Adeline's birth story 1-3-13 updated

It started on Wednesday January 2nd at 7:30 my husband and I headed to the hospital, not in a rush, we made breakfast, loaded up the car and talked to my mom on the phone. We got to the hospital and my contractions were 5-8 minutes apart. They were really wimpy. The midwife came in and checked me.. I was 2 cm dilated. She proceeded to tell me that since I had polyhydramnios (a medical condition where I had an excessive amount of amniotic fluid) they feared that my body wouldn't be effective in labor, since my uterus was so distended. She said its kind of like a water balloon- when my body contracts my uterus just squishes and then goes right back to where it was, therefore not dilating me, not moving baby down, etc. there was debate about sending me home but she decided she just didnt think my body could go into labor on its own (and actually do anything) so she gave me citatek-they insert it into my cervix to soften it. That made me contractions go to 1-3 minutes apart- the midwife checked me and I had only dilated a tiny bit more- which went along with her theory of my body couldn't do it on its own. She said we couldn't do another citatek because my contractions were too close together. So she and I decided to break my water and see if that helped my body dilate more. She didn't use the crochet hook looking thing she used something that looked like a finger condom with a tiny little hook at the end. She explained all she does is go up there and rubs my bag if water gently until it pops. Having my water break felt so strange! It made me laugh- which only made it gush out more. I continued to leak through my entire labor sometimes it still would come out in gushes randomly.. It totally ruined my cute labor outfit I planned on wearing. At this point I texted the birth photographer and let her know what was going on, so she headed our way. During the end of my pregnancy I developed high blood pressure (they believe it was caused by the polyhydramnios- that my body just didnt know how to handle all that extra fluid) and was put on bed rest. Well the nurse on the morning shift would hardly let me get out of bed bc she wanted my blood pressure to lower (so annoying.. The midwife told her not to worry even if it was a little over 140/90 I still could walk and go on the ball. The nurse didn't listen very well! She let me walk and go on the ball but made me go lay down every 20 minutes. At 3 pm I got a new nurse and she encouraged me to do whatever I wanted! I loved her! :) I walked, sat on the ball, stood, rocked, etc. I got tired and laid back in bed and my family started massaging me, which was nice. They checked me and decided to start pitocin because miss Adeline was still high and they thought maybe that's why I wasn't dilating very fast (my contractions were still 1-3 minutes apart.) the pitocin definitely intensified the contractions! I went back to walking, the ball and then they asked if I wanted to get into the tub, I loved that idea and I was so excited! It took about an hour to fill up. Up until this time it was Jordan, my mom, my sister, my dad and mother in law and photographer. Things really started to intensify and I don't think I opened my eyes starting at this point. My midwife told me that she thought everyone should leave except Jordan and the photographer. Since that's all who would be in the room when she was born. Everyone left and I got in the big inflatable tub, this is where I'm not sure on times anymore. The tub was awesome, but I got cold and wanted out after a while ( looking back I think it was me just really tired, I always get cold when I'm tired) I had been laboring for a long time! Around 1 or 2 am I caved and got the epidural - I was 7 cm dilated and had been laboring since 7:30 in the morning. My husband made sure I really wanted the epidural because it wasn't part of my plan, and he didn't want me to regret the decision. I am so grateful he made me work so hard for it because I loved it after getting it! Lol. I do believe if my labor wasn't so long I would have been able to make it. I mean I had pitocin which increases your pain and such a long labor the odds were stacked against me and I am so proud I made it so long! I also am glad I got it because I still had roughly 5 hours of labor left! Anyway... I got the epidural, we rested for a while, they came and checked me and I had a little bit of cervix left. They took my temp and it was elevated, they were worried that I or the baby had developed an infection since my water had broke so long ago, so they ordered labs to check my white blood cell count. That turned out fine but the baby's heart rate had started to get really high. My midwife told I had an hour to see if my body would completely dilate and if it didn't we would have to do a c section. I asked them to bring in my mom and I told her what was going on (you can see that in the video) they checked me a little while later and I was a 10 so she had me do some pushes, but I wasn't moving the baby at all. So she decided to wait a little bit longer again. We rested. She came back in the room and we started pushing. I was much better at it, and after talking to a few women I am almost 100% positive my epidural was pretty much off or worn off. Never once did I use the remote to add more to my body and the pressure I felt was INSANE! For real! So much pressure! And I felt the ring if fire too! The baby's heart rate was still high- in the 200s and nobody liked that. Something happened at the end, I believe her heart rate dropped from 200s down to 50- and my midwife told me "Tara you need to get this baby out right now" she had such a stern serious tone. I prayed and pushed with more than all my night, and she came out. She came out lifeless and my photographer said it was really scary. They had called in the special nurses for Adeline they cut the cord and passed the baby to them, they began working immediately. It didn't take long for her to cry and she didn't have to go to the special nursery!! Yay! Adeline at first had a hard time controlling her heart rate- it was still elevated but the more skin on skin contact she had with me the better it got! My husband was the most supportive, loving and amazing man anyone could ask for! I have never felt more connected to him. It was beautiful!

Adeline's birth didn't go how we planned it, but it was beautiful and I love her birth story! I will be honest labor and delivery was the hardest thing I've ever had to go through. But worth it times a million! It was an amazing, amazing experience!!and I am so glad I had a photographer there to capture it all!! Truly priceless! And I'm not saying that because I hope to focus on birth photography. :) I mean it with all my heart!

Here is my birth video from my photographer

https://vimeo.com/56821536


I can't get it it link into this picture, since its on Vimeo- and I am not sure how! I hope you take the time to view it! it really is amazing!