Many people are interested in my labor and delivery story because they know I have a high tolerance for pain. So here it is:
When I was 35 weeks I got my 1st pelvic exam and was told I was dilated to 1 1/2 cm and had lost my plug already. I don't think we asked any other questions because the doctor seemed so shocked that this was happening already.
At 36 weeks I was dilated to 3 cm and was 75% effaced. My doctor was out of town this week so we were seen by the nurse practitioner. She told me I was progressing evenly with my numbers and she thought I'd have a smooth delivery. Well that's good news!
At 37 weeks I was dilated to 4 cm, 80% effaced, and she dropped between a 0 and -1 station. My doctor finally realized at this appointment that I must have a high pain tolerance because when he did the exam I made no facial movements of it hurting. Also, I haven't really felt any pain the whole time I've been dilating. He told me I would probably have a pretty smooth and quick delivery. He said he hoped we'd get to the hospital before the head started coming out, lol! So now I'm a little nervous wondering if I'm even going to be able to tell I'm in labor or not. So I start tracking my contractions just in case, which is hard because most of the time I can't tell if I'm having one or not...
Week 38 I was the exact same. Boo! At this appointment my doctor said "How would you like to have a baby on Saturday?" To which we said "Ok." So it was set to have them break my water.
Saturday, June 30, 2012 we get to the hospital at 8 am. They show us to our room and have me get into a gown. Then we sit there for about an hour until the RN finally comes back. Then she tells me I was set to get plutosin and I said no! It's not my due date and I'd rather wait for her to come on her own than get that crappy medicine. I say crappy because I hate medicine :) So she calls the doctor and he says he's on his way to break my water. In the meantime we called our RN friend Allison and she came to the hospital to help Michael and I. 10:30 am rolls around and my water finally gets broken. Nothing happens...so we play Guillotine (thanks Allison)!
Finally Allison asks if I can walk around and the RN said for 20 minutes. So we start walking. About 2 minutes later I start getting contractions. Lucky me, I have back labor contractions. So every few minutes I get contractions, we stop in the hallway and my coaches help me breath. It still hurts. I feel like my contractions are every 3 or 4 minutes. I start second guessing myself thinking I'm not going to be able to do this naturally. What if I'm only at a 5 and my contractions are this close and painful? I won't have the energy to push her out! So I tell them I'm done walking because it wasn't helping my pain.
We go back to the room and I try the workout ball. That was a big fat no. That hurt worse. They check my progress and I'm at an 8! I get renewed energy thinking that I WILL be able to do this. Michael starts massaging my lower back through my contractions and yells in my face keeping me on track with breathing. If he didn't do this, I would have lost it!
I get through many more contractions and start feeling a very strange feeling. I realize this is probably a feeling of needing to push. I tell the nurse and she calls the doctor. She checked me in there somewhere and told me I was at 9 cm. Holy cow! The doctor comes in and tells me I can push when I feel the need. Thank goodness!! So I push and push for about 45 minutes. The actual pushing was not painful but the doctor's hands up my vagina the whole time was pretty uncomfortable. I did 3 or 4 pushes in a row for 10 seconds each. The 1st two pushes were the easiest and then the next ones were harder. I guess I was pushing with my face but I couldn't figure out how to ease that tension so now I have broken capillaries all over my face.
The doctor said she's having a hard time coming out and needs a little help. Do I want an episiotomy or the vacuum? Allison said I wanted the episiotomy so I said ok. 2 pushes later at 4:53 pm Lorelai May Oliver was born! She weighed 6 lbs 12 oz, was 20" long, and had a full head of hair!
Allison said she was sucking already so she wanted me to try breastfeeding. Lorelai hooked right on! How exciting! She is super strong already lifting her head and shoving her hands in her mouth so you have to pull hard to get them out. My mom said I was the same way.
Welcome to the world and our family Lorelai!!
When I was 35 weeks I got my 1st pelvic exam and was told I was dilated to 1 1/2 cm and had lost my plug already. I don't think we asked any other questions because the doctor seemed so shocked that this was happening already.
