A Day in the Life of a Bench: Birth Story

This a Seth's roller coaster of a birth story, so if you aren't too keen on those, you might just want to skip to the adorable pictures at the bottom :) I just wanted to write it down somewhere and my journal just isn't as handy at the moment.

After having contractions for the WHOLE day of 19th, I finally decided to go to the hospital at 2 AM because contractions were 2 minutes apart and I just felt like I needed to. We dropped James off at a dear friend's house on the way. When I got to the hospital I was still dilated to a 4. I had been a 4 since my ob appt. at 10 AM. I felt a little silly for coming in the middle of the night. The nurse started to say we could walk around for two hours and come back... when baby's heart rate dropped during a contraction. She then said no way were we leaving. Five minutes later, after another contraction with another decelerating baby heart rate, I had a hospital gown on, an oxygen mask on my face, an IV in my arm, and was given a shot to stop contractions so baby could rest. And the nurses wondered why there were tears streaming down my face. I knew in my heart everything would be okay, I was just exhausted and memories of when James was born came flooding back. I threw my plan for a completely natural birth out the window as I was wheeled to the delivery room. I picked that particular hospital because they practiced skin to skin immediately after birth and to be honest, that's the only thing I really really wanted. So after being strapped back up to the monitor I took a nap, contraction free for little while. It was lovely except for the shakiness the shot to stop contractions gave me. Then the contractions came back and started to hurt more than before. The doctor came in and checked me about three hours later and I had jumped to a 7! Finally progress! I let him break my water to get things moving, but because the baby's heart rate was still dropping during contractions, he put a tube back up to add fluid back in just in case baby became distressed. After a few more contractions, I realized that I did not want to lay in bed and try to breath through them. I am a mover during contractions and firmly believe that contractions are to be swayed through. And I was a little curious about whether or not the epidural would relax me enough to speed up the whole labor process. I got the epidural and relished being pain free. I even liked not having to get out of bed to use the bathroom because of the catheter. Probably too much information :) Chris and my mom got to sleep too. After being checked again a while later I was still a 7!! So Pitocin got mixed into the IV. The rest is kind of one big blur. Not because it went so fast, quite the contrary. Because so many things happened that I can't remember which order they came in. At one point my blood pressure dropped really low because of the epidural. Guess I'm a lightweight when it comes to drugs. I was then given something to raise my blood pressure. Then I moved positions and baby's heart rate couldn't be found again. Talk about a little scary. The charge nurse came in to see what was going on...and then another nurse came in. I had an oxygen mask put back on my face and was rolled to one side, then the other, then back again. The monitor was moved all around my belly. I am trying so hard to be cooperative and to not freak out the whole time. Finally, they found the heart beat and I was given another shot to stop contractions so baby could rest again. The pitocin was stopped, of course, as well. Then I couldn't stop the tears. I started sobbing into the oxygen mask, which was still on my face. They were the heart wrenching sobs that just come on their own with no warning. I was scared for little Seth and of course the whole heart surgery, NICU thing with James surfaced. My mom and Chris where there trying to comfort me. The nurse saw what was going on and said, "The best thing you can do is try to stay calm." Bless her heart, but I wanted to smack her. She was definitely right that getting upset wouldn't help matters, but I just needed a moment. My mom mentioned what had happened with my first baby and the nurses gave me a moment. After some intense focusing on breathing I was finally able to stop the tears and things were good again. It's only slightly terrifying when they can't find the heartbeat of the tiny baby you've been growing for what seems like forever. It was then decided that my blood pressure was way too low, even with the stuff they were giving me to help with that...so the epidural was stopped all together....and then it was bumped to a 6 instead of a 10. If I ever get an epidural again, I'm going to tell them I only want a half dose. Then more pitocin because I was STILL a 7!!!. It felt like I was in that bed for three days rather than the 16 or so hours I actually was. Then I was an 8. Then I started feeling contractions on just the right side of my stomach. And they were finally coming regularly at 1 minute apart. Then I felt the urge to push. Yahoo!!!!! The charge nurse came back in and was so happy that I was going to have the baby before her shift ended. I was finally a 10 too!!! The doctor came in at 5:27 PM and Seth was born at 5:36 PM. I only had to push for three contractions!!!!! After the 4 hours of pushing with James...to say 10 min. was awesome would be a huge understatement. As soon as Seth entered the world I was reaching for him. I wanted that baby in my arms. They put him right on my chest and he didn't move from there for an hour or so. Best thing ever!!! I had no tearing and no pain.....at all! Sometimes the only thing that reminds me I had a baby, besides Seth of course, is my adorable (HA!!) after baby belly, lovely stretch marks and all.

I have learned a few things as well from this birth. I am once again, grateful for kind medical people. I might be the kind to want to have a baby at home, but given my two recent experiences...I'm glad I didn't. I would have probably ended up in the hospital anyways. Pick the hospital/facility that follows the procedures you want. I have chosen midwives twice for prenatal care and have ended up delivering with a doctor both times. And both doctors were perfect for me. I'd never met either of them before, but they were very kind and patient. And once again, all the craziness that pregnancy does to your emotions, body, relationships, etc.... Is worth it all and I'm left wondering why I am so blessed to be a mom.