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Getting ready for OR
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Ahhhh, birth story I don't even know where to begin.
Let me start by saying that my whole pregnancy wasn't easy breezy. I didn't have extreme morning sickness, matter of fact, now that i think about it, I never vomited my entire pregnancy. Although I was in and out of the hospital for some reason. And that reason being I bled all through my pregnancy. I had to stop working 2 months prior to my due date because of it and i'm not gonna lie, having 2 months for myself and my husband and prepping the baby room was a blessing.
At 34 weeks I was already contracting and was dilated at 1cm.
At 38 weeks, I was 3cm and 60% effaced. I was already having contractions and was (still) bleeding. So my OB_GYN, which by the way is the sweetest and most caring, and I decided to get my membranes stripped. Stripping of membrane aka membrane sweep is basically a safe medical procedure done by your OB to facilitate labor- HCP will gently separate bag of water from the side of the uterus- and this will stimulate contractions. 4 days after my membrane sweep I had another check up and was basically had the same dilation and effacement.
At 39 weeks, dawn of August 26, I started having contractions. A slow but progressive labor. It would start from my back running through my pelvic area and would last for 3 minutes. The pain was painful but tolerable ( sidenote: i have a very high tolerance of pain). At 5:30am, I was getting more and more uneasy and uncomfortable so Chris and I decided check in to the hospital. At noon ( 6 hours after), I was checked by my doctor and still 3cm and 70% effaced. The labor was longer and the pain was intolerable. The slow progress and the unmanageable pain led me to a decision to be inducted via AROM aka Artificial Rupture of Membrane and Pitocin.
Let me start by saying that my whole pregnancy wasn't easy breezy. I didn't have extreme morning sickness, matter of fact, now that i think about it, I never vomited my entire pregnancy. Although I was in and out of the hospital for some reason. And that reason being I bled all through my pregnancy. I had to stop working 2 months prior to my due date because of it and i'm not gonna lie, having 2 months for myself and my husband and prepping the baby room was a blessing.
At 34 weeks I was already contracting and was dilated at 1cm.
At 38 weeks, I was 3cm and 60% effaced. I was already having contractions and was (still) bleeding. So my OB_GYN, which by the way is the sweetest and most caring, and I decided to get my membranes stripped. Stripping of membrane aka membrane sweep is basically a safe medical procedure done by your OB to facilitate labor- HCP will gently separate bag of water from the side of the uterus- and this will stimulate contractions. 4 days after my membrane sweep I had another check up and was basically had the same dilation and effacement.
At 39 weeks, dawn of August 26, I started having contractions. A slow but progressive labor. It would start from my back running through my pelvic area and would last for 3 minutes. The pain was painful but tolerable ( sidenote: i have a very high tolerance of pain). At 5:30am, I was getting more and more uneasy and uncomfortable so Chris and I decided check in to the hospital. At noon ( 6 hours after), I was checked by my doctor and still 3cm and 70% effaced. The labor was longer and the pain was intolerable. The slow progress and the unmanageable pain led me to a decision to be inducted via AROM aka Artificial Rupture of Membrane and Pitocin.
At 4pm I was 6cm and 80% effaced. And because the pain was intolerable, again mind you I have pain tolerance, I decided to get an epidural - still one of the best decisions I made. I remember getting prepped by my nurse and anesthesiologist for the procedure and Chris was at the other corner freaking out. He hates needles. And when he saw how big the needle was his lips turn pale and his eyes widened. I remember my anesthesiologist making a joke for Chris to look the other way cause he was getting pale. The epidural was uncomfortable but manageable. I am not afraid of needles so it was quite easy for me. I was already is so much labor pain that the process was as easy as breathing out, lol. I remember the anesthesiologist commending me how I didn't even flinch when I was being poked by a huge needle.
At 6pm I was awaken from my nap by my nurse telling me that my baby's heartbeat went to 50bpm.
I remember my first reaction was "Ohhhh Shit" knowing that my baby's heart beat was way beyond below normal (normal FHR 140-160 bpm). I was checked and I was still 6cm dilated, 80% effaced. as health concerns both for me and my baby, my OB-GYN recommended a C-Section, I was flabbergasted. My whole pregnancy was rough but I never entertained the thought of CS. I remember looking at Chris teary-eyed and he grabbed my hands and kissed my forehead.
I am not new to the Operating Room nor new to the procedure. Matter of fact I have been, side by side with the doctor, doing operations like Cesarean Section scrubbing as a nurse. But it's a different feeling when you are the one in the table, it's frightening- tho i know my OR Team will do me good, there's still that fear of what ifs. I also saw fear on Chris's eyes. We both were scared but I, having have done operations like this before, was more at ease than Chris. I joked about how he should film how they cut my stomach open- his reaction was priceless.
At 6pm I was awaken from my nap by my nurse telling me that my baby's heartbeat went to 50bpm.
I remember my first reaction was "Ohhhh Shit" knowing that my baby's heart beat was way beyond below normal (normal FHR 140-160 bpm). I was checked and I was still 6cm dilated, 80% effaced. as health concerns both for me and my baby, my OB-GYN recommended a C-Section, I was flabbergasted. My whole pregnancy was rough but I never entertained the thought of CS. I remember looking at Chris teary-eyed and he grabbed my hands and kissed my forehead.
I am not new to the Operating Room nor new to the procedure. Matter of fact I have been, side by side with the doctor, doing operations like Cesarean Section scrubbing as a nurse. But it's a different feeling when you are the one in the table, it's frightening- tho i know my OR Team will do me good, there's still that fear of what ifs. I also saw fear on Chris's eyes. We both were scared but I, having have done operations like this before, was more at ease than Chris. I joked about how he should film how they cut my stomach open- his reaction was priceless.
Laying in the operating table, I remember feeling incredibly helpless and intimidating.
At 10:19pm of August 26, I will never forget, I heard the most amazing, cutest, fulfilling cry of all. It was the cry of my baby girl. I clearly remember, I was looking at the ceiling, my body was numb but my heart was fluttering- there I was, a MOTHER.
At 10:19pm of August 26, I will never forget, I heard the most amazing, cutest, fulfilling cry of all. It was the cry of my baby girl. I clearly remember, I was looking at the ceiling, my body was numb but my heart was fluttering- there I was, a MOTHER.
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