Birth story
I am finally getting around to posting the full birth story of Annalise. Some of you have requested the details. Sorry it is so long.
My water broke sat. morning about 6AM. I called the dr. , but I begged to be able to labor at home for a few hours. I was only having back cramps, but I had been feeling them for weeks so I thought they were Braxton Hicks. She called back from the hospital and asked me to get ready and go to get checked. I would be allowed to return home if I was not dilated too far. I got to the hospital around 8AM. They back pain still felt too irregular to time. I was checked and already 2-3 cm. and 60% effaced. Contractions on the machine showed every 2-3 mins. I was told I was being admitted and not going home. The OB said if I was not in active labor by 6PM I would be given pitocin. I was allowed to walk the halls and only had to return for 20 mins. of monitoring each hour. The walking really help me contract. By noon I was really having strong contractions (almost all back labor) and hated to be on my back. At this point I refused to stay on my back for monitoring and made them find a way to do it with me on my side. I also requested stadol. I figured I had at least 12 more hours to go if I was on track with a typical 1st time delivery. I did not think I could handle the pain for that long. They had 2 emergency c-sections going on. By the time the appropriate person was there to give me stadol, I think it was at least 12:30. I really started to lose track of time. I requested to first be checked with a hope of being 4cm and getting an epi and skipping the stadol. I was already 6-7cm and thinned out. There was no time for an epi anyway because the anesthesiologist was in the c-section. By the time they could get hime and the epi kicked in I would be ready to push. I decided I could do without the stadol, but it was already being given since I declined it too late. All it did was make me feel really dizzy and drowsy. It is supposed to take the edge off the contractions. I think it was around 1PM now. The nurse went to call the OB back to the hospital. By the time she returned I was 8-9 cm. She went to call the doctor again with an update. Within 5 minutes I felt I had to push and made my husband get her back. I started pushing before the OB made it back to the hospital. My contractions had been 2-3 mins. the entire day, but they spaced to about 5 min. apart when I needed to push. That's why it took me about 45 of pushing to get her out. A few times the dr. mentioned starting pitocin, but I said I didn't want it unless the baby was in danger if she did not come out immediately. I pushed when I was ready, not when I was told. This combined with perineal massage left me with no episiotomy, rips, or tears. I felt I had a fast and easy delivery. I am glad I only had a shot of stadol. I was alert after she was born. I recovered very quickly and the soreness was gone within 3 days.
My water broke sat. morning about 6AM. I called the dr. , but I begged to be able to labor at home for a few hours. I was only having back cramps, but I had been feeling them for weeks so I thought they were Braxton Hicks. She called back from the hospital and asked me to get ready and go to get checked. I would be allowed to return home if I was not dilated too far. I got to the hospital around 8AM. They back pain still felt too irregular to time. I was checked and already 2-3 cm. and 60% effaced. Contractions on the machine showed every 2-3 mins. I was told I was being admitted and not going home. The OB said if I was not in active labor by 6PM I would be given pitocin. I was allowed to walk the halls and only had to return for 20 mins. of monitoring each hour. The walking really help me contract. By noon I was really having strong contractions (almost all back labor) and hated to be on my back. At this point I refused to stay on my back for monitoring and made them find a way to do it with me on my side. I also requested stadol. I figured I had at least 12 more hours to go if I was on track with a typical 1st time delivery. I did not think I could handle the pain for that long. They had 2 emergency c-sections going on. By the time the appropriate person was there to give me stadol, I think it was at least 12:30. I really started to lose track of time. I requested to first be checked with a hope of being 4cm and getting an epi and skipping the stadol. I was already 6-7cm and thinned out. There was no time for an epi anyway because the anesthesiologist was in the c-section. By the time they could get hime and the epi kicked in I would be ready to push. I decided I could do without the stadol, but it was already being given since I declined it too late. All it did was make me feel really dizzy and drowsy. It is supposed to take the edge off the contractions. I think it was around 1PM now. The nurse went to call the OB back to the hospital. By the time she returned I was 8-9 cm. She went to call the doctor again with an update. Within 5 minutes I felt I had to push and made my husband get her back. I started pushing before the OB made it back to the hospital. My contractions had been 2-3 mins. the entire day, but they spaced to about 5 min. apart when I needed to push. That's why it took me about 45 of pushing to get her out. A few times the dr. mentioned starting pitocin, but I said I didn't want it unless the baby was in danger if she did not come out immediately. I pushed when I was ready, not when I was told. This combined with perineal massage left me with no episiotomy, rips, or tears. I felt I had a fast and easy delivery. I am glad I only had a shot of stadol. I was alert after she was born. I recovered very quickly and the soreness was gone within 3 days.
