labor updates

Happy Friday everyone! I have some updates about how my labor actually went down ;)

When I wrote my birth story I was hoping that I would eventually remember more details from it since I was so in and out of it from the IV pain medicine. Well I remembered I was texting my photographer my updates about my labor and decided to go through the text messages to see how accurate I was with remembering the time of day and how much I was dilated and I seemed to be a bit off. Totally the pain meds they gave me are to blame. So I wanted to male a post with updates as far as that goes. However all the conversations I remembered are correct.

When I got to the hospital Monday morning at 6am march 9th the plan was to start cervidil. By the time I got to the room, hooked up to monitors and IVs and checked I was already having regular contractions on my own, but they weren't that strong so I didn't pay any attention to them. At my last appointment on Thursday march 5th I was still only 1cm dilated and not effaced. When she checked me I was 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced so Dr. Givens said we would just start with the pitocin and we would have a baby that day!

We did start the Pitocin at 9am

By 1:30 Dr reeves came in and broke my water and I was still at 2cm and the contractions were lasting about 3 minutes each. He also told me we would have a baby that afternoon or evening!

By 4pm the contractions were getting harder and they kept turning down the pitocin saying contractions were lasting too long.

I'm assuming around 4:30-5:00 is when I got the IV pain meds given to me which still was the biggest mistake! The nurse kind of talked me into it telling me I needed to wait until I was 3 preferably 4cm before getting the epidural because I wouldn't be able to get out of the bed and I could be there all night. I should have told her no to the pain meds and to give me the epidural anyway because by 6pm I got the epidural and was 3cm dilated, 80% effaced and she was -1

By 6:30 I was 4cm and by 7:45 I was almost 5cm and 90% effaced. around 6:30-7:00 is when the nurse told the family it would be a good time to go get dinner because it could be happening soon

By 8:30 contractions were 2 minutes apart and I was feeling pressure even with the epidural. She was sitting me up and turning me in all kind of positions to help speed things up or so we thought.

At this point my photographer decided it would probably be happening soon and even though I wasn't 7cm yet she went ahead and got ready and came to the hospital.

I don't have anymore updates from there because my photographer got to the hospital, but I know we joked about Lakelyn needing to be there before the bachelor started at 8pm or after it ended at 11pm. I don't believe they checked me during the bachelor and Tyler said he doesn't think they did either. If I'm not mistaking I think right after it went off I was checked and this is when she told me I was 7cm on one side and 8-9 cm on the other side. We were confused on this and then I remember the hospitalist doctor coming in sometimes after that and checking me and telling me I was at 7cm.

I did start to get nauseated after that and it lasted a very long time and I ended up needing nausea medicine which i knew should help with the nausea, but i also knew it would make me tired too which wouldn't help since i was still out of it from the pain meds and not eating all day. I remember not knowing what to do because they were telling me within 3 hours i should be having a baby since i was already at 7cm and i didn't want to be even more out of it than i was, but i eventually had to give in and get it because i was so nauseous i couldn't take it.

After that, I did end up making them turn off the tv and be quiet so i could get some sleep and i guess that was their hint to try to get some sleep too because i think it was around 2-3 AM Tyler's parents and sister went to their car to try to sleep, my grandma took my mom's car home (my mom decided to stay and help Tyler with me because i was starting with back labor and it was HORRIBLE, no position, amount of epidural meds, crying, heat, ice, massaging, NOTHING helped it- more on this in a second), Tyler's grandparents went home and the photographer decided to go home too. My back labor lasted what seemed like forever.. i really don't know how long it was, but my mom and Tyler tried EVERYTHING they could and the nurse just stood there like she didn't know what to do. I think this was also when she turned off my Pitocin. Eventually, my mom remembered about putting a pillow under my belly while i was laying on my side and that did get me to the point where i was comfortable enough to get some sleep.

My mom and Tyler finally got some sleep too, but apparently it wasn't much because 1) what they were trying to sleep on wasn't comfortable 2) i guess i had it freezing cold in there and 3) the nurse kept coming in and i kept moving which would wake them up to see if i was fine.

The next shift change was at 7am and i believe most of what i wrote previously about that point on is fairly accurate.

It is really upsetting that I cannot remember everything. I wish i would have written it down or had someone else do it. I tried texting myself when I got updates, but once the pain started I barely remembered to text the photographer. I told Tyler the other day that next time that no matter what state I'm in DO NOT let them give me anything unless its the epidural or if i'm being induced then Pitocin, but NOTHING ELSE!

She was completely worth every second and i would do it over and over again if i had to.. She's the most perfect blessing God could have given us and I'm so completely grateful for her and for God trusting us with his perfect child!

We love you so incredibly much Lakelyn Beth! You are our world, baby girl!