I wasn't sure I was going to do a post on Camden's birth story. But as time has passed I realized it's something I want to always remember. I feel like I forget more and more of that day each day that passes. In fact, I had to have the hubs help me write this because there's so much I can't recall.
I know EVERY birth story is different so here's mine...(warning - this will be a long post...it was a LONG day and there's a lot that went on!) By the time Monday, November 11, rolled around I was READY to have this baby. All along I was convinced I was going to have the little guy closer to my original due date - October 30 (based off the first day of my last period...then my due date got changed to November 12 when I had my first ultrasound.) So anyways, Matt had the 11th off for Veteran's Day. He came to my work and brought lunch - which of course included pineapple. I was ready to do all these old wives tales to get this kid out (the week before we had tried spicy food!) After work, I hit up the gym - where I spent time walking, doing the elliptical, and doing lots of squats and stretching. At home, I ate more pineapple, took a bath, and just hung out with Matt. A few minutes after 12 midnight my water broke. Getting woke up by your water breaking...now that's a feeling I can't even describe. It was weird. And disgusting. I woke Matt up and told him (at first I wasn't sure if my water did actually break - I thought maybe I had just peed myself...#pregnantgirlproblems) But that was not the case. My water had definitely broken. At this point I wasn't having any contractions. I called my doctor's office where the on call service answered. The lady I spoke with said the on call doctor at the hospital would call me back. In the meantime, I started getting ready - putting on makeup, fixing my hair - you know, all the important stuff. I was still very calm - very much in disbelief - but definitely calm. Matt, on the other hand, wasn't so much. He was pacing, packing up the last minute items we would need and was very much in a rush to get to the hospital. About 20-30 minutes went by and no call back. So I called again. I let the answering service lady know that I had just called but the on call doctor hadn't called me back and I wasn't sure what to do. I hung up with her and the doctor finally called me back. She said I didn't need to rush to the hospital if I could feel the baby move. She instructed me to eat or drink something sweet. If I felt the baby move I could wait and then head to the hospital around 6am. If I did that and couldn't feel the baby move I should call back and let them know I was heading to the hospital. Once I hung up I drank some cold water and ate some candy (and a granola bar I believe.) I waited. And waited. I pushed on my stomach. I did everything I could to get the little guy to move. NOTHING. So I called back, told the doctor that I couldn't get the baby to move, and we were headed to the hospital. At this point, I was a little nervous but not too bad. I still wanted to finish getting ready but Matt was rushing me and said we needed to get to the hospital. So off we went... We called our parents as we were pulling out of our driveway - around 1am. I still wasn't feeling any contractions at this point. We got to the hospital (where the doors to the birthing center were locked {insert freak out moment!} Apparently, you're supposed to go to the ER first when it's the middle of the night but Matt just pulled the doors apart...) and went right into triage. I got changed and they hooked me up to check on the baby and checked my progress (I believe at this point I was 2cm dilated.) They also confirmed that my water did indeed break (no freakin' kidding....) We got into our room around 3am. I was feeling contractions at this point (though I don't remember - but Matt said I was so I'll take his word) but wasn't bothered by them. Our parents were there by then and we just tried to rest as much as possible. At 6am they started me on pitocin since contractions weren't progressing. I took to the pitocin VERY well. I believe they only bumped me up a couple levels and contractions got very intense. I started out in bed but quickly moved to the birthing ball. Being in bed was HORRIBLE for me!! They stopped pitocin because I was doing so well and wanted to see if I could continue the progression without the meds. At this point I got into the therapy tub which was AMAZING!!! I progressed fairly quickly to 6cm. Once I got out of the tub they checked on the baby again. I continued to labor on the birthing ball but not progressing quickly. The nurse suggested I get back into the tub since I had done so well with it before. I spent a little too long in the tub apparently because I got dehydrated and I had to get fluids (no wonder why I was so bloated after he was born!) So back to the bed I went (UGH!) Going from 6-8cm was VERY slow for me and took FOREVER!!! But finally I was at 8cm. And at that point, I felt the urge to push (tansition period) Buuuuuuut that is not allowed. This period was HORRBIBLE - I mean, seriously, God AWFUL!! The nurse suggested I start panting (yes, like a dog) because apparently it's physically impossible for you to pant and push at the same time. So, yeah, that's what the next few hours looked like. Just imagine that...me laboring in bed, med free, panting like a dog, throat getting so sore and dry, and screaming through the contractions. Awesome. So after a while, I finally got to 10cm and could push. It was 6:30pm at this time. We thought - GREAT! It's almost over with!....Boy were we wrong... It took a while for me to push correctly. No one prepared me for how hard and awkward pushing is. I'm talking sweat pouring off me, out of breath sort of HARD! I pushed and pushed and pushed. I don't know how long I pushed for before the nurse noticed that Camden was turned slightly. At this point I was asked if I wanted an epidural. They also suggested I switch positions which can sometimes get the baby to turn. I wasn't sure what to do. I was so exhausted from pushing. I couldn't think clearly. So Matt made the decision to try to switch positions while pushing (he knew deep down I didn't want an epidural and I'm so glad he made this decision!) I turned on my side and pushed that way for a bit. Luckily, that worked and Camden turned. But I still had lots of pushing to do. At one point, they turned the pitocin back on because my contractions had gotten further apart. So that was a joy too. So anyways, I kept on pushing. And pushing. And finally I was ready to deliver. The doctor and team came in (I had no idea there was an entire team that was needed. I always thought it was a nurse and doctor and that's it! Boy was I wrong!! I think there were about 7 people in the room for delivery.) In any case, I continued to push. And push. At one point, I remember seeing the doctor and nurse out of the corner of my eye sort of whispering to each other. The doctor came to me and asked if she could give me an episiotomy. I said I'd prefer not to. She explained that she'll give me another chance to get the baby out. So I kept pushing - good pushes too - but still nothing. The doctor then said she was going to numb me (at this point she knew she'd end up cutting me but didn't directly say that to me.) Apparently, Camden's heart rate kept dropping. It'd come back up quickly which is why they let me keep pushing. After I got numbed I, of course, kept pushing. I don't know how many times I pushed after I got numbed, but soon after the doctor said she had to cut me. The baby's heart rate dropped too low and he was in distress. He needed to come out ASAP. So the doctor performed an episiotomy and two pushes (I think) later he was out!!! He just needed that little bit of extra room to make his grand entrance at 9:27pm (yes, that's 3 hours of pushing!) He cried right away and they laid him on my chest for immediate skin to skin (Oh, and then Matt dropped the camera on him ha-ha) Apparently, the umbilical cord was on his shoulder and that's why his heart rate would drop whenever I pushed. After a little bit, Camden went to get cleaned up and checked out. I got stitched up and then did skin to skin the first hour or so of his life while everyone came in quick to see him (my parents, Matt's parents, and Matt's sister Wendi.) And that my friends is (basically) how Camden Matthew made his entrance into this crazy world. I'm sure I left out a lot of details but I got all the main points that I'll always want to remember about this day!
1 Comment
Krista
2/26/2015 02:31:55 am
Thank you so much for sharing your birth story. That was amazing to read and you did a great job! Thanks for sharing it with us. :)
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AuthorHey ~ I'm Renée...just your ordinary, 30-something Accountant, new mommy, wife, runner, foodie, & Pinterest addict! Welcome to my newest adventure...stay awhile...look around...and keep comin' back! Archives
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