Note: I originally posted this on my birth club message board, so some of the terms/abbreviations may not be familiar. DH is Dear Husband, LO is Little One. Baby AB is the name I've used for the little guy on the board since my initials are AB. Anyway, Here is the birth story for Sebastian. It's long but hey...so is labor.
On Wednesday, September 5th, I had my 40 week appointment where the OB and I decided that if Baby AB didn't come on his own, we'd induce on Thursday, September 13th. This was provided he pass another NST on September 11th otherwise, we'd induce that day. OB stripped my membranes and said if it were going to work, it'd be that day.
I went home and told DH about the plan. All afternoon, I showed no signs of labor and woke up without a baby that next day. Thursday morning, I got a call from my parents saying they were coming early and would be here Saturday evening. (They live 20 hours away and were driving up) I called DH and let him know and he told me that he had been thinking about it and would rather me be induced on Saturday because of the risks involved in going past 41 weeks. I agreed and called the doctor and scheduled my induction for Saturday, September 8th.
We called our friends and family and told them what was going on so that they would know. All the while DH was commenting that it would be cool if he came on is own on the 7th. (Our anniversary is 11/7 and my parents is 3/7...7 has pretty special meaning to us) However, I knew how stubborn LO was going to be and told him not to count on it.
We went to bed that night around 10pm. I, as usual, got out of bed around 11pm and hung around the living room fighting heartburn. I finally went to bed around 1am feeling pretty bummed that I STILL was showing no signs of labor. (I had secretly wanted DH to be right. lol)
I woke up at 4:45am to roll over (yes, I had to actually wake myself up to hoist my big ass to the other side.) As I rolled over, I felt a gush of fluid. I immediately jumped out of bed, successfully avoiding AF all over our sleep number mattress. I ran to the bathroom and sat on the toilet as fluid poured out. (Awesome mental image, huh? Sorry, ladies)
At that point, I was simultaneously excited and scared shiitless. This was IT. I cleaned myself up, and woke DH to let him know my water broke but that I was going to take a shower and he could sleep a few minutes longer. After my shower, I woke him up and we proceeded to get our stuff together and get ready to head to the hospital. In the meantime, my contractions started. The first couple were not bad...pretty much the same kind as the "are they or aren't they" cramps I'd had for a couple of weeks. By 6am, they were full blown, one minute apart and very intense.
We loaded up and headed to the hospital...stopping at Dunkin Donuts for donuts for the nurses. While DH was inside getting the donuts, I decided, I was getting the epidural. I had been positive I could handle it and get through med free, but these contractions were a nightmare.
We arrived at the hospital at 6:30am and got checked in. I was at 3cm and 80% effaced and still contracting every minute. I had wanted to wait awhile longer to get my epi, but since there were several c-sections on the docket for the morning, I opted to go ahead and get it rather than be forced to wait hours.
Let me tell you...BEST decision I have ever made. Ladies that go natural...I salute you. I am NOT the bad ass I thought I was. lol... In the 45 minutes it took to get me checked in and get the epi placed, I had progressed to 4cm and was at -1 station. This was at 7:15am. I had worried that the epi would slow my progress and that I'd be started on Pit, but we watched the contractions on the screen stay at 2-3 minutes apart.
I was checked again at 1:30pm and was at 9cm and 0 station. At 4, they checked and I was 10cm but they wanted me to wait to push until I labored him down a bit more.
I started pushing at 5:05 and pushed for 3 hours. The OB that was on call was convinced that I needed Pit, but my nurse kept stalling him saying I didn't need it, as I was laboring fine on my own. DH was amazing this whole time. He was helping me push, coaching me, counting me down, and just being right there for whatever I needed.
The OB finally let me know that LO's head was stuck under my pubic bone and that in order to get him out, he would need to use the forceps to deliver him. By this point, I just wanted him out, so I agreed to the use of forceps. DH watched the whole process go down. lol...I always imagined he would stay at my head and not want to see anything but he watched the entire thing and the only part that actually got to him was the episiotome.
Finally, at 7:45pm, Sebastian Floyd was born at 8lbs, 1oz and 21.25 inches long. He is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. Looks exactly like his daddy and has a head FULL of dark hair.
I had some minor damage...4th degree tear and the episiotome. It took the doc about an hour and a half to get me all sewn up and ready to go.
Sebastian and I have had a few breastfeeding challenges, but I think we're on a good track and he's been eating very well in the last few days. I love him so much and just can't wait to watch him grow.
I will say that pretty much everything in my birth "plan" went out the window from the beginning, but none of that bothered me. I had the exact birth that was needed to get him here safely and that's what I needed. And, again...thank GOD for the epi...even if I could have handled the contractions, I couldn't have done the pushing and delivery without it. lol...
Adorable!!!! <3
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