Baby boy is here!

Benjamin Colter

04/22/2021

12:02 AM

7lbs 3 oz

21 inches

This labor went nothing like I expected. We went in at 10 AM on the 21st to have my regular OB visit plus a membrane sweep. When I left there, I was 3cm and 50%. We were advised to go to L&D to be monitored right after, as I was "extremely stretchy" and likely to go quickly. We dawdled and got Bojangles, then headed to L&D. I joke to Scott that the sweep wasn't going to work, and that we would be going home.

First check of the day, I am 4.5-5cm and 60%. So immediately I'm getting admitted. I'm having contractions 4 minutes apart, and they're extremely mild in terms of pain. We get a game plan going and seeing if the membrane sweep will kickstart labor, so most of my day was just spent waiting to see if things would kick off on their own(spoiler, it didnt).

Since I was Group B Strep positive again, I had to get started on my IV antibiotics. I had Vancomycin before, and had a small reaction to it, but nothing of concern. Halfway through my bag, I had the same reaction but worse, so I was taken off of it and given some Benadryl. We opted to not continue with antibiotics and to just monitor baby after birth. That being said, at this point too, we decided to use a low dose of Pitocin to see if it would keep the ball rolling. They let me be in charge of whether or not I would up the dose, etc. Pitocin was started at 8:10, and by 8:30 I was kicked into active labor.

About 9:35, I was breathing through the contractions, when Benjamin kicked really hard and my water broke! At that point I was taken off of Pitocin as things started to ramp up. I was having hard contractions every 2 minutes that I could not talk through. Each contraction hurt worse than the last, but I toughed it out to see if we had made any progress. Benjamin was still up high at a -3 station, so not engaged in my pelvis. I was checked around 10:45 and I was still 5 cm, but 100% effaced. My contractions were now 1 minute apart, and I was having more pelvic pressure as he moved down. At this point, I asked for an epidural, but we all weren't sure it would take in time. Nevertheless, I got poked, and wouldn't you know it, I got it too late.

At this point they called the doctor because now I was starting to yell during my contractions, and I was having intense pressure to push. A doctor checked me and I was 10, and Benjamin was now +1 station, so my delivery doctor came and got set up. It was at this point that I got up in bed onto my hands and knees because everything felt like I was being ripped in two. That epidural never even took, and I had full sensation and full control. My contractions were unbearable, and I was told to push whenever I felt the need.

3 pushes later, Benjamin flew right out and was handed to me between my legs. I had no tearing, and best of all, it was OVER.

My intention was to go natural, but once the Pitocin got involved, I was wary. Needless to say it only took my body 3 hours to take things on its own, and I got very discouraged by the lack of dilation, even though I knew we were right there at the finish line. It was scary, but ultimately I just had to let go and go with the process.

I could not have done it if it weren't for my husband holding me during some of the worst pain. Despite that I still made him take photos as I was pushing 😅. My nurse was wonderful too, and it was overall a fairly relaxed birth. We're resting now in our room, and soaking in our new baby boy. I am so excited to bring him home to meet his big sissy in the next couple of days.