I was induced on the evening of January 17th, ten days after my due date. Honestly, if we hadn't done it then, I don't know when Paigey would have come. I was 1 cm dilated at 10 pm when they started the induction with a tablet. The tablet made me start getting contractions and four hours later, I was 3 cm. I progressed enough so that I didn't need another tablet. My contractions did start getting more intense and since I'm such a wimp, they gave me some pain reliever so that I could get some rest between the hours of 3 and 5 am. I still wasn't comfortable and buzzed in and out of consciousness even with the pain reliever.
At 7 am, my doctor came in to check on me and broke my water. That's when my contractions got really intense. I got a steady stream of pain reliever after that, but then my progress slowed down and they started me on pitocin. When I was 5 cm, I got my epidural and boy did that make it all better. It was scary, but it was better than feeling the contractions. I didn't have a birth plan. I just wanted Paige to be healthy. But, I did want to avoid an episiotomy or a c- section if possible. I also wanted to know how the contractions really felt to see if I needed the epidural and I did. I guess if I needed something for the mild contractions, I definitely needed something for the crazy ones.
At some point they gave me an oxygen mask. Soon after that, I started feeling the contractions again, so I pushed for more meds. Then I got the shakes really bad. Our awesome nurse was on her break and another nurse told us it was a side effect of the pitocin and not to worry. But, the shakes were almost worse than the contractions. I felt like I was going to bite my tongue with my chattering teeth. When my regular nurse came back, she confirmed that it was a side effect, but decided to take my temperature. That's when she realized I had a fever. They had to get the baby out immediately so that the fever didn't affect Paige.
Luckily I was at 10 cm so I could start pushing. After almost an hour and a half of pushing - and mind you I was numb down there so I had no idea whether it was doing anything - my doctor said that I was close, but I would need a little help in the way of an episiotomy and forceps. Now, all the literature that Bob and I read about birthing and our birthing classes warned about the potential dangers of using forceps, so naturally we were hesitant to agree to it. But, in the end, I really trusted my doctor so we consented. And just like that, extra nurses came in with all the tools and the NICU nurses came just in case the fever had gotten to Paige. There sure were a lot of people in the room looking at me and as the doc did what he had to, I saw a look of horror flood their faces. And, even with the epidural I could feel the intense pressure of the forceps and the crowning. It was very quick though. When she was finally born, it was instant relief. She was perfectly healthy, but I needed some work done on me so unfortunately, I didn't get to do the immediate skin on skin contact with her.
Because the pushing and birthing happened so fast at the end, the extra meds they gave me kicked in just a bit late and my blood pressure dropped so I had to rest and be monitored much longer than normal before they could move us into our room.
All throughout my pregnancy this moment had been my worst fear and I was relieved that it was over, proud that I had done it and thankful that I avoided a c-section and that Paige was such a healthy baby. When I was going through the induction and contractions, it seemed so long, but it really wasn't. It wasn't a long time to be experiencing pain. If I had to do it again, I could. What "they" say is true. It was all worth it.
The first week, however, is another story...
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