As the final weeks of my pregnancy were coming to a close, I was anxiously awaiting any labor signs to show that Elliott was arriving. At my 36 week appointment, I was dilated to a one. At my 37 week appointment, I was still dilated to a one. As the days progressed that week, I started to get some inconsistent contractions that made me think that it was coming soon. But I was hoping not TOO soon. I've heard that women don't go into labor until they feel safe to do so.
My Mom had a September 15th work deadline at her accounting firm. They asked her not to leave for Utah until after it had passed. That same Thursday there was going to be a Relief Society activity that I really wanted to go to. We were going to get to know each other better, and have s'mores. As we held our breath each day that week, it seemed as if we were in the clear. I was able to go to the Relief Society activity and have a great time there.
The next day was my 38 week appointment at 10:30 a.m. Spencer came with me just in case I was going to go into labor. I had my suitcase somewhat poorly packed because I told him in the car that I didn't think it was going to happen today. I also exclaimed that if I was still dilated to a one I would be very upset!
As I was getting my cervix checked, to my surprise I was dilated to a 5 and 80% effaced. My midwife Marnae told us that we were not going to be making it to our induction day next Friday. She believed that it would happen within the next few days, but if I got my membranes swept, I would go into labor within the next 24 to 30 hours. Spencer and I briefly talked about it, but he said it was ultimately my decision. I just thought to myself, why the heck not? Lets do it!
Well, the sweep was super painful. Which I expected since cervical checks were already pretty painful for me. As Marnae was cleaning up, she told us that she could see I was already having a contraction. I looked at her and told her that I didn't even recognize it as a contraction. Marnae looked at me and proclaimed, "I love you, but I don't trust you." Pertaining to my lack of ability to recognize what contractions felt like! She told us to take a brisk walk at the mall to help labor progress, and she'll meet us at the hospital when I'm progressing. As she left the room she gave me a hug and said, we're going to have a baby today! She did a little clap and skip out of the room and it was so cute.
Spencer and I didn't really want to go home since I was already having contractions, especially since I was afraid of having a baby on the side of the road. While I was getting dressed, Spencer went to talk to Marnae at the desk and convince her to admit me to labor and delivery.
As she considered it, she called labor and delivery and asked if they had room for me and that I would be needing an epidural. She told them that I was dilated to a six and 80% effaced. ;) They said for us to come on down. As she got off the phone we said "Six?" She said "Sshhhh" and that she could have stretched me to a six if she wanted to, but didn't want to hurt me.
Since Marnae only works mornings, we did a brisk walk around the hospital to find the cafeteria (never used it) to pass the time before she could come and break my water. I started the paperwork at 11:11 once we got to labor and delivery. I am really sad because I forgot to do my last baby bump photo before getting dressed in a gown, placing my IV, and getting hooked up to monitors.
The next hour was a bit of a blur, but they were calling the anathesialogist so I could get my epidural. I started to recognize what contractions felt like again. The monitor was telling me that they were four minutes apart already. At 12:30 p.m. I received my epidural while I was jamming out to Tides and Shape of You from Ed Sheeran. I realized while I was lip syncing I probably shouldn't be jamming out TOO hard because I was slightly moving my back. I cut out the dancing real quick, but continued to lip sync while feeling the burning sensation on my back.
A little later I started to feel really tired, light headed, woozy, and a little nauseous. I told my nurse this and then realized I was seeing my classic blue sparkles in my vision. Which is my classic way of knowing I'm about to pass out (ever since I was a little girl I would see blue sparkles before passing out.) I didn't pass out, but I was close.
I didn't know that there were potential epidural side effects like having low blood pressure. My nurse, Amanda started to panic and called for the anathesialogist stat. Once she heard he was on the opposite side of the hospital getting his lunch, she exclaimed, "Can I just go to his cart and grab the medication?!" Amanda upped my IV while waiting.
Apparently I had five or so really low blood pressure readings, with the lowest being 61/40. Once he came in Amanda was very grateful and talked about how she didn't want to send me to the OR. I'm not entirely sure what operation they would have done on me? Once I got the medication in my IV I started to feel better.
Amanda went and got me lunch to raise my blood pressure. Then she realized I couldn't eat it because I already had my epidural. I was excited at first, but I was content with jello and juice. It worked out well for Spencer because he got free lunch!
Once my blood pressure was stabilized, Marnae came in and broke my water at 1:20 p.m. I was very grateful that it didn't hurt at all. Gushing was imminent. As it was slowing down, Amanda put in the catheter and it was a little bit uncomfortable.
