It all started when I went in for a routine appointment on April 8, 2009. My blood pressure was high again after having continual high bp's the whole pregnancy. This was when they decided to induce me on April 12, since the 13th was my due date. I was very scared by the fact that they wanted to do this, and just kind of told me it was going to happen that way instead of discussing it with me. So Rob and I used those last few days alone to prepare for her arrival, get the last minute things, and enjoy the remaining time of it just being the two of us.
How big I was the day I got inducedI called the hospital at 5 to see if they were ready for me to come in, and they told us to get there at 6 pm. When we go there, there was a little confusion as to whether I was staying or not since one doctor told them one thing, and another doctor told me another. Once that was all settled, I was admitted and the waiting began. The doctor didn't come to start the induction until 10 that night. They started with a pill that was supposed to help dilate me. When that method hardly worked, they used a catheter that inflates and dilates you to 4 cm. Then the next doctor was on call and when she came to check me, she took it out and I was at 4 cm. She then told me that she was going to break my water. It really hurt when she did that, and it also began the worst part of my labor. Once my water was broken, the contractions really started to hurt. Before that they were uncomfortable, but after that, I was writhing in bed when they would hit, and tightening my grip on Rob's hand. I dealt with the contraction for, what seemed to me, a long time. I wasn't aware then of the acutal time and length, and still do not know exactly. I was determined to have a pain med free labor. Mainly because I was scared to get an epidural, and unsure of how my body would react to it. I was also given magnesium sulfate to help lower my blood pressure because the pain from the contractions was making it sky rocket. Eventually, I gave in and told Rob I wanted an epdural. Since during the whole time, unlike the stereotypical woman in labor, I did not scream and talked very quietly and barely at all. So he then told the nurse that I wanted one and she proceded to tell the appropriate people. Unfortunately, because of my high blood pressure, I had to have a special blood test to make sure I could even get one. The prospect of possibly not being able to get one at that point terrified me. What seemed to me to be half an hour later, but Rob says was more like 10 minutes, I finally got the epi. I liked the amount of medication he gave me becuase I could still feel the pressure of the contractions, and my legs were only tingly, not completely numb. I did get the button I could push to put more medicine in, which I used quite frequently. During this time, I kept begging Rob to put more pillows between my legs since there was so much pressure down there. Eventually him and the nurse put all the pillows in the room between my legs. When the doctor came to check me, all she did was look and saw that her head was right there ready to come out, and time to start pushing! When Rob and I heard this we looked at each other with a very shocked look. When I heard this, I was also very scared since I've heard of many women having to push for hours. So I started pushing, and 10 minutes later, Molly Renee arrived in the world! I ended up having a 2nd degree tear, and thank goodness I had the epi because I can't imagine having to experience that without one. She weighed 6lb 3oz, and was 19" long.
In the mother&baby unit
July 2, 2009
