Years down the road, I know I will want to remember how July 30th, 2014 happened.
Kingston's birth story:
Let me preface by saying that at 36 weeks, with the help of our lovely chiropractor, Kingston finally decided to become un-breech. Starting at 32 weeks I saw her 3 times a week and did nightly exercises to try and get him to flip to avoid a c-section.
Also, at my weekly OB appointments starting at 36 weeks - I was always 'almost at 1cm and softening'.
July 28th, 2014:
Kingston's due date.
Still no more progress. Almost at 1cm and softening.
Our OB knew we didn't want to go much longer then our due date (We were getting anxious to meet our little man and I wanted CT to have as much time off with us before school started. Also, induction is a personal choice, one not everyone agrees with it, but it was a choice we wanted.) - so she asked us if we wanted to be induced and when.
We choose his birthday - July 30th, 2014.
July 29th, 2014:
We had our last dinner as a family of 2 at Old Chicago.
730pm
We checked into the hospital to begin the induction process.
I changed into the sexy hospital gown and answered a bunch of questions from the nurse and residents.
I then got hooked up to begin monitoring Kingston's heartbeat, and was poked 3 times to start an IV. My nurse tried once and then she called the IV team. The IV team was super busy so the charge nurse came and got it on her second try. Supposedly, I am 'valve-y'.
At this point I was checked by everyone - still at about 1cm and softening. I was also told that I had a posterior cervix and that it would become more anterior as Kingston made his way into position.
930pm
Time to get a foley bulb catheter, which is a more natural way to induce labor. I was told that having a posterior cervix could possibly make getting the foley bulb more difficult so they had the year 3 resident insert it. He was awesome and was able to place it with no problem and no pain. They then filled the balloon portion of the catheter with saline solution and gave it a tug every hour or so. This caused the cervix to mechanically open and by the time it fell out I was at 3/4cm.
1030pm
Last chance to order food before delivery day.
I ordered a grilled cheese, salt and vinegar chips and water. Because of the delicious pizza I had a few hours prior - this meal went to waste.
130pm
The foley bulb fell out, I was at about 3/4cm and I was told to rest until 530am when they would start the pitocin. CT was able to get in some really good shut eye but me not so much. I was too nervous, and between getting up, using the restroom and listening to my little mans heart beat - I couldn't get more then 30 minutes here and there.
530am
They started pitocin and increased it by 2 every 15 minutes.
I was getting checked every hour and still at about 3/4cm and maybe softening a little more.
930am
The contractions really hadn't started and my pitocin was already pretty high.
My Dr. decided now would be a good time to break my water to see if I would progress any more because of it.
1130am
The contractions started and I was at a good 4cm now.
Everyone who checked me thought Kingston was sunny side up and not able to get into the correct position.
100pm
I was at 5cm by now and finally softening more.
When my doctor came in she tried to internally/manually turn Kingston's head so he was no longer sunny side up. It was uncomfortable but I could feel he had moved. My doctor left and acted really positive saying she thinks we would have a baby by 4 or 5pm.
200pm
The epidural team came in and it took them 2 pokes to get it started. I also ended up jumping major when they said 'this may send a shock through your body, try and hold still'. Ya ... I suck.
200pm- 600pm
This time frame is all a blur.
There was no real progress. I couldn't get past 5 cm but I was softening a little more.
They had to place an internal monitor to measure contractions.
After a bunch of checks, they think Kingston turned back to being sunny side up.
We tried tons of different position changes to help him make his way into position better and nothing worked.
My epidural worked great on my right leg (it was super dead) but I could still feel my left side. I had to have my epidural medications changed multiple times because they would run out or because they needed something stronger.
600pm
The Dr. came in and the baby and my body hadn't progressed any more. Something was causing him to not get into the correct position so he couldn't fully make my cervix soften and open up. I was still at 5cm and she said I had until 700pm to progress to 8cm or we would need to do a c-section.
This is when the water works started flowing. I remember turning to CT and mouthing 'stupid baby'. I had tried everything possible to get our stubborn baby to flip from being breech so we could avoid a c-section. We worked so hard and it was the last thing I wanted. I wanted to have skin to skin, I wanted to breastfeed as soon as possible, and I wanted our epidural to fully work so I could remember everything if a c-section was to happen.
Naturally, there were so many fears I had.
My nurse was awesome and did everything in her power to help us progress - more frequent changes in position and tying to manually stretch me to make it possible for Kingston to move down. It didn't work.
730pm
By this time, I was still shedding a few tears off and on, but I had come to terms with the fact that we were going to need a c-section. I had talked to our nurse and made sure if I was unable to do skin to skin, that CT could.
The Dr. came back in and checked me. I was almost at 7cm but she still advised we go ahead and get him out. The nurse anesthetist got me hooked up and I was completely numb up to my arm pits.
745pm
CT gets changed into his OR clothes and a backwards hospital gown so it opens in the front. Everyone was so confused as to why he was dressed like that - but we were determined to do our skin to skin time.
I got wheeled back to the OR and the prayer before surgery started.
812pm
My 8lb 6oz baby with a slight cone head arrived and he was absolutely perfect.
I was able to have about 20 minutes of skin to skin time with him before my arms became to tired and I had to hand him off to CT.
Being cut open and having him removed from me was the easy part. Being put back together was the hard part. Thankfully, I had an awesome nurse anesthetist that talked me through the whole process and kept my mind off everything that was going on behind the curtain. I literally felt like I was having a heart attack as they were pulling and tugging on everything.
930-1130pm
We were wheeled to recovery.
Kingston easily latched on and we had a really good breast feeding experience.
CT was then able to help with bath time.
All I wanted was some water so the nurses snuck me some.
1200pm
We finally made it to our postpartum room and my family got to meet Kingston for the first time.
Immediately after everyone left, all I wanted was some chicken nuggets but the nurses said no. CT left to get some food and on his return Kingston had the biggest meconium poop and CT had the pleasure of changing it! CT was the biggest help and we spent the first few hours, exhausted but just loving on our boy.
July 31st, 2014
700am
I was determined to get up and walk around so I could shower.
Everyone thought I was doing so well after surgery and I felt great.
Thursday was spent figuring out our baby, entertaining visitors, and being constantly checked on by the nurses.
August 1st, 2014
We were told the whole time that we wouldn't be released to go home until Saturday morning, but since I was doing so well and able to move so easily they gave us the option of going home Friday evening and we took it.
430pm
We got released from the hospital, headed to the pharmacy to get my medications filled and immediately the adrenaline stops and reality sets in.
I'm a mom and I'm going to do everything in my power to be the best mom I can be.
