Monday, August 26, 2013

Gabe's Birth Story: Part 2

When we got to the hospital, Justin wheeled me in because I didn't think I could walk. The delivery floor was dark and quiet, a stark contrast to my first time there. We were the only patients this time (last time I was stuck in a triage room for 8 hours because all the labor rooms were full). The nurse put me in a triage room and hooked me up to the monitor. She was very respectful and sweet, unlike the staff from my previous experience, but she did have to poke me a million times because my blood wouldn't come out, a common problem this pregnancy, unfortunately for me.

The midwife attending me was Jane Wilson, whom I had only met once but liked. She examined me; I asked her not to tell me any numbers. Crys told me that I had passed what I had ever been with Caden (4 cm). That was great news! I was also 100 percent effaced, just like last time. Apparently my cervix has no trouble softening, just opening up.

After the exam, I felt a very weird sensation behind my upper pubic area, as if a giant bubble were making it move around. It was the bag of waters being pressed down on by Baby's head. Then suddenly, splash! It exploded. Poor Justin got squirt. It gushed two more times like a geyser, and leaked many more times throughout the labor. So much fun dealing with all sorts of bodily fluids during pregnancy and delivery!

Finally I was moved to the "presidential suite," a room that used to be divided into four sections for recovering moms but was now one large labor room with an extra bed for Dad. I had to be hooked up to an IV for antibiotics since I tested positive for Group B strep. More poking--yay. The rest of the time I spent listening to more Hypnobabies and trying to rest while being monitored. I stayed in the tub for a while, but it didn't help like last time. I was still throwing up, so I only drank water and juice. The nurses limited monitor usage as I wished, and Jane left us alone most of the time. I appreciated it after feeling bossed around and put on a timetable with Caden. However, later I wished she had intervened so that things could have moved faster.

Morning came and so did a new midwife, Luana Rodriguez, a native New Yorker like my parents. The new nurse I recognized as having taken care of me after Caden was born. By this time, my perseverance was waning. I didn't want to continue. The pain was too much. I was writhing every time a contraction peaked. I wanted to give up, and I let Crys know. I was making progress dilation wise, but my contractions were getting further apart instead of closer. Crys said Luana was really gung-ho about me having a VBAC and discussed with her my options: 1) continue as I was, 2) get narcotic pain medications, or 3) get an epidural. Also, I would need an intrauterine monitor for more accurate data, a catheter, and a saline rinse since my water broke. I was scared of all these interventions, but Crys assured me they were safe, helpful, and necessary. I trusted her judgment so I consented. I also decided to go with the epidural. I knew I couldn't go on naturally, I didn't want Baby to get narcotics, and another C-section wasn't an option though very tempting. The clincher was not wanting to recover from surgery again.

I was worried that with the epidural would come Pitocin--the devil. It would be needed to get my contractions going again, but they said it would be extremely gradual. At that point I just wanted the pain meds so I said yes. It took forever for the anesthesiologist to come, explain the procedure and risks, and finally give me the epidural. The effects were different than the anesthesia I had for my C-section, which made me completely numb and motionless. The epidural made me feel like my legs were asleep and very heavy, but I could still move them.

They started me on 1 unit of Pitocin. I couldn't even tell. I was finally able to relax and get much needed sleep. I felt so much better when I woke up. Justin and I discussed names since we still hadn't decided on one. The only negative was that I couldn't eat or drink, even water, anymore.

Luana came in to check me again and gave me great news.

Read Part 1
Read Part 3

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