Jenson's Birth Story Part 2

{In case you missed it, Jenson's Birth Story Part 1}

My afternoon consisted of lots of cat naps, helping Matt with homework, and eating popsicles.  Around 2:40 Ann came in and checked to see how dilated I was, only a 4, boo!  I felt like I wasn't progressing at all even though little boy was just hanging out in my pelvis.  Ann then suggested something called a peanut ball {it looked like a yoga ball shaped like a peanut, hence "peanut ball"} I had to place it in-between my knees and it was supposed to help abduct (widen) my hips more so little man would drop down further into the birth canal.  I would switch sides every 20 minutes or so, but I was still only dilated to a 5 when the time came for the nurse's shift change.  I was lucky to have Christina again, even though I wish I wouldn't have been in labor long enough to see her again!  By now it was after 7:00 p.m.  My doctor, Dr. Carriker went home for the night and left one of her associates, Dr. Gaslightwala, in charge of my delivery. They never put in a catheter, but rather they just occasionally drained my bladder.  There was a Dr. in the hospital that they call a "Hospitalist", who is always there, on call for whatever they need, that wouldn't require them calling the regular physician.  This hospitalist or "Labor Dr." came in and inserted an internal monitor for contractions.  This would be a better indication of the intensity of the contractions as well as their duration.  It also helps them determine how to adjust the Pitocin levels.  When they realized I wasn't dilating as well as I should be, Dr. Gaslightwala said, "Well, I think we can see the writing on the wall for this one".  She was talking about  the need for a c-section.  I was not prepared for that at all.  I got depressed thinking about how long I had already labored, I would hate to have to do all of that just to have a c-section in the end.  I had two incredible nurses that were determined not to let that happen!

They decided to have me try some different positions to help me dilate more.  The first one we tried was called "Hands and knees" and just like it sounds, they had me get on my knees and hands and rock back and forth {let me tell you this is not an easy task when you are numb from your waist down...} I stayed there for about 20 minutes, kind of an awkward position {thank goodness for blankets}.  The heart rate monitor also wouldn't work right so my nurse had to hold it on my stomach the whole time {awkward...}  But if there was one thing I learned about giving birth is you just can't care about who sees you, with all the different shift changes and people walking in and out I'm pretty sure half the hospital has seen more of me than I would have ever thought possible! 

After the hands and knees position, they sat me up as far as my bed would go and dropped the end of the bed down so my legs were lower, with my feet together.  I don't know if it was the meds I was on or just that I had been laying down all day but I was pretty sure I was going to pass out while sitting up like that.  I got so dizzy, my mom kept getting me cold rags and trying to fan me to keep me cool.  I couldn't stay like that for long but I knew that as long as I could the better chance I would be dilated more. I actually made it in this sitting position for nearly 30 minutes.   I was so nervous for Christina to check me again, if I was still at a 5 then I was sure I would have to have a c-section, so I just prayed I had dilated more. My prayers must have worked, all day I had been dilating so slowly every every hour.  When she checked me I was dilated to an 8+, almost 9 within 1 hour.  What a blessing and a weight off my shoulders knowing that I didn't have to worry about a c-section anymore.  After a few more naps, popsicles, and watching animal planet {I don't know why that channel interests me so much...} a few nurses came in saying that little man's heart rate wasn't picking up on the monitors anymore, they kept switching me from side to side trying to see his heart rate on the monitors.  I didn't know what was going on and it all seemed so fast, next thing I knew I had on an oxygen mask and they told me to keep deep breathing and try to stay calm {stay calm really?} I just looked at Matt and my mom for some reassurance, I am so thankful to have had them both of them there with me.

 The baby's heart rate came up finally and I was able to take off the oxygen, I knew he had to be coming soon!  A bit before midnight, Christina came in and said it was time to start pushing.  Holy flip!!  This was really happening.  I had been waiting for this moment since we knew we were pregnant but now it was really happening.  I wasn't sure I was ready anymore but ready or not he was coming. My room started to fill up with nurses {for me and for little man}.  At Shawnee Mission they do everything in your room {weight, cleaning, shots, tests, bath, etc... so he never even leaves the room!} I don't even know how many people were in my room, I was just focusing on Matt and the thought that our little boy would be here soon.  They put my legs up in the stirrups and told me what to do. Take a deep breath in, let it out, then a deep breath and hold it for 10 seconds while you push with all you've got {repeated 2 more times...}.  Then sit back and wait about 2 minutes to do it all over again.  I am so thankful Matt was right by my side the whole time, holding my hand.  I am pretty sure he was squeezing my hand tighter than I was even squeezing his!  His soft reassuring voice cheering me on and encouraging me is what kept me going!