Lincoln's Birth Story

WARNING: This may get long.  If you’ve followed my blog for very long, you’ll know I’m a pretty details-oriented kind of gal.

From the time I had internet access (I guess college, maybe?), I’ve been an avid reader of birth stories.  The more details, the better.  I can hardly believe I’m about to share my own.  I’ve truly been blessed.  Just like with everything else I’ve waited for, this little guy was definitely worth the wait.  Sure, I wish he could have come along earlier in my life, but I’ll take what I can get.  Maybe he will keep me young.  ;-)

Dr. G made the decision a few weeks ago to not let me go past 39 weeks due to my chronic hypertension.  While my blood pressure had been good throughout the pregnancy, he didn’t want to risk late complications, as things can change quickly.  So, at my 38 week appointment, he made arrangements for me to “check in” at the hospital at 6:00 on Wednesday evening (August 15) if things didn’t happen on their own before then.  The plan was to administer Cytotec in 3 doses at 8:00, midnight, and 3 a.m. and then move on to Pitocin at 6:00 a.m.  He did warn that it was possible that Cytotec would do the trick and put me into labor, but I didn’t hold my breath.  I was given this drug vaginally after my d&c last summer to help rid my uterus of its contents and not much happened.

We got to the hospital just before 6:00 and got all settled.  They started my iv (first try…I was quite nervous about this) and drew some blood.  One of the million questions the nurse asked was if I had a birth plan.  I didn’t.  I was still on the fence about the epidural—not opposed, just wanted to wait and see if it was needed.  After all, I did switch to Heparin so it could be my own choice.  First dose of Cytotec came right on time at 8, but nothing much came of it.  The nurse checked me right before she gave me the pill (orally this time), and I was 2cm and still 75% effaced.  At 10:00, I took the sleeping pill they gave me, but it didn’t really make me sleepy, either.  I did finally drift off, but it was not a deep sleep.  After all, I was in a room with galloping horses (that’s what Lincoln’s heartbeat sounded like on the monitor).  Second dose came at midnight.  Again, not a lot of change in contractions.  I was still having them, but they weren’t any stronger than the ones I’d been having for weeks now.  I resigned myself to the fact that Pitocin would be started in just a few hours.  I dreaded that. 

Around 4:30, I woke up with some stronger contractions…at least I thought that was what it was.  I craned my neck around to see the monitor, but the TOCO was in the low teens each time I looked.  Maybe I was wrong.  Each time the nurse came in to bring my meds, she reminded me that she could get me something for pain if I was too uncomfortable.  At around 5:30, I told J that if things got much worse than they were right then, I’d have to take something.  I apologized for being a wuss.  He told me to call the nurse, but I wanted to tough it out until she came back at 6 to start the Pitocin.  She brought the Pitocin in, hung it on the pole, and I told her I would like to have something for pain.  Before she left to put the order in, she checked me.  I was at 5 cm and 90% effaced.  That was definitely labor I was feeling.  The monitor just wasn’t adjusted correctly to pick things up.

A few minutes later, she came back with a team of people.  They were going to start “setting up” for delivery.  I thought they were jumping the gun a bit here…I was only halfway there, after all.  But they had an inkling that things would move quickly.  Good thing, too.  They were right.  Nurse T (I can’t remember how to spell her name) gave me the bad news that because baby’s heart was showing some decelerations, I couldn’t have any pain medicine.  “But you can do this,” she reassured me…right before the shift change came and she left me.  I wasn’t so sure.  But what choice did I have?  The doctor came in around 7:00 (I think), checked me…I was at 8 cm.  He tried to break my water, but there was nothing there.  We guessed that maybe it broke when I was using the restroom at 6:00.  Pitocin never got started.  I didn’t need it.  He had to leave to do a C-section, and I was completely dilated.  We started pushing a bit after 7:00.  I’m not sure of the exact time, even though I tried to look at the clock frequently.  The nurse was getting a bit anxious for the doctor to return because there was more bleeding and clots than she liked, and sent word for him to do so as quickly as possible.  (She earned her pay that day…I started pushing right after she came on duty.)  I didn’t expect so much pressure in my bottom.  But I definitely recognized it after the first couple of pushes. 

 Dr. G finally made it back, and with a little help from the vacuum (talk about pressure!), Lincoln arrived at 8:20, face up and looking around.  No drugs at all…except the local I got before the episiotomy cut.  He didn’t cry, but he was looking around all over the place.  He didn’t even whimper until the nurses started messing with his feet for his footprints and such.  I made the comment that my friend was right.  She told me the other day that giving birth was just like getting saved—afterward, there was nothing but love and relief.  Couldn’t have summed it up better myself. 

 Everybody abandoned me (J, my mom, his mom) to go check out Lincoln while Dr. G stitched me up.  Apparently, he had a tough time “putting me back together,” because he told me that each time he came to check on me before I left the hospital.  J said he was probably still talking about me! 

 We were able to do an hour of skin-to-skin contact, then J took our sweet little bundle out to see those who  were waiting.  Our little miracle was finally here!