Our Growing Family: Mia's here!

39 weeks...Induction day!

BEWARE THIS IS LONG!

At my 38 week appointment (August 10) I was 50-70% effaced (a little more than the week before) and 0 dilated. My doctor informed me that for first time moms, this was opposite (they usually dilate and then efface.) She said that she believed once I started dilating that it could move quickly and she didn’t think I would make it to my due date. She then also informs me that she will be going out of town August 19-24! My due date was the 24! She brings up the idea of induction…not in a pushy “Let’s do it” kind of way, but in an “I want you to be comfortable and with a doctor you know” way. She suggests that my appointment for next week be on Tuesday, since Wednesday would be 39 weeks and I could do the induction then if I decide. Keith and I discussed and both felt that be comfortable with the doctor there was important to the both of us. So induction it was. My biggest fear was that I would need an epidural being given pitocin, but I was trying my best not to focus on that.

At my almost 39 week appointment (August 16) I was about 70% effaced and a fingertip dilated. The hospital called and Keith and I would be going in on August 17 at 6:45 pm to start the cervadil overnight. Wednesday was a crazy day, just waiting. Kalla had gotten into town on Tuesday night, so her and Kynlee came and visited us that afternoon. We used Kynlee to teach Keith how to change a diaper and swaddle.

At 6:45pm on Wednesday, August 17, we checked into the hospital. By 9:15 pm (after a wait to get in the room and the pharmacy taking their sweet time) the cervadil was put in and we were told that I had to lie on my side for the next 1.5 hours. At his point I start getting really sleepy, finally 10:45 came along and I asked to use the bathroom. Once that was done I was out! At around 1:00 am, my nurse comes in and asks if I am feeling any contractions. I say no and she explains that I am having them every 1-2 minutes, which is causing the baby some distress at times because everything is happening so quickly (I was on constant monitoring because I was able to sleep with the belt on and this way they didn’t have to wake me to put them on every hour.) She says that she had called my doctor and I was to go on fluids to see if this would help slow the contractions. From this point on sleep was out the window! Nurses came in every hour to check on me (blood pressure, fluid level, monitors) and I had to keep peeing like no other (and dragging the IV pole with me.) Keith luckily slept through this all! By morning the contractions had slowed a little, but I was given another bag of fluids at a slower drip just in case.

Finally at 9:15 am, Thursday, August 18, 2011, the cervadil comes out and I get to take a shower (which was so relaxing!) At 9:45 am, the pitocin is started and shortly after my water is broken (all clear!) Now here is where the fun began…contractions came almost immediately (I could feel them and the leaking from my bags breaking). Keith and I just kind of talk and I try to rest since I didn’t get much sleep (but sleep was even harder being able to feel the contractions. Sometime between 11:00 am-12:00 pm, Kalla and Sara get to the hospital. By this time things had started to pick up and I was not so enjoyable or talkative. Contractions were coming regularly with little time in between and I still had to pee all the time because of the fluids. Around 2:00ish (I really had no sense of time at this point), I was exhausted and said that I couldn’t do this anymore and I just wanted a break. Keith really stepped up here and reminded me to breathe through the contractions and do low moans (this was a birthing class technique.) At first I felt kind of funny making moaning noises, but Keith started doing them with me and it instantly forced me to focus and concentrate not on the discomfort, but on relaxing as much as possible. By this point I was 5-6 cm dilated. The next 2 hours were just moaning, breathing, and going to the bathroom. At this point the nurse kept reminding me to tell her when I had rectum pressure (a sign that it was time!) At around 4:00 pm, I grabbed Keith and told him to page the nurse because I needed to be checked now! The nurse came in and I’m pretty sure she did not think we were there yet, but she did the exam and said 10 cm! Then she tells me she will call the doctor and get the room ready and we can begin pushing to relieve the pressure. About 15-20 minutes late (4:15-4:30ish) we start pushing.

It felt like we just kept pushing and pushing and pushing. Everyone says things are happening but I didn’t feel any different. The nurse then says that the baby is coming down slightly crooked (with her head turned to the side a bit.) She tells me to lie on my left side and push through a few contractions like this. I hated this position! It did not feel natural and it was hard to relax my legs in between contractions. After a little while my doctor arrives and we go back to the sitting position for pushing…I felt so much better at this time. My doctor begins walking around the room and walks behind my back and says to the nurse, “She is really doing this with no epidural?” At first I thought she doubted that I could do this and then explained that she had never seen someone so calm and collected this far into labor without an epidural (I did not feel calm or collected). Finally, my doctor gets ready as baby is so close to crowning and I am pretty much pushing straight through each contraction.

This picture says it all...sheer exhaustion and pure excitement! (Photo by Kalla)

Keith cutting the cord. (Photo by Kalla)

Thursday, August 17, 2011 5:58 pm comes and Mia Elizabeth Laren is placed on my chest! Beautiful and crying, I am ecstatic (and surprisingly I did not cry, I just kept saying “Hi, Mia!” and touching her little hands.) I hold her as Keith cuts the cord and the nurse asks about the bath, which initially I wanted to delay, but my doctor says she is delivering the placenta and then can stitch me up, so I decide now is a good time for baby to go! Keith and Sara go with her and Kalla goes to tell the grandmas that baby is here! I delivered the placenta 6 minutes after Mia was born and felt no contractions or discomfort at this. The doctor then begins to stitch me up (a second degree tear and a smaller tear, plus a hematoma from where her crooked head was pushing up against me.) All this time, my doctor is still raving at how calm and collected I was for going natural.

Daddy and Mia (Photo by Sara)

The three of us right after birth. I don't think my smile could get any bigger! (Photo by Kalla)

When Mia is cleaned up (weighing 7 pounds, 2 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches), I sat and watched as Keith held and cuddled her. Honestly, it was a better feeling that having seen her after labor. Keith had always been tentative around babies and with Mia it all came naturally, no hesitation, just wanting to be close to her.

The three of us! She is a keeper! (Photo by Sara)

Once I was stitched up, Mia and Keith joined me at the bed and we just adored her together…it didn’t matter who else was in the room, we just sat and enjoyed each other. We tried breastfeeding within the first hour, but she was not interested and I was reminded that for the first 24 hours it was not a huge deal for her to feed, as she still had plenty of nutrients!

Kisses for my baby (Photo by Sara)

Such a cute face!

All bundled up! (Photo by Sara)

Including the cervadil being administered, I was in labor for just over 20 hours (8 hours of labor not counting the cervadil.) Labor itself, I would not describe as painful, but as uncomfortable. I just couldn’t find one position that felt good. My favorite (which was leaning on the ball) would have been impossible because of the constant monitoring and the location of my hep-lock. Keith was the best support I could ever have. He kept me focused and stable, I never suspected that he was scared or didn’t know what to do (he later informed me that it was the hardest thing ever to watch me go through this.) He just kept telling me how strong I was and how incredibly proud of me he was. Having Kalla and Sara there was amazing, even though I didn’t focus on them much, but I knew that if Keith had needed something they were right there to help. Kalla was also great at making me try to vocalize what it was I needed or wanted during labor (though most of the time I had no idea.) I honestly found pushing to be less painful, than labor. With the pushing I had some type of control over what was happening, where as labor just took over my body (I know that for most reading this, that is probably a crazy statement to make.)

Every pain, ache, discomfort I faced the last 9 months was totally worth it, to now be able to hold Mia in my arms!