Thursday we woke up way too early, we were both anxious and excited about our induction, happy to finally meet Lovebug. We got ready, Josh walked Neela, the neighbors knew all about taking care of the puppies, got breakfast, and double-checked our bags.
The ride was beautiful with all the snow, though a little scary at first because the valley was covered in very thick fog and it was still dark. Once we were out of the valley, though, it was perfect. I started having BH contractions on the way there, so I was feeling positive my body was going to cooperate and start contracting away once the induction started.
We made it to the hospital right on time, and they set us up in room 3. Our nurse, Nancy, told us how things where going to start and got me all set up for the induction. They were going to give 3 rounds of prostaglandin to begin, every 2 hours. She set up the monitors to track Lovebug's heart rate and the uterine activity (or contractions) on my belly, and she checked me for progress. I was 1 cm dilated and 60% effaced, so there was a little progress. She applied the first round of prostaglandin gel to soften my cervix and get contractions going at around 8:10 am, and told us I was to stay in bed for an hour and then walk around for an hour, and then we would do a second round of prostaglandin.
Josh was tracking my contractions on the monitor. It was very cute to see him pay attention and get excited when I was having a contraction. So we listened to music and sat there, while my contractions started to get a little stronger. After an hour, we went for a walk to the sky walk of the hospital (me in my very sexy hospital gown, white socks and slippers, ha!) and then we went back to the room. I was reading, Josh was doing a crossword puzzle. Contractions were getting stronger, but they were not bad yet. Our nurse, Nancy, came by to set up an IV and start me on antibiotics while we waited for the doctor.
At around 10:30 am the doctor came in to check me, and told us I was 2 cm dilated and 60% effaced, just where they expected me to be. So the doctor gave me the second round of prostaglandin gel, but as he was pulling out the syringe, my bag of waters broke. I felt a little gush of water, and so did he. So he told us he thought he may have broken my bag of waters, and that if that was the case we wouldn't do another round of gel, but move on to Pitocin if necessary. He wasn't completely sure that he had, though. He left and said he would come back in an hour to check on me.
I asked Josh to check the bed to confirm my bag had broken, and after we confirmed it we told the nurse about it. Josh also asked her if it was normal for the heart rate to go down with contractions. She looked at the monitors, and said something like sure, but let's adjust those monitors. She asked to me to lay on my left side and moved the monitor around my belly. Then she asked me to lay on my right side and moved to monitor again. Finally she asked me to get in all fours, and moved the monitor again. Another nurse came in and our nurse told her she should page our doctor, now. She also asked her to put me on oxygen.
She decided to check me. I didn't realize it at the time, but she was looking for a prolapsed cord (when the cord starts coming out before baby.) She couldn't find anything, I was still 2 cm dilated (though with stronger contractions). The doctor was there in no time, and he asked for a fetal monitor to place on Lovebug's head, to get a better read. Getting a fetal monitor when only 2 cm dilated and 60% effaced really hurts! The heart rate was good, so the doctor left the room and told our nurse to keep me monitored and have me fill out the anesthesia paperwork, just in case. Our nurse started asking me all the questions for the paperwork, and had me sign the forms in a hurry.
The heart rate dropped again. The doctor was called in as I was in all fours again, and again they got a good heart rate for Lovebug. The doctor walked in and told us if it happened again, it would just have to be a c-section, because I still had several hours to go and they didn't want to deal with drops of heart rate for all that time. He was very cool and calming, saying he was sorry that would be our only option, and I could still hear the smile on his voice. As soon as he finished saying that, another drop in heart rate. That was it. He said it was going to be a c-section, told Josh that he should get ready and grab his camera, but that he might not be able to go in the OR if the heart rate wasn't stable again. Josh gave me a kiss and told me he loved me, and I broke down. That's when I realized just how serious things were, and I started crying as I said "I love you" back.
They wheeled me out as I was, in all fours, to the OR across the hall. I was scared and I was starting to panic, and crying. It took all my strength to get it together and calm down, I knew I needed to keep it together for Lovebug, and I needed to stay positive. They told me to move to the operating table and I could hear everyone rushing, the anesthesiologist contemplating if there was enough time for an epidural, our doctor getting ready, a nurse shaving my pubic area, another inserting a catheter. I was focused on breathing through my oxygen mask, and just going with the flow, trying to stop shaking and relax. They decided they had time for an epidural, started setting up for it. Someone turned off the monitors for Lovebug's heart rate by mistake. Our doctor asked if anyone had removed the fetal monitor, and to turn it back on. He told me not to worry ,they wouldn't cut until I was down. I could hear the smile was gone, he was all business and professional. In a matter of seconds, they decided there was no time for an epidural. The anesthesiologist said "you're going to feel some pressure on your throat". I felt it, and I was down.
I remember I was dreaming something, who knows what, and then I woke up in what felt like 10 seconds later. I was in another room, and then I saw Josh in his blue scrubs, camera in hand. He told me to look to the right, and there he was: Lovebug, safe and sound. I felt so relieved, we both made it out.
It was less than an hour between the moment my water broke and Evan's birth. When they pulled him out, they found the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. When my water broke, the cord started tightening around his neck, which is why he was in distress.
I get very emotional about the birth. It was so scary and traumatic, just thinking about it makes me tear up. But we're so grateful to our doctor and so happy to have such a sweet baby with us, I wear that scar with pride.
So here's a little list of Lovebug's facts (in no particular order):
