I was induced at 39+1 due to high blood pressure. I had been on bed rest for two weeks at that point so I was ready! They weren’t even sure I was going to make it to 39 weeks due to my blood pressure being so high, so I feel blessed to have made it to full term.

We went into the hospital the night before so I could get some Sytotech inserted near my cervix, because at my last appointment on Monday I wasn’t dilated or effaced AT ALL. Luckily, when we arrived on Thursday I was 1 cm and a little effaced (the nurse said 80% but my OB said 50% the next morning, so not really sure how effaced I was). I was supposed to get two doses of the medicine over the course of the night, but it gave me contractions and they were too close together to give me another dose, so I only ended up getting one.

They started the Pitocin at 7:45 ish Friday morning. I felt the contractions pretty quickly, but they didn’t really hurt at all. The nurse came in and turned up the dose maybe an hour later, and the contractions definitely intensified but they were still bearable and I was still talking through them. About 30 minutes after they turned up the dose, my OB came in to break my water. It was a pretty uncomfortable process, but I lived haha.

Almost immediately, the contractions picked up and now they HURT. I was still hoping to be able to go without an epidural at this point, but I knew that if I got to the point where I needed it I wouldn’t hesitate. Well, that point came pretty freakin quick! I felt like I needed to poop so my husband walked me to the bathroom where I got stuck for about an hour. My contractions were so close together that by the time I got all cleaned up down there and would get up to go back to the bed, another contraction would hit and I would have to sit down. They brought the portable monitor in the bathroom I was in there for so long, haha. The contractions were so painful at that point I was screaming (my mom insists I didn’t really scream, but I feel like I was pretty loud). I told my mother in law to go find the nurse and tell them I wanted the analgesic. By the time she got back I was in so much pain I told her never mind, find the anesthesiologist, I need my epidural NOW.

I was terrified to get the epidural because I’m afraid of needles in general, and also when my dad was dying of cancer he got an epidural and it paralyzed him. Obviously that’s a crazy rare complication, but nonetheless I was scared. I was only able to stay still for the epidural because I was so afraid of being paralayzed, if I’m being honest. The contraction I had when she was putting in the epidural was the worst pain I’ve ever felt. I yelled at my mother in law and husband to pray and they did which helped me too.

After the epidural was in, I felt much better. I made it to 4 cm without it, which I was pretty proud about since I’m a wimp when I’m in pain. At that point things progressed super fast. The nurse got me a peanut ball, and when she came back an hour later to flip me to my other side I was at an 8! She checked me again 30 minutes later and I was at a 9. Pretty soon I felt pressure, so they called my OB to let him know it was getting close to time to push. When he got there I was fully dilated and I started doing practice pushes. After about 45 minutes of pushing, at 1:28 pm, my little Bellamy James arrived! 7 lbs 13 oz, 19.25 in long.

He gave us a scare, because when he was almost out the OB had me stop pushing and told me the cord was around his neck and he was going to cut it. He cut it, I did a few more pushes, and my little guy came out not crying and completely purple. I could see him wiggling but he wasn’t crying and I didn’t like his color so I almost had a panic attack. But my mom calmed me down and soon they got him to start chirping, lol. He doesn’t really cry, just chirps. His APGAR was an 8 and 9, so they think he was kinda just stunned when he came out.

I did end up having to get an episiotomy and one stitch, but that’s better than the tear I would have gotten if it hadn’t been done. Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks for reading, and enjoy some more pictures of my handsome little guy!