I was going to share my birth story soon after having Eddin, but I never did so I thought sharing it on his 1st birthday would be perfect. I loved reading other birth story's while I was pregnant. Ones who had an epidural, ones who had a natural birth, ones who had a c-section...I loved reading other experiences. It helped ease my mind reading about other women who went through what I was about to experience for myself. So here is my story...
What an experience, having a baby. Before I ever got pregnant I always said of course I’m having an epidural, but it’s funny how things change once you’re actually pregnant. I decided I wanted to have a natural birth and I read the Bradley Method book to prepare to do that. I had Dallin and my mom as my coaches during labor. Here is my birth story…
Waiting for the arrival of our baby was quite the emotional roller coaster for us. We were so excited and we were getting so impatient. Eddin’s due date was June 26, 2016 and my doctor said if he wasn’t here by then or the two days after I would go in on the 29th to be induced. I tried every trick in the book for self-inducing, spicy food, bouncing on my exercise ball, etc. etc. and nothing worked so we went in Wednesday morning for me to be induced. They wanted us there at the hospital at 8:30am to check in and I would start the process of being induced at 9am. We had everything packed, set our alarms for 7:30am, and we were ready to go. When we got to the hospital we started the registration process and we overheard the couple next to us was there to be induced as well. I want to point out we got there probably 15 minutes before them and before we knew it we saw that they were headed upstairs to labor and delivery before us. For some reason the girl checking us in couldn’t get our order down from labor and delivery and she was a little slow on the computer. We weren’t too worried. We were just very anxious, excited, nervous, overwhelmed, full of joy, and I could go on and on about the emotions we had. Eventually, we were finally cleared to head upstairs!
The last picture I took of my stomach right before we left for the hospital. I was so ready to be done with that belly.
We got upstairs and they sent us to triage because all of the labor rooms they had were full. Betsy Johnson Hospital, where we were, is a small hospital and only had 4 labor and delivery rooms, but they said that they rarely fill them all up. Again, not too worried about anything. We saw the couple from registration in the bed next to us, we smiled at them knowing they were about to go through the same thing, and I got into my bed and got hooked up to the baby monitor. I found everything to be so fast paced at first. They had me get into the hospital gown right away, and everything was going great. They told us again that all of the rooms were full, but there were two girls about to be moved out into the recovery rooms. Right about then the couple beside us was told there was a room open for them. We were a little bummed because technically we were at the hospital before them and we kept saying that could have been us. Still not too worried because we were told we would be put in a room very soon.
We sat there playing on our phones waiting for someone to come tell us it was time to move. We then realized it was around 1pm and I was starving. The nurse came in not too longer after and said the rooms were full and I had to wait. This time they didn’t give us a timeline. It was now a “they weren’t sure” when a room would open up. I guess since there is only 4 rooms, and they have to keep one open at all times in case someone comes in with an emergency, the rooms fill up quick, and they said they were particularly busy that day. But I’m still starving at this point. Around 2pm Dallin went to ask if I could eat a little something. It’s funny because I wanted to eat something so bad, but at the same time I didn’t want to eat because that meant I would start the induction process sooner. They told me I could eat lunch…which was good, but also a bummer.
Hours and hours had gone by. My parents had been at my house all day waiting for us to give them the ok to come to the hospital. It was 7:30pm and we told them we had no new updates so they decided to come to the hospital anyways and bring us dinner. Yes…I was allowed to eat dinner. Which just meant they had no plans of inducing me soon. At least it was a good dinner; from one of our favorite places in Angier, Simonz (it’s better than and not as ghetto as it sounds). I was starting to resent that couple who got the room before us, the couple that got to the hospital after us.
My parents got there and we hung out for a bit; went on a walk around the hospital. I was so tired of being in this closed off, curtain area of the triage. Now it was 9:30pm and we were fed up. We weren’t mad at the nurses, but we were mad at the fact that we were there for so long without any sort of change. At this point we were being told that they didn’t see anything happening until the morning. Finally, we decided to say something. Dallin went to the nurse’s station and told them that we didn’t see the point of staying there overnight. First, it was super uncomfortable and there was no way I would get any sleep, there wasn’t anything for Dallin to sleep on, and really what was the point. Our only concern was losing our place to get the next available room. There was another couple there waiting for a room as well. The nurses understood where we were coming from and they said they would call my doctor and see if we could leave. It was frustrating because come to find out that the rooms were full of girls being induced. This is a small hospital. They had two rooms for my doctor and two rooms for the other doctor and then me and the other girl in triage were for my doctor. So my doctor scheduled four inductions for that day when the nurses told us he is only supposed to schedule two. That was a bit annoying to us.
