The growth ultrasound went terrific. Lucia was measuring her usual 1.5 weeks ahead and it was guestimated that she was currently 7.5 lbs. My blood pressure was perfect which was a relief as it had decided to act up at my last couple of OB appointments. My MFM bid me adieu and commented while looking at my very swollen feet that she hoped Lucia would make an earlier entrance as I visibly looked like I hurt. I honestly did not feel that bad. I was still working and going through life motions albeit a bit slower and often felt like I was walking in quick sand due to the extreme swelling of my lower extremities.
The following afternoon I had an OB appointment. This appointment did not go as planned. My blood pressure was taken twice and it was high. My OB decided to check me and I was 1cm dilated. My blood pressure was then taken a third time and it was high, and there was a small amount of protein in my urine. He instructed me to go to Labor & Delivery for further blood pressure monitoring. I text messaged my boss to let her know that I would not be returning to work that afternoon and I would most likely be in the following morning. I casually text messaged my husband who frantically called me and asked if he should leave his meeting. I told him it was up to him, and explained that I was only going to Labor & Delivery for monitoring. He decided to meet me at Labor & Delivery Triage where I was hooked up to the NST monitors and a blood pressure cuff that was set to go off every ten minutes. We spent the next couple of hours chit chatting and watching bits and pieces of Runaway Bride. I knew some of my blood pressure readings were coming back high and some just mildly high. I think I even had a couple of normal readings here and there. We both figured they would be sending me home to lay on my side and return back in the morning.
Not! The OB on call came to talk to us after about 3 hours of monitoring and said the baby looks fabulous, as she always does! BUT... my blood pressure readings were in her words 'garbage' and it would be wildly irresponsible if she sent me home especially seeing I would be 38 weeks at the stroke of midnight. It would be best to have this baby now rather than later when I could quickly make a turn for the worse. At this point reality hit my husband and I, we would not be leaving together without a baby!
That night I was settled into a room, and Cervadil was placed with the plan of starting Pitocin the following morning.
Morning came and Pitcocin began. I will not lengthen the day but Pitocin did not do a thing. I had regular contractions but my cervix didn't budge. My OB decided to insert a foley bulb catheter that evening in hopes that we would get more progress the following morning. NOT TO SCARE you but this my friends was torture. I have had a heap load of procedures and this was one of the worst for me. It was second to laminaria insertion.
The next morning came and the foley catheter was removed and I was checked. We were at a four! Woohoo! Pitocin was started that morning. I pleaded and begged and was given the okay for a couple of laps around the birthing center. After about 5 hours of Pitocin the OB on call was able to break my bag. Holy hell that was a lot of water. My contractions continued but were not as regular as the day before. The OB on call allowed me to be on the max dosage of Pitocin (20) for a couple of more hours until she wanted to monitor the contractions closer with an internal monitor because I was still only dilated to a four. The internal contraction monitor indeed showed I was experiencing contractions, but there was no dilation. At around 9pm the OB on call brought up a c-section and I cried and cried some more, but at this point I knew a healthy baby was our main goal.
Lucia Maria was born at 10:50 the evening of December 2nd weighing 7lbs 5oz and measuring 20 inches. She was perfect and everything we had dreamed of and prayed for.
The c-section went perfectly with the exception of some hemorrhaging but thankfully a transfusion was not necessary. The recovery was nowhere as bad as I thought it would be. The scar is nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be and after lots of analyzing I would not change my birth story. It was not what I had planned, but the outcome was far more than I had dreamed of.
Morning came and Pitcocin began. I will not lengthen the day but Pitocin did not do a thing. I had regular contractions but my cervix didn't budge. My OB decided to insert a foley bulb catheter that evening in hopes that we would get more progress the following morning. NOT TO SCARE you but this my friends was torture. I have had a heap load of procedures and this was one of the worst for me. It was second to laminaria insertion.
The next morning came and the foley catheter was removed and I was checked. We were at a four! Woohoo! Pitocin was started that morning. I pleaded and begged and was given the okay for a couple of laps around the birthing center. After about 5 hours of Pitocin the OB on call was able to break my bag. Holy hell that was a lot of water. My contractions continued but were not as regular as the day before. The OB on call allowed me to be on the max dosage of Pitocin (20) for a couple of more hours until she wanted to monitor the contractions closer with an internal monitor because I was still only dilated to a four. The internal contraction monitor indeed showed I was experiencing contractions, but there was no dilation. At around 9pm the OB on call brought up a c-section and I cried and cried some more, but at this point I knew a healthy baby was our main goal.
Lucia Maria was born at 10:50 the evening of December 2nd weighing 7lbs 5oz and measuring 20 inches. She was perfect and everything we had dreamed of and prayed for.
The c-section went perfectly with the exception of some hemorrhaging but thankfully a transfusion was not necessary. The recovery was nowhere as bad as I thought it would be. The scar is nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be and after lots of analyzing I would not change my birth story. It was not what I had planned, but the outcome was far more than I had dreamed of.
She is so amazing and perfect! When G posted those pictures of your darling daughter, I burst into tears of joy for you!! I love you two!!
ReplyDeleteAwwww! Thank you so much for your love and support. It means the world to us.
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