This pregnancy was unusual in that I had many other medical things going on, in addition to a baby to grow. I was diagnosed with Grave's disease, which brought me to the at-risk pregnancy doctor every 4 weeks for an ultrasound. I loved getting to see her every month and check on her progress (I only had two ultrasounds with the other kids). On the flip side, it was tough to have so many chances to find out the gender and say no each time. Matt thinks the doctor slipped at our last ultrasound - he was talking about the baby and said "she has a lot of hair" or something like that, then a long pregnant (pardon the pun) pause, and he said, "or he has a lot of hair." We said - "you totally paused! Are we having a girl?!" He told us not to read into anything, he just had to call the baby something instead of "it."
My primary doctor wanted me to be induced because she said the baby was large, and she was worried about my thyroid throwing us for a loop during labor. I finally looked up what a "thyroid storm" is after my doctor mentioned it - When thyroid hormone levels become very high, the symptoms worsen and can result in a serious condition called thyroid storm or thyrotoxic crisis. One major sign of thyroid storm that differentiates it from ordinary hyperthyroidism is a marked elevation of body temperature, which may be as high as 105-106 F (40.5-41.1 C). Thyroid storm is unusual, but is a life-threatening emergency when it does occur.
And the last reason I finally decided to be induced was I was just so tired - I was sleeping terribly with a day of work facing me in the morning and a lot of house projects to finish and organize still. Plus, it was nice knowing the day and time I needed Betty to watch Claire and Miles for us, instead of a middle of the night rush. So I gave in and said I would be induced as long as it was close to my due date (May 15).
We went in to Spring Valley Hospital at 12:30 am for my scheduled induction. Since it was so late, we had to go in through the ER - their staff seemed surprised to see us with an appointment at that time. With Claire and Miles, my water broke in the middle of the night so we went in around 1 or 2 am. This time, I was at 1 cm when I went in, so they started me on pitocin and periodically cranked up the dosage. I guess the highest they go is to 30, and by 10 am they had me at a level 20. I kept replaying that scene from Princess Bride in my head when they are torturing Westley - "Not to 50!!"
After 9 hours on the drugs, I was still at 1 cm, slightly higher percentage of effacement, and feeling very frustrated that nothing was happening. With my other two, my water was already broke, I was at a 3-4, and was on my way. This waiting game was not fun. Plus my doctor had predicted the baby would be born at noon - and there was no way that was gonna happen. I am not a good person to give a deadline to - I expect them to be kept. :)
After another hour or so I started finally having productive contractions - ones you can't talk through, that feel like a knife in your back. It was painful but I was just happy to know things were progressing. Then the nurse broke my water - now THAT was not fun. I said, this is going to help me, right? Ok, then keep trying! Yikes. I wonder if there is any way a guy can relate to the experience of someone trying to "find" your cervix. She finally found it and ruptured the membrane - that was a really weird sensation.
By this point I had also been given an internal monitor for my contractions, a fetal monitor, was on oxygen, and of course has a catheter and IV. I felt like I was hooked up to way too many machines and tubes.
Around 2 or 3 pm, the baby's heart rate was getting sporadic - they took me completely off pitocin for 2 hours. Back to hardly any contractions, but the baby stabilized. They also gave me an amnio-fusion - basically they put fluid back into the uterus to replace the water so the baby has more room to float around and it eases pressure on the baby's head. Yet another tube into me.
The nurse checked me again around 5:25 pm - and miracle of miracles, I was at a 10, fully effaced, baby's head was in position. I might get off to a slow start, but I make up for it at the end. It was the same with Claire and Miles. The nurse, a wonderful woman from Scotland who's accent made everything sound more pleasant, said - did your other two kids have a lot of hair, because this baby has a ton! Then she said - give me a wee push (that is totally how she talked) - so I did - and she said, I see the head. Stop pushing!! Dr. Ivie came in a few minutes later and the rest of the team of nurses were right behind her. I pushed through one more contraction and the head was out. But it was the bottom half I was most curious about. Ok - a few more pushes through the next contraction and out came our little... ??? Her umbilical cord was in the way at first and the doctor kept asking - So, what did you guys have? We were like - We don't know!!! Tell us, or move the cord! Finally, we saw our GIRL!
Would I be induced again? I don't know... if I was past my due date, yes. Before my due date, no. When all was said and done, this labor took about the same amount of time as my other two, it was just a different path to get there.
3 comments:
No matter how they make it out into this world, the stories are always just as touching and beautiful! Great job mama!
That is quite the labor story. I am so glad you have been posting pictures and stories already! Penelope is darling and I am so happy she is here! That is awesome that Becky came to help! What a dream!
Good job, SJ!!
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