My name is Shannon, I am 25 years old this was my second baby- I also have a 6
year old daughter. With my first birth I had to have pitocin to augment (speed
up)my labor because it wasn't getting anywhere. This time my doctor was going to
go on vacation the day after my due date and asked if I wanted to be induced. I
refused- I wanted to go the least invasive route possible. I dont like drugs if
they are not necessary- your body knows what to do.
I spent most of this pregnancy looking up everything on the internet, reading up
on different birthing methods, reading birth stories and pregnancy magazines.
Since it was 6 years since my last baby I found tons of new things on labor and
delivery. I had no pain medication with my last baby and decided that this time
I wanted a more comfortable birth and decided to take the pain drugs whenever
possible! Hay, why not enjoy the experience a little?
So my due date came and went and my regular doctor went on vacation- I was set
up with a fill- in doctor who I did not get along with at all. She wanted to
induce me from the second I walked into her office. So I put her off as long as
I could. She scheduled me for a non-stress test and a fluid check (to see how
much amniotic fluid was in there) when I was 10 days overdue. I told my husband
to stay home and sleep since I had to be there at 6am. I thought that I was
going to be coming home in a few hours. When they did the non- stress test
everything was fine but the fluid check showed very low fluid that couldnt even
be measured on the ultrasound.
When the doctor came in she said that I had to stay- I couldnt even go home to
get my stuff. I quickly called my husband and told him he better get up and get
over there because they were already starting the pitocin. (Originally this
doctor wanted to induce me with Cytotec- a drug that is inserted vaginally to
ripen the cervix. If any doctor wants to administer this drug to you REFUSE
IT!!! Then look it up on the internet and you will see why.)
They started my pitocin at 8:30am, my mother and husband got there around 10:00.
I was only having light contractions that didnt hurt, just tightening. At around
12:30 they finally let me out of bed to walk for a while- laying in bed wasnt
doing any good but they had to monitor me for a while. I walked down the hall
for a little ways but then had to pee so I went back to the room. Right after I
peed the contractions started in harder, must have been the moving around and
then emptying my bladder.
When I was on the toilet there was this moving then clunking feeling of the baby
moving into place- I never felt that before. At about 1:30 the nurse checked me
I was at 2cm but my contractions were about 30 seconds apart. At around 2:30 the
contractions were bad enough where I didnt want to talk when I had them and
couldnt rest between because they were intense and close together. I was checked
and was at 3cm, when the nurse was done checking me my water started to trickle-
it was clear fluid. I had to go to the bathroom again and when I got in there I
found out that it felt really good to just sit on the toilet during a
contraction. It made them more bearable and I could tell they were more
productive. I sat there for about 10 minutes then they made me get into bed
again to check me- I was at 5 cm!
Being in bed was MISERABLE so I asked for something for the pain. They gave me
something in the IV that made me really groggy between contractions but I could
still feel everything. That was not what I wanted and I insisted on going back
on the toilet. I sat on the toilet for another 10 minutes or so and the
contractions were so intense I asked if I could have my intrathecal- kind of
like a spinal- just a shot in the spine.
The nurse called the doctor and the doctor said I had to wait until I was 8 cm.
So I sat on the toilet for 5 more minutes and told the nurse she had to check me
because I was at 8cm! She didnt believe me but said she would check anyway- sure
enough I was at 8cm. She called the doctor and the doctor called the
anesthesiologist. When he showed up I was SO GLAD!!! The shot didnt hurt one bit
and it took about 5 contractions before I didnt feel them anymore. That was at
5:20pm, I started pushing at 5:30. Being relaxed and pain free makes you dialate
so fast!It felt so good to have the pain gone! When they told me I could start
pushing I could hardly believe it! This was great!!! My first few pushes werent
very good because I couldnt feel anything but then I got the hang of it. After a
half an hour his head was crowning and he was almost there. We were all so
excited and I was so glad that it didnt hurt because I felt I was participating
more and could be alert.
His head came out fine but then the rest wouldnt- his shoulders were stuck! The
doctor pulled on his head and had me push as hard as I could- she called for
pediatrics and resesitation because she didnt think he was coming out.
But then his shoulders popped loose and he came out screaming and pooping. I had
a 3rd degree tear from him being jerked out so fast- thank God I had the
intrathecal and didnt feel myself tearing! Everyone was still panicking for
about an hour but when they figured he was going to be ok everything calmed
down.
My original doctor told me he was going to be a small baby- he was 9lb 6oz and
was 22 1/2 inches long!!!!Not a small baby at all! But now he is here, and he is
healthy and I would do it over again in a heartbeat!
We named him after his dad- Spencer Dale Gunderson Jr. he is the light and joy
of his daddy's life, and his big sister just adores him. We are already planning
on trying for another one in about a year but I will be making sure I dont go
overdue again!!
(Courtesy of thelabouroflove.com) |
