At my appointment on Monday, Dr. Lloyd decided we would need to induce me by the end of the week if Cohen didn't make his appearance before hand. He was on-call that Thursday, so that was going to be "baby" day!
41 weeks 3 days
Sean's mom arrived at our house Thursday morning and was staying with Lyla while I was in the hospital. Sean and I arrived at HMC around 6:00 a.m. and they got started on me right away. By 7:00 a.m. the Pitocin was started. I was contracting here and there and would sometimes have a contraction pattern, but then they would spread out for a little while. They weren't painful at all and totally doable. When I was checked in that morning, I was still dilated to a 4 (same as my appt on Monday}. At 10:30 Dr. Lloyd arrived to check me and break my water. When he checked me I was still a 4, even after 3 1/2 hours of pitocin. So he went and broke my water and by the 2nd contraction I was already having to breathe through them. I labored laying over the bed and then over the ball for a little while before I had to get up. I labored the rest of the time standing, leaning over the bed. I progressed quickly and it wasn't long before I was hurting and just breathing through the contractions wasn't cutting it. My doula and Sean did an awesome job of keeping me focused as well as massaging my back. Cohen was sunny side up for a while and it took him a little bit to turn and get in the right position, so I had a lot of back pain with my labor. Everything progressed so quickly that I had no idea what time it was. At one point I lost focus for a little bit and started crying and wasn't sure I was going to be able to do this. At that time I started feeling pressure with the contractions and had a lot of bloody show. The nurse decided to check me and I remember saying that if I hadn't progressed any that I was done!!!! I got back into bed and remember having a contraction and it was sooo painful to have to labor laying in the bed. When she checked me I was already at a 9! I got back out of bed and I would guess within the next 5-10 minutes my body took over and my body was naturally pushing the baby out. I got back into the bed and remember feeling the worst pain EVER. I absolutely hated the feeling of the baby coming down the birth canal. It was painful and just a weird sensation. At that point I remember screaming and freaking Sean out! Finally I relaxed and let my body take over. I pushed once and remember the nurse telling them to get the doctor now! Dr. Llyod came running in, gowned up and was barely set up when I pushed again. He quickly had to cut me and a second later Cohen's head was out! I barely pushed again and Mr. Cohen made his appearance. My doula and Sean guessed from the point of me pushing to the time he was out was under 5 minutes, if that. Just 2 pushes and he made his appearance!
He came out with his face completely purple. My first thought was that he wasn't breathing but they said because he went through the birth canal so fast, he ended up very bruised. He literally looked like he was beat up. I felt horrible even though I know it wasn't something I did. His apgars were 8 and 9 and we spent the first hour of his life snuggling chest to chest! I loved it. They gave him his shot while nursing along with the eye ointment.
After snuggling, they gave him his first bath and did his hand print and foot print.
Love this sweet little feet!
Overall, it was an amazing experience even if it was super quick. I loved that I was able to do it naturally and felt a huge sense of accomplishment for doing so. I remember so much more of Cohen's birth than I do with Lyla's and I felt incredible after the delivery as well, which I believe is because I didn't have any medications. About an hour and half afterwards I was up and dressed and just felt great. I absolutely loved our doula and I couldn't have done it without her. Sean was a much better support person this time as well! Of course I can't go back in time, but I wish I would have considered doing this with Lyla's birth!
