Contractions started at 8:40 Sunday morning, Father's Day June 15, 2008. We went to Sunday School but skipped church after my contractions became more regular at 5 minutes apart. I really wanted pancakes so we went to IHOP for brunch. Our last meal as one was blueberry pancakes and apple juice! On the way to IHOP I called Dr. Broach and he advised us to hang out as long as we could before calling him back. He wanted the contractions to be more painful, and stay as regular before calling him within the next 3 hours. This was around 11:20 a.m. After realizing things must be progressing, due to increase duration and pain, I called my parents, my sister, my best friend Stephanie White, and Andy called his mom and sisters. We needed just a few things for the hospital, so we headed to Wal-mart, where I thought my water broke, but it didn't.
Andy and I got home around 2:00 from Wal-Mart and IHOP. I decided to labor a bit on my birthing ball while he packed our bags into the truck. My parents came over in the mean time. Andy and Mama took turns rubbing my back while I was contracting. Andy and I left for the hospital around 3:30 when my contractions where stronger and 3 minutes apart. I paged Dr. Broach before leaving.
My nurse Pamela Cornell RN, checked my cervix and I was 5 cm dilated when I entered the hospital around 4:00 p.m. I told her of my wish to not have an epidural. She helped me into the whirlpool tub where I progressed to 6 cm and then she helped me onto the birthing ball. Andy was wonderful the entire time. He rubbed my back and stood with me during every contraction. It was nice to lean into him while he rubbed my back. Andy is the best husband, and now Daddy. At 7 cm, Dr. Broach broke my water and I opted for the Stadol--a pain medicine by shot. Dr. Broach and Pamela told me it would keep the edge off my contractions and it did! I fell asleep, but Andy told me I kept my labor breathing during my contractions. I woke asking if I were having contractions and they said yes, that I had been doing my breathing exercises during the contractions all the while I was in la-la land. None the less, my new L&D nurse Amanda Jones RN(shift changed) checked me and I was 9.5 cm at 8:40. Almost ready to push.
When I started pushing, Amanda helped get me in various positions to help with my contractions and pushing. I hung over a bar and squatted, I hung over the back of the bed on my knees. But, suddenly they could not get a good read on the baby's heart beat. The long time delivery nurse, Wilhamenia, came in and advised me to get on my back to deliver while they put the fetal monitor on me.
Dr. Broach checked me at this time (I had been pushing for 45 minutes--they told me the baby's head was so low that I would easily push this baby out with 5 pushes). Dr. Broach checked me and realize that the baby was presenting head first, but face up. Babies are supposed to be born face down toward the floor. Only 5% of babies are born face up. This is what is called back labor (because the baby's head and spine are resting on Mama's spine). It is very painful. I did not realize I was having back labor (even though I did not have the epidural) until I started pushing. I kept screaming that my back hurt. It wasn't until Dr. Broach checked me after the nurses had their suspicions that it was confirmed.
About 1.5 hours into pushing, Dr. Broach asked me how I was and I told him I was tired. He said he would help out with the vacuum. He put the vacuum on the baby's head (more like the frontal since she was face first) and I pushed one sequence. It did not work that push, so he changed to a different vacuum and moved the suction further on her head. With that last push I had her out. It was such a relief. Unfortunately, her head was bruised and you may be able to see from the pictures that her nose is bruised. Her nose was positioned near my pubic bone and this is what was cause her to not come down the birth canal without the help of the vacuum.
Enjoy the pictures!! There are lots! If you put your cursor over the pictures it will show you the captions.
