Induction with Hypnobabies.
Some of you may know that I was scheduled to be induced at 38 weeks due to a
grade 3 placenta (probably caused by PIH). Also, my ultrasounds at 36 and 37
weeks showed that my boy had "large" kidneys. I reluctantly consented to the
induction because I just wanted a healthy baby.
My goal throughout this pregnancy was to go unmedicated. With Julia, I had a 5
hour pitocin induced labor, got the epidural at the very last minute and she was
born just 20 minutes later. The nurse hadn't checked me in a few hours and I was
fully dilated just after the epidural was administered. I always regretted that.
I took the Hypnobabies home study course during this pregnancy. I was doubtful
about having a pain free birth, but definitely wanted to take the relaxation
techniques with me into this labor.
When we got to the hospital at 7:30 AM on Saturday, November 24th, the ladies in
admitting told us to go wait in the waiting room. We did, and ended up waiting
for 2 hours before they even checked us in. Evidently, there was some mix up and
they had us scheduled for the previous day. By 9:30 AM, I was registered and in
the room.
The nurse got me all hooked up to the monitors, IVs, and the pitocin by 10:30
AM. At that point I was dilated to 3 cm. I was not crazy at all about my nurse.
When she asked me if I wanted pain meds and I told her no, she tried to talk me
out of it. Actually, she tried 3 times throughout the day to get me to get the
epidural telling me it would relax me. I just told her that I was completely
relaxed, and just said no thanks with a smile.
At 1:45 PM I was only 4-5 cm dilated and still feeling only pressure, no pain.
At 2:00 PM, my doctor came in and said that the baby looked great. At 3:45 PM
the nurse said I was at 5 cm and the baby had dropped down considerably. I was
very discouraged at this point because I really thought that I would have a
short labor. But my boy was hanging on for dear life in there. He didn't want to
come out yet, LOL.
At 6:15 PM my nurse checked me and said I was 7 cm. She got the room prepped for
delivery. I was still smiling and not even having to breathe through the
contractions at this point. The nurse said that she couldn't believe I was at a
33 ml/hr of pit and still smiling.
At 7:15 PM, a new shift begun and the most wonderful nurse came in. However,
this is where the pain began. Like I said earlier, I didn't expect to have a
pain free birth, so I knew it was coming. I began sweating and feeling horrible.
I knew that I was in transition at that point. I called the nurse because I felt
like I needed to go to the bathroom. They sent a different nurse and she
wouldn't unhook me from the monitors to go to the bathroom (my first nurse
actually let me do that). She said that I couldn't be up at all with the
pitocin. My DH told her that the previous nurse had let me get up to go to the
bathroom, but she brought in a bedpan (ick). I tried to go, but I couldn't. The
baby was probably just dropping down lower. My IV started to come out because I
was sweating so badly so the nurses were trying to put it back in securely in
the middle of these horrid contractions. At around 8 P , I asked them to check
me because I thought I needed to push and they did. I was at a 9-10 cm. I told
them that my water hadn't broken yet so they called the doctor to do it. The
doctor came in, broke my water, checked and confirmed that I was fully dilated.
They dropped the big light down from the ceiling, pulled my legs back, and with
2 pushes, my boy was out (8:03 PM). And its true what they say about pushing -
after the first push they told me to stop pushing. I was not in control of my
body at that point…. My body was pushing on its own and I told them that.
Just after I had him, I was shaking like a leaf. The doctor said that was
adrenaline. Peyton's apgars were 9 and 9.5. I didn't tear at all. He latched on
right away, and is a great sleeper. I have to wake him up to eat (I'm sure that
will change soon, LOL). His kidneys are perfectly normal. They did an ultrasound
on him that night and gave us the great news in the morning. Thanks to all of
you who prayed for us…..
I don't think I could've made it unmedicated without Hypnobabies. I listened to
my cd's throughout much of the labor and used my fingerdrop technique for all
but the last 45 minutes or so.
Julia is adjusting well. She wants to "hold it" all the time and loves to sit
with him. I am so happy that she has taken so well to him so far.