M's birth story - part 2

If you read part 1 the other day, then you know it was going to be a long ride. Tuesday didn't start much better. After our first option didn't work, it was on to the second option. This time, they inserted a string in me to see if that would work. The best part of this was that if the contracts got too intense again, they could easily remove it and let my body relax. Thank gosh!

Out of the entire process, this early morning was by far the worst. The pain of the insertion left me in tears, and within 30 minutes the contractions came fast. But I could not get comfy. I couldn't even sit the pressure was so bad. About the 3rd time I called the nurses, I snapped and told them something wasn't right and they needed to check it. Low and behold, it hadn't been inserted correctly. They had to fix it, which again, ended in even more tears.

At this point, things start to get blurry to be honest. The contractions were still coming at an intense speed, and the only thing that made it feel any better was sitting in the bath tub. Never did I think that would be an option I would use. Most of the day Tuesday was in fact, spent in the bath tub to help sooth the contractions. Between the bathtub and the pain meds, Tuesday seemed to drag on, and fly by.  When we finally took out the string, I was maybe dilated a centimeter. Thankfully my OB came in to pep me up for our last option, the balloon. And inform me that if this didn't work, we'd do a C-section. My blood pressure was rising big time, in the 150's, 160's, and her heart rate was starting to do funky things with all of the crazy contractions.

To throw a wrench in all of this, was the fact that my body doesn't handle anesthesia. I've had 2 previous surgeries end in allergic reactions, and the last thing they wanted was to delay any time with baby because I had to recover from a reaction. After meeting with 2 anesthesiologists, it was determined there was no safe way for me to get an epidural, and if it came down to a C-section, they would have to knock me out completely.

They inserted the balloon with the hope that between it and the pitocin, my body would be ready to have this baby girl. By 8 am on Wednesday, I was on my 4th dose of pain meds and told E I was done. My body was done, my blood pressure had pushed me into a dangerous zone, and seeing her heart rate dip was giving me serious anxiety. A c-section was one thing we said we'd only be on board with if medically necessary and to me, it was time. I told the nurse I needed to be heard, and that's when things get really fuzzy.

Around 10 am after I gave the nurse an earful, things got a bit chaotic, and I don't remember much. They needed to start me on magnesium to counteract my high blood pressure which had now spiked in the 170's, prevent a seizures, and once it was in my body I could not move from a laying position for over 24 hours. People were rushing in and out, more blood being drawn, doctors and nurses talking to E about what was going to happen, and then I was giving E a kiss and being wheeled down the hallway because the C-section couldn't wait any longer.

As much as I wanted to freak out as they were wheeling me into the operating room, I kept telling myself to stay calm. I'm sure the drugs helped.... but I knew I needed to stay calm for our baby girl. If I got worked up and my blood pressure went any higher, we'd be in trouble. In the room I remember seeing the OB who would deliver M, and there were nurses everywhere. Everything just went so quick, the next thing I knew the mask was over my face, and when I woke up I was back in the labor and delivery room with E handing me our baby girl.