Birth Story... 24+ hours of Labor=LONG POST!

So here's the story of our little guys birth...I finally had some time to sit him down.
It all started August 9. I went to my routine 37 week Doctor's appointment. I started to show signs of a condition called Pre-eclampsia- My blood pressure was high and I had a "trace" amount of protein in my urine. not to mention the fact I had no ankles from all the swelling. But the doctor told me to go ahead a keep working but to "take it easy, and to rest on my side". Ha ha yeah right ok I'll do my best during my 12 hour shifts the next 3 days. So at work the next few days we would take my blood pressure and it was high but not "too" high. My 3rd and final day when we checked my blood pressure it was much higher. Heather, one of the Respiratory Therapist who has had Pre-eclampsia insisted I go talk to the Labor and Delivery nurses...so much so that she walked me over. The Labor and Delivery nurses told me I needed to be hooked up to the monitors. I told them I still had charting to do, and we only had an hour left in the shift. They agreed to let me finish up my charting and I'd come back to be monitored. I quickly finished up came back they hooked me up. I was already contracting every 3-5 minutes and sure enough my blood pressure was high. It's now Friday, August 12, around 6pm. This is important because it meant my OB was off for the weekend, and I'd be stuck with the OB on call. Cynthia was my nurse.
Interesting side note here...Cynthia and I went to nursing school together and were hired at the same time! Cynthia was that student in class who would always ask a ton of questions, and now I'm so grateful she did because not only did my health matter but it mattered for my little guy too.
Ok so Cynthia decided she'd call my OB anyway and see what he wanted to do. He didn't answer..He later informed me it was his 25th wedding anniversary. Dr. Bourkouski or as we call her at work Dr. B. was the on-call OB. She ordered a bunch of labs and such. Then she came in and told me I was on bed rest the remainder of my pregnancy, and I'd need to return the next day for more test and to monitor the baby. They also had me do a 24 hour urine test. This means you collect all of your pee for 24 hours and keep it in the container. Oh but the urine MUST be refrigerated yummy. It's now 9 at night and they let me go home with the promise I would stick to absolute bed rest...they said NO SHOPPING. I still left with intentions of going to the store in the morning because I had a coupon to JCPenny spend $10 get $10 off..uh that means FREE!!
Fast forward to Saturday, August 13...I wake up and feel really sick. I had a slight headache and was kind of nauseated. I had absolutely no energy which I didn't put up a fight about bed rest at that point. I had Matt put all the finishing touches on the nursery and such just in case. Dr. B had told me to bring my bags just in case my labs were worse and they'd induce me. That night we go in and sure enough things had gotten worse from the previous day. Here's where it gets a little tricky though. To be diagnosed with Pre-eclampsia the 24 hour urine test must be over 300...I was 275. SO technically speaking I was NOT yet Pre-eclamptic but on my way given my other labs too. Also, while I was hooked up to the monitors I was still contracting every 3-5 minutes. Dr. B. told me she thought it'd be in our best interest to get the baby out. She blamed it on the fact that it was a full moon...which we had joked about a few months previously, because it seems more babies are born during the full moon. I'll have you know Labor and Delivery was hopping that night!! I was getting super anxious about the whole thing. I knew that with an induction I'd basically be tied to the bed because of the need for constant monitoring. I decided to go for a walk.
It's now 2am on August 14. I went for a walk and snuck over to the med/surg and made myself some toast, knowing I'd be on clear liquids as soon as it all started. I went back and they gave me my first dose of cytotec, medication to soften the cervix. Then we just waited and waited. 4 hours later I got my 2nd dose and then waited and waited. After the 2nd dose I was dilated to 1-2cm. The doctor opted to give me a 3rd dose.
Side story- Another first time mom was being induced at the same time and so I turned this whole process into a competition. Well she won because she cheated...she never dilated with the medications and ended up with a C-section.
So back to me-It's now August 14, at 1:30pm After that 3rd dose I was finally dilated to 2cm and fully effaced. The doctor walked in and broke my water. We were convinced this is when things would really start to happen because in my mom's pregnancies once her water broke it was just a matter of a few hours and she had her babies. I was secretly hoping he'd hold off because I didn't want to share my wedding anniversary with the baby, but at the same time I knew I needed to be progressing so I wouldn't have to have a C-section. I still was progressing soooooooooo slowly. The baby's head was turned and so they had me try to sit on a labor ball for a bit, but the little guy wouldn't cooperate and stay on the monitors. I convinced them once again to let me go for a walk before we started Pitocin and to help get the baby to reposition. After the walk and I heard the nurse anesthetist would be in to do the other lady's c-section. I opted for the epidural. I was totally opposed previously because I had fears of my blood pressure dropping to unsafe levels, and I really didn't like the idea of not being able to feel or move my legs. Well first my blood pressure could use some lowering and the nurse anesthetist told me he'd dose it low enough for me to move and feel my legs. YEP it worked. This whole time they're drawing my blood every 6 hours. I looked like a pin cushion!! I slowly started to dilate more.

Well it's now August 15...still no baby and labor's progressing very slowly, but key word it was still progressing!! I started to have quite a bit of back pain because of the baby's position. They had me get on all fours in the bed. I'm sure I was quite the sight. They also gave me an extra dose through my epidural to help with the pain while I was still up on all fours. I became so numb I really struggled to lay back down. Once I did they just kept positioning me from side-to-side to help baby get in position. Come 3:30am I was finally fully dilated...but they wanted me to labor down to help get baby in position and further down. I still didn't feel the urge to push so...I tried to sleep for a little bit longer. Then around 4:30-5. I started to feel the urge. The nurse came in and we did a few practice pushes which quickly turned into having a baby pushes. The doctor had been called and was on her way in. This little guy took his time coming but when he made up his mind to come he was NOT waiting for anyone. It seemed like my room was loaded with people at one point they even said to one another who's out watching the desk ha ha. Keep in mind I work with ALL these people on a regular basis, but did I care...nope! I delivered the baby while the doctor was still in the parking lot ha ha. My nurse, Collete did a great job holding one leg up and delivering a baby. Luckily they never took apart the bed because he landed on it... Dr. B. came in put on some gloves clamped the cord, let Matt cut it, and stitched me up.Family Photo

Our little Brayden Matthew Noble was born August 15, at 5:27 am. He weighed 6lbs 13oz. He was 19 inches long. He had apgars of 9/9. He had the biggest cone head with light wispy hairs on top. He stole our hearts from the beginning!!And that is the birth story....Matt was very supportive and attentive through the whole process. My parents spent 12+ hours between the waiting room and my room offering support and encouragement. I had the BEST nurses ever- Cynthia, Lisa, and Collete. Now back to enjoying my precious little guy...