If you've read any of my previous posts, you know this pregnancy has been extremely difficult due to my chronic pain.

Today I hit 39w2d. We set up my induction 2 weeks ago, as my fibromyalgia pain has been getting progressively worse in the last couple months, and this was the soonest the hospital would allow my induction.

Last Thursday I had my final office visit with my OB, and he did a membrane sweep. I had some mild spotting that evening, but by the next afternoon I was in L&D was heavy bleeding. They monitored me and baby, did an ultrasound, had me walk to see if labor was maybe starting.... everything appeared to be in order, so they thought maybe there was a varicose vein in my cervix that he hit. I continued spotting over the weekend, but nothing terrible. I was 1cm and 60% effaced when I was sent home Friday night.

We got to the hospital at 0730 this morning. The doctor came to see me and we decided to try cervidil before the foley balloon, as there had been no change over the weekend. Cervidil went in around 0930. Doctor came to check on me during his lunch and I had progressed to 2cm, 80% effaced. Again, hoping to avoid the balloon, we decided to break my water. That was at 1252, and baby's head was so low that barely any water came out. Contractions immediately picked up, and thankfully my epidural was done by 1335. The pain never fully went away, but it became bearable, which was fine. Once the epidural was done I was at 4cm.

My contractions had basically stopped shortly after. The nurse checked me at 1600 and there had been no progress, so she called the doctor about pitocin. Pitocin was started at 1615 and immediately contractions picked back up and started hurting like a bitch again. She came in at 1630 because we had lost baby's heart on the monitor. She had me switch sides, still kept losing it. She was moving the monitor lower and decided she needed to check me. At 1635, 20 minutes after the pitocin was started, I had gone from 4cm to "its baby time!" The doctor literally ran over from his office and baby boy was born at 1645. I had a tiny tear, that required no stitches.

Turns out, I had a slight placental abruption, which they talked about, but said seemed unlikely since baby was doing so well the whole time. He ended up swallowing enough blood that they had to pump his stomach. After a little time under the warming lamps and then lots of skin to skin, he was great!

Liam Bobby-Richard 💙

6lbs 14oz 19.5in

September 24, 2018 1645

He has mostly been sleeping. I know I should be, too, since I've been awake for 22 hours, but I'm still in awe over how today went!!

I've read so much about inductions, and the horror stories. This was my 3rd induction, and it was just as easy as my first 2. I know it's not that way for everyone, but I wanted to share so that other moms worried about the horror stories know, they aren't all bad!!