Wednesday, May 23, 2012
3:00pm - (Estimated time) Contractions started! They were small and not very frequent or intense, so I went about my business and got some things done I needed to get done, like laundry, finish packing my hospital bag, directions for Hunter's medication and pick up my house.
7:30-8:00pm - Contractions were 5-7 minutes apart, fairly intense and very consistent. I called Zane at work and told him he probably needed to start heading home (it's about a 15-20 minute drive). By the time he got home, I had been having contractions every 5-7 minutes for roughly 2 hours. They were increasing in intensity and length. Once we decided it was time to go to the hospital, Zane called his AMAZING Mom, who came over to stay with our kids...who were already tucked into bed and fast asleep.
8:30pm - We arrived at the hospital. Because I was only 36 weeks 6 days, my doctor wanted to do a NST before he admitted me. After about 15 minutes of being hooked up to the monitors, the nurse (Heather) came in and checked me. I was dilated to a 3 and was 60% effaced. I still had a LONG way to go, however, the doctor decided to keep me. About 8:45, I was given an IV and fluids and antibiotics were being pumped into me. All the while, I was having a fit because I wanted to see who won American Idol. Priorities, right? I was so excited, as was Zane and my nurse, when Phillip Phillips was announced the winner! LOVE him!!!
10:30pm - My doctor came in. He said he wanted to watch me and see what happens...see how I progress. He told me if the contractions get more intense and I am not able to sleep through them, he would come back and do the epidural.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
12:30am - The nurse came in and checked me again. I was now dilated to a 4. Still only 60% effaced. Contractions are still coming consistently every 5 minutes and are getting more intense. I still press forward without the epidural.
2:30am - The nurse came in again and checked me. I was dilated to a "good 4, almost 5". The contractions were starting to get painful, so I had her call the doctor for the epidural.
2:45am - The doctor came in and checked me again, and clarified what the nurse had said. The nurse had everything prepped and ready for the doctor to do the epidural. I sat up, turned to the side of the bed, put my feet on a chair. My back was cleaned...BRRRR!!!! and the placement of the epidural was well underway. The only sting I felt was from the Lidocain to numb me.
3:00am - The epidural was in. Because I am allergic to Fentenyl, a common drug used in epidurals, my doctor told me he was only going to use Lidocain and Centrocain (or something like that). My right side was really good and numb. I was able to move my toes and my legs a tiny bit. My left side was barely numb. BOOO!! The nurse put a pillow under my right side to see if re-positioning would help move the drugs a little better to my left side. It helped on a little, and only as long as I was tilted to the left side.
3:45am - I started getting a horrible migraine...most likely from the epidural. I remember with both Hunter and Paizlei, once I got the epidural, I got horrible headaches. The nurse gave me a couple Tylenol. I didn't want to take anything too heavy because I wanted to be coherent and be able to focus on pushing and Baby. She said the doctor had ordered an Ambien if I wanted. I told her if I take it, I will be completely out of it, and I wanted to remember ONE of my babies births, so I didn't want to take it.
4:35am - I am checked again. I am dilated "closer to a 5, but still not a 5 yet". The cervix had thinned out "A LOT SINCE COMING IN". Baby is still not engaged. I was a little confused because at my appointment on Monday, my doctor said he was head down and his head was engaged. The nurse told me the can engage, then float back up.
5:30am - New nurse (Lorie). I called for a nurse because I felt like I was leaking something. I was hoping for amniotic fluid, however, it was just the mucus plug. She checked me AGAIN, but didn't say where I was at. She also gave me a couple more Tylenol as the headache had now moved to my right eye. I still feel everything in my left side. Told the nurse, who said she would let the doctor know.
7:30am - My bladder was emptied in hopes that Baby would move back down and re-engage his head. I was checked AGAIN...still at an almost 5. Contractions are still really consistent, and from what I can feel on my left side, they are still VERY intense and getting worse.
9am - Contractions have died down. I had "become a product of the epidural", according to my doctor. I was started on Pitocin, starting out at 14cc's and upping the dose by 14cc's every 30 minutes until I reach my maximum. The epidural was also shut off. Once contractions picked back up, the epidural would be turned back on.
11:40am - My doctor came in and checked me. I am FINALLY at a 5 and 805 effaced!!! YAY!!! Half way there. Epidural started again. Every time he came in, I always had my phone in my hand. He asked me, jokingly, if I was "updating my status". Gave me a good laugh. I told him, "No! I'm charting the progression of my labor so I could remember it, because I don't remember much, only the bad things, from Hunter & Paizlei's births and I wanted to remember as much as I could about this one.".
12:20pm - In a lot of pain with each contraction...mainly on my left side.
3:30pm - The doctor came in and checked me. I am now at a "good 5". Contractions were coming more frequent and more intense. He decided to break my water to really get me going.
4:45pm - I am now dilated to a 6-7. I'm really having to focus and breathe through the contractions, because I can still feel everything in the left side. I told the nurse a dozen times that I could feel everything on the left side, and it was very painful. She said she would let the doctor know. The nurse got everything set up and ready for delivery.
5:00pm - New nurse (Shayla).
5:30pm - I am now dilated to a 9! Baby moved down and was causing A LOT of pain and pressure. I wanted to push so bad. The nurse called the doctor, thank goodness he was at his clinic just across the small parking lot. At one point, the pain was so intense, I remember saying a cuss word (I don't say cuss words a lot, so Zane knew I was in some pain for me to swear).
5:40pm - The doctor was FINALLY there! Still in a lot of pain. I was begging for the doctor and nurse to "please hurry" because I hurt so bad. I was in tears I hurt so bad...but only on my left side.
5:43pm - I was finally able to start pushing. It was one of the greatest feelings to be able to push through the contractions and focus on something other than the pain. In between pushing, the doctor asks me why I didn't say anything about being able to feel my left side. I told him I mentioned it to the nurse who kept telling me she was going to "let you know". Apparently, she never let him know.
6:03pm - R. Cooper Kash Vincent was born!!! The moment his head popped out was one of the most glorious moments EVER! It seriously POPPED!!! Not only did I feel the POP, but I heard it and a BIG splash of amniotic fluid. I don't think I even had to push for the rest of his body to come out, because I think all of him came out the same time his head did.
6:04pm - After the doctor cleaned him off a little bit and clamped the umbilical cord, Zane got to cut it. Something he didn't get the opportunity to do with Paizlei). It was pretty cool, because I was coherent and was able to watch him cut the cord and see the look on his face and the tears in his eyes. Once the umbilical cord was cut, Cooper was handed to the respiratory therapist to make sure he was breathing good and didn't need any assistance.
6:05pm - My sweet brand new baby was placed in my arms! I took in every ounce of that moment. I cried. I kissed him. I smelled him. I stared at him. I talked to him. I told him I loved him. I told him Happy Birthday. I cried some more. I FINALLY got to have that moment with one of my babies right after birth. It was such a beautiful, tender moment I will never forget. Even writing about it brings tears to my eyes.
I want to thank my AMAZING husband and coach, Zane! I LOVE you more than you could ever know! Without you there helping me through labor and delivery, I probably would have given up. You were AMAZING! You kept me spirits up! Said the sweetest things to me when I needed to hear them the most! You are my best friend in the whole world! I am so grateful to be able to share 3 BEAUTIFUL children with you!!!
1 comment:
So glad he made it here safe and sound! Though WOW, what an adventure to get him here! Stinkin' broken epidural experience! He is the cutest little thing. LOVE him!
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