Our birth story💙

So excited to finally share our birth story after a long 37 weeks!

On October 5th we had our 36w6d obgyn appt and as soon as I arrived my blood pressure was THROUGH the roof. I went to get NST and they monitored my blood pressure for 5 hours then discharged me and sent me to work! I told that that’s what’s causing stress on my body and they said I was fine. So October 6th I went to work and after my 9 hour shift I went to have dinner with my mom she kept making faces at me. I took off my shoes and she told me I was severely swollen so she took my blood pressure 3 times. My blood pressures were 160s so I called the on call l&d obgyn and she said to come in just to make sure everything’s ok.

So we get to hospital at 9pm and the nurse is saying swelling is normal and we shouldn’t take blood pressures at home. Then she got me started on blood pressures and blood work. She told me we are probably going home after getting my blood pressure for 2 hours so I got redressed to go home.

Next thing you know the doctor comes in and tells us I’m 37 weeks and they won’t risk me having any serious problems and my blood work was 3x the level 24 hours before when I was there. So they told me I would be induced and to get my bags they were starting the cervical tape at 3am.

I am the BIGGEST BABY!! They tried IVs and I was crying saying I could not give birth (I hate needles). They finally called the IV team from the ICU and they did it so easily for me. They finally started the tape and told me at 3pm they’d check me and start the next thing for dilation.

At 3pm I’m woken up by the doctor I really wanted to deliver me and she was the next doctor on. She woke me up and told me I was 4cm and they were going to break my water and start Pitocin, she recommended the epidural within the next 2 hours so I could do that process with little discomfort. I HATE needles so I’m panicking over a decision and I decided to get the epidural. It was so nerve wrecking and I was shaking trying to stay still and they dropped an instrument so had to start ALL over placing the epidural. They finally got it in and started the test dose and I felt so good. The next few hours were so easy I went from 4cm to 9cm in a few hours.

THEN I started feeling pain, in my right. My epidural wore off. I kept telling the nurse I needed to push or poop and I couldn’t do this no more. She told me to “labor down”. She checked me again and said I’m 9.75cm which I never even heard of and to wait because first time moms push for hours. I told her no and I screamed for the doctor. The doctor came in checked me and said “ready to practice pushing”. I gave 2 big pushes And the nurse called the baby team over the walkie talkie. After 4 pushes he was out. No tears no stitches. It was the hardest last hour till he was out but it was such an out of body experience. Immediately all my pain was gone. When my epidural wore off the only discomfort I have is sore back from epidural.

Giovanni Angelo Staley born October 8th 1:08am