live.laugh.love.baby.: Emerson's Birth Story

I tend to be one of THOSE women.

You know...

One of those women that love pregnancy.

And this time was without fail. I loved my pregnancy, both pregnancies. The beginning was rough and pregnancy with a toddler running around was a whole new ballpark. But I loved it nonetheless.

Until the last month or so.

It was brutal. By 37 weeks, I was done.

I stayed active with our playgroup, baby gym, and other activities we do during the week just to help the time pass by. I managed, but it seemed like everything I did was a struggle.

Then came 39 weeks and I wanted to cry every morning that I woke up and was still pregnant. I did every.single.thing. you can imagine to help try to naturally (and safely) induce labor, but baby girl was having noneofit. I went to my appointment that week hoping to have progress from the 1-2cm I'd been for the several weeks prior. Nothing. Nada. Z i l c h.

Then came 40 weeks. I'd been having pretty regular contractions, but nothing painful or long enough to be the "real deal." I went in, again hoping for some progress. Finally! I was 3cm but still too high for my OB to strip my membranes. This was the procedure that sealed the deal and put me into labor with Ellie, so I was sure that's what needed to be done this time around.
But, he wouldn't do it.

It was at this appointment he said I'd need to start considering an induction. Those that know me are familiar with my crunchy mama opinions on inductions and natural labors. However, my OB also doesn't like to go past 41 weeks because at that point the potential risks are too high. I had two options. He'd induce me on Thursday at 40w5d or Monday at 41w2d, which was the latest he'd let me go. I was so shocked we were having this conversation that I couldn't even make up my mind. I left (in tears) with instructions to call back later that day with my decision.

I really wanted to wait. I wanted to give my body as much time as possible to go into labor on my own. Normally, this would have been a no brainer and I would have selected 41w2d. However, this was just two days shy of Christmas Eve. What if there were complications? What if it ended in a C-section? As much as I wanted to wait, I wasn't willing to take the risk of not being home by Christmas Eve and Christmas to be with Ellie. Plus, had I waited and STILL needed to be induced that Monday, I would have been so upset that I didn't just go with the Thursday in the first place.

The decision was made.
I'd be induced Thursday, December 18th at 8am.

Come Thursday 6am, I get a call from the hospital. They're backed up and I can't go in at 8. Instead I'd need to call back around noon for an update.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I didn't want to be induced in the first place, but over the prior 3 days I worked up enough courage to accept his new fate and now you want me to freaking wait?!!? I was SO upset. I lounged around that morning with my little family of 3 and mom who had come over the night before to be with Ellie during our hospital stay. It was the l o n g e s t morning of my life. I made the call at noon and they told me to come in at 2pm.

Final picture with an inside baby!
40 weeks and 5 days ~~huge~~ pregnant

By the time we arrived, did paperwork, got all hooked up, etc., it was 3:15.
I was 4cm and 80%. The contractions (that I'd been having for DAYS) were 6 minutes apart.
Everything from this point on FLEW by at lightening speed.

By 3:30 the Pitocin was in.
Around 3:40 my OB came to break my water. Contractions were now 3 minutes apart.
Around 4:20, just 40 minutes later, I was 6cm, 100%, and contractions were 2 minutes apart.
It was time for the epidural.
My nurse had warned early on that once I made the request, it would still take about 30 minutes for the anesthesiologist to arrive. Surely she was exaggerating, I thought. She was {unfortunately} right.
By 5:15 the epidural was in and I was 8cm. Still amazed I made it that far drug free!
By 6:15 I was 9.5cm.
By 7pm the epi had worn off and I was feeling everything.
I was ready to push and we were waiting for Dr. Reuss to come back.
Around 7:15 my conversation with the nurses went something like this:

Nurse: Okay, let's try a few practice pushes with these next contractions. Push as hard as you can for 10 seconds, then take a second to breathe. We'll do this 3 times with each contraction.
Me: Okay..... I'm ready, let's do this!
Nurse: Okay, GO! --insert 3 sets of counting to 10 here--
Me Ahh! It hurts! I'm never having another baby again!!!!
Nurse: Okay, let's do it again! 1... 2... 3... 4... 5... WAIT! Stop!! Don't push anymore!!

Baby girl was crowning and my doctor was no where in sight.

By 7:30 Dr. Reuss was back and told me start pushing. I think he assumed it would still be a while because he said he'd be right back while I started pushing with the nurses.

One push and they were screaming for him to come back. He came flying back in and with one more push baby girl was born at 7:35pm.

That was it.
They say a second baby comes much faster and though she was 5 days late, my labor was 4 hours from start to finish with only two pushes. I can't complain!

Emerson Monroe was born on Thursday, December 18th at 7:35 pm weighing 7 pounds, 13 ounces and 21 inches long.