When we arrived at the hospital, our first order of business was registering and filling out paperwork. The process didn't take long, but I kept wondering how it would be handled if I was in active labor. A perk of having a scheduled induction, I suppose.
After checking in, we were taken to our hospital suite, which was actually the same room we saw on the tour during our Birth and Baby class. We settled in, I got into my hospital gown, and the nurses came in to hook me up to an IV. This, as always, was a nightmare. I must have the world's smallest, most stubborn veins because it took them FOUR tries to get it. I was in tears by attempt three, but they finally got it on my right hand.
At this point, they told me they were going to check my glucose level and if it was too high, they would have to insert another IV to start me on insulin. CUE THE PANIC. Had I known that was a possibility, I never would have eaten the table bread and mashed potatoes at St. Elmo's. Fortunately, my number was fine and I started wondering why I hadn't been eating potatoes the last couple months, instead.
The nurses also started me on Cytotec, a medicine inserted vaginally to soften the cervix and start labor. Once that was done, they checked my vitals and left us alone for a few hours. They came back every three hours to check my cervix and insert more Cytotec. We tried to get a little sleep - Wheat on a recliner and me in the hospital bed - but we were both so anxious I don't think we were very successful.
After three or four doses of Cytotec, my obstetrician arrived around 7:00 AM. She checked my cervix and I was only dilated 1.5 centimeters. At this point, I was feeling contractions and thanks to the Cytotec, there weren't any breaks between them. Instead of having time to relax and recover when one contraction ended, I was going straight into the next one. I asked for some pain medicine in my IV, which provided some relief but wore off very quickly.
Since I was only 1.5 centimeters dilated, my doctor decided to insert a balloon (Foley ball) to manually stretch the cervix. This was absolutely excruciating. I literally sobbed as it was placed. From this point, the next hour or two is a blur of tears, contraction pain, and the nurse gradually filling the balloon with water and checking my cervix. At some point, I was only dilated three centimeters and couldn't believe I had to get to 10 before pushing. The contractions were relentless and I laid on the bed crying as Wheat urged me to get the epidural.
He was right. It wasn't long before I caved and asked for the epidural. The procedure was much easier than I thought it would be. The anesthesiologist cleaned and numbed my back while I sat on the edge of the bed and leaned forward. He then inserted the needle and administered the epidural. I was amazed at how little pain I felt. It was mostly just pressure and discomfort...and worth every second. If there is one thing I can recommend during labor, it's the epidural. Once it kicked in, I felt like a brand new person, able to talk and laugh and rest.
At this point, the doctor started me on pitocin to really get labor rolling. She also removed the balloon and within an hour, I was seven centimeters dilated. I barely felt anything - just tightness in my stomach during the contractions. Again, epidurals are glorious.
Here's where the day got interesting.
My dad called to say that he'd arrived, so Wheat left to meet him. I was still feeling really good and wanted to spend time with him before I started pushing. My doctor came in and broke my water and by her reaction, I could immediately tell something was wrong. She started talking to the nurses about the blood and clots that came out. Around this time, Sawyer's heartbeat started to dip with every contraction. Suddenly, a team of nurses swarmed me and jumped into action. An oxygen mask was on my face, I got a shot in my arm to slow my heart rate down, and the doctor attached a heart rate monitor to the top of Sawyer's head to get a more accurate reading. Wheat and my dad tried to come in, but the nurses told them to wait outside. I was terrified.
Eventually, Wheat was allowed back in and the nurses told us they were worried about placenta abruption, an emergency situation where the placenta separates from the uterus. This was the first time they mentioned the possibility of a c-section. However, when they stopped the pitocin, Sawyer's heart rate got back under control. Things started to calm down and I tried to relax after all the chaos.
But the lull in the action didn't last long.
Periodically, the nurses would check my glucose level (thanks to the gestational diabetes). Since I hadn't eaten, my number was low and the nurse brought me grape juice. When I finished drinking it, she retested it...and my number was even lower. I had another grape juice. Fortunately, my number went up just enough to avoid another IV.
However, when they restarted the pitocin, Sawyer's heart rate began to dip again. At this point, the doctor was concerned about Sawyer and why she wasn't tolerating contractions. They told me I would need to have an unplanned c-section to ensure her safety. Again, I was terrified, but signed a consent for the procedure.
Nurses sprang to action, preparing me for surgery. Since I already had an epidural, the stuff necessary for numbing me was already in place. Another anesthesiologist came in and completely numbed my lower half. Wheat wasn't allowed to come with me for surgery preparation, so they told him to wait and get dressed in scrubs while they wheeled me into the operating room. At this point, I started to feel extremely nauseous and shake uncontrollably. I tried to warn the nurses a couple times before turning my head and throwing grape juice up all over myself and the operating room floor. Oops.
After what seemed like an eternity, Wheat was ushered into the room. They raised a curtain at my chest level and started the procedure. Everything felt like such a blur as I continued to convulse (they later told me it was all the hormones from labor that caused the shaking). I felt a lot of pressure and even a little pain, but Wheat kept talking to me and letting the anesthesiologist know how I was feeling. I was borderline out of it at this point, but I vividly remember Wheat saying, "Oh my god. She's here." as the doctor pulled Sawyer out. It was 3:41 PM.
She let out a scream and I finally felt a semblance of calm. The doctor announced that the umbilical cord had been wrapped around her neck twice, which was causing the heart rate issues during contractions. Thank goodness for adaptable, vigilant doctors and nurses, right?
It was still quite a while before I could even see her, but Wheat walked over to take a couple pictures of her as they cleaned her up and took her measurements. I still felt incredibly nauseous and was shaking, but eventually, they handed her to Wheat and he brought her over to me. I wish I could say a feeling of love and gratitude washed over me, but I was still completely overwhelmed and shell-shocked. The doctor removed the placenta (good riddance) and stitched me up, then they put her in my arms and let me hold her for the first time as they wheeled me back into our suite.
Next up: Our days in the hospital...and the complications that came.
