Baby Girl is Here!

My daughter is so amazing and I love her more than anything. She arrived on her due date (just like Mommy and Daddy) after I was induced. Labor and delivery was quite an experience but baby girl is doing well.

At my 39 week appointment I spoke with my dr about when they would schedule an induction if I went past my due date. She had already done an internal check and I was only a fingertip dilated, 80% effaced, and baby was in a -3 position. The doctor thought I would need an induction to get contractions going so she called to set up the time. I learned that because of the gestational diabetes the doctors would allow me to go to 41 weeks if the induction didn't work but that they would rather deliver at 40 weeks. I was okay with the induction and it was set for Saturday morning.

I checked in to Labor & Delivery at 5:15 am. It took quite awhile to get admitted and set up in my labor suite. By the time the dr came to do an internal it was already after 7 and I was 2 cm dilated. Originally, the doctors were going to give me misoprostol to start contractions but since I had dilated to 2 cm since the week prior they decided to just start the pitocin. I was okay with starting pitocin and relieved that I had dilated some after I had spent the entire week trying to get something started.

Well the nurse started me on the lowest dose of pitocin and then I took a nap. I woke up after 9 and the nurse asked me what my pain level was and at this point I think it was like a 1-2. She increased my dosage of pitocin and I spent the next hour or two trying to watch tv and chatting with hubby. I started feeling the contractions and becoming uncomfortable around 10:30 or 11. By around 1 pm I was ready to get out of bed to labor through the contractions. Hubby was timing them at about 2 min apart. The nurse asked me my pain level again and I was at a good 6. The pain really started getting to me and I could tell that I was losing the battle against a med free delivery. The doctor said she was coming back at 2:30 to check me and it was all I could do to wait.

Well, at 2:30 I was only 3 cm. Bummer! I was completely thinned out though and I think baby had moved down a little lower. I started crying and told the dr I needed something for the pain. She knew I didn't want to go straight for an epidural so she ordered nubain to help me get through the next hour. It took awhile to get the nubain in and it worked okay, it just made me really tired. Around 3:30 while I was in my nubain stupor my water broke. It was a crazy big gush and startled me and hubby. He asked me if I was sure it was my water that broke and I was like YES and the nurse came to check me. By the time I was cleaned up the nurse was asking if I wanted to order the epidural. She said that the dr thought things would be moving quickly now and that if I wanted the epidural I should get it soon. I wasn't in too much pain but I was convinced I needed the epidural so I said yes.

By the time the anesthesiologist came with the epidural I was ready for it. The contractions had gotten intense and my pain level was at least an 8. It was about 4:30 when I got the epidural. Unfortunately it didn't kick in for a LONG time. Actually, the nurse called the anesthesiologist back after about 20 or 30 minutes to increase my dosage because I was still able to feel all the contractions. He ended up giving me the dosage they give women who have a c-section and it finally kicked in and the pain stopped. Well... at least on my right side. I was still able to feel mild contractions on my left side but there wasn't much they could do.

The dr checked me at 5:30 and I was fully dilated and ready to go. Unfortunately, the epidural had finally kicked in and there was no way I was going to push any time soon. So we waited an hour for the medicine to wear off a little. I tried a few pushes but still couldn't feel much so we waited a little longer. By 7:30 it was time to push with every contraction. I still couldn't feel much but I tried my best. I knew when to push because I could still feel the contractions on the left side. After about 30 minutes I didn't think I was going to be able to push baby girl out. I was so tired and the pain was so strange that I just kept saying "I don't think I can do it." Hubby and the nurse were both encouraging so I kept pushing for another 30 minutes.

Finally, the nurse called in the midwife. I had been rotating positions while pushing but the baby's heart rate was getting low and they were getting worried that she needed to come out soon. After a few more pushes the midwife called the doctor to assess. He came in and quickly determined that baby needed to come out and that he would try the vacuum but if it didn't work they would do a c-section. By this point I was so tired and out of it that I barely registered what he was saying. I didn't want the baby to be in danger though and I could tell she needed out fast.

Once the doctor decided to use the vacuum a whole team of doctors and nurses came in my room. It went from like 3 hospital staff to like 10. Once the dr said it was time to push using the vacuum I was determined to try my hardest to avoid a c-section so I pushed and out she came! 9 pm on the dot! I could see the dr holding her and clamping her umbilical cord. Hubby got to cut it but then they whisked her to the warmer where a team of baby nurses worked on her. She didn't cry when she was born and hubby and I were terrified. I looked at the dr and he was like "She isn't going to cry for a few minutes but she's okay."

While the dr worked on me (I had a second degree tear) I watched the nurses fussing over my baby girl. After an eternity she did cry and I felt myself relax a little. She scored only a 2 on her first APGAR test but by her 10 minute test she was up to a 9. Hubby got to stand by her while they  monitored her heart rate but it wasn't until 10 pm that I got to hold her for the first time. The nurses stayed to monitor her until almost midnight before we got transferred to a recovery room.

And there you have it! My birth story! (It only took me a week to write it...haha) Baby girl (I'll call her honeybee) was born at 9 pm, 6 lb 12 oz, 21 in long, blonde hair, blue eyes. So adorable :)

Honeybee is now two weeks old and getting close to her birth weight. She sleeps well... we have to wake her up sometimes to make sure she is eating frequently enough. She's started having more awake time and I love watching her look around. I know she can't see much but it is still fascinating. I love being a mom and I love having a daughter. Hubby and I feel so complete now :)