I went to my 38 week doctors appointment on Monday August 24th. Well my bp was up at the appointment 160/100. The dr then checked my cervix and there was still NO change. Totally long and hard. Unfortunately the EPO never worked for me. My dr. told me she was inducing me that night with cytotex on my cervix and pitocin after that. She wouldn't even let me go home first. I was really upset, but what can you do?
At the hospital they checked me and dh into a room and placed the cytotec. They hooked me up to continuous monitoring (didn't want that), but it is a requirement of the med. Within an hour of the pill I was having contractions 1+min long and 3 min or less a part. I had those all night long. The next morning they checked me and I was barely a fingertip dilated! It was so upsetting after laboring for so long. They were shocked! The dr came in and hooked me to pitocin and quickly had it all the way cranked up. My contractions became INSANE! They were back to back with many in a row without coming down. 5 hours later the dr. came in and checked me - only 1cm! She broke my water which was excruciating be only 1 cm dilated. I can't get over how stupid I think that was to do. They all felt so, so bad for me.
Oh! Forgot to mention that I threw up over 50 times in my labor. At the end I was throwing up stomach acid and blood.
After around 20 hours of labor I couldn't take it and they begged me to get an epidural. I had really not wanted this, but I was so exhausted. Well that started my epidural nightmare. I have scoliosis and it ended up being a huge problem. Long story short they attempted to place an epidural 7 times! I have marks all over my back from the needle insertions. This all happened over several hours where I honestly thought I might die. The hospital anesthesiologists (sp?) and my dr. had several consults about me and trying to figure out what to do. None of the epidurals would stay in my back. Finally the last one took and gave me some relief for about 3'ish hours before it came out too. At this point I was blacking out between contractions. I was only 4 cm dilated and they were starting to talk c-section. They left for 2 hours and came back and I was 9 1/2 - 10cm.
I pushed for an hour while blacking out between contractions. I was delirious and several times didn't know where I was. I ended up getting an episiotomy (not happy about that) AND getting 2nd degree tears in multiple spots. Finally my little one was born.
Now the good part. She was placed straight on my chest and her apgars were 9 and 9. She only cried for one second and then was staring and so alert! I started bawling. It was so surreal. She was so worth every ounce of torture! We started breastfeeding right away and we are doing awesome with it. The cord was able to stop pulsing and then my amazing husband was able to cut the cord. They did her checking on my chest and didn't weigh her or measure her until I said they could. She was 6lbs 1 oz and 19 1/2 inches long with a 13 inch head. She is a tiny pixie. She was 5lbs 11 oz when we left the hospital.
My husband was amazing through the whole thing. I feel so bad for him because it seriously traumatized him. Poor guy stayed strong for me, but it was all he could do not to lose it. I think I'm going to have to do some smooth talking to convince him to have baby number two. I'm sure he will come around, but right now he thinks I was tortured to death. Poor guy.
Thanks if you go through this whole long story! So yeah, it was a nightmare situation with over 27 hours of labor. We were the talk of the hospital. But in the end I was able to get my healthy baby girl and that makes it so worth it! Oh and my very first bp reading after delivery had me back to normal. YAY! Thanks for all of the e-mail's and well wishes! I can't believe I am finally a Momma. It is so amazing. I am so, so blessed.
Miss X
