It’s a Boy!! A Slightly Abbreviated Birth Story

Let’s go back in time (wayyy back) to August 21, 2010, approximately 6:30pm.

The husband and I were at a friend’s house getting ready to eat dinner when my water broke!  Thankfully, our friends have 2 kids and were not grossed out at all.  Plus, since I wasn’t having contractions yet, they encouraged us to stay and eat before heading to the hospital (since sometimes they won’t let you eat, and we were hungry!!).

We ate, stopped at home to change out of my wet shorts and grab our packed hospital bag, and got to the hospital about 8 o’clock.  Still no contractions.

The doctor on call decided to wait overnight to see if contractions would start and intensify on their own.  I was barely 2 cm dilated at the time.  We occupied ourselves by watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on ABC Family.

Around 11:30/midnight, contractions finally started and continued throughout the night.  They started about 10-15 minutes apart, and slowly intensified and became around 5 minutes apart.  However, by the time late morning rolled around, they decreased in intensity and frequency.  Crap.

At 10:30am, they started me on Pitocin to help speed along labor.  Once my water broke, most physicians feel it is safer to deliver the baby within 24 hours to reduce the risk of infection, so at this point, the doctor felt my uterus needed a kick in the pants.

Well, the Pitocin worked!  Contractions intensified, and a few hours later I was 4-5 cm dilated.  About an hour after that, I decided to go ahead with an epidural.  I went into the labor experience pretty open-minded.  I had no idea what to expect, and didn’t want to pressure myself into thinking that I wouldn’t have a perfect birth if I felt I needed pain relief, but I also didn’t want to go in with the mindset that I wouldn’t be able to handle labor without it, either.

The anesthesiologist arrived about 30 minutes later, and I was already dilated to 8 cm!!  It was actually a relief to hear that I had progressed that far, and that’s why I was in so much pain!  However, the anesthesiologist deduced that there wasn’t really enough time for an epidural, but she was able to give me an interthecal instead (basically the same thing, but with an epidural they can continually add pain medication, while with the interthecal you receive one dose of medicine that lasts 2-3 hours).

At this point, the baby’s heart rate dropped from around 130 to in the 70s and 60s at one point.  The external heart rate monitor kept shifting around, so they placed an internal monitor on the baby.  The heart rate jumped into the 200s, and more chaos ensued for a few minutes.  They called in the operating room team in the event I would need an emergency c-section, but within a few minutes, thankfully, Baby’s heart rate returned to the 130s and remained that way for the rest of my labor.

Shortly afterwards, I was fully dilated to 10 cm and ready to push!  I pushed and pushed and pushed.  I pushed on my back.  I pushed on my side.  I pushed on my other side.  I pushed with a squatting bar.  I pushed on my knees.  I pushed for 2 hours.

Baby stayed at zero station and wouldn’t come down any further.

After the whole bradycardia issue, the doctor had the OR team on stand-by in case Baby’s heart rate decreased again.  Turns out, I ended up needing them anyway.

Yup, I ended up with a c-section. 

But after all the labor, the pushing, and the surgery, Keith and I ended up with the most wonderful miracle.

Kurt Allen O’Brien
August 22, 2010  5:32pm
6 lbs. 10 oz.
18 inches

 

 

 

 

So the last 3 1/2 weeks of my life have been filled with diaper changes, sleep-deprived nights, baby cries, 2 AM feedings (and 4 AM, and 5:30 AM, and 7 AM…), sore boobs, nursing frustrations, tears, spit-up, lots of laundry, and changing pee-soaked outfits.

But they have also been full of countless cuddles, kisses, and smiles.  Just knowing that he is ours makes everything worth it!  We are absolutely blessed!

P.S.  I was puked on twice while writing this post.  I am totally a mom!