Amanda got the peanut ball and had me use it to help me dilate. She shifted me to my left side, and said that we would go back and forth left to right until I was a dilated to a ten.
I'm not sure how long I was using the peanut ball when the pain started, but it was not located where I expected. I started to push the epidural button in hopes of getting some relief because my catheter was hurting me. Unfortunately, the button didn't provide any. I tried to suck it up but the contractions were getting worse and worse. I didn't realize at the time that the worsening contractions were the reason why I was hurting so bad.
Spencer convinced me to call in the nurse to tell her what was going on. Amanda discerned that the catheter was pinching me during every contraction because Elliott's head was stationed so low. She attempted to make it better by adjusting the catheter, but nothing really changed. Amanda told us that she could feel his head while adjusting it, which added to the pain. By that time I was dilated to an eight. She left and a few minutes of her being gone the contractions worsened. I started to cry in pain and I felt like curling into a little ball. The catheter didn't seem to be working either because I could feel myself leaking.
Spencer called Amanda in again when the pain was unbearable. She did a formal cervical check and found out I was dilated to a ten at 2:13 p.m. The nurse said that Elliott's head moved just right, which caused the sudden dilation. Amanda took out the catheter because it was causing too much pain. (Later on I learned that once she took it out, pee went everywhere. The tube was most likely smashed between his head and the contractions so it wasn't doing it's job.)
Before I knew it, I started to feel like I needed to push/poop and I was having the hardest time not to. Amanda told me to "breathe it out" to prevent myself from pushing. Since I was in agony I remember gritting through my teeth, "I don't know how to do that!" She breathed in through her nose and breathed out through her mouth. When she stopped, I stopped. Spencer had to keep showing me how to breathe so I would continue breathing it out.
It felt like 84 years for Marnae to come in and help deliver Elliott. Once she sat down she said, "Okay girl, start pushing whenever you are ready!" My head was not in my right space so I felt like I could hardly process what was happening.
I was grateful to finally be allowed to push. But I quickly learned that I could feel (what I thought) to be everything with each push, and feel every bit of stretching. Marnae was doing a fabulous job of telling me to do little pushes, or to do bigger pushes. I felt more in control of my body because I could tell when I needed to push, instead of being told when to push (like with Lewis' birth).
I was holding Spencer's hand for support, but I decided his hand was useless and I wanted to grip the bed handlebars for support. The nurse told me to hold onto my left thigh to help push, but I didn't think it was helpful at all! Therefore, back to gripping the bed handlebars for dear life.
Everything was a whirlwind by this point. But when I started to crown, I remember screaming, "I can feel EVERYTHINGGGGG!" I now understand why it's called the ring of fire. I didn't want to push any more because I know it would just get more painful.
Marnae told me to do some big pushes, and it'll be done. I could feel her stretch me, encouraging me to push. I already felt like I was at my limit, knowing his head was in the 97th percentile just made it worse. I took a mini break and didn't take push for one contraction. Then I started to push the hardest, and I screamed the classic child birth screams.
I pushed one or two more times, and his head was finally out and I was so happy. I pushed and his shoulders were out and I could see him. I was so tired from pushing, Marnae suggested to Spencer to that he could twist him out because she could tell I was DONE. Spencer pulled him out the rest of the way and I threw my head back on the pillow in relief that it was all over.
Elliott was born purple at 2:36 p.m. with the cord wrapped around his neck. It wasn't super serious as when they unwrapped it he quickly got his color back. Marnae asked if I wanted to cut the cord and I declined, so Spencer did it instead. They gave me skin to skin for about eight seconds before taking him away to make sure that he was okay after having the cord wrapped around his neck. ...I do not remember this. I was waiting to do skin to skin and remember asking, "Do I get to hold him now?" They said yes and we started to do the golden hour of skin to skin.
Except... The golden hour wasn't very golden at the end. I immediately started to feel nauseous and I hurriedly told Spencer to take Elliott so he could do skin to skin. As soon as Spencer took him, I threw up all of the juice that I was allowed to drink in a bag. I felt better after, but I'm very grateful that I didn't throw up on my hour old son!
It's been a long week of adjusting to having two kids. We've gone through hard things like dealing with Elliott's four ties that made breastfeeding very painful (as I got mastitis). But we're slowly on the up and up and we're optimistic for the future!
It'll be an adventure.