Anyways, eventually a nurse came back to us and told us my doctor said it was fine for us to leave for the night so we could sleep in our own bed. They did promise they would call us as soon as a room opened up. So we left for the night. We actually went straight to the airport to pick up Dallin’s parents. I was frustrated about leaving the hospital, but at the same time relieved because in all honesty I was so nervous to give birth. We got home really late and we went straight to bed. Surprisingly I fell asleep. I figured I would be up all night with anxiety. We kept our phones on loud in case we got a call from the hospital.
The next morning we woke up and no call so we went about our day. My parent’s and Dallin’s parents were there so we decided to all go to the grocery store to fill the house up with food. I carried my phone with me the whole time. We dropped Dallin and his parents off at Kroger and my parents and I went to Harris Teeter because they sold a certain root beer my dad and I like. We got back in the car and it was around 2pm and we were pulling out of the parking lot and my phone started ringing! It was the hospital and they had a room for us! I couldn’t believe it. My heart sank so far into my chest. We were still 15 mins from our house so I told my dad to step on it because once we got to the house we still had to drive 25 mins in the opposite direction to the hospital. We got there and my mom made us sandwiches so I could eat something before I got there since usually they wont let you eat once you get checked in. We had everything packed and ready so all we had to do was load up the car, give hugs to everyone and head on our way. The one thing I wanted most of all to bring was my own pillow :)
We drove to the hospital and got checked in. They remembered who we were at the check in. The check in took longer than usual…again. We finally got assigned a room and we headed up to labor and delivery at 3pm. We got to the room and it was big and had a window so I was happy. It almost felt like getting checked into a hotel because it was nice to finally get settled in and I started setting up my things where I wanted them in the room. The nurse came in and said my doctor was delivering another baby at the moment so they couldn’t get me started on anything until they had the ok from him.
When we finally got into our room.
The nurse kept checking back in with us and we were just waiting and waiting. We were then told my doctor had an emergency c-section so we would have to wait longer. We weren’t too worried because at least we were in a room. It was probably around 6pm when she came back in and said the c-section took a lot longer than they thought and something went wrong during the c-section so we would have to wait.
Since we were waiting so long the nurse said I could eat something. Our parents brought us food. I had Subway. Then our dad’s went to a place here called Cookout to get us all milkshakes, they even got the nurses on our floor milkshakes. Chocolate malt as always!
Milkshakes!
Finally around 7:30/8pm my doctor came in. He said things will start shortly. A little after that the nurse came in and set the baby monitor around my stomach. They also did an ultrasound. I guess I was having contractions, but I couldn't feel anything. Our parents ended up leaving.
At 10pm they gave me half a dose of Misoprostal and inserted it next to my Cervix to help dilate it. They wanted to do this before starting Pitocin. When they did that I was dilated to a 1. They also hooked me up to an IV, but At 12am they gave me the next dose. I was still at a 1. After the second dose I started feeling my contractions. They weren’t terrible, but definitely uncomfortable. My nurse said we should try and rest as much as we can. We put on How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days and tried to sleep. At 3am the contractions started to get really strong. I was also having diarrhea every 30 mins(sorry for the TMI). It was annoying because I had to unhook myself from the monitor and bring my IV stand with me every time I had to use the restroom. From 3am on my contractions started getting more and more intense. It’s such an unreal feeling. At first it felt like menstrual cramps, but then they got so painful. My stomach would get rock hard and it hurt to breathe and it was really hard to talk. I started to sit on the edge of the bed when they started to get unbearable. It was the only thing to help me focus. Dallin called my mom around 6:30 to let her know that things seemed to be moving along.
At 7:20am my water broke on it’s own. I was still sitting on the edge of the bed when it happened. It was such a strange feeling. They had to come put towels on the floor where I was sitting because it was getting wet everywhere. So I literally sat on the edge of the bed THE whole time I was having contractions. Dallin and my mom tried suggesting other positions, but anytime I moved I just felt like pain got even worse and it was already horrible. I sat there on the edge of the bed leaning my head into Dallin while my mom rubbed my lower back. I think they switched back and forth. Honestly, I felt like I was in my own world. It didn’t seem real because of how much pain I was in. I sat there with my eyes closed thinking if this is what dying felt like. I know that sounds extreme, but really…I couldn’t wrap my head around the pain I was feeling. They would be so strong and I remember I would moan the most ugly sounding moan ever. I read the Bradley Method book during my pregnancy and they touched on how you want to do deep moans. I wasn’t even thinking about the book during this time, but that’s just how they sounded anyways. The nurse would come in and check on me and check to see if I was dilated. Everything was a blur to me. The whole time I was sitting on the edge of the bed I had my eyes closed so whenever someone came in to speak to me opening my eyes was really hard, mostly because I was concentrating so much and it seemed so bright in my room with the sun.
