Liana's Birth Story Part II

Okay, I have been building suspense for 3 months now, so hopefully the rest of the story does not disappoint.

We arrived at the hospital and I had to fill out a bunch of paper work. I'm assuming if the woman is already in active labor they don't make her do this part when she arrives at the hospital.. because it was a lot! My mom, husband, and I just kind of sat around the lobby for a few minutes. It felt pretty surreal.

In the lobby.

Then I was ushered to my room and given a hospital robe. My mother was there through the whole ordeal, and she took great notes. So I will let her take it from here!

6:15 am – Arrived at the hospital to be induced, per doctor’s orders. Policy is to induce after one week over due.

Got settled.

7:45 am - Started Pitocin

       Danielle's aside: I had never felt a contraction until I arrived at the hospital. The nurse hooked me up to an IV and started a drip. She also put a monitor around my belly to measure contractions. About a minute after I was hooked up I said, "Whoa! I am feeling a contraction!" The nurse said, "I haven't even started the Pitocin... But yes, according to the monitor you did have a slight contraction." So I may have had contractions before, but I just wasn't lying there expecting to feel them.

10:10 am - Broke Water – 3+ dilated, 90% effaced

11:14 am - still 3+ dilated, 90% effaced, -2 station (how low in the pelvis?)

Danielle is very tired and dizzy. Sits on edge of bed or stands and hugs Jerry during contractions. Lots of low pressure. Cries during contractions, but pretty good with her breathing most of the time.

       My contractions were 2 1/2 minutes apart. And I was falling asleep between them from exhaustion.

12:22 pm – 4 cm dilated  90% effaced, -1 station – head has lowered. Tried a few different positions at her mom’s request, and also tried the birthing ball – but no relief from the pain.

12:44 pm - asked for an epidural. Says she is sooooo tired and just wants to be able to rest. Anesthesiologist is in an emergency c section and may not be available for another 15 minutes. Jerry hesitant to sign the papers in spite of Danielle’s pleading, begging with droopy puppy dog eyes. I couldn't believe he was being so tough when she was obviously in so much pain and it could drag on for awhile.  (Found out later he was hesitant because Danielle had previously told him that no matter what she says don’t let her get an epidural! He wanted to uphold her wishes!)

1:15 pm – Received the epidural

1:25 pm  -  Still at 4 cm dilated, 90% effaced. Increasing Pitocin to 20 – the highest dose

Danielle changes sides every hour. Epidural is making her very shaky.

       I was extremely shaky. I decided to get an epidural so I could sleep, but because I was constantly violently shaking, I could not sleep. Also probably around this time my mom and Jerry both got delicious smelling food and ate it in my delivery room, even though I asked them not to! The smell was torture because I was so hungry.

2:27 pm – dilated to 5 cm and 100% effaced

3:44  pm – dilated 5-6 cm and 100% effaced

4:30 pm – dilated to 6 cm and 100% effaced. Reduced Pitocin to 16 to get more time between contractions. No relief from shakes and she was never able to sleep. She remained awake the whole day.

5:55 pm – dilated to 8 cm, 100% effaced and +1 station

7:40 pm – 100% dilated and 100% effaced

7:55 pm  – started to push. She could feel enough to push, but Jerry had to hold up and bend one leg and Danielle’s mom the other during pushing, while Mom counted to 10. Danielle complained the count was too slow and her mom needed to do a more accurate count and not drag it on.

      haha

8:45 pm  – Doctor came in for the first time. She had a temperature of 100.7 so they gave her 2 grams of ampicillin to combat any infection. Baby kept crowning and then would go back up. Thought an episiotomy would help, but he wanted it to be the couple’s decision.

       I think I had a temperature because I was shaking so much and kept on asking for heated blankets.

9:25 pm - doc came in and put stirrups up.

9:38 pm  - Liana Jade Hale was born immediately after an episiotomy was finally agreed upon and done.

                8 lbs 13 oz, 20 ½'' long

She was extremely CONEHEAD and half white and half blue at birth, freaking out both Jerry and Danielle’s mom! But it was so awesome to observe the birth and be a part of this new life!

Thanks, mom!

so happy.

So, my birth experience wasn't quite what I expected or wanted. But I was glad I kept an open mind about the epidural because the Pitocin gave me really hard contractions. I knew it was the right decision when I still took 7 more hours to become fully dilated. I also didn't want an episiotomy(who does?!). The doctor was very understanding and made it clear that it was my choice. My episiotomy ended up being less than a half-inch, so really, it wasn't bad at all, and with my next contraction Liana was out.

Hearing Liana cry for the first time really was magical. I was so moved and excited to meet her. She was a beautiful newborn. She didn't look anything like I expected, but even better and so much like her dad.