Induction at 41 weeks. Interesting delivery.

It’s been over a month since I have birth and I feel like I can finally tell my story. Sorry for the long read but it was a wild ride.

I went in on June 20th at 6:00am to be induced. They gave me half of this pill that dissolved in my mouth and that got things going enough that I did t need pitocin which I was happy about. I started getting contractions around 11am and by 4pm they were lasting a minute and they were one to two minutes apart. I decided to get the epidural at this point. BEST DECISION EVER. The epidural did stop working on the left side but they came in and gave me something else. Not sure what it was but I felt a little loopy. After this I couldn’t feel anything. At this point I was 5cm dilated. They wouldn’t come back to check me until 9:30 which I felt was a long time since they last checked me at 5:00pm. I was 10cm at 9:30 and ready to push. Now this is where it gets interesting.

So the practice I go to has physicians and midwives. Since my pregnancy was not complicated I had a midwife with me through my whole labor and delivery but I was under the impression that a dr would be there when my baby was delivered just in case of complications. This was not the case. I ended up pushing for 35 min total. I got to pull him out which was amazing and I was immediately in love. Now this next part is where I don’t remember much and my husband had to piece it together for me. After my placenta was delivered I didn’t stop bleeding. I heard the midwife say “I can’t figure out where the bleeding is coming from” which is absolutely terrifying. But my husband calmed me down and I had my baby boy on my chest so I went back to focusing on him. Now you would think the midwife would call the dr right away. No she waits for 30 min still trying to find the bleeding. Finally the dr comes in and my husband said the look on her face was not good. She was basically yelling at the midwife asking her why it took so long for her to call her. The dr gets down there and finally figures out what happened. Apparently I had a torn labia and vaginal shearing? Still not sure what the means but I had so many stitches at the opening of my vagina. Also the. Keeping was from a burst blood vessel. The dr stitched me up and she was much more relaxed because it wasn’t as serous was they first thought. Two hours later I go to the post partum recovery room.

This ordeal isn’t over. I get up to pee for the first time and I can barely stand up without feeling like I need to pass out. While I’m standing my heart is racing and I get really really hot. The nurse tells me this is normal. I don’t think it is but this is my first baby so I believe her. Every time I get up this happens. The same midwife comes down to check on me. I tell her what is happening and that something isn’t right. I had to exaggerate my symptoms before I was taken seriously. She finally orders a blood test to check my hemoglobin. It comes back and turns out it’s really low. Which explains my dizzy spells. They tell me I need a blood transfusion. It takes four hours to finish the blood transfusion which burned the whole time going through my iv. They gave me an Icepack and basically told me to suck it up. After the transfusion I feel much better but not for long. Fast forward to that night. They do bloodwork to make sure my hemoglobin has gotten higher. It hasn’t gotten higher. Which I knew because I still felt like crap. I need a second blood transfusion. This time I had an amazing nurse who moved my iv so it would be excruciating pain for four hours.

At this point my husband is pissed and I’m scared and in tears. I haven’t been able to stand up for more than 5 min. I can’t stand up to pick up my baby or change his diapers. My husband takes charge and starts demanding to see a dr which at this point I haven’t seen a dr except when they cam down for five min to tell me I need a blood transfusion. So finally the dr comes down at 2am and finally explains to me what’s happening and why I need a second blood transfusion. Apparently I lost a lot of blood but it didn’t meet the amount for a hemorrhage so they just assumed I was fine. Anyways the second blood transfusion works. Thank God. I end up staying three nights in the hospital. Finally I get to go home on the 23rd. Still feeling pretty crappy.

Ordeal still not over. A few days go by and it doesn’t feel right down there where the stitches are. After all I went through they still only wanted me to come back at 6 weeks pp. I call and schedule an appointment right away. I go in and what do you know it’s infected. My husband came with me and basically let the dr have it. I love him for it because I’m not very assertive. I take two weeks worth of antibiotics and finally the infection is gone. I’m still recovering at this point and I’m 5 weeks pp.

I just find it crazy that In 2019 it’s still not taken seriously when a woman says there is something wrong. I know my body and I know when something isn’t right. I know better for next time to be way more outspoken and not to assume that the dr and nurses will be my advocate. I’m thankful my husband was there to advocate for me because I wasn’t int he mental space to do that for myself. I’m thankful to have a healthy baby boy who I love more than anything.