My Birth Story*

At 5:15am on Tuesday September 8, 2015 Braxton and I headed to the hospital. We checked in at about 5:45am and set in for a long day. I was not progressing on my own at all and was there to be induced. I was dilated to a 2 and only 50% effaced. I was given a pill that was placed at my cervix to try and dilate on my own without having to be given pitocin. I had not had any contractions, I didn't know what to expect and four hours later I was only effaced another 10% and had not dilated anymore. Another pill and a line of pitocin started and the contractions began! I lay there and lay there and finally got up and sat on a birthing ball for a few hours, all the while starving! I was able to drink a cup of chicken broth and munch on ice chips. I was being pumped full of fluids so that I was good and hydrated should I end up needing a c-section. My mother-in-law came and as my contractions got stronger she massaged pressure points along my back to help with the pain, I finally got back in the bed and realized my legs and feet were extremely swollen from sitting on the birthing ball so my mother sat with me and rubbed my legs and feet.
As a child when you are in pain you want your mom, I don't think I'll ever grow out of that...I was so grateful she was there to experience the day with me!
By the time I was 5 cm dilated and 80% effaced I had asked for the epidural...I was so nervous because I hate needles and I made sure the anesthesiologist knew that! Ha braxton isn't really the comforting type so I had to make him stand there with me and hold my hand but his facial expressions toward the actions going on behind me was not comforting!! The epidural was no where near as scary as I thought! My IV hurt worse! After it was all over with I just kept thanking the Lord for modern medicine! It was amazing! I was able to nap for an hour or so and then I woke for the nurses needed to empty my bladder and check my cervix again. Finally I was fully effaced but still only 5 cm dilated. Pushing the pitocin I laid around and about 2 hours later I asked the nurse to come in because I felt like I had to poop!! We cleared the room and when the nurse when to check my cervix she didn't even have to touch me and said you are ready to go! Your baby has lots of long dark hair!! I had dilated 5 cm in two hours!!
The told me to try and sleep for about an hour as I "labored down" where they let my body and the contractions push baby as far down as possible so I didn't have to push for so long! At 1:00 am I was told we could start pushing but just a few minutes in and my sweet boys heart rate dropped to about 60 so we stopped pushing and I was put on oxygen...we waited for an hour and started again. At 2:00 am I was able to start pushing again! I had been laying on my left side and since the epidural goes with gravity my left leg was so completely numb I couldn't even hold it up! Braxton held my right leg and a nurse took my left. At 3:19am on September 9, 2015 my beautiful baby boy was brought into this world! ♡ he weighed 6 lbs 7oz and 19 inches long, a full head of hair and cried for just a split second and then was totally content for the next two days! ♡ I feel so blessed for how easy and wonderful my boy was born! The amount of love I have for him is unbelievable! No one can know the love of a mother until you are one! :)