Your Birth Story {Part Two}
Dear Baby Charlotte,
After I was admitted to my labor room, I decided to begin pain management by getting into the whirlpool tub, which was located in the en suite bathroom. It may have helped some, but the pain was already getting really intense and I don't think I lasted more than an hour in the tub. The best part, though, was that my nurse had to set up a fetal monitor while I was in the tub and at one point I was able to simultaneously hear your heartbeat and mine! It was unforgettable.
After I got out of the tub, I decided not to have an epidural yet but chose to take Nubain to "take the edge off." They inserted it into my IV and asked if I felt anything. I didn't, so they asked me to look up, at which point I said, "This is officially the drunkest I've felt in a really long time." For a little while, at least, the Nubain worked! The on-call doctor at that time (a very sweet 70 year-old physician) came in, told me how excited he was to help me have this baby, and broke my waters. (Weirdest. feeling. ever.) There was Meconium in the water, so they ordered a team from the NICU to be present at the time of delivery to make sure that you were okay and hadn't aspirated.
After the Nubain began to wear off, I decided to get the epidural. Throughout the next 20-some hours, my epidural wore off three (!) separate times, most notably at the end during "transition." I told my nurse that I didn't think I could handle it anymore and wanted to see my doctor. Thankfully, my OB happened to be on call at that time (yep - I made it through 2 12-hour OB/anesthesiologist shifts) and I confessed to him that I was ready to just have an epidural already. I still hadn't dilated past 6 or so cm and it had been a longggg time. He said to me, "Emily, I know this is tough but you're saying things that you might not mean. If you weren't progressing at all, we'd talk, and I certainly won't have you in labor forever. But for now you are making progress, albeit slow, and I think you should keep going." I am so thankful that he said that to me. At the time, though, I was in such pain that I was horrified that I wouldn't be able to pushif when
the time came. I found out later that Sean chased him into the hallway
and said "You have to do something for her. She's in so much pain and I
can't stand seeing her like this." So they gave me morphine in my IV.
The next thing I remember, I was waking up and your Grandma & Aunt
Mary told me that I had been asleep for about an hour. Shortly
thereafter, I began to feel the urge to push. My nurse told me to "hold
off" until the urge was too strong. It didn't seem like much longer
before I was at that place, so she called one of the OB residents who
told me to practice a few pushes and talked to me about how to do them
correctly. After two practices, she said "we're going to need the doctor
in here right away!" and about ten minutes later, you were born.
All along, my biggest fear about labor & deliver was that I wouldn't be strong enough to push you out. But when I did, the pain almost immediately subsided and I felt on top of the world. After 40+ hours of laboring, I was memorized by the sound of your cries.
The next few hours were a blur. I needed to be stitched a little bit, and while that was happening they weighed you, took your fingerprints, and placed you on my chest. We attempted nursing for the first time, and I marveled at the tiny little person who had just miraculously emerged from my womb. Every second leading up to that moment was worth it. Your Nana, Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Mary, and Daddy were able to see you and hold you. I was moved to a different room and waited for the epidural to wear off completely. I was able to (finally) eat something, and your Daddy & I marveled at your teeny tiny features.
My journey to you was a long one, but I would do it all over again every single day if it led me to you.
I love you,
Mommy
After I was admitted to my labor room, I decided to begin pain management by getting into the whirlpool tub, which was located in the en suite bathroom. It may have helped some, but the pain was already getting really intense and I don't think I lasted more than an hour in the tub. The best part, though, was that my nurse had to set up a fetal monitor while I was in the tub and at one point I was able to simultaneously hear your heartbeat and mine! It was unforgettable.
After I got out of the tub, I decided not to have an epidural yet but chose to take Nubain to "take the edge off." They inserted it into my IV and asked if I felt anything. I didn't, so they asked me to look up, at which point I said, "This is officially the drunkest I've felt in a really long time." For a little while, at least, the Nubain worked! The on-call doctor at that time (a very sweet 70 year-old physician) came in, told me how excited he was to help me have this baby, and broke my waters. (Weirdest. feeling. ever.) There was Meconium in the water, so they ordered a team from the NICU to be present at the time of delivery to make sure that you were okay and hadn't aspirated.
After the Nubain began to wear off, I decided to get the epidural. Throughout the next 20-some hours, my epidural wore off three (!) separate times, most notably at the end during "transition." I told my nurse that I didn't think I could handle it anymore and wanted to see my doctor. Thankfully, my OB happened to be on call at that time (yep - I made it through 2 12-hour OB/anesthesiologist shifts) and I confessed to him that I was ready to just have an epidural already. I still hadn't dilated past 6 or so cm and it had been a longggg time. He said to me, "Emily, I know this is tough but you're saying things that you might not mean. If you weren't progressing at all, we'd talk, and I certainly won't have you in labor forever. But for now you are making progress, albeit slow, and I think you should keep going." I am so thankful that he said that to me. At the time, though, I was in such pain that I was horrified that I wouldn't be able to push
All along, my biggest fear about labor & deliver was that I wouldn't be strong enough to push you out. But when I did, the pain almost immediately subsided and I felt on top of the world. After 40+ hours of laboring, I was memorized by the sound of your cries.
The next few hours were a blur. I needed to be stitched a little bit, and while that was happening they weighed you, took your fingerprints, and placed you on my chest. We attempted nursing for the first time, and I marveled at the tiny little person who had just miraculously emerged from my womb. Every second leading up to that moment was worth it. Your Nana, Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Mary, and Daddy were able to see you and hold you. I was moved to a different room and waited for the epidural to wear off completely. I was able to (finally) eat something, and your Daddy & I marveled at your teeny tiny features.
My journey to you was a long one, but I would do it all over again every single day if it led me to you.
I love you,
Mommy
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