Birth Story

For all the curious minds, this is the story of Minka's arrival into this world.

On Sunday August 22nd I checked into the hospital at 6 PM. Jareth and I made ourselves comfy in our delivery room and enjoyed dinner from Subway.  I was already having contractions about every 6 minutes, painlessly and consistently on my own.

Around 8 PM our doctor came in and she started cervidil, a synthetic hormone to soften things up and prepare for contractions(which would be started by pitocin in the morning).  I was also given a sleeping pill, ambien, to allow for a restful night before a long day of labor.  Shortly after I was throwing up and was given an anti-nausea medicine to settle my stomach.  My contractions had increased greatly but still the pain was very manageable.  The sleeping pill did its work and I was OUT.

At about 2AM they came in to remove the cervidil (usually given for a 12 hour period but was stopped due to the consistency of my contractions now only a few minutes apart).  My labor had started on its own and just needed the jumpstart from the cervidil.  We were in the clear- no pitocin would be necessary!  For the next 2 and a half hours I would wake up from time to time due to a painful contraction and then fall back asleep instantly.  At 4:30 AM I asked the nurse to come in and check on things as I was in pain and wanted an update on how things were going. Good News!  We were at 5 cm and they asked if I wanted the epidural, I complied happily. 

It must be noted as I write this, it sounds like smooth sailing.  For the most it was, although the anti-nausea medicine slurred my speech and the sleeping pill was so strong I would get up to use the bathroom as Jareth had to chase me down with the IV stand since, oops...I forgot I was attached to it.  It was frustrating that Jareth was unable to understand what I was saying and looking back I can hardly remember parts of labor since I was so drugged by the Ambien.

Anyway...

Dr. Hughes came into my room to insert the epidural and Jareth was asked to leave.  Leave?  this was the part I was most nervous for and they asked the one person who calms me down to leave the room!  Was I upset? Astonished? Mad?  NOPE!  I was half asleep and nothing could phase me at this point.  The nurse helped steady me as the epidural was completed.  The nurse seemed concerned when I startled her as I flinched and slouched over...she asked if I was ok....yep!  Just falling asleep a little.  Falling asleep!  They finished up and Jareth was let back into the room- I was already out.

I woke up again at about 6:30 to my water breaking.  They checked out everything and we were ready to go!  The nurse came in and we started pushing.  There was another pregnant lady at nearly the same point and she started pushing a few minutes before me so I knew my doctor would not be delivering my baby as well unless we would be pushing for a long time.  Another doctor was called to the hospital.  We pushed for about an hour and then the other doctor and nursery was called to our room.  A few more pushes and then we met our baby girl!  Still at this point, I was trying to keep my eyes open in between pushes fighting the sleeping pill effects.  My epidural was great- I was able to feel when I needed to push without the intense pain of the contraction.

Jareth got to check out