Labor and Delivery Story

I thought it would be fun to let everyone know about my labor and delivery story. So I will start it off with that I was due February 27th, 2014. Smack in the middle of Evan's hitch. Originally I wanted an all natural birth meaning unmediated and no induction. Evan was fully in support of not being induced and was ready to coach me through labor. At my 36 week appointment Evan got to come and we had been talking to the doctor about how Evan would have a 6+ hour drive home and how I was nervous he wouldn't make it. She said she is not opposed to inductions for the father to be there but that I was too early. This was fine since we didn't want one anyways.

I think it was 6 days before Addison was born that I went to my weekly doctors appointment. I had done a lot of research on membrane sweeps and decided it was something that I was ok with. I was over 38 weeks and 3.5cm dilated so I decided to ask my doctor what she thought. She said she could do one! I was so excited and told Evan to keep his phone close in case it worked! Throughout that day I was losing parts of my plug. Later that night I stayed active with a walk, my yoga ball, and setting up Addison's dresser. I was having contractions that usually felt like pretty descent menstrual cramps. I got some sleep and was sad when I woke up in the morning without being in labor. Over the next few days I kept getting these contractions again and even went into L&D but I was still at 3.5cm. I started getting nervous about Evan having to drive so long since I was having these contractions (which at times were regular) and that he wouldn't make it in time. It was at that point Evan and I decided together that we would ask for an induction. I felt that Evan being there was more important to me than no pitocin.  I believe it was a Friday when I called my doctor and she said she would have me come in Saturday morning if there was rooms available.

Finally Saturday was here! I woke up at 3am not being able to sleep in excitement and watched a movie and made a pizza with Evan. I was not able to eat much which sucked cause I knew they were going to tell me no food. At 6am I called L&D and asked if they were going to get me in that day and they said YES and to be there at 7!!! We couldn't believe it, we were about to have our baby! We loaded up the car and stopped by Caribou Coffee, I didn't get anything :) When we got in at 7 they brought us to my room and started my IV with saline.

At 730am the resident doctor came in. He checked me and I was still at 3.5cm and 70% effaced. Baby was in -2 if I remember correctly. He decided to start the induction off with breaking my water. He thought that would be enough to get those contractions going since I was already so far progressed and that there would even be a possibility that I wouldn't need pitocin! Meanwhile my family was taking the longest drive from Minneapolis ever since there was an ice storm.  Well... it didn't jump start me at all. So we started pitocin at 9am. The pitocin didn't work right away and I wasn't having much for contractions, just some cramping. So after maxing out we decided to turn it off for a bit at 5pm so I could shower, and eat then we would stat again at 7pm.

Around 11pm is when the contractions started becoming bad. I was dilated to 4cm. At 1am I called my mom at her hotel and told her I wanted her with me. I kept getting on the yoga ball, it felt so good to rock my hips during contractions. I did good at relaxing in between and I was not scared for the next; I kept my mind off of them in between. Evan was right there by my side with every contraction. At 6am I was at 4.5cm. That's it?!?! Are you kidding me? I've been in active labor for 7 hours and I had only progressed 1/2 a cm? Not knowing how much longer it would take I started contemplating the epidural. I had been up for 27 hours and these contractions HURT! I broke down and started crying because I really didn't want the epi but I didn't know how much longer I could take this. The nurses were so kind and had an unbiased discussion with me. Not forcing me either way. I gave in and got it. I also had an internal contraction monitor put in so that we could go even higher on pitocin.

I slept on and off for about 2 hours and then it wore off. So I got another bolus shot. at 10am I was at a 6. The doctor said that I might not be progressing because the baby is too big and we talked about a c-section. Evan and I decided that we could get checked again in another hour or two and if I hadn't progressed then do a section. At 12pm I was at 7cm! So we decided to continue with labor and see how it went. At 8cm the epi wore off again ( for the 3rd time actually) and they said I was too far to get another bolus. The contractions were horrible! But I was also glad that I was going to get to feel labor naturally. The epi was so far worn off that I could itch my thighs and feel it just fine. Evan was the best coach ever! But I remember this one time he said "I know it hurts hunny" and so I can right back with "No you don't, you have no idea and never will!" HAHAHA so he immediately apologized and said I was right.

I kept feeling like I couldn't breathe and at 9.5cm I knew I had to push. But I still had a lip on one side of my cervix so I couldn't or I would risk tearing my cervix. Wow that was hard to hold back. I was finally given the ok to push at 2:07pm. The pushing helped the pain of the contractions but I have never done something so exhausting! OMG! I was yelling at the staff to help me and they kept saying obviously they couldn't. Her head was right there the entire time. Evan watched it come out a bit and go back in with every push for over an hour and a half! Finally they said they could use the vacuum.  Addison Rose Puskar was born at 3:47pm. 8lbs 7oz and 21.5in. at 39weeks 3days.

We immediately did skin to skin as dad cut the cord. She didn't even cry. Just stared at her mom and dad. We finally had her in our arms and couldn't have been any happier. She was perfect! 10 fingers and 10 toes ;)

Please feel free to ask any questions. Thanks for reading!