Monday afternoon we had our 40 week appointment with Doctor Allen. He told me he wanted to induce me on Wednesday. I didn't want him to and I made a fuss but he said he was going out of town for Easter and he didn't want me to go to 41 weeks. I wasn't sure why but I trusted him. We scheduled the induction for Wednesday at 3 am. That morning we went to Denny's since I wouldn't be able to eat again until he was out. Glen and my parents were there with me. As soon as I got there I was hooked to an IV and the antibiotics were started (This is when my dad left. He doesn't do needles). I had to get another dose of antibiotics ever four hours.They started me by giving me a cervadil pill in my mouth. It was supposed to dissolve in four hours and then they would give me another one. I kind of started to feel contractions. Oh, by the way, I was at a 1+ when I got there. After four hours, I was at a 2. They gave my another pill and four hours later I was at a 2+. Then another pill and I think I got all the way to a 3.... weeee. So, then they started me on pitocin. I so did not want them to. And now I know why. The contractions were almost unbearable. I was walking the halls and using my breathing techniques but it was too much. I asked for something to take the edge off. It did... for about 15 minutes. I was using the birthing ball and trying not to cry. They couldn't give me another dose until an hour after the first. For those wondering if kidney stones are worse than labor, I would have to say not induced labor. Induced labor is the worst pain ever. Anyway, I asked for another dose. They checked me again and I was at a 4. I had been walking the halls and bouncing on a ball and dying in pain for an hour and all I got was one centimeter. They gave me another dose of the pain meds and I was good for another 15 minutes. Then another 45 minutes of breathing in the bed. I couldn't move. I didn't want any noise. My mom was massaging my feet and Glen was at the head of the bed holding my hand and helping me with my breathing. They were both having a really hard time watching me be in so much pain. After another hour, I asked for another dose of the pain meds and they checked me again. I was a 4.5. After 13 hours of labor, I had only progressed to a 4.5. I knew there was no way I was going to make it another 13 hours to finish without more powerful drugs. I caved and asked for the epidural. I cried the whole time they were doing it. Because of the pain and because I felt like nothing was going the way I wanted it to. But as soon as the epidural was administered, I knew it was the best decision for me. I was tired. We all were able to sleep. They upped the pitocin every 2 hours.
At about 11 pm, they checked me and realized my cervix had gone from 100% effaced to 80% and I hadn't progressed from an 9+. The nurses thought for sure I would need a c-section since I was swelling and going backwards. I decided I would have to be okay with that. They called the doctor. He told them I would be fine and to give me a bigger dose of pitocin. Luckily I had control of the epidural and could give myself more anytime I wanted. I could feel the tightness of the contractions but no pain. And my legs felt like they were asleep. By 12:30 am, I was complete. The doctor came and I started to push. I pushed forever and for the last hour, no matter how many times I pushed the magical epidural button, I felt every contraction. I was now crying through each contraction as I pushed (I was also telling jokes so the drugs were working partly). The doctor said I had inherited my mom's small pelvis (mom had 5 c-sections). I kept thinking that if I had to have a c-section after 24.5 hours of labor and 2.5 hours of pushing, I would be really sad. But, he finally slipped out at 5:59 am.
He's here! Look at those hands
My boys!
He is growing so fast! Here is a picture from when he was just born:
