My due date of 7-20 came and went. That weekend I was losing my mucus plug and cramping off and on but no regular contractions. Tom and I started talking about an induction date for the next week as the OB would want to induce sometime the following week. We talked about possibly Tuesday the 24th or Wednesday the 25th if it came down to an induction. Of course that whole weekend I hoped that I would go into labor before my ultrasound and OB appointment on Monday the 23rd. I also decided that weekend that I was done with work at that point and would not be returning until after maternity leave.
Monday July 23rd
2:40: I had an ultrasound scheduled to check the amniotic fluid levels, heart rate of baby, etc.
Fluid is supposed to be between 5ml and 30ml. While the baby looked great and the heart rate looked great, I had between only 5 and 6ml of amniotic fluid. Once the ultrasound tech stated the fluid level I knew that we would be pushed for an induction sooner rather than later. I just didn't realize how soon.
We sat in the waiting room waiting for them to call us back to see the OB. I was an anxious wreck about what the low fluids meant, what it meant for my labor and delivery.
3:15 They call us back and we meet with Dr Kaiser. I have been seen by Dr Kaiser one time and when I saw her I was neither pregnant with Ella nor with Claire but rather saw her for an annual check up. She is a nice woman with lots of experience and does a great job of explaining everything in detail; however, I have no previous relationship with her. She starts with saying she has a lot to talk to me about but does not go into any further detail which makes me even more anxious. She checks me, which I was still around 3-4cm and around 60% effaced. So not much progress from the week before. She then goes on to tell me that she is extremely concerned about the fluid levels. She tells me at my age and with being 40weeks and 3days that the placenta begins to age and no longer provides adequate oxygen and nutrients to the baby nor does it replenish fluids as efficiently. She tells me that I will need to get induced. I expected that. I did not expect her to say that it would happen that very night nor did I expect her to say that we would need to go to the hospital now if they had room. That she would need to make a call. At that point I was in shock. While I was well aware I was at the end of pregnancy and that it could happen any minute, I just did not expect to be that unprepared. I thought of Ella, she had been at the sitters all day. I wouldn't even be able to see her before we went to the hospital. I thought of what would the low fluids and induction mean for the baby, for the delivery, would I end up medicated? Would I end up with a c section. At this point I was overwhelmed and terrified. The OB came back and said the hospital was wrapping up a few births and I could run home, get my stuff, and eat but would need to check in within the hour. She was very concerned about me going home and was wanting us to get to the hospital to put the monitors on the baby and get things going. I broke down crying saying this is not what i expected and not what I planned for. We discussed wiht her realistically our labor options, the risks, the norm, etc and we headed out the door to begin the journey of Claire's birth. Dr Kaiser was actually scheduled to be in house at the hospital that night and the next morning. Looks like she would be the one to deliver the baby.
4:00 We got in the car and I called my mother who said she would leave to make her way down here. I updated her on everything she would need til the next morning. I called Leslie to update her on our status and ask her to meet my mom at our house with Ella at the end of the day. I briefly talked to Ella and told her I loved her. We headed for home to pick up my hospital bag and let the dog out.
4:30 We headed to Panera to grab a bagel and soup for dinner before heading to the hospital
5:15 We checked in at Bethesda North Labor and Delivery
5:30 We got to our room. We met with the nurse who got an IV of fluids started. We discussed with her our plan for an unmedicated delivery and labor options. Dr Kaiser came in. We had discussed our labor options at the OB office and had decided that I wanted to take the least intrusive route of starting labor and having my water broke before starting pitocin to see if the water breaking alone would start my labor. Dr Kaiser agreed to this option
7:00 Shift change for nurses. We met our nurse for the night, Amanda and updated her on our labor plan. Dr Kaiser came in to break my water. I was so anxious for this as during Ella's labor the water breaking is what set me over the edge in needing an epidural. Dr Kaiser said that during Ella's labor I was already having contractions before the water was broke and that once you break the water you start contracting harder. This time I was not contracting yet as well as there was not much fluid to even release at this point. She broke my water (which I did not even feel) and at this point the fluid was clear. I was 4cm, 80% effaced, and -2 station. She insisted on interal monitoring. She wanted to monitor the baby for stress and cord compression due to the deteriorating placenta and low fluid levels. The downside of the internal monitoring is that while you can get up and stand and move around bed there isnt a whole lot of walking you can do because you need to stay hooked up to the bedside machine.
The baby's heart rate was anywhere from 120ish up to 160ish for the most part. I stood, bounced on the labor ball, sat, etc. I did not feel any contractions coming.
830ish Around 830 I went to the bathroom then back to the labor ball to sit. At that point the baby's heart rate went up to the 180s and slightly higher. I could feel her going nuts inside me. Her heart rate would not drop. After finally 30 minutes I was really concerned and called the nurse in. She had me get in the bed and lay on my side and finally her heart rate dropped and she calmed.
945 At 945 Dr Kaiser came in to check me to see if I had made progress. At this point I knew we were going to have to move forward with pitocin as I had not felt any significant contractions. Dr Kaiser checked and I was only between 4 and 5cm and there was also now meconium in the fluid. I really believe thats why the baby's heart rate went so high was she was stressed from the meconium. Dr Kaiser decided to start the lowest dose of pitocin.
1000 Started lowest dose of pitocin
Within a few minutes of starting the pitocin, contractions started. Within the first hour I was having contractions every two to three minutes. They like to see the contractions between a strength of 50 and 75 to see significant cervical change. Mine were at 50 or slightly below at the beginning of starting pitocin.
Even the contractions at and below 50 I could DEFINETLY feel. The birthing ball felt the best to sit on but I also raised the bed and stood and leaned at the side of it as well as kneeled on the bed facing and leaning against the back rest of the bed. I had a lot of pain in my lower back during the contractions and it really helped for Tom to press hard on my back with his hands or with a heating pad during the contraction.
I was starting to feel more pressure so I asked the nurse to check me
1130 Nurse checked me, I was at a 6, having regular contractions every 1.5 to 2 minutes closer to the 60 and 75 strength. Things start to become a blur from this point on and started moving very quickly.
The contractions became more and more painful. I could still feel some pain in my back but as things progressed the pain was more down by my pubic area and it was intense.
Tuesday, July 24th
1200 7cm
Started feeling shaky and a bit nauseous with more and more pressure. I knew that I was reaching the transition stage and it would not be a lot longer. A cold wash cloth on my head was my best friend for the rest of my labor
1230-100 or 115 ish 8-9cm. LOTS OF PAIN. The contractions were so intense. Tom had to be an extremely active support person for this labor and delivery. At this point I was extremely loud with my moaning through the contractions. I literally had to squeeze the crap out of his hand or hang with my arms around his neck. I was feeling lots of pressure and kept telling the nurse it felt like I had to poop or push. She was checking me frequently at this point because I was moving so quickly along. The baby still had not dropped in the birth canal and I still had some cervix left.
130-145 I was in intense pain, I was having a hard time not pushing with each contraction. The nurse quickly called in a lady to set up all the instruments and called Dr Kaiser in. The nurse put up the squatting bar on the bed for me to begin squatting to assist wiht the baby dropping and the remaining cervix. Everything moved so quick at that point, the baby quickly dropped from a 0 to 2 station, I was a ten and ready to push
200 As soon as I laid down and started the first push, I was terrified. I told them I could not do it. That it felt so different than my last delivery and I was afraid of the pain. The OB told me I needed to push and I could do it. She had me hold my own legs, push when I felt the need to push, and push for as long as I felt the need to push. She and the nurses did assist with talking me through the pushing to help with tearing. The pain was intense. I could feel every bit of the baby's head as she came out. The OB injected me with lidocaine to numb the area a bit. At this point I am not sure if she cut me or if I tore on my own but this time I had a 2nd degree tear rather than third degree. The baby's heart rate kept dropping to 62 while I was pushing. I only pushed a handful of times. I remember then she told me to stop pushing and look down at my baby. I was able to see the baby before she fully came out.
221 Baby arrived and was placed on my chest. 8lb and 20inches!
I could not believe how surreal this experience was. I thought that with Ella's birth I took in every single second of it but I dont know if it was the epidural or what but this delivery I can recall every sound, sight, feel, smell, etc. I could not believe that I made it through with NO MEDICATION what so ever. I have never been more proud of myself. Childbirth is still and will always be the most awe inspiring experience of my life. While for 40 weeks you realize a life is growing inside you, you cannot fully fathom that magic and miracle of it until you look in the face of your newborn. A life that was created and developed inside you from nothing but a cell.
While the OB worked on me and delivering the placenta and stitching me the nurse put the baby on the warming table for weight and footprints and Tom stood by the baby. The baby had an apgar score of 8 to 9. She also had an absolutely perfect shaped head and not a single mark on her.
245 The baby was given to me for skin to skin contact. At this point I had a huge adrenaline surge. It's so amazing to me how immediately following the birth of the baby you feel great. I had no pain, I was wide awake rather than tired, I felt amazing. The only thing was my teeth were chattering and I was shaking which is common following delivery.
300-415 The nurse, Tom, the baby, and I got time in the delivery room to be with the baby. I did skin to skin, the baby began to fuss and root and on her own found my breast and immediately began breastfeeding. She latched on right away with a perfect latch. It's amazing to me how programmed and natural it is for a baby to breastfeed. I also requested the eye drops and vitamin K shot be given while I was nursing and doing skin to skin contact. This hour and fifteen minutes was so relaxing and perfect. Tom and I talked about the delivery, talked about this delivery compared to Ella's and our excitement. I felt stupid ever worrying about how would I love two children. From the moment I saw her face I loved her just as much as I love Ella.
415 Baby was swaddled and given to Tom so I could get up and walk, clean up, and go to bathroom.
The baby was then given to me to ride to our room. As soon as I got a good look at her face it was like deja vu. I could not believe just how much she looked like Ella
430 We got to our room, met our nurse, baby got a bath, etc. We still hadn't picked a name. We knew it would be between Norah Jane, Evelyn (Evie) Alise, and Claire Elise.
We did not get much sleep that night as expected.
We decided Tuesday morning that her name would be Claire Elise.
Ella came to visit that morning. You could see on her face the second she saw Claire that she loved her as much as we loved her. My mom, Tom's mom, Paul, Leslie, and my sister and Emma came to visit that day.
We were able to go home on Wednesday around lunch time.
Just as my mom had done with Ella's homecoming, she decorated the house for Claire's arrival.
Now we begin our life as a family of four and we could not be more excited.
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