I knew I had a lot of fluid, & I turned down offers to check Ethan's size. I know that given how he ended up being large & I needed a C-section some will think that was an unfortunate decision that could have saved me the trial of labor but I don't regret it because I wouldn't have chosen to have a c-section anyway. As it was I had to deal with the stress of resisting an induction, and had they induced labor earlier I doubt his head would have been any smaller.
So on the 24th, 3 days before Thanksgiving my nightly contractions didn't stop & that's when I realized this was for real. Jerry & I were chatting something about my Grandpa when I checked the app & realized the contractions were 5 min apart & I called my mom. That realization seemed to make them stronger!
When I called Kym thank goodness she reminded me to slow my my breathing & moan low because she heard me gasping over the phone. She made the Great suggestion to get in the bath. I thanked my lucky stars Faith was sleeping through all this.
When contractions got 2 min apart Jerry wanted to call mom to meet her at the hospital but I said my mom would make it & she did. Just in time for Faith to wake up & me to get into my bathrobe & puke on the floor.
At the hospital there was some confusion between the entrance to the ER & L&D. By the time I was checking in, telling them it was my 2nd birth they were begging me not to push & running me in on wheelchair at top speed. Joke was on them!
I couldn't stay still for contractions but I had no urge to push. When the midwife checked me she said I was dilated to 8 & I was surprised! Joke was on me.
They put in a hep lock & Kym arrived & helped make the contractions much more bearable with massage & coaching ...the midwife changed shifts to Jenni (who had a lovely British accent).
Kym suggested I pee but I couldn't, & 2 hours later when they checked again I wasn't dilated any further. So they catheterized my bladder to drain it, not much difference so we asked to break my water.
I was nauseated & thank goodness Kym was there with lavender & a puke bag. I couldn't stand contractions laying down, & so being checked was unbearable. The nurse was very preoccupied with the fetal monitor because my movement would cause the monitor to lose his heartbeat. By this time I began to register that my labor wasn't working as quickly through transition.
It had been 5-6 hours in transition, I was dilated to about 9 but his head was still at 0 station & not decending. The breaks between contractions were helpful & I remember Jerry sleeping while Kym supported me.
Jenni said that he may be facing the wrong direction, like sunny-side up or forehead presenting or something. I think she may have tried to turn his head while checking me, that was the worst pain I've ever felt.
The OB came in & despite my comments on her colorful jacket & addressing her, she didn't acknowledge my existence. Jenni suggested Pitocin & I was agreeable as long as I had an epidural 1st. But I needed a full bag of saline before they could give me an epidural. That took an hour. Probably the longest of the hours.
Dr Lee was the anesthesiologist & when he came said that he'd been watching my chart waiting for me to call! He was so kind. But the epidural took about half an hour to kick in, & that had not happened with Faith-it had been instantaneous. Once it kicked in I texted people asking them to pray that Ethan's head would turn & decend.
Finally I was dilated to 10 but his head was not decending. The OB came in again, still didn't acknowledge me & made some loud remarks to Jenni about how she didn't believe in "laboring down" because she hadn't read any studies that showed it works.
So we began to push with every other contraction while they flipped me like a pancake from side to side every 20 minutes or so. They gave me a towel to pull on & tried everything else but ultimately, after 2-3 hours his head wouldn't budge.
Now the OB actually introduced herself, looked me in the face & explained that this labor was far outside the curve & that his heart rate was increasing & my temperature was rising, which could indicate an infection so I should have a c-section.
I asked for time to discuss it.
The possibility of infection was what caused me realize that a c-section needed to be done. I might have waited longer if I were not risking Ethan getting an infection.
I began to shake uncontrollably. Convulsing would not be an exaggeration. Dr Lee was obviously conserned because he & the nurse were saying "that's normal" & then looking at each other like it obviously wasn't. They couldn't begin until I stopped & I was breathing slow & he gave me 4 more medications until it stopped.
When he was born & weighed the nurse said "that's not right.." (NOT the best thing to say to a new mom on an operating table who can't see what's going on). Then they said he was 9 pounds 3oz & 21.5 inches. He just looked too skinny to weigh that much.
He had a dent in the top of his head, but no cone shape, so We'll never know if his head was too big or facing the wrong way but either way, he clearly was having trouble coming down through. But he's here without injury & I was cared for with kindness & respect :)
Kym & Jenni came to see him & all of the nurses commented how he latched on right away (thank goodness the anesthesia hadn't worn off yet!)
Jerry's whole family waited outside to see him as I was wheeled off & poor Kym was off to another long labor!
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