You already know that I went (sort of) into labor on Tuesday morning, early and then then 5 minute surges (contractions) stopped after 7 hrs at around 10:30am. After my midwife's appointment, where I was informed I had an induction scheduled for Black Friday at 6am, Michael and I just ran some errands and went to the grocery store to grill steaks for dinner. The surges starting coming back, at a very irregular schedule, around 4 pm. After dinner, I noticed they were starting to get regular again, around 7-9 min apart.
By 10pm, they were back to 5-6 min apart, and they stayed that way all night long. I wasn't really able to sleep in between the surges, so I was basically up all night. I did let Michael get some sleep when I didn't feel like I really needed him. I took two hot showers and just practiced breathing and relaxing through the surges. They really weren't bad, but they were intense enough that I just couldn't sleep. At around 1:30 am, I tried to get up from bed where I was trying to rest and my water broke. I figured that the surges would start to get closer together and more intense after my water broke, but they didn't. They stayed 5 min apart until I called my midwife at 4:30am. She kind of wanted me to stay home and continue to labor until they got closer together, but by now, I had been laboring for over 12 hours. She finally just advised us to go to the hospital and get checked in and that we would be having a baby that day (Wednesday the 27th)!
We got to the hospital at 5:45am and got all checked in. I was only 4 cm dilated, but was completely effaced. My midwife ad told me to get in the jacuzzi right away to try to get me relaxed enough for my labor to progress. In about 30 min, I could tell my surges were much closer apart, although from then on they never told me how close they were.
We alternated between the jacuzzi, birthing ball, and bed for laboring positions. Michael was amazing. He was there for each and every surge, helping me relax, helping me breathe, and pushing pressure points. By around 9:30-10am am, I was 8 cm dilated and started to struggle. I was very tired and was having trouble opening my eyes and really focusing on anything, even relaxing. I was kind of getting to a point that I didn't want to go on anymore.
I wish I could say I was so strong during this labor and delivery and brought Carson into this world without making a scene, but I would be lying. Starting around 10-10:30am I began begging for relief. I won't go into too many details but the next 3 hours, Michael, my nurse and midwife had to help me through each contraction and provide so much support. I was crying through many of the surges and really began sounding (either sighing, groaning, moaning, etc) through each one. It was the only way I could get through them.
My midwife moved me to the jacuzzi and had me lay down, with the jets at my back. I'm not sure what time this was, but it helped a lot and I had to kind of remind myself that I was strong and that I could get through this and that many women had. I did a lot of praying in that tub. When I finally got too hot and had to come out, I was 9.5 cm dilated, but I stayed there. My surges didn't end, but we just couldn't seem to get me past 9.5cm.
My midwife had me try various positions to get more relaxed and get past that last 0.5 cm. It just didn't work, and at the time, Carson was still pretty high up the birth canal and needed to come down quite a bit more. I believe it was after noon right now that my midwife had me start breathing Carson down. I spent about 45 min doing this. It was kind of like pushing, but not really pushing, it was more apply pressure with each surge. All of a sudden, he was down and I started pushing.
My midwife had me get in position to push Carson out and he was out in less than 30 min. Some women told me this was the easiest part, well, lets just say that it was the hardest part. At this time, I was so tired and so far gone that I had trouble even opening my eyes and I couldn't even feel the contractions anymore. My midwife and nurse had to tell me when to push. And Carson came into the world at 1:30pm. Michael announced that he was a boy!
My midwife put him up on my belly, and Michael cut the cord, but the nurse came and took him away really quickly for his Apgar scores. This is where part 2 starts because they scared Michael and I and said that our perfect little son wasn't breathing well and needed to go to the NICU. When I actually get a chance I will share part 2. :-)
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