Chloe's birth

[Wheepingchree]

On Monday, November 23rd, I was 41 weeks pregnant with my first baby.  I had an OB appointment that morning.  They were giving me another NST to check on Chloe.  After meeting with my Doctor, he said he would schedule an induction for that Wednesday, if Chloe still hadn't come on her own.  He wanted me to go down to the hospital & get another ultrasound after I left his office, just to check fluid levels before the induction.  Devin and I were so excited on the way to the hospital - there was finally a light at the end of the long tunnel that was my pregnancy!  We got to St. Luke's, checked in, and soon after they called me in.  A nice intern had started off the ultrasound...15 minutes later, she called in a tech...another 15 minutes later hecalls in ANOTHER tech.  I was starting to worry.  The tech started asking me if I had been leaking at all, I told him that I felt like I was peeing myself a few times over the weekend.  He sent me up to labor & delivery.  I had leaked all of the fluid surrounding Chloe without realizing it - I really thought it would feel different than peeing.  I was admitted at noon that Monday.  The nurse checked my cervix - I wasn't even dilated to 2 centimeters.  Devin & I heard a woman give birth in the room right next to us.  I had no idea what was going on & I was starting to get scared.  After months of reading and preparing and feeling so empowered at the idea of bringing a baby into the world, I felt helpless.  I asked Devin to please call my mom, I needed her.  I was then poked several times by 3 different nurses, trying to get an IV in me - that resulted in me having two blown veins and being very frustrated.  My mom came & several hours went by while we waited for the Doctor on call to arrive.  They had me hooked up to the NST to constantly monitor my baby.  The Doctor arrived around 5 that evening and said to start me on half doses of Cytotec every 4 hours.  Around 1 in the morning, I started having contractions.  They continued to give me Cytotec until 6 in the morning on the 24th.  I had to get up to pee a little after that.  When I got back, they had to readjust the monitors to find Chloe's heartbeat - it had dropped.  The Doctor came back to check my cervix again - almost 17 hours later & I still hadn't gotten to 2 centimeters.  The Doctor said they had to do a c-section - at this point I didn't really have any idea what was going on.  The contractions kept coming & my idea of how my first baby's birth was going to go had gone to hell.  They gave Devin this gigantic suit to put on to be in the OR with me.  I was wheeled into the OR at about 8 that morning - that room was so horrifying and big and bright.  The anesthesiologist came in to insert a grossly large needle into my spine.  I immediately felt the medication numbing me from the tip of my left big toe, creeping all the way up my body, stopping at the base of my throat.  My arms were strapped down, crucifixion-style - a curtain was put up, I didn't know what was happening.  Whatever was in my spinal block made me feel like I couldn't breathe, swallow, or talk.  Devin came in the room - I wanted to look at him, but I couldn't focus.  I remember him holding my hand. I didn't even realize that had me cut open already when I heard Chloe's first cry.  I wanted to see her, but I couldn't focus on anything.  When they finished sewing/stapling me up, I was wheeled into the OR where my mom, Devin, and his mom came in.  I wanted to see my baby.  They showed me pictures on their phones.  The morphine in my spinal made my face itchy.  I don't remember much of the rest of the day, the morphine made me very loopy.  I do remember when they finally brought me my Chloe and when I got to hold her for the first time.  I know what happened needed to be done to make sure Chloe would survive and I'm thankful for the doctors and nurses.  Still, I am unsettled when I write about her birth.  The thought of how scared I was and that I didn't get to immediately hold my baby makes me cry.

[Squeakette]

Jan. 19, 2010 at 11:14 PM I'm so sorry that your experience was horrible like mine was. No birth should ever be traumatic for either mom or baby. I am thankful they didnt leave you in labor nearly as long as I was for your babys sake, but I'm thankful i got completely knocked out for my c section (i cant have an epidural due to a spinal birth defect) I'm glad you have a happy healthy baby though, and thats what counts. =)