birth story
I started having contractions on Thursday, March 17th 2005 at 4:00AM. They were small, but noticible. The contractions continued, along with an increase in bloody show. I became worried because I began to see more red and less mucous, so after a call to my Dr.�s office, hubby and I went to the hospital�s Labor & Delivery Unit to see if my membranes had ruptured. They hadn�t, and after a routine 20 minutes of fetal monitoring, we came home. I was 3 cm dilated.
The contractions continued throughout the day. My parents came to town and we all went out to dinner that night. At dinner, the contractions were more uncomfortable, and were 5 minutes apart. I came home and with the help of my mom, labored throughout the night. I would put our exercise ball (birthing ball) on the couch and flop my shoulders and head over it, standing on the carpet. By 7:00AM the contractions were strong, and mom, hubby, and I headed for the hospital.
I was hooked up to a monitor and found to still be at 3 cm. I walked around the hospital for an hour and then re-checked. Still 3 cm. I labored most of the day after having my water broken. Standing, walking, and using the ball were the most helpful. My mom, SIL, & hubby were always there helping me.
The contractions got even stronger, and by the afternoon I was at 4 cm. By late afternoon I was experiencing contractions that were unbearable, and mixed with the fatigue of laboring for so long, I asked for an epidural. Mark stayed in the room with me while I received an epidural. It took longer than I had thought. I was told my epidural space in my spine was very �deep�. The nurse and doctor (the one I�d seen while my Dr. was away was on call, so I was familiar with her- and very glad of that) suggested just a little pitocin to help augment my labor because I was stuck at 4 cm for hours. I got the pitocin and didn�t feel a thing. I was at 5 cm by then. Later that evening, the nurse came in to check me, and said �I don�t think this is a head�. The other nurse checked too, and felt the baby, but didn�t feel the head. They called for the Dr. who arrived shortly thereafter. She checked me, and then did an ultrasound. The baby had turned breech just shortly before the nurse checked my cervix. I was told I�d have to have a C-section, and that they couldn�t attempt to move the baby externally because his bottom was firmly wedged too deep in my pelvis. In fact, the nurse had actually stuck her finger in his tiny butthole when she checked his position the first time.
I signed the consent form for surgery, and it seemed like it was only 5 minutes or so before I was wheeled into the operating room. Hubby was with me, and after my epidural was turned up so I was even more numb, the C-section was done and my son, Mason was born. Besides turning breech after 2 days of continuous contractions, he had the cord wrapped around his neck twice and around his body once. I was told that if I�d continued towards a vaginal birth, it would�ve eventually lead to an emergency C-section. My son is healthy and doing well. I love him.