I am the mother of three living children and each one of them were born on a Thursday. Here is the labor and delivery story of this last pregnancy.
In reading over my last journal entries, I can see how depressed I was that the baby had not made her debut. And I'll never forget those feelings either. I'll never forget the anxiety as well as the fear. Well, lo and behold, my baby was born at week 39 of the pregnancy.
I had my usual appointment with Dr. Bey on Wednesday. They put me on the monitor again but this time I asked Jerry to come in and witness the personality of our baby. See, whenever they strapped the monitor around me and pick up the baby's heartbeat, she would move away as though it bothered her. Well, the baby was true to form and repeated her actions. Jerry got a kick out of it. Following this, Dr. Bey performed another ultrasound to determine how big the baby was. I was still hoping not to learn the baby's sex, for I wanted to be surprised at the birth. All I saw on the screen was the baby's head and stomach.
I was examined as well and told that things were finally moving
along. I was 2cm dilated and thinning out. Since there was so
much activity with me and the baby was ready, we both agreed on
inducement. You know that I was all for it! I was told to
check into the hospital THAT evening so that the Pitocin drip
could begin. He said that the drip would be very slow just to
get things moving and it would be increased in the morning. I
was so excited and happy!
Jerry and I stopped at the grocery store first and picked up a
few things then went home and told the kids. I was so excited
that I couldn't eat (I was allowed to eat up until midnight). I
got my bag and made sure everything was in it. I threw in some
"thank you" cards that I was still completing thinking that I
would finish them that night (I never did). I called my brother
Ira in California and my aunt here just to let them know that I
was on my way to the hospital.
Since we knew that the baby would be born the next day, I gave
the kids the option of going to school or coming to the hospital.
We decided that we wouldn't force them to do either one, but let
the choice be theirs. My son would be marching with the band at
a football game (his first), so he didn't want to miss it. I
promised him that we would leave the message on the phone when
the baby arrived and that Jerry would pick him up and bring him
to the hospital that evening. Tiffanie decided that she wanted
to come to the hospital and be with me. They all stayed with me
as they set me up in my room until visiting hours were over. Dr.
Bey had encouraged me to get as much sleep/rest as possible and
so did the nurses. But, how could I rest knowing that I would be
having a baby the next day?
They hooked me up to the fetal monitor immediately after
inserting the i.v. needle. I didn't mind being hooked up, for I
realize that it keeps us in constant contact with the baby (and
she kept moving around this time as well. The nurse had to keep
adjusting the belt to stay in contact with the baby). I just
didn't like the fact that every time I needed to use the
bathroom, I had to call the nurse to unhook me from the machines.
There was also an automatic blood pressure cup on my arm, and a
gadget on my finger (I think that monitored my pulse). Though
the i.v. was in place, they didn't start the Pitocin until 2:00
a.m. The nurse kept coming in checking me but said that they
couldn't start the medication yet because there were 3 ladies
giving birth right after I was checked in. Tiffanie and I heard
two of those ladies screaming. (I know that Tiff was a little
frightened, but I told her not to be.) The nurse said that once
they started me on the Pitocin, they would have to be available
to watch me closely. They weren't able to do that until 2am.
Well, I did sleep a little. Just sort of dozed off throughout
the night. I was still feeling the contractions I'd been having
all along. Even before the Pitocin, my contractions were
registering on the monitor. It was interesting to watch them.
Jerry and Tiff came back around 9am. My contractions were still
pretty mild, so I was in good spirits. At 11:00 a.m., the nurse
said that Dr. Bey instructed them to increase the Pitocin. She
let me get up first and shower and move around. She said that
things would probably begin to move pretty fast once it was
increased. I had to go in another room to shower (an L&D room),
for there was none in mine. Tiff helped me with the i.v. and
also to shower. I couldn't use the arm with the i.v. because
they didn't want it to get wet. The shower felt really good too!
I was glad to have one.
Well, the nurse was right. Once they increased the Pitocin, the
contractions became stronger. I was still able to remain
cheerful and talk through them. I began to worry about Tiffanie
though. I knew that there was a possibility that I would become
ugly and abrupt once I entered transition. I didn't want her
afraid. I explained to her that I may become snappy or even yell
at her father....or even her. I asked her not to take it
personally and just realize that it was the pain causing me to
act this way. No way would I be angry at her. I also explained
that the pain will be very real and intense. She'll see me as
never before and I didn't want her to be afraid. How true my
words were.
