Sorry for the delay! Every time I have some time to write this I feel like I’m getting interrupted by the little one, hehe. He is as cute as can be!
My story started at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, April 16th. At 8 days past my due date, I arrived at the hospital for my induction. We were quickly brought to a room in the labor and delivery unit, and they hooked me up to all the monitors. Apparently I was already having contractions, about 12 minutes apart. I couldn’t even feel them! Around 5:00 pm, I took a Misoprostol pill, which is for ripening the cervix.
Jay picked up some Thai food (which happened to be my last meal for about 2 days) and we waited and waited. Pill after pill, nothing much happening. My contractions were getting closer together, and I was thinning a little. But I felt fine. After my 4:30 am pill, my contractions suddenly jumped to 1-2 minutes apart. The nurse seemed a little concerned, but luckily my contractions started slowing down to 2-3 minutes apart which was fine. Around 5:30 am, they got painful. She checked me and I was 60% effaced and 1 cm dilated, ugh! Time went by and contractions were excruciating. Of course, it was also shift change at 7am which didn’t help my situation. I was in horrible back labor, and Jay was helping as much as he could. At 8am our new (and amazing!) nurse Heather checked me, I was at 3cm and 90% effaced. I was quickly moved to the delivery room.
I was dying of intense pain during each contraction. It felt like my back was being ripped apart. Jay was awesome and encouraged me to get the epidural stat, the nurse agreed. But on a super busy day, the anesthesiologist just started another one. At 8:45 am it was my turn! I wasn’t worried about getting it at all, I knew the contractions were worse than anything a needle could do, and I was right! After 20 minutes he was done with the epi, and the relief came, ahhh. They also started pitocin at this point. It was about 10 am when my water broke naturally. I was so happy progress was happening!
I needed a couple of “top offs” on the epi, the anesthesiologist came almost as soon as i needed it. I was checked every few hours or so, and was progressing every time. My doctor, Lizellen, came every so often to check in on me too. Luckily during this long wait, I was able to take a couple of short naps. My mom and sis made Jay and I company throughout the day. At 8 pm, about 12 hours after my epidural, I was finally at 10 cm and 100% effaced. It was time to push! Luckily our nurse, Heather, took an extra half shift to stay with us through the delivery.
I pushed and pushed. Lizellen and Heather were giving me tons of encouragement. “His head is just stuck a little bit, just a few more pushes to get him moving through the pelvic bone!” Then a little more time went by… “His head is still having trouble, we will just need to help him through!”. Then after about 45 minutes in, silence was more prevalent. Between words of encouragement were the hints of c-section talk. After an hour of pushing, Wyatt’s heart rate was going a bit too high during the contractions, then dropping just a bit too low for comfort… plus his head was not budging at all. My doctor, Lizellen, said it would be better for us both to get a c-section. Jay and I already discussed we would do what was best for the baby, and we agreed to the c-section. After signing some paperwork I was wheeled away to get prepped and Jay put on some scrubs. It was time for surgery.
The best anesthesiologist ever, Dr. Hatch, upped my epidural and explained everything that was happening. It was him talking me through it which helped us so much! I started shaking uncontrollably and he assured me it was normal. The curtain went up, Jay came in, and the surgery started. About 10 minutes went by, and Dr. Hatch explained I was going to feel tons of pressure and tugging, which was the baby coming out. Boy did I feel it! But it was not painful. After a couple minutes Jay and I heard him crying, and we both started balling. The doctors and nurses took turns saying “he’s adorable” and “he’s huge!”. “Huge”? I was expecting a 10 pounder at this point. Jay went to be with the baby and they started sewing me up (and vacuuming, which was the worst sound ever at this point). Then I hear… “Born at 9:57 PM, 8 lbs 7 ounces, 22″ long, 14.5″ head”!
When Jay brought Wyatt over to see me it was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. He was gorgeous. I was one proud mommy. Jay left with him to go to the nursery (with my mom and sis in tow). I had more stitching up to do. Dr. Hatch was constantly reassuring me everything was okay and talking to me about his kids, which was a great distraction! My shaking was so bad though at this point, that my neck was more painful than anything else. I think it was about 20 minutes from when Jay and Wyatt left when my epidural was removed and I was rolled into recovery to be reunited with my family. After being in the hospital for 30+ hours and 12+ hours of labor and a c-section, I never knew how utterly exhausted and happy I could be at the same time.
