So, as you know, I was trying everything to induce labor. Last Monday evening, Brad made spicy tacos for dinner. Around 3am, I felt like I had cramps but of course I didn't correlate it to labor because I was convinced that I was going to have to be induced. I tried to go back to bed, but eventually got up to read around 5:30am. Brad woke up and I told him that I was having "cramps"; he got excited and asked if we needed to go to the hospital. (By the way, we had a 8:30am appt. scheduled for that morning so that the doctors could do a stress test on Benjamin).
I told Brad that we could wait until out appt. Well, the "cramps" started getting closer and closer. We started timing them at 7am and they were about 10 minutes apart. I knew that if we went to the hospital and they determined that I was indeed in labor, I wouldn't be allowed to eat. So, for my "last meal" (meaning "last bad-for-me meal"), we went through McDonalds drive-thru. That morning, the intercom was broken and someone was taking orders outside. Just as we were giving our order, I had another contraction. After I screamed my order of an "Egg and Cheese Biscuit!", Brad looked at the frightened McDonalds employee and said, "Don't worry - she's in labor; we're on our way to the hospital right after this."
It was a classic moment.
I was able to walk into the hospital and into labor and delivery. They had me change into a gown so they could check to see if I was in labor and if so, how dilated I was. Much to my surprise, I was 5cm dilated. So, they admitted me and we were set up in a room around 8:15am.
About an hour later, I received my epidural. It was the best. thing. ever. I couldn't feel any contractions - or my legs for that matter - after getting my epidural.
The doctor came in to break my water around 11:30am and said that I should have a baby in a few hours.
Well, around noon, the doctor came in again and informed me that I was 10CM dilated and needed to get ready to start pushing.
It all happened so fast. With Brad on one side of me and my mom on the other, I started to push. After several minutes, there was a flood of people that came into the room. Someone named "Dr. Wittich" was being paged STAT to my room. Benjamin's head was turned sideways and he wasn't coming through the birth canal. One doctor tried to vacuum his head out three times - all unsuccessful.
Dr. Wittich, a 70 year old OB who happened to be working that day, came into my room, sat in front of me and said, " I only want you to listen to me. When I say push, you push".
At this time, they had given me oxygen. I couldn't feel anything but sensed something was wrong. All I could do was cry and pray.
Benjamin's heartbeat was down to 50 bpm (the average baby's heartbeat is 150 bpm). Dr. Wittich took forceps and turned Benjamin's head the correct way. He said PUSH and I pushed as hard as I could. A few seconds later, we could hear a faint cry. The umbilical cord was around Benjamin's neck.
The doctors and nurses removed the cord and rushed him over to a side table. After a few seconds, I heard a healthy cry.
Dr. Wittich and another doctor remained in front of me for about 15 minutes. Due to Benjamin's size (9 pounds, 15 ounces), I had third degree lacerations and needed to be sewn.
After being tended to, they handed me our beautiful and BIG baby boy. I was in awe of his size. His breathing was a little labored, so they took him to the nursery so they could monitor him for awhile.
While Benjamin was in the nursery, the nurses attempted to move me to my mother/baby room. I fainted two times and was unable to sit up the other two. After the fourth time (which was around 9pm), the doctor ordered a blood test.
After the results came back, the doctor told me that I had lost a lot of blood and needed a transfusion.
They were able to move me into the mother/baby room around 11pm, after being hooked up to several IVs. Brad and I spent the night in the room with Benjamin (who was brought in to us with a clean bill of health shortly after I was transferred into the new room). Although I was weak, it was an amazing experience. We didn't get any sleep that night (or the night after), but it was an incredible bonding time between myself, my husband and our son.
The following day, I received my blood transfusion. After the blood transfusion, they took a sonogram of my uterus and determined that there was placenta and tissue that needed to be removed. I went into surgery about 10 minutes after my transfusion was complete.
The surgery and transfusion were successful.
Three days (which seemed like three years) after being admitted into the hospital, we were on our way home.
Although I'm sore, I'm on the road to recovery. I heal more everyday. I'm so amazed by God's grace and His mercy. Dr. Wittich is the ONLY doctor within a 100 mile radius that still uses forceps. I'm told that they don't even teach that method of delivery in medical schools today.
God's hand was all over the birth of Benjamin. God has changed my life in so many ways and now, He has given us a beautiful son. I will forever be grateful.
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