Kyle's birth story

Kyle’s Birth Story

I was set to be induced at 5pm on Thursday, Feb 1, 2007. Previously I had been having marginal NSTs and he was only measuring the 3rd percentile in growth in u/s. So my dr advised on inducing.

On Thursday, Feb 1, I had spent the morning at my Bible study. I had debated on going as it was my last morning alone with my first son, Ryan, but I was getting nervous and anxious and really needed some prayer time. So I went. After I came home I had just enough time to give Ryan lunch and get him down for his nap. I had just started to pack my bags and get lunch for myself when I received a phone call from the nurse at my dr’s office. (this was around noon). She told me my dr. had to go out of town on an emergency and wouldn’t be there for the induction. She said I could go ahead and be induced as scheduled with a different dr or wait until the following Monday when my dr. was back. I opted to go ahead right away as scheduled as I was ready for it and personally didn’t want to go in labor on my own. I liked the idea of having it planned!

About a half hour later the nurse calls again and says the dr. that is taking over wants me to come in to do another NST. He was looking over my chart and realized I’m considered “high risk” and wanted me to come in to do a few tests. I was slightly upset as I only had a few hours before induction anyway, but I also understand that this dr. didn’t know my history or pregnancy and was just getting involved with no knowledge. So I headed off to the hospital without anything with me (and Ryan’s carseat in my car).

I spent 45 minutes doing the NST, which came back as marginal. Kyle wasn’t moving around as much as they would like. So they had me do an u/s. The u/s came back as fine and he was weighing as 5 lbs 3 oz according to the u/s. After the u/s the nurses had to talk to the dr…which took 45 minutes. By this time it was 3:30pm and I was getting very upset. I hadn’t finished packing yet, I had laundry in the washer and dryer, and Ryan’s carseat in MY car, plus I hadn’t even said goodbye to Ryan. I wanted to go home for just an hour.
Unfortunately the dr. wouldn’t let me leave. I was told I was required to stay and they were inducing me. So I had to make about 15 phone calls to figure out how to get the carseat from my car to home so that my parents would have it when they came to get Ryan (btw- my parents were also out of town at my grandma’s funeral and were on their way home…they were supposed to be back by 6pm but luckily made it back in town at 4pm and met Bob at our house..they were just waiting for the carseat!!). I called a friend of mine that lives near the hospital if she could pick up my car and take it to my house and Bob would then take her home on his way to the hospital. It was a huge mess of calling so many people and trying to figure out who was doing what and when.
But we finally got it worked out and Ryan went to my parents house and Bob made it to the hospital at 5:30pm….only a half hour after they started the pitocin on me.
Yes, they had me there from 3:30pm until 5pm…just hooked up to the monitor but no induction until the scheduled 5pm. It was very frustrating and upsetting, but I managed to get through it.

As soon as they started the pitocin I was already having contractions 2 minutes apart. They weren’t real strong yet but could definitely feel them. I started out as 3cm already and 50% effaced. The dr. checked me and figured I would deliver sometime in the middle of the night.
He came and checked me again at 6pm and decided to break my water. It took 3 tries (with the crochet hook!!) but got it. He also put on the fetal monitors on Kyle’s head because they were worried about distress. Once my water was broke, I dilated to 5cm in about 2 minutes and my contractions got very strong. The dr. took back his words and said he figured by 10pm! I asked if I could have my epidural now. He agreed. J

I got my epidural at 7pm (thank goodness!) and it was really nice. I didn’t feel any contractions and didn’t lose complete feeling in my legs this time. It was perfect. I sat back and relaxed for a while.

At 8pm I had a talking to with the dr., nurse, and Kyle and said I’m going to watch Grey’s Anatomy now and you are not allowed to be born until AFTER Grey’s!! Yes, I know I’m seriously addicted! In fact, the last 5 minutes of the show, not only did I feel “different” (as in possibly the urge to push) but the dr. happened to be standing in my view of the tv. I even asked the dr to please move so I could finish the show! Sad I know.

At 9pm the nurse checked me and I was completely dilated. She started getting things ready for the delivery and called the dr’s. (the OB and the pediatrition- he was already at the hospital so he stuck around for my delivery). While waiting for the dr’s, the nurse asked me to do some practice pushes. A few pushes later and she told me to stop. A few moments later the dr’s came in and the look on their faces was priceless. The were expecting to be there a while for the pushing, and they came in and looked and said “wow! A head!” They got ready real quickly! I don’t think they expected there to be a head there already!

Once the OB was ready I had 2 good pushes and Kyle was born at 9:29pm. He had a nice set of lungs and was crying up a storm! He weighed 5 lbs 5 oz, and 19 inches long. I did tear a bit along the old episotomy (the one I had with Ryan), but it was a minor tear. Nothing too bad.

So a 4 ½ hour labor from start to finish. I think he was pretty anxious to get into this world!