Positive Induction Story

Baby is sleeping so I want to take this chance to write out what I can remember about my birth story.

I was electively induced Nov 8th at 39 weeks exactly. I went in at 0530AM and was 3cm, 80% effaced, -2 station. I was started on the pitocin IV drip by 7AM and by 10AM I was 4cm and my doctor broke my water. I was very scared of having my water broken but I didn’t feel it at all! The water came out in large to moderate gushes throughout my labor. At this point I was feeling some contractions and pain in my back but they were manageable with massage in the spots that were hurting. Baby was face up and was giving me back labor unfortunately. I knew that I wanted an epidural so I told my nurse that I wanted it as soon as the anesthesiologist was available. I was not paying attention to time but maybe within 30 mins the anesthesiologist came in. I was also very nervous and scared of the epidural and was shaking but they let my husband stay and support me in the front while it was placed and my anesthesiologist was amazing. I felt the burn of the numbing medicine and NOTHING ELSE. It didn’t hurt at all. I was so happy!

The epidural definitely took effect on my right side quicker but that was where most of my back labor was so I was okay with that. Contractions were happening and I wasn’t really feeling much. By 3PM I was 7cm. Shortly after, I started to feel some discomfort and pressure in my bottom but not really enough to mention it to the nurses. Then by 5pm I was 10cm and ready to push! I decided to have my husband, mother in law, and my mom in the delivery room. My nurse had me do some practice pushes and with the first one she could see his head. My husband originally said he didn’t want to look at anything down there during delivery but he ended up watching everything and said it was amazing and so cool to see what really happens .

It was a very calm experience because my doctor and nurses were calm and reassuring while I was quietly pushing when told to do so. Pushing was a little difficult because although I could move my legs, I really couldn’t feel myself pushing so I wasn’t sure HOW to push. I pretty much changed it up with each push and tried to remember what seemed to make a difference. After about 30 mins, in my final round of pushes, they said his head was right there so I pushed 2 more times as hard as I could and he was born at 5:46PM!

He swallowed a lot of amniotic fluid so he didn’t cry very loud at first. I was worried but my doctor said he was okay. They put him on my chest for a bit and he was just doing little whimpers. It was so adorable. After a few mins they took him over to the warmer and cleaned him up some more.

Delivery of the placenta was uneventful and only took one little push. I was having a casual conversation with my doctor while she cleaned me up after delivery and asked her if I tore and she said I had a second degree tear. I have some stitches but I’m not exactly sure where they are. I just know they are in the perineal area.

Baby Augustus Ray (Gus) was born at 5:46PM weighing 7lbs 15oz and 21in long. He was very sleepy the first day and didn’t breastfeed until 3PM the next day. Since then, he has been a champ! His bilirubin levels have been slightly high but not enough to do light therapy. We are still watching his levels with tests every 24 hours.

We got to go home Nov 10th in the afternoon and had to go to the doctor on the 11th and we’ll go again on the 12th to check bilirubin levels and weight. Fingers crossed he doesn’t need to be readmitted to the hospital for light therapy. We are pushing feeding every 2 hours and supplementing with some formula just until his levels are acceptable.

I could go on and on but I think I’ll just bless you with some pictures 🥰