It was 2pm when labor shifted into high gear. I was also 6cm
dilated then. The nurse told me about an hour earlier to let her
know when I became uncomfortable and/or wanted the epidural. At
2:00, I said, "I want it....now!" She asked if I were sure...I
said yes, I'm quite uncomfortable now. She couldn't do anything
until she called my doctor. Which at this time I was wondering
why I hadn't seen him yet. In the meantime, I began the
breathing. I really hadn't prepared for this for I was
expecting my epidural. I had Tiff to give me my childbirth book
out of my bag and quickly looked over the section on breathing.
I tried the techniques and it helped some, however, the pain
began to get really unbearable. The contractions were coming
closer and closer and lasting longer and longer. I remember
feeling as though all of my insides were coming out. The pain
was terrible. I then said the heck with the breathing because it
wasn't working. I began to "sing" with each contraction. I just
let my voice soar with the pain. I felt bad because I was so
loud, but I got over the shame. I didn't care anymore.
It took awhile for them to contact my doctor, so in the mean time
the nurse gave me some Demerol. It only helped a few
contractions, and it made me feel CRAZY. The room was spinning
and I felt as though I was falling. I told the nurse and she
said that it was the medication.
Finally, they contacted Dr. Bey and he gave the go ahead for the
epidural. Great, I thought. But, it wasn't that simple. The
anesthesiologist was now GONE! It was a little after 3:00pm now,
so I guess his shift was over. I couldn't believe it!!!! Well,
I continued to sing through my contractions and getting louder as
they continued to increase in intensity. Around 3:30, the
contractions were at 2 minutes apart. And they lasted almost the
entire time. I only had what seem like seconds in between. I
remember reaching the point where I just thought that this was
it. I YELLED "I just can't take it anymore!" My nurse tried to
calm me down, but I began to cry. I couldn't stop crying. Then
I got nauseous and began vomiting!
I asked again for the epidural and they told me that the
anesthesiologist was on his way. Should be there shortly. As he
finally walked in the door and they told me to lie on my side in
a fetal position, I seem to have lost control of myself. I kept
screaming that I couldn't take anymore and then it felt as though
the baby jumped down in my butt! I felt this HUGE force and my
body began to bear down on its own. I began to grunt
uncontrollably. I was told to remain still as the doctor gave me
what I found out later was a spinal block. By this time, they
sent Jerry and Tiffanie out of the room. I was so worried about
her. The nurse examined me again and saw that I was fully
dilated. Jerry was sent to put on the scrubs...and I still
hadn't seen Dr. Bey. I was told that he too was on his way.
I was almost immediately numb from the waist down. God, what a
relief! Though in retrospect I know that we were at the end and
I probably could have gone on without the spinal, I do know that
that short period of relief was most welcomed! They somehow got
me on the gurney and wheeled me down to the delivery room. I
still didn't see Dr. Bey and was beginning to worry. It seemed
as though the nurses and anesthesiologist would be delivering my
baby. It dawned on me too that nobody mentioned the tubal
ligation that I was supposed to be getting, so I mentioned it.
They didn't know and the anesthesiologist said (to a nurse) that
he'd given me the wrong type of anesthesia for the procedure. I
didn't know what they would do about it.
The room was full with about 4 or 5 people now....but still no
Dr. Bey. Well, the baby was coming, and coming fast. I was told
to push! They told me to put my hands at the side of the table
and grab hold of these handles to aid me in the pushing. It was
so weird because I had absolutely no feeling and didn't know if I
were pushing or not.
Finally Dr. Bey walks in. I was so glad to see him. He was
asked about the tubal and told about the anesthesia. He said
that he would do the procedure the next morning. I was again
told to push. A nurse also pushed on my belly. Shortly, I felt
something.....very vaguely....ooze out of me. I had no idea that
it was the baby, but it was. Someone said "It's a girl." I
couldn't rejoice yet because I didn't hear anything. I said "but
she's not crying!!!" Then I heard them suctioning her and then
there was a little whelp. More suctioning and better cries.
They then brought her over to the table to do more suctioning. I
saw her little body and saw that she was a little blue. Of
course I was scared to death, but the more she cried the better I
felt. The more she cried, the better her color looked. I was
able to relax then, but didn't totally feel better until they
placed the baby in my arms. She was so beautiful.....and mine!
I felt as though I knew this little life MY entire lifetime.
So, on Thursday, October 16, 1997 at 4:28 p.m., our precious
daughter was born. After what felt like a lifetime of waiting,
our baby is here. We named her Anaiah Tobias Young Nix. She was
6 lbs., 15 ozs., and 20 inches long. I've never seen such a
beautiful baby!
