My natural childbirth that was anything but!

On Wednesday(38.5 weeks), I went to the midwife to get my blood results because I was having serious itching all over my body. They did a non stress test and baby was unreactive. My liver was high so I wound up with HELLP practically overnight. The midwife checked me and I was 4cm dilated so between that and high blood pressure it was time to go to the hospital. My husband had to come get me and we didn't even have time to get our bags before we rushed to the hospital.

I had planned on a totally natural childbirth, which went right out the window! It was time to get the babe out! They put me on pitocin to induce me and magnesium sulfate so I wouldn't have a seizure because of the high bp and broke my water (doesn't hurt at all). They also put me on bedrest and wouldn't let me eat or drink anything other than ice chips. Those ice chips were my lifeline during labor, I needed them after each push!

I wasn't feeling any contractions still at 5cm, but the midwife told me I should get the epidural then because the OB was leaving for the day and I was so upset! But when your midwife tells you to get one, you do it! The epidural was scary, but didn't hurt for more than 5 seconds. Then I entered transition and I could feel contractions still so they went to up my epidural and baby's heart rate dropped really quickly. So 4 nurses and my midwife ran in and put me on oxygen and massaged the baby's head from the inside. Thank God he was ok and they let me keep going. I dilated from 7 to 8 in less than 10 minutes so they think that's why.

So then I was at a 10 and the midwife suggested I try pushing. My husband and mom helped hold my legs and it took a while to figure it out since I had the epidural. I wound up pushing for 3.5 hours! The nurses tried to talk me into a c section but my midwife said I was in control and I really didn't want one. His head was in the canal for over 2 hours and finally having everyone hold me up to use the squat bar got him in position. Pushing him out was the most satisfying thing I've ever done! I didn't even care that there were 8 other people watching! Since I was on all those meds, the nicu dr and nurse were there to grab him right away. I got him placed on my chest for 5 seconds, hubby cut the umbilical cord and he got taken over to be checked. I had a 2nd degree tear and they didn't give me any other novicaine because I was losing a lot of blood. That hurt more than actual labor, but once I got my beautiful baby back and started breastfeeding, it didn't hurt as much.

I was on bedrest for 24 more hours because of the magnesium. They took the catheter out before that and I was so scared to use the commode. It really wasn't bad and dermaplast is my new best friend! I've been anemic since but I was up and walking around as soon as they would let me. My perfect baby's got jaundice now so he had to be on a light monitor for the last day of our hospital visit and they let us go home only because of a light that he gets to wear all day called a walloby. He's sooo perfect and I have never been so in love!! He's the most amazing baby and it was all worth it! Maybe for the next baby I'll get my natural birth, but I wouldn't change anything because he's here and we're both healthy!