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| watching shows waiting for the foley bulb to do its thing |
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| laboring at 8cm |
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| laboring at 8cm |
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| Baby's heart beat and contractions |
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| Freshly born all swaddled up |
On June 16 I headed to labor and delivery with a high blood pressure reading. (145/99) I have had borderline high blood pressure readings all pregnancy and was told to go if it was ever over 140/90. They did some tests and monitored the baby. Labs came back normal, and my BP calmed down a little bit, so they ultimately sent me home despite my concerns. I called them back about an hour later pretty frustrated because within an hour of coming home my BP was back up to (148/105) with me simply sitting on the couch. They told me since I have an appointment in a couple days that for now that number was ok and we will discuss it at the appointment (eye roll) I asked what would warrant another L&D visit and they said anything higher than 160/110. I tried to take it easy the rest of the day and went to bed. The next morning I had terrible blood sugar (180 breakfast after a 112 fasting) despite being on 2000mg of metformin to attempt to control it. I really just wasn't feeling well so I went and took my blood pressure and it was 168/108!!! I didn't even call, and went straight in to L&D and sure enough they decided to induce. I had a lot of mixed emotions because I knew 37 weeks is a bit early, and I wanted him to be mature enough to be born, but I also knew my body was not handling this pregnancy anymore and with all the medicine and stress that wasn't safe for him either.
Before induction started I was 1.5 cm dilated, and 50% effaced. To start things off my doctor put in a foley bulb at around noon. We were told to wait until it falls out and by then I should be about 3 cm, and then we would go from there. We were admitted into a room and decided to take it easy for a while. We unpacked our bags, got set up on the monitors, and got comfortable. Michael ran home to put Miss Aurora down for a nap and get anything else we needed. From there is was a waiting game. I definitely felt some contractions, but nothing too intense. About 6 hours went by and the foley bulb was still hanging on with no movement when I tugged on it. I started to become really anxious thinking this wasn't going to work that we would be there forever, or worse be sent home with a failed attempt. The nurse suggested we get up and walk around the hospital. We walked around the hospital, got Michael some dinner, and talked about through our emotions. By the time we got back to our room I felt some movement and started tugging on the foley bulb, and sure enough by the time the nurse came back to check on me it came out!! I was excited thinking I would be at 3 cm, and absolutely ecstatic when we found out that I was actually 6 cm with a bulging bag!!! For all the nerves we had the foley bulb actually did an amazing job getting labor going. Since my bag of waters was bulging the doctor decided to go ahead and break it at around 7pm. This was great news because I knew with my previous labor nothing really got going until they broke my water, even with pitocin. The new plan was to see how my body progresses with no pitocin to see if we can get away with out using it. At first the contractions were completely bearable. Similar to how they felt with the foley bulb in. We set up the computer and started watching a show, pausing it every once in a while if a contraction was too much. After I while I felt like I couldn't sit still anymore through the contractions so I asked for a nursing ball and starting standing and squatting through them. The nurses gave Michael some paperwork to fill out while I was laboring to kick start his birth certificate and social security card. At this moment it was really peaceful. We turned on classical music, michael filled out paperwork, and I worked through my contractions. The nurses basically left us alone to do our thing. At 845pm I was 7 cm dilated, and by 10pm I was 8cm and very uncomfortable. I was thinking hard on whether or not I should go for no epidural or if I should go ahead and get it. At 8cm I had to be close, but the contractions were starting to come on top of each other and not giving me a break in between. I thought to myself I have nothing to prove, and it would be really nice to get a little break before it was time to push. I knew if I got the epidural the baby would come shortly after (this is what happened last time) so I decided to call it and ask for the epidural. I was hesitant and almost second guessing my decision when the contractions picked up even more in intensity. I was told I had to wait a half hour before getting the epidural so they could give me fluids through my IV and by the time that half hour was up I was practically begging for it. No regrets on that decision haha. Epidural was in at 10pm and the break was heavenly. We put another show on and the nurse said she will come back in a hour to check on progress. Once again I got bummed thinking I stalled all the wonderful progress I made. I was feeling absolutely no contractions, and the monitors reading them showed a flat line. I thought for sure they would come back to check me and say they needed pitocin to kick start the contractions back up, and I thought there was no way he was going to make it for a June 17th birthday, and once again I was completely wrong. At 1130pm my doctor came to check me and explained that she had a scheduled c section soon so she may not be able to birth my son. Instead she checked and said I was a full 10cm and ready to push if I wanted to try. I was shocked and prepared myself that since he wasn't in the birth canal yet it may be a while longer than my last birth. Nope! With three contractions and 9 pushes Ethan Parker Clay was born on June 17th, 11:48 pm, 6lbs 15oz, 18.5 inches long. 10 minutes after the first push, and just in time to be a Fathers Day baby. PS I had ZERO stitches this time! I am a lucky lucky girl.
Ethan was put right up on my chest for skin to skin, Michael cut the cord, and we just stared at him and said hello. He was not very interested in latching to eat, and to prevent his sugar from tanking (like it did with Aurora) I went ahead and gave him formula through a syringe. This worked perfectly because his sugars remained stable the whole hospital stay. He did however have a little bit of an issue keeping his temperature in range. He never went below 97.5, but he was always just barely in the acceptable range. We spent a lot of time keeping him under a heat lamp and keeping him bundled up in lots of blankets. He remained very sleepy the first day or two and was a very lazy eater. He wouldnt latch on, even with a nipple shield. This unfortunately lead us to have to give him formula instead of breast milk way more times than I was comfortable with. I will say though, it was more important that he eats and not get taken to the NICU away from us then to have breast milk. I attempted at the breast first every time, then handed him to Michael who syringed formula in his mouth while I pumped to stimulate my breasts to bring in my milk. Despite what all the breast feeding information says, my milk still came in, and by day 4 we were off of formula all together. Now we just have to work on weaning from the nipple shield. For being born at 37 weeks Ethan is doing absolutely amazing. At one week old he is eating good, sleeping 4 hour stretches at night, and pooping and peeing as many times as he should. He already picks up his head and tracks daddy with his eyes. Aurora absolutely LOVES him, she constantly asks to hold him, always comments on what he is doing, and loves to rub his head while he is sleeping. I am healing amazingly, and in a way better place mentally this time around than I was with Aurora. We are absolutely in love, and doing really great as a new family of four.
