Birth Story - Part 2

The pitocin was started for the induction and an epidural was placed. I was put on magnesium for the preeclampsia, which is so awful. So awful. Tyler sat on the couch and we honestly slept for most of the morning and afternoon. The doctor came to break my water at 1 p.m. At around 5 or 6 p.m. I told the nurse I was in quite a bit of pain and asked her if that was normal. We found out then that the epidural drip system hadn’t started, so I was dilated to a 7 and feeling the fullness. Not terrible, but not comfortable. The doctor called me tough. Not what I was going for.

Everything went pretty quickly after that. The magnesium makes it a little fuzzy. I labored on my left side to try to get the baby to turn. I had a goal to have him the 3^rd instead of the 4^th. I know I kept telling Tyler I think he broke my tailbone (and I think he did). At one point I told Tyler I was sure he was coming out. Tyler tried to calm me, but I was sure Tyler was going to have to catch him before any qualified person returned. When the nurse finally came back to check she couldn’t believe that I was right. He was! She said usually it takes someone three hours to do what had just happened in 30-45 minutes. It was time to push.

And I did – 45 minutes. Tyler was there, the doctor was there and two nurses were there in the corner cheering and counting. That helped. Everyone helped. Tyler said I kept apologizing to everyone. The nurses laughed at me. And then – 10:43 p.m. and Nixon was here! He was screaming! I was so scared. And relieved. He had to go to the nursery for some fluid. His face was purpleish and he had lots of hair. Everyone left me to help him. And I was not doing well.

I was worried about Nixon, and I was really, really sick. I kept throwing up and I was so dizzy. The magnesium had gotten to me. Ugh. They told me I had to move rooms. They got me into a wheelchair and then walked away. I remember yelling at them that I was passing out and then I did. And then I puked. They handed me a pair of socks for the baby. Bad timing. I thought they were jerks at that point. Now I know they were just very crowded. But still. Jerks.

In the new room I discovered I had to go back on magnesium for another day and they had to replace the catheter they had already removed. I remember a conversation with my doctor at 3 a.m. where I was so angry at him and begged him to take me off this awful medicine. They did reflex tests and nothing. I couldn’t think. I was limp and I couldn’t hold my baby. Worse, I still couldn’t feed him. We hadn’t bonded. I didn’t know him and he didn’t know me. Tyler was the only parent available to him. He did amazing, but that’s a tough spot to be. That was a very rough night for all of us.

Things got better. Everything got better. Day by day we learned. And now, we have Nixon. Quite literally the happiest baby on the block. He is so awesome. So smart. So cute. So funny. And right now he’s growling at me and hitting my hands. Looks like he’s up from his nap. Time to play!