baby away from me to start cleaning him up and have him checked by the doctors. He did great on all his tests and Patrick was standing there with him the whole time. I could look over to my side and see them. Patrick was telling me it was so unreal seeing the doctors cutting me up and all I wanted to do was see my baby. Finally Declan was all cleaned up and passed all his tests and they brought him over to me. I really was love at first sight and Patrick and I started crying we were so happy. While they finished cleaning and closing me up Patrick went with Declan to the hospital room to give him a bath and wait for me to finish up. I didn?t feel any pain during the whole surgery just lots and lots of pressure which was tolerable. I just wanted them to finish up quickly so I could go see and hold my baby!
I went back to my room and got to hold and feed the baby while I was recovering. Patrick and I were able to spend some really special time alone with Declan that I will never forget. We?ve been doing well since. I was nauseous from the meds until Sunday morning and wasn?t able to even get out of bed until Sun afternoon so Patrick was on his own to get up and take care of the baby. He really surprised me by being such a hands on father. And Toby has been doing really well with the baby.
So Declan Christopher was finally born at 1:17 PM on Sat, June 13th weighing 7lbs 14oz and measuring 20.25 inches. He is amazing and we just love him so much!
Re: Birth story (a little long)
I checked in at such a good time, as I'm now wiping away the tears. He is so handsome and you did such a great job!
Rest up as much as you can, you'll be back to normal before long. I remember thinking that it took them forever to clean Cate up and for me to see her!!
Congratulations, I can't wait to see more pictures!
P.S Seeing his pictures just increased my baby fever
THanks for sharing and I hope you kept a copy of the story for yourself. I was so wrapped up with the events, that I didn't keep a copy of mine.
I agree with Caro, rest as much as you can and be an AW, cause I want to see more pictures. I have a slight case of the baby fever too but I think seeing pictures of that little cutie will cure it for now.
Ditto!!
You know how thrilled I am for you guys and how much I admire you for all you've gone through and how you've handled it all! **hugs**
Thank you for sharing your birth story...it really brings out the emotions when you read it. I'm so happy for you and Patrick. Can't wait to see more pics of the little one as he grows. Glad Toby is taking things well.