Birth Story Part 2

The first thing they did when we got back was get me hooked up to an IV and get the penicillin going. I had tested positive for Strep B and they really wanted to make sure I got at least 2 doses 4 hours apart. The nurse was really good and diluted the medicine so it didn't burn at all going in like I had heard it could. They then started me on the pitocin to get my contractions going a little bit stronger.  At about 6:15 they turned up the pitocin to a 4 and his heart rate dropped to about 84, so they had me get in bed and lay on my left side and turned off the pitocin, and he climbed back up fast. So I laid there for 1/2 hour until they turned back on the pit, and then a little bit longer to make sure he was okay.  They turned the pit back up to a 4 and then at 8:00 the midwife, who was an older lady from Denmark, Jabka, told me I was at a 4 1/2 (from a 3 when I came in) and that he was still a little to high for her to feel comfortable breaking my water; she said when they're not more in the birth canal the risk is higher of the chord wrapping around the neck. So she said she'd wait until hour or two to break it, and to go ahead and walk around and see if that helped move things along. Which I was happy to do.
    So I got out of bed, Robby left the room for a minute, and I felt the baby drop and my water broke. Very weird sensation; him dropping.    I called the nurse and she came in and checked and said it looked like there was meconium in the water so the NICU team would be in there in case they were needed at delivery.  A NICU nurse came in later just to explain things which was nice. I kept walking around and even though the contractions were all in my back the spacing was better than it usually is with my labors; they would last about 25-30 seconds and I'd have 2-3 minutes in between. Normally they come right on top of each other when I'm induced. The nurse kept coming in asking if I was ready for my epidural and I kept saying I felt like I was doing really good! She was nervous things would get going and I wouldn't be able to get one like I had said I wanted.  Finally at 9:150 I said I was ready so the anthesiologist came in and we got it in about 9:30.  Jabka came in at about 9:45 and said I was at a 7 and broke my water the rest of the way; I guess it was a foresack of water that had broken. So we thought things would move pretty quickly; I had had the second dose of antibiotics for the Strep B so I was ready to go.
    After that, things slowed way down. I think maybe because I was in more "natural" labor than I'd ever been in before the epidural and being in bed really slowed it down. They also weren't super aggressive with the pitocin. Which was nice because it felt more natural. I think the highest they turned it up was a 6.  At about 11:30 I was feeling pressure during contractions but not in-between; the nurse checked me and I was at a 9.  But I just wasn't moving past that. Robby and I watched a few episodes of The Office on TV and then Jabka checked me at 12:30 AM and said I was still at a 9.  Finally around 1:00-1:15 AM I decided I was done being pregnant, said a prayer, and decided to start pushing during the contractions. So I did and at about that time Jabka came in to check me again and said, "Why don't we have you push and see what happens." My thought, exactly! So that's what we did, and it didn't take very long for me to get to a 10 and be ready.  It was all kind of hazy after that; from going to a 9 to a 10 and pushing. Robby had a hard time at about that point and had to sit down on the couch, so I did the whole thing solo.  I don't think we'll ever have another baby but if I do my mom will need to be there to hold my hand!
   When I was pushing I could feel everything on the inside-the epidural worked to keep my contractions at bay but certainly not for pushing him out!  I was so ready for him to be done, and I have a history of being able to push my babies out pretty good.  He came out after about 5-10 minutes of active pushing.  The NICU team was there but I heard Jabka say, "He looks good," and then she was handing him to me before anything else.  I saw him cry for the first time as he came toward me. He gave two little cries and then he was on my chest and I was the one crying and crying and laughing. The nurse said, "He stays there for an hour"  I just couldn't believe he was finally here. And I loved the fact that he got to be on me before they did anything else. They cleaned him off on me, put a hat and band on him, I delivered the placenta, and she cut the chord. Robby by then was standing by me, but opted to not cut the chord. She said it was a good thing he came when he did, the placenta was green, I guess because of the meconium! She showed it to me (I asked to see it) and it really was green.
      Grant looked just perfect. He had a little frown in his chin just like Lance but was much broader in the shoulders than Lance.  He has dark hair but not as much as the other three kids had. And no eyebrows.  I was able to feed him as soon as I wanted and he nursed like a champ.  After he was on me an hour Robby got to hold him and then they weighed he and gave him a bath. He smelled a little ripe, which made me laugh. Jabka said she had to turn him a bit to get him out, and I tore some. But not too much, she said about 8-10 stitches. I think she did a great job stitching me up; they have really not been too sore at all.
   All in all I think it was my best birth and labor experience. I really loved having a midwife and the attention she gave us. Our nurse was great too, I was her only patient. Grant Robert Hammond finally came at 1:37 AM on March 23, 2013. He weighed 7 lb 14 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. Head was 13 cm. And he's perfect!