At 36 weeks I was dilated to 3 cm and was 75% effaced. My doctor was out of town this week so we were seen by the nurse practitioner. She told me I was progressing evenly with my numbers and she thought I'd have a smooth delivery. Well that's good news!
At 37 weeks I was dilated to 4 cm, 80% effaced, and she dropped between a 0 and -1 station. My doctor finally realized at this appointment that I must have a high pain tolerance because when he did the exam I made no facial movements of it hurting. Also, I haven't really felt any pain the whole time I've been dilating. He told me I would probably have a pretty smooth and quick delivery. He said he hoped we'd get to the hospital before the head started coming out, lol! So now I'm a little nervous wondering if I'm even going to be able to tell I'm in labor or not. So I start tracking my contractions just in case, which is hard because most of the time I can't tell if I'm having one or not...
Week 38 I was the exact same. Boo! At this appointment my doctor said "How would you like to have a baby on Saturday?" To which we said "Ok." So it was set to have them break my water.
Saturday, June 30, 2012 we get to the hospital at 8 am. They show us to our room and have me get into a gown. Then we sit there for about an hour until the RN finally comes back. Then she tells me I was set to get plutosin and I said no! It's not my due date and I'd rather wait for her to come on her own than get that crappy medicine. I say crappy because I hate medicine :) So she calls the doctor and he says he's on his way to break my water. In the meantime we called our RN friend Allison and she came to the hospital to help Michael and I. 10:30 am rolls around and my water finally gets broken. Nothing happens...so we play Guillotine (thanks Allison)!
Finally Allison asks if I can walk around and the RN said for 20 minutes. So we start walking. About 2 minutes later I start getting contractions. Lucky me, I have back labor contractions. So every few minutes I get contractions, we stop in the hallway and my coaches help me breath. It still hurts. I feel like my contractions are every 3 or 4 minutes. I start second guessing myself thinking I'm not going to be able to do this naturally. What if I'm only at a 5 and my contractions are this close and painful? I won't have the energy to push her out! So I tell them I'm done walking because it wasn't helping my pain.
We go back to the room and I try the workout ball. That was a big fat no. That hurt worse. They check my progress and I'm at an 8! I get renewed energy thinking that I WILL be able to do this. Michael starts massaging my lower back through my contractions and yells in my face keeping me on track with breathing. If he didn't do this, I would have lost it!
I get through many more contractions and start feeling a very strange feeling. I realize this is probably a feeling of needing to push. I tell the nurse and she calls the doctor. She checked me in there somewhere and told me I was at 9 cm. Holy cow! The doctor comes in and tells me I can push when I feel the need. Thank goodness!! So I push and push for about 45 minutes. The actual pushing was not painful but the doctor's hands up my vagina the whole time was pretty uncomfortable. I did 3 or 4 pushes in a row for 10 seconds each. The 1st two pushes were the easiest and then the next ones were harder. I guess I was pushing with my face but I couldn't figure out how to ease that tension so now I have broken capillaries all over my face.
The doctor said she's having a hard time coming out and needs a little help. Do I want an episiotomy or the vacuum? Allison said I wanted the episiotomy so I said ok. 2 pushes later at 4:53 pm Lorelai May Oliver was born! She weighed 6 lbs 12 oz, was 20" long, and had a full head of hair!
Allison said she was sucking already so she wanted me to try breastfeeding. Lorelai hooked right on! How exciting! She is super strong already lifting her head and shoving her hands in her mouth so you have to pull hard to get them out. My mom said I was the same way.
Welcome to the world and our family Lorelai!!
5 comments:
Yay! So it didn't hurt at all?? I thought the pushing was awful!! You guys are going to be awesome parents!
Yippee! So happy for you!
Way to go! So happy for you! She is beautiful!
What a great story:) I'm so happy for you Heather! You are a serious champion!!!
Wish you and your family all the happiness the world can offer!!
Can't wait to see more pictures.
Love you!
Jessica
Congratulations! You were meant for this. And Pitocin is indeed, crappy. I'm not so good at progressing & I've had to have pit 5x! Definitely better when I didn't have it. She is gorgeous! Enjoy every minute, for the next 18 years!
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