My Birth Story

Caution: This post is long. I journaled the entire story for my scrapbook and didn't condense for the blog. Also, it contains everything that happened...good, bad and ugly so if you get queasy, stop reading now.

Chloe Jo joined us Friday, April 10th, 2009 at 11:54 p.m. She was 6 pounds 4 ounces and 19 1/2 inches long.

My water broke at 7:00 a.m. on Friday. I was exactly 39 weeks along. I hadn't had any contractions so I knew I had a while to go. I told Russ that he could go ahead and take a shower and I hopped back into my shower to shave my legs. I had a list of reasons why I thought I was going to be in labor on the 9th and I think it is extremely funny that I did go into labor on the 10th. We had a full moon and thunderstorms during the night and my OB was out of town. Also, Russ and I had planned on going to a baseball game. I didn't believe in the full moon superstitions until now. Chloe came a week early even though my OB thought she would be late and he would have to induce. I was taken completely off guard when my water broke. Russ and I waited for three years for our precious Chloe and all of the sudden she was coming. We made it to the hospital at 8:00 a.m. I told the triage nurse that either my water broke or I had peed on myself. They took me to the back to check me and the whole time I was back in triage, I kept gushing amniotic fluid. Finally, a nurse determined that it was in fact amniotic fluid and I was admitted. Unfortunately, I was only dilated 1 cm and 60% effaced. I knew I had a long day ahead of me, but that was better than the 0's I had been on Wednesday at my doctor appointment. Another nurse came in to help me get over to labor and delivery and to get settled in for the day. I had an IV placed and they started me on pitocin immediately. The nurse was confident in her skills since she had worked in L&D for 19 years. She was loud, but encouraging. After I got settled into my room, Russ went to start calling people. Dad was ready to come right then, but we did convince him and Mom to wait and they did until around 2:00 p.m. My progress wasn't very fast during the first part of the day. Also, Chloe's heart rate was up and down. I had to use the restroom shortly after being admitted, but I could only use a bedpan since I was on the pitocin. My nurse helped me up onto it but I just couldn't go. I've never had to do that and my body just wouldn't let me. At that point, Chloe's heart rate went down so the nurse ended up having to put in a cathater instead. We couldn't risk Chloe having fetal distress. I also had to have an oxygen mask which I had to wear through the majority of labor. My nurse eventually decided to place internal monitors to keep a better eye on Chloe and my contractions. I couldn't feel the contractions at first, but the more my nurse upped the pitocin and the more I progressed I did start feeling them. At that point I started having major anxiety and my nurse convinced me to get an epidural. When the anestesiologist came in, they decided to do the epidural with me laying down because they weren't sure Chloe could take it with me sitting up with her heart rate being so erratic. One of the med students was going to place it. She started, but my back is so sensitive that I couldn't hold as still as I needed to be. I kept twitching. Her supervisor had to take over and he was able to place the epidural. I hurt so badly and my anxiety went through the roof at that time. The supervisor wasn't even sure he got it in the correct spot, but they went ahead and left it to see if it was. 20 minutes later I could still feel everything and my nurse started talking about them coming back to redo it. I was so upset about it that I started crying. I just couldn't help it. The supervisor did come back and I was extra sensitive the second time. I wasn't able to hold completely still since I was so panicky. My nurse finally gave me a double shot of meds to help calm me down. The second epidural was placed and fortunately worked. It was a little off. I could still move and feel some on my left side but I couldn't do anything with my right leg. A little while later Dad and Chelle and Chris came in to see me. Mom was already there. I was completely loopy from the anxiety meds. I thought everything was funny and I had no filter for what I was saying. After they left my nurse checked me and I was at a 5. She upped my pitocin again at that time. At 7:00 p.m. there was a shift change and another nurse took over caring for me and I was assigned to a different doctor also. When my new nurse checked me at 8:00 p.m. I was at a 6. She upped my pitocin again and by 9:00, I was fully dilated and effaced. My nurse had me labor down for an hour and at 10:00 p.m. I started pushing. My nurse was a wonderful labor coach and with the epidural I was able to push well. She told me that Chloe had lots of dark hair and asked me if I wanted to see. This was so exciting that I did want to see and I was able to look in a mirror during a push and see her little head and she did have lots of dark hair. Even though I was pushing as hard as I could, Chloe was turned and she wasn't able to make it past my pelvic bone easily. Her heart rate was still irregular and my contractions weren't regular either. The doctor finally came in and decided to help open my vagina with "massage" to help Chloe come out. He was really great about not taking me straight to a c-section. My nurse had said that most other doctors would have done that. I continued to push and the doctor continued to stretch me out. Chloe did finally turn the right way. At 11:50 p.m. Chloe's heart rate really plummetted and my doctor decided to cut an episiotomy because she needed to come out. I pushed one more time and Chloe Jo arrived at 11:54 p.m. The ambilical cord was wrapped around her neck and one of her legs. They took her straight to the warmer to work on her. She let out the most beautiful little cry and was just fine after such a traumatic day. She got an 8 out of 10 on her apgar. They finally put her in my arms and I got to meet my precious baby girl. After my nurse got me all cleaned up and the doctor finished stitching me up, Mom went to get Dad and Chelle and Chris to come see us. They looked at Chloe and congratulated us and told us they would be back later. I was able to try to breastfeed then and Chloe latched on without too much difficulty. After she was done the nursery nurse came to get her to do tests and to give her a bath. I was then moved to my post partum room. I was able to rest for a few hours and Russ stretched out on a couch in the room. When I woke up around 3:30 a.m. I had to use the restroom. 2 nurses had to come to help me because my right leg was still completely numb. I almost collapsed a couple of times but the nurses were there to support me. When I got back in bed I was wide awake. At 4:00 a.m. I was missing my baby so badly that I called the nursery to bring her to me. Russ was asleep on the couch in the room and did wake up when Chloe came in. I was able to feed her at that time and just held her for a few hours. I rested for a while and then the nursery came to get Chloe for the doctors to do rounds. After we got her back we just stayed with her and rested until Mom, Dad, Chelle and Chris came to meet her and hold her. We also had a few couple's from church come and one of my cousins also came to see us. Sunday morning we were discharged. I was so overwhelmed. We waited 3 years for this beautiful little girl and we were finally able to take her home. I cried the whole way home. It was mostly because I was so happy to be taking Chloe with us, but also because I was leaving the safety of the hospital and the people who knew what they were doing. We have been able to stay with my parents for a few days so Mom can help me with Chloe. I am very nervous about doing this on my own, but I know it will be wonderful and I will eventually get over my nerves. I am so blessed to have this little girl in my life.