... Adrian Jackson was born on Feb 10th at 2:03am via c-section after 38 hours of labor.
I've been meaning to type up his birth story, so 18 days later, here it is.
Wed Feb 8 - I was set to be induced at 6pm on Wednesday, so I worked a half-day (cause I didn't want to be at home all my myself) then ran a few last minute errands - target, car washed, and a light dinner (noodles & company). Richard and I headed to the hospital right before 6pm. We were directed right to our room and they started prepping me for the induction. Our first nurse had to try 2 times to get the IV set and fluids started and got all the monitors set up. There was no sign that Baby was ready to join the world. They started the Cervidil at 8pm and told me to try to get some sleep.
People stayed visiting until 11pm and then the nurse woke me up at midnight to monitor Baby and any contractions. After 30 minutes, they determined I was having too many contraction for another dose of Cervidil. I slept until about 4am when the contractions were painful enough to wake me. Richard was sleeping in the room, so I tried not wake him, but after about an hour, I needed my coach. Again, they checked me to see if I needed another dose of Cervidil, but again too many contractions even for pitocin - labor had officially started. I was dilated to about 2cms at this point. So Richard and I requested to talk to the anesthesiologist so that when I wanted the epidural, I wouldn't have to wait for them to explain the process - I HIGHLY recommend doing this. Our anesthesiologist, Ray, was great. He explained everything and answered all our questions. Richard and I walked the hallways for a while, bounced on the exercise ball, used an extra sheet for pressure points, and many other pain distractions that we learned in our childbirth class. At noon, however, I was ready for the epidural - the contractions were so painful that I was starting to cry and was having trouble focusing on breathing through them. Richard was amazing at coaching me through and breathing with me. I'm so thankful that he was there and is so supportive.
I received the epidural at noon and was at 5cm and then all forward progress stopped! Around 1 or 2pm, they decided to start pitocin, slowing working up the dosage. I'm not sure what happened, but as the dosage was increased to 14, I started feeling severe - make me cry - pain again. They called the anesthesiologist back and they adjusted the pain meds - but not before turning off the pitocin. I think I was at 7cm about then and once the pain meds were adjusted, they started pitocin again. My doctor came in about 6pm to check on me. He broke my water and inserted an internal contraction monitor.
A few hours later (maybe 8pm - and right when Richard had taken a 10 minute break to eat dinner) the pain returned worse then before. I was crying again and at the same time the machine that was monitoring my blood pressure decided then was a good time to take it - really it was being taken every 15-20 mins. Due to the pain of the contraction, the machine couldn't get my blood pressure so it just made the thing on my arm tighter - causing me to loose feeling in my figures and me to freak out a little and be in more pain. The nurse had to pop the arm band in order for me to calm down and then they had to take it again. Mid taking my pressure, Baby's heart rate dropped, so my awesome nurse, Rita, quickly put me on oxygen and I really had to focus to slow my breathing.
At this point, I wasn't progressing much, so Richard set everyone home thinking that it would probably be a long night. When the doctor checked me again at 10pm, I was dilated to 9cm! Yay!! The doctor stayed in my room with us and monitored my contractions, but they were not as consistent as he would have liked. Our doctor is amazing and knew that we wanted a natural birth so he let me continue to labor. Ad midnight, they checked me again, and I was at 9.5 cm - the doctor could tell that Baby's head was just slightly rotated from where it should be and that my cervix was still there - like it was stuck on Baby's head. They told Richard and I to try and sleep for an hour then we would see where I was. During my "nap", Rita had me try a position to get Baby to turn the last little bit. Due to the meds, I had been shaking as if I was freezing during this time as well.
At 1am, they came to check on me and with no progress, we had to start discussing a c-section. I had told our doctor that I really didn't want to go that route and he hates doing them unless necessary. Richard had just woken up and I could tell that the doctor's words had not yet processed, so I asked if we could discuss it for 5-10 minutes. Everyone left the room and Richard and I discussed a c-section. We determined that since I hadn't made any progress in 4 hours a c-section was most likely the only option but we wanted to ask to try for another hour until 2am and to see of there were any other positions that I could try to help me progress.
1:15am - near the end of Richard and my discussion, the doctor came back in rather quickly and looked at all the monitors for a minute. Then in a very calm confident voice, he told us that the Baby's heart rate had dropped again and the decision was no longer ours to make - we were having a c-section. So while it wasn't an emergency c-section, it was a rushed procedure. As soon as he said those words everything happened so fast - nurses came in to start prepping me, I had to sign consent forms, the anesthesiologist came in to prep for surgery, the doctor performing the c-section came in (our doctor was assisting in the procedure), and Richard had to pack our room and call my parents.
At 1:40am, I was rolled into the OR and preparations continued. They gave me a different combination of meds to make me feel nothing from the rib cage down, and many other drugs were put into my IV. I was terrified and the shaking continued, but I had to keep my breathing as calm as possible for Baby.. so I tried my best. And I threw up.
About 1:55, they bring Richard in and have him sit next to my head - I cannot say how comforting it was to have him there! Just seeing him there, calmed my nerves. The anesthesiologist asked if Richard wanted to watch Baby be born, but he hesitated and they told him no. If you hesitate, then you'll likely pass out, so you don't get to. Richard wanted to be the one to tell me what the baby was, so the anesthesiologist worked out a code with Richard so he could be the one to tell me. Surgery started... I could feel pressure, but nothing else. I heard the doctor say that the cord was around the baby's neck twice (WHAT?!? I'm thinking) and then the doctor says, It's a Boy! Born at 2:03am on Feb 10th.
Richard went over and watched him get cleaned up and brought me back pictures. I could hear Baby cry! Richard brought our baby boy over to me to see - and he was beautiful, perfect and beautiful! They took Baby to the recovery area to finish cleaning him up while they finished closing me up. Richard went with him and I met them in the recovery room where I got to nurse Baby and watch his first bath while they checked me over. They then wheeled us to our room where my parents were waiting.
So after 38 hours of labor and then a c-section, we have a beautiful baby boy! On Saturday morning, we decided on Adrian Jackson for his name after debating for a day.
