I know I'm almost 4 months late in writing Jackson's birth story but I figured better late than never.
I was scheduled to be induced at 39 weeks due to having hypertension throughout the entire pregnancy, although every time I was at the doctors my BP looked normal. I couldn't complain though because it was kind of nice 'knowing' when we'd be seeing our little boy.
Since I turned 39 weeks on July 3rd which was a Sunday they wouldn't induce me then, nor the 4th because it was a holiday so we had to wait until Tuesday.
4th of July just wasn't the same this year. Maybe because we spent the entire day getting everything ready for a baby to come home instead of having a bbq and watching fireworks. I had the bags all packed plenty of time before but had to do one last check for mine, and of course daddy hadn't packed his yet so he had to do his :)
When it came time to go to bed I thought for sure I wouldn't be able to sleep. I figured it'd be worse than the night before the first day of school but to my surprise I fell asleep quiet fast. I think because I knew I had to get as much rest as I could for the big day, and the sooner I went to sleep the sooner I'd be off to the hospital.
Jay and I left for the hospital Tuesday morning July 5th. I was admitted at 0700. They got me hooked up and asked a bunch of questions and checked where I was at. I was 50% and 3cm. At 0800 I was given some tiny white pill (I can't remember what it was called) to ripen my cervix and induce labor. Once that had started working regular contractions were coming although not very painful. They started my Pitocen about an our or two later once the contractions got regular. I walked around as much as I could because I knew that once things really started up I'd have to be monitored at all times. I switch was watching tv standing up to sitting on the birthing ball which felt amazing for my back.
At about 1515 my water broke on its own. I had just switched from laying on my back to my left side when I felt/heard a pop. I told Jay I think my water broke but nothing was coming out just yet so I had him look. LOL bad idea because it gushing out then. He said it looked like someone left the water hose on. ((And I would say TMI but its a labor/birth story, what did you expect?)) So at 1530 I was checked and was 5cm and 75% effaced.
Once my water broke my contractions got significantly worse and I thought that if I was only at a 5cm and had to go to 10cm, there's no way I'd have energy to push well so I went ahead with the epidural. The epidural itself and the tiny shots before it weren't anything bad, I'd say the worst part was trying to get into position for it during painful contractions less than 1 minute apart.
They came and checked me again at 2000 and I was at 8cm 90% effaced. Then was checked again at 2120 and was ready to go! At 2124 they had me start pushing and within 2 pushed his head was starting to show. I was able to feel his head which was pretty cool. After 39 minutes of pushing my baby boy was out and on my chest. No words can really describe how I felt at that moment. I was overwhelmed with love and joy and amazement of the whole process and the fact that my baby was no longer inside me and I was looking at his beautiful face.
The only thing that I didn't like about the labor was my epidural maybe worked 'too' good. When it was time to push I couldn't feel anything, no contractions or pressure so I didn't know when to push. The nurse had to tell me when to according to the monitor. I had read about 'the ring of fire' and that not even the epidural could take that feeling away but I didn't feel it (although when she said here comes the head I was prepared for it)
Recovery was long, and painful. I would say way worse than contractions I think only because it was ALL the time everyday for 6+weeks.
For my next pregnancy I hope that I don't have to be induced. I want to feel natural contractions and see how well I can tolerate them. The contractions from being induced I heard are totally different than natural, but I thought I handled them well.
Laten Labor 0800 to 1530
Active Labor 1530 to 2124
2124 pushing started and 39 minute later at 2203 Jackson Thomas Rains arrived weighing 8lbs 6oz and 20 inches long.... might I add looking JUST like his daddy!
I was scheduled to be induced at 39 weeks due to having hypertension throughout the entire pregnancy, although every time I was at the doctors my BP looked normal. I couldn't complain though because it was kind of nice 'knowing' when we'd be seeing our little boy.
Since I turned 39 weeks on July 3rd which was a Sunday they wouldn't induce me then, nor the 4th because it was a holiday so we had to wait until Tuesday.
4th of July just wasn't the same this year. Maybe because we spent the entire day getting everything ready for a baby to come home instead of having a bbq and watching fireworks. I had the bags all packed plenty of time before but had to do one last check for mine, and of course daddy hadn't packed his yet so he had to do his :)
When it came time to go to bed I thought for sure I wouldn't be able to sleep. I figured it'd be worse than the night before the first day of school but to my surprise I fell asleep quiet fast. I think because I knew I had to get as much rest as I could for the big day, and the sooner I went to sleep the sooner I'd be off to the hospital.
Jay and I left for the hospital Tuesday morning July 5th. I was admitted at 0700. They got me hooked up and asked a bunch of questions and checked where I was at. I was 50% and 3cm. At 0800 I was given some tiny white pill (I can't remember what it was called) to ripen my cervix and induce labor. Once that had started working regular contractions were coming although not very painful. They started my Pitocen about an our or two later once the contractions got regular. I walked around as much as I could because I knew that once things really started up I'd have to be monitored at all times. I switch was watching tv standing up to sitting on the birthing ball which felt amazing for my back.
At about 1515 my water broke on its own. I had just switched from laying on my back to my left side when I felt/heard a pop. I told Jay I think my water broke but nothing was coming out just yet so I had him look. LOL bad idea because it gushing out then. He said it looked like someone left the water hose on. ((And I would say TMI but its a labor/birth story, what did you expect?)) So at 1530 I was checked and was 5cm and 75% effaced.
Once my water broke my contractions got significantly worse and I thought that if I was only at a 5cm and had to go to 10cm, there's no way I'd have energy to push well so I went ahead with the epidural. The epidural itself and the tiny shots before it weren't anything bad, I'd say the worst part was trying to get into position for it during painful contractions less than 1 minute apart.
They came and checked me again at 2000 and I was at 8cm 90% effaced. Then was checked again at 2120 and was ready to go! At 2124 they had me start pushing and within 2 pushed his head was starting to show. I was able to feel his head which was pretty cool. After 39 minutes of pushing my baby boy was out and on my chest. No words can really describe how I felt at that moment. I was overwhelmed with love and joy and amazement of the whole process and the fact that my baby was no longer inside me and I was looking at his beautiful face.
The only thing that I didn't like about the labor was my epidural maybe worked 'too' good. When it was time to push I couldn't feel anything, no contractions or pressure so I didn't know when to push. The nurse had to tell me when to according to the monitor. I had read about 'the ring of fire' and that not even the epidural could take that feeling away but I didn't feel it (although when she said here comes the head I was prepared for it)
Recovery was long, and painful. I would say way worse than contractions I think only because it was ALL the time everyday for 6+weeks.
For my next pregnancy I hope that I don't have to be induced. I want to feel natural contractions and see how well I can tolerate them. The contractions from being induced I heard are totally different than natural, but I thought I handled them well.
Laten Labor 0800 to 1530
Active Labor 1530 to 2124
2124 pushing started and 39 minute later at 2203 Jackson Thomas Rains arrived weighing 8lbs 6oz and 20 inches long.... might I add looking JUST like his daddy!
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