At 8:30am I was dilated to a 2. They asked if I wanted some pain medication in my IV and I said yes please. They gave it to me and there was literally no difference…
At 9:25am they started me on pitocin. They started with the lowest dose possible since my contractions were so close together. She checked me again and I was a 3-4. Around this time I started asking for an epidural. I was pretty much begging Dallin to let me get one. I’m so grateful for him because he knew that deep down I really did not want one so he kept reminding me that I did not want one. I even told him before that if I start asking for one to please try and remind me that I really didn’t want one. Side note-a reason why I started asking for one is because this nurse kept bringing it up when I specifically asked for no one to say the word epidural around me. Every time she came in she asked if I was sure…”are you sure you don’t want one? I can put your order in now.” Uhhh frustrating. But at this point I wanted anything to take this pain away. I ended up telling the nurse I wanted one, but I was so far down on the list that at the rate I was going there was no way I would get it in time. And thank goodness for that. I didn’t realize it then, but now I’m so glad I didn’t get one. It’s hard in the moment though.
At 9:45am I was 7cm.
At 11am I was 9cm. This is when things were so intense. It’s hard to describe it. I had no control of my body. I’m sitting there on the edge of the bed still and I could tell my body was trying to push my baby out. The nurse kept saying don’t push, don’t push! Well excuse me while I just casually sit here and try to hold this baby in! It was impossible, plus this was my body telling me it was ready to have this baby. I progressed so fast that they weren’t ready for me to deliver. My doctor wasn’t even there yet. All of a sudden they were having me sit back in the bed and then she was putting my legs in the stirrups(also, if I have another baby I will not be in this position again). They were still telling me to not push yet because they were waiting on my doctor. I don’t think they realized that I literally could not stop my body from pushing him out. My doctor finally came in the room and was telling me to push at 11:35am. They had these handles beside me and those helped me so much. Pushing was so unreal to me. It hurt so bad, but at the same time each push was relieving. I remember pushing so hard I felt like my head was going to explode. Dallin said he would look back at me and it really scared him because my whole face was dark purple. I could feel Eddin coming out and what a feeling that was. I actually thought I had him out the whole way several times, but I only had his head out just a little bit. Dallin mentioned later how crazy it was to see Eddin’s head and how deformed it was when it came out of the birth canal. When his head was out, the doctor called Dallin over because the cord was wrapped around Eddin’s neck, and it needed to be cut before the delivery went any further. He still let Dallin cut the cord from around his neck, which Dallin said he was really nervous about because it was so close to Eddin’s skin, but it all went fine. Once the cord was cut, I could keep pushing him out. Pushing his shoulders through was the hardest part. I remember I took a few deep breaths then pushed with all of the strength I had left in me. I was holding my breath and it felt like I did that last push for 5 mins. Then Eddin arrived at 12:00pm after 25 mins of pushing.
When he came out he wasn’t crying, so they had to take Eddin to the warming table on the edge of the room. His APGAR score was low, this is something Dallin told me. He wasn’t breathing like he should so they were trying to suction him out and trying to get him to cry, but he wasn’t. I could see him, but I wasn’t able to hold him right away. During this whole time my doctor was sewing me up…which by the way I had the worst degree tear you can get when giving birth. That is a whole other story. After a few mins they brought him over to me so I could hold him, but it was probably for about 20 seconds because they wanted to bring him back to the nursery because they weren’t 100% happy with how he was doing. Dallin went back with him. After about 30-40 mins they finally brought him back to me. I was a nervous wreck the entire time he was gone.
This was a few mins after he came out. I still had not held him yet.
What an amazing feeling it was so be able to hold my baby. I loved having him against my skin. He still wasn’t crying and he was such an alert baby. Just about every staff member told us how they couldn’t believe how alert he was and how he would stare at you right in your eyes. I was smitten. My heart ached because I loved him so much. It took us a couple days to come to the final decision of his name Eddin Lane. It fits him perfectly and couldn't imagine anything else for him now. I will always cherish those first hours and days with him. It felt like a dream. I kept thinking how could I be a mom now? That was hard to wrap my head around. Even to this day I think how am I so blessed to have this perfect child and be able to raise and care for him each and every day. Such a miraculous blessing.
Finally able to hold him. I was happier than I look in this picture I promise! :)
This picture definitely shows my exhaustion. My swollen face and my matted down hair with my sweat.
First picture together.
To this day I still can’t believe I gave birth to such a beautiful baby boy. I wasn’t too fond of being pregnant and the postpartum was terrible for me(that tear I mentioned before…talk about not feeling normal again until about 7 months later and what resulted in having to have vaginal surgery), but it was all worth it and I would do it again and again to have Eddin. I'm still in such awe of how our bodies can perform such a miracle as having a baby.
First time in his car seat going home!
We love you Eddin Lane! Happy 1st Birthday!
