When we got to the Birthing Center around 8:30am I was 6 cm dilated (so awesome!) but there were 2 other women in labor already, so since I had some time still, the midwives sent me walking (NOT FUN!) to try and get me moving along. They checked me again at around 10:30am, and I was still only at 6 cm (I was definitely disappointed about it....) At this point, there were 4 women total in labor, including me, and one more possibly on the way. Three out of the 4 midwives were at the BBC already, and we were all praying that no one else would go in to labor! They sent me for some more walking, and checked me again at 1:30pm. At this point, I hadn't eaten anything since a granola bar at 3:30am, and couldn't keep anything down, I could barely keep down water. At 1:30pm, I was STILL only 6 cms so we made the decision in conjunction with our midwives and a consulting doctor to go to the hospital and get my labor augmented.
We were met at the Birthing center by our favorite midwife (yay Yuliya!) and we waited a while to see if i would progress naturally. After a LONG TIME in the hot shower (a laboring woman's best friend) Yuliya checked me again, and i was FINALLY 8 cms. The contractions were VERY strong at this time, and I was completely exhausted, so we decided that we needed to augment the labor with Pitocin, and also get an Epidural in order to make the contractions bearable. Well, next to a hot shower, an Epidural is a woman's next best friend. After the epidural, i felt GREAT! Couldn't feel the contractions at ALL, and I told Tyler I loved him, probably fro the first time all day. :)
Around 8:30pm I was FINALLY fully dilated, and started pushing. Pushing was definitely NOT successful! Isaiah would not come down AT ALL, and every time that I pushed his heart rate would drop. After trying for a little while, Yuliya put me on oxygen in order to try and get his heart rate to stabilize enough to be able to push, and to see if that would help him to drop. Alas it did not. After a little bit (only about an hour thank GOD!) and consulting with the attending on-call, we decided to try to use a vacuum to deliver him. We tried this about 3 times, and again, it did not succeed.
The only option left for us at this point was to do a c-section. Throughout the whole process, Yuliya and Dr. Jacob were AWESOME in telling us every step of the way what they were doing, why they were doing it, and making sure we were comfortable with the steps they were taking. Throughout this whole pregnancy Tyler and I were very committed to trying to be as natural as possible, but with the understanding that the MOST important things were that we had a healthy baby, and that my health were preserved. So when we found out that we were going to have to do a c-section, although very scary, i was TOTALLY okay with it, because I wanted the baby out and okay.
From the moment the last vacuum attempt failed, to when they wheeled me to the operating room, was a mere 2 or 3 minutes. Tyler had just enough time to get his scrubs on, and then they started the surgery. They let Tyler in to the operating room at around 11:30pm, and Isaiah was delivered at 11:34pm, weighing 7 lbs 12 oz, measuring 21 inches. That was the "easy" part. The hardest part for me was the next 45 minutes that it took them to stitch me up! Apparently though it was good that they took their time, b/c my scar is very negligible, so I'm told.
Those whole two days, Thursday to Friday morning, were very surreal. Between the lack of sleep, food and the whole emotional and physical toll, sometimes i feel like it was all a dream. But it was real, and i have the baby, and the scar to prove it! Thank God, now we are home (in our new home in Philadelphia!), we are working on the breastfeeding, (which has been difficult), and we are healthy! Other than a bit of jaundice, everything is okay!
So far Isaiah is a pretty chill baby, all things considered. He sleeps about 3 hours at a time, so that's good. We are just working on the feeding part of the equation. Once we get that down, i think it will be all good.
Tyler goes back to work this week, so the real challenge for me is just about to begin. The great thing about being in Philadelphia is that my family is around and I will have lots of support here. For now, our priorities are him, and unpacking, I still have to call my in-laws when i can't find something, LOL, one of the dangers of having other people pack for you. Soon though, hopefully we will be all settled. I will put up some pictures soon, as soon as i figure out how....LOL.
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