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James David, Birth Novel (repost from Bump)
When we got upstairs to L& D we were shown to the room (214) which would be our home away from home for the next few days. We met out nurses and I got changed into my gown. By 9am I was hooked up to the monitors and had my IV in. My Dr. came in and checked me....I was 4 cm already! I was started on pitocin and she broke my water. I then proceeded to labor on my own until 1pm when I was 5 cm and had increasing discomfort. The epidural was then administered and it felt so good that I told the nurse wanted to sleep for a bit and to ask everyone to stay out for a little so I could nap.
At about 3 everyone started trickling back in (my mom, DH, a few friends, etc). And a bad sign....my pain began trickling back as well. I told the nurse right away and she said that it was normal for me to feel a little pressure still. I was satisfied with this at first, but when the pain continued to increase I knew something was wrong. Also, when the nurse would push the bolus (sp?) to add more meds I was feeling coldness in my upper back but no relief from the pain. She finally agreed to ask anesthesiologist to come back. But the anisth. never came back!
A bit after 5 (and her office hours) my Dr. came and checked me. I was 6cm and in a lot of pain. She told the nurse to get the anisth. back up to the wrd, but once again she never came. By this time I was progressing on my own without the pitocin. The Dr. predicted that James would be here by 8pm or so. At 8pm I was between 7 and 8cm and I stalled out. I also began to throw up with the stronger contractions, so the nurse game me an anti-nausea med. Since I had stalled the nurse started the pitocin again. All I could do was breathe through the contractions and by this time I had accepted the fact that this baby would come naturally, and the Dr. confirmed that the next day as well!
It took until 11pm for me to become fully dilated and by this time I was SO tired! The Dr. was called and I was begging to push. At this moment my IV came out!!! The nurses got all freaked out and it took 4 tries for them to get it back into my hand. I was actually kinda thankful for this b/c it took my mind off of "not" pushing. Once the Dr. arrived I began pushing right away. My DH and mom were in the room and I could not believe that DH watched the whole thing, encouraging me and propping me up the whole time! My Doc was determined to deliver the baby on my bday (3/22!) so I was working my a** off to get him out too! Once his head came out everyone was screeching and so excited....me included! One more push and he was out! The nurse put Jamie on my stomach and cleaned him off. I was exhausted, in pain, but SO elated. At this point everything just became so peaceful and quiet. I had to be stitched up with a local anesthetic b/c I could feel it when she started (again proof of no epidural). Jamie was brought to me and I was able to BF. A few of my friends who had waited the whole time came in to take a few pics.
In the end I would do it all over again, of course! My lesson here though consists of two things: 1) Never assume things will go smoothly and 2) Make sure that if you are in pain and if you know something is not right, be persistent until it is fixed. If I had been more proactive I may have been able to get the epidural re-done or something. Jamie is doing great now. He is BF-ing like a champ and at his ped. appt today he had gained 8 ounces back over the past 5 days! Thanks for reading!!
PS: I loved the hospital....If i could have stayed another night or two I would of. As it was, I was so excited that I got two nights....the night I delivered and the next night. We also got a special steak dinner the 2nd night as new parents!
Re: James David, Birth Novel (repost from Bump)
Oops that's 39w 5d pregnant. And he was 8lbs 9oz and 21 inches long!
Thanks for sharing your story. Which hospital did you deliver at? That is crazy/scary about the epidural!
ETA: NM about the hospital, you're in Citrus Springs not Fruit Cove. Duh.
Thank you for sharing.
So glad everything worked out and little Jamie is healthy.
I agree with DP on pursuing a complaint against the anesth. I'd be livid.