Be warned there are some bloody pictures....
So I guess to being we must start on Tuesday, March 20th. I had an appointment at my midwife's office, just my weekly visit. Well when they took my blood pressure they were a little worried, it wasn't high, but it was high for me (I usually have really low blood pressure), so they had my provide a urine sample and tested it for protein. I had 2+ in my urine. I was asked if I was still working, I told her yes. "You aren't anymore!" I then was told I had possible Preeclampsia and that they wanted me to do a 24 hour analysis collection and then come in on Thursday, March 22nd.
So all day on the 21st, I peed in a container and tried to just take it easy. When I went in on Thursday, my urine was at a 3+ protein. They also checked my cervix and it was at 1cm, but only 25% thinned. After running a few more tests, I was told that I would be sent over to the hospital and be admitted for observation. Once there they had me gown up, did some more test and wait. It wasn't too long before they came in and said, that they were going to keep me and were going to start prepping me for the long induction process. Because of the high level of protein in my urine they started me on Magnesium sulfate. This is to keep me from having seizures, however Magnesium sulfate is also used to delay labor and it makes you feel awful. You get extreme hot flashes, nausea, weakness, drowsiness. I definitly experienced all of these, I threw up several times. They also but in cervidil a cervix soften/dilating agent. This was to stay in for 12 hours.
That night they gave me a catheter (my first experience with that) I was really nervous at first, but it was kind of nice not having to think about peeing once I got used to it. The next morning they checked me again... still at 1cm, but 50% thinned. Not quite what I was hoping for, but they said my cervix was pretty soft, they were going to begin my on Pitocin to begin my labor. That was roughly about 6am on Friday, March 23rd.
I have to admit I was pretty nervous, because everything I have heard about Pitocin is that is makes everything more painful and intense. So they let me go for about 4 hours on the Pitocin, and checked me again... no change. So they decided to insert a foley ball. Holy Pain! That was the worst part of the whole labor/delivery thing. Basically they take a little rubber tube and shove it through your cervix into your uterus and then fill it with saline to be about 3 cm in diameter and then crank the Pitocin up a little bit and wait. Once it was in it wasn't bad, but getting it set in there was painful!
Shortly after the placement of the Foley Ball, my mom, mother-in-law, and one of my sister's Alisyn, showed up at the hospital. Later that afternoon they came in to check me. The idea is that you should dilate enough to have the foley ball slide out easily. So when they checked sure enough the foley ball came out, I was at about 5cm, and the midwife Jocelyn said, "Perfect, I can go ahead and break your ...." GUSH!! My water broke on its own!! Everything looked good so it was wait some more and kick up the Pitocin.
With each time they turn up the Pitocin to get me to contract more, they would have to turn up the Magnesium sulfate to keep my blood pressure at a safe level. I also had fluids hooked up in my IV and I was not putting out much through my urine so I wasn't allowed to drink any water. (I was severally swollen.)
Jocelyn came into check me that night and I told her I didn't want to know how dilated I was at that time. That way I wasn't discouraged or psyching myself out either way. So they let me keep going upping my Pitocin and Magnesium sulfate to try and keep things going.
Later that night /early morning... I have no idea what time it was they came back in and told me that basically I was maxed out on the amount of both the Magnesium Sulfate and the Pitocin, in fact they had come in earlier that day and changed out my Pitocin bag for a much more concentrate (higher) dosage. Plus my body was getting used to that amount of Pitocin and it wasn't as effective. My contractions were starting to slow down. They wanted to check me and see what progress I had made and go from there. I told her this time I wanted to know, so that I could make an informed decision on what to do next. She said when I checked you earlier you were at 6cm. You are now still at 6cm. And the baby's heart rate is staple at this point, but its not increasing with each contraction anymore like it should so we know baby is getting worn out too.
I knew right then that another course of action was going to have to take place. They told me the Doctor on call was in the room next door delivering a baby and that they would talk with him and that he would be in with them a little later to discuss the best option. They also took some more blood (I was getting blood draws all night to ensure I didn't have too much of the Magnesium Sulfate in my body. They were running out of places to poke me.) to again test the level of Magnesium Sulfate. So more waiting.... At this point I was done It was about 2:30am on Saturday, March 24th. I had been in the hospital of 36 hours at this point, had gone through over 20 hours of labor and I just wanted this baby out safe. Poor Josh I kept making him go out in the hall to find the midwife (she was on the phone with the lab). Finally the midwife came in (felt like forever, but was only about 20 min), she told me it was very likely I was going to have to have a c-section and that I should get the epidural now so I was ready and maybe even see if that helped me get to 10cm. I agreed with her that it would be best to begin prepping for the possibility of a c-section.
About 3:20am the anesthesiologist came in to give me the epidural. All was going well and she had gotten it in place, when I started to feel like I was going to pass out. I told her, "I am going to pass out." Her response was, "Go ahead and sleep." "No, this is not good, I am going to really pass out." I could hear stuff, but I blacked out I couldn't see anything. I felt myself being jostled and I started dry heaving as well, nothing came out since I hadn't eaten or drank in over 24 hours. A minute or 2 later, I started feeling a little bit more normal. I looked over at Josh, poor guy looked so worried and his eyes were all red and watery. I guess what happened was when they introduced the epidural medication my blood pressure plummeted, they had to counter with something else to get me back to normal. Josh knowing way to much for his own good was freaking out the entire time, but that was little too much for him.
They let me rest for about an hour before the Doctor and Midwife came back in. He wanted to check me to see if I had made any progress, 6-7cm. No real progress, so he suggested we go ahead with the c-section as we had exhausted the use of the pitocin and magnesium sulfate and were getting into dangerous teritory. Josh and I both agreed. It was time for this baby to get here, for baby's safety and mine. This was about 4:30am, they left to go prep everything and call the pediatrican. The grandma's called the grandpa's to tell them to head over their new grandbaby was coming very soon.
At about 5am they rolled me back, Josh had gotten in him stylin' jump suit on and was waiting to come in. They transferred me over to the operating bed, I was lying there they started my legs in the SCD machine (very nice, like a leg massage) then they prepped my belly. The anestheologist put something else in me, because I strated getting sick and dry heaving violently again. She did something else and it was gone and I felt SOOOOO LOOPY! I think from then on I had a giant grin on my face, even though I was terrified. They drapped me and I heard the doctor say, "Incesion." I was like where the heck is Josh. Just then he walked around the corner of the drape and ducked down quickly to put his head by mine. Although he has assisted on c-sections before he did not want to watch. He was so good at talking calmly to me, it made me feel so much peace and comfort. :) The doctor and the midwife were over there doing their thing and when we heard, "There is the bum. Josh get ready." (side note since we didn't know what the sex of the baby was I really wanted Josh to announce it to me) We heard a baby crying! Josh stood up and snapped a few pictures (see below) 5:36am, Saturday, March 24th, 2012. "It's a boy!" I was so releived to have him here. They held him over the drape so I could see, and then took him over to the warmer. Josh asked, "Should I go over there? Will you be ok?" "Yes, go over there and be with our baby! I am fine, I am just so happy!" Yes, for all who guessed Josh was crying when the baby was born. I didn't cry in the O.R., I was grinning like an idiot, but was to drugged up I didn't cry until I got to hold him in the room.
Josh got to bring him over to show me after he was wiped up and wrapped up and then they went off to the nursery to all the newborn stuff while I got closed up.
Afterward, I was wheeled past the grandparents and Aunt Ali and back to the room, they brought my baby in and I got to hold him for the first time! It was heaven! I can't think of anything better! He was absolutely perfect! I was blown away that he was only 6lbs 7oz.
We stayed in the hospital for the next few days, Zeke was a little Jaundice. We got to come home on Wednesday, March 28th!
He is such a sweet boy and a very good baby! Josh and I just love and adore him.
Zeke at 1 month
