On Friday, February 15th, we were told by Dr. Privette to come in to Labor and Delivery with complaints of "leaking water and contractions," in order to be admitted for an induction. Since it wasn't a scheduled induction, and we had to wait until Brian was finished with a surgery course that day, we showed up around 3 pm and were sent to Triage up on the 4th floor.
From 3 pm to 10 pm we waited....and waited....and waited. Dr. Privette came in to see us a few times, mainly to check my progress (without Pitocin started yet because they won't start it until you are actually in a Labor and Delivery room) and to keep us updated on what the hold up was--- a few other women came in at 9 and 10 cm ready to have their babies, so we were stuck waiting for a room to open up.
Around 10 pm we finally got into a L&D room. I was hooked up to monitors and the Pitocin was started around 11 pm. I progressed well, and at around 4 cm I asked to be put "on the list" for an epidural (the nurse told me he was pretty busy that night and if I knew I wanted an epidural, to just let her know ASAP so I wouldn't be stuck without one). I got the epidural and was ready to begin pushing by 4 a.m. So.... I literally had not slept all night, and instead was having consistent, strong contractions. No rest for the weary!
I began to push around 4 a.m....and pushed... and pushed... and pushed. To no avail. Hudson, we found out, was not able to descend into the birth canal because my tailbone had been fractured by Emma upon her entrance into the world two years prior. Because of the way my tailbone had healed, it was in Hudson's way. Further, he was sunny side up, which makes delivery even more difficult.
At 6:45 a.m. we made the decision to go ahead with a c-section. Hudson wasn't able to descend into the birth canal (despite Dr. Privette literally trying to turn him), and a vaginal delivery just wasn't going to be possible.
Around 7 a.m. I was wheeled into the OR, utterly exhausted and feeling somewhat defeated. I could barely keep my eyes open, the long night of Pitocin and pushing had taken it's toll on me.
Lying on the operating table was surreal. A blue drape was hanging so close to my face that it would move when I breathed. I couldn't see anything in front of me (probably a good thing), and I was lying there with both arms out to the side (which is terrifying because you can't move your arms). They maxed out my epidural dosage and then began to scrub my abdomen to prepare for the surgery. This was bizarre and scary because I could feel them scrubbing.... so, surely I would feel the scalpel, right?!?! Wrong (thank God).
The surgery began at some point (I don't know when because, thankfully, Brian was up at my head and keeping me distracted) and before I knew it I felt the most intense pressure of my life on my chest. Two people were pushing down on me to move Hudson so that he could be removed. Apparently, he was a stubborn little guy (shocking, I know) because they had to use the vacuum on him to even get him out via c-section.
At 7:44 a.m., on Saturday, February 16, 2013, we met our little man Hudson Cole. He weighed 8 lbs, 10 oz, and was 20.75" long.
Recovery was rough, I'm not going to sugar-coat it. It's major surgery. The first day in my post-partum recovery room I was barely able to stand with the assitance of a nurse. The next day, I could stand and walk very slowly to the bathroom with a nurse's aide, but was unable to walk on my own. The next few days were easier for walking, but moving around a bed is difficult because you literally have no abdominal strength anymore. The incision was fairly painful for the first week or so, as well. Standing up straight and getting up from a lying or sitting position were some of the hardest things I ever had to do. Some women make c-section recovery look so easy.... those women are my heros!!!
We were discharged on Tuesday, but on Wednesday I was feeling a lot of shortness of breath (something I had also noticed on the drive home from the hospital, but thought it was an allergic reaction to some flowers I was holding) and was told to come in to see my OB/GYN immediately. I was then sent to the emergency room. After a lengthy workup (including an EKG and chest CT scan), I was told I was fluid overloaded and needed to be on Lasix for three days.
I am now feeling great, aside from the new mom fatigue, and am healing well. Hudson is doing well so far (we are battling some reflux, but it's slowly getting better) and big sister Emma is adjusting as well as any 2.5 yr old could.
Thanks for reading this novel of a birth story!
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