Bleeding_Heart: Graysen's Induced Delivery

Posted Monday, November 23, 2009 4:24 PM

"I can't explain that feeling of immediate and overwhelming love. My son was here..."

Induction Day

My husband Jake and I woke early to eat breakfast at one of our favorite restaurants, Blue's Cafe. I ordered my usual French Toast with powdered sugar and a side of Hash Browns--well-done and slathered in Ketchup. Jake ordered something that resembled a heart-attack and an endless cup of coffee.The servers at Blue's were so cute and excited for us. Everyone wished us well. It seemed like the day was off to a good start.

After breakfast, we called the hospital to let them know we were on our way in and to confirm that they knew that instead of coming in for my Non-Stress Test that, instead, I was coming in to be induced. Turns out, they didn't even have me down for my NST, but they were really slow, so they said to come in anyway. It turns out that it was a good thing, too, because I was ready to meet my Man Cub!

All systems go

When we got to the hospital, they were ready to go. I was one of two ladies in the OB ward, so I was given a lot of attention. My doctor asked if I wanted to be started on Pitocin or have my water broken. Since I am GBS+ (Group B Strep positive), I opted for the Pitocin in order to maximize the amount of time I had before they would offer a C-Section.

They started the Pitocin at 10 a.m. Once I was hooked up to an IV and my antibiotics (for the GBS+), the contractions started. They were really mild, so they continually upped the Pit as I walked the short halls of the OB ward.

My sister, Julie, and my Mom arrived around lunchtime to be with us. I convinced my OB that he should let me eat lunch.I was starving and one of the nurses was eating something that smelled delicious, which was just making things torturous. My Doctor agreed to let me have the broth of some Chicken and Shell soup from Blue's Cafe. Jake went and picked it up for me.  The girls at Blue's left me a cute message on my soup cup!

The scary part

I had a nice time for the next few hours hanging out and laughing with Jake, my Mom, and Julie, until things got serious. And things got real serious. Around 4:00, my doctor came in to break my water.

This was, for me, the most disturbing part of my entire labor process. I don't know what I was expecting. Possibly a slight trickle of water or a polite, ladylike display of bodily fluids that would quickly be whisked away. But I was not prepared for the incredible GUSH of warm, chunky juices that spilled - and continued to spill - from my lady-bits. As soon as my water broke, the mild contractions that I had been experiencing turned into hateful, body-wrenching, killer contractions, and I willingly ordered that epidural. STAT.

Within fifteen minutes, the anesthesiologist was ready to stab me in the back, and I was more than ready to let him do it! Jake stood in front of me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck and braced myself. Truth be told, I was more focused on the fact that juices were still running out of my body than I was about something going into my spine.

Moments later, the pain was dulled. However, it was still noticeably and distinctly "not gone." Aside from still feeling the contractions, I had a ripping pain that ran from the bottom of my left butt cheek to the top of the back of my left knee. The anesthesiologist was called back in, and I was given more narcotics; however, they failed to touch the pain. This baby was on my Sciatic nerve, and he meant business.

Game time

After writhing through a few more contractions, the nurse checked me, and I had gone from 4 c.m. to 9.5 c.m. in one hour! All of a sudden, my room was filled with nurses, and they were telling me to get ready to push. The nurses handed out scrubs for Jake, my Mom, and Julie to put on. The excitement and the nerves in the room were tangible. I tried focusing simply on my breathing and not fall into a complete panic.

We were there, practicing pushing for about an hour before they called for my doctor. I kept my eyes closed the entire time. It was too bright, and there were so many people in my room and up in my business that I was getting totally freaked out. With my eyes closed, I felt like I could focus myself a lot better.

Julie was holding one of my legs and a nurse had the other leg. My Mom was counting for me - I did three to four pushes with each contraction. I have never worked so physically hard in my life. When the doctor told me to push just one more time and my baby would be here, I was filled with this incredible need to be able to see and hold him. And suddenly, he was here!

Meeting Graysen

My Doctor quickly unwrapped the cord from his neck, clamped it, and cut it. Then he was on my chest. It was amazing how quickly the pain disappeared the second he was put on me. I can't explain that feeling of immediate and overwhelming love. My son was here. Everyone started demanding his name, and it felt so great to finally be able to say it: Graysen Andrew.

He was quickly whisked away - against my will - but he had swallowed a lot of fluid and needed to be suctioned and assessed.His little cries were the sweetest thing I had ever heard.I had some tearing, so my doctor spent a lot of time stitching me up. This is when I was remembered the epidural wasn't working. I couldn't wait for them to bring him back to me. They seemed to be taking their time weighing and measuring him. He was 8 lbs, 9 oz., and 21 in. long.

Finally they brought him back over to me. I couldn't believe his perfection. Suddenly, I was a Mother.Jake was a Daddy. And we were parents. We had made a perfect little boy. It was impossible to wrap my mind around. Suddenly, my room was filled with our family. Everyone was so excited to see and hold him. There certainly was a lot of love in that room. As exhausting, painful, and, at moments, as terrifying as the act of giving birth was, I would do it again in a heartbeat for my son. He is simply amazing, and I can't wait to start sharing in his adventures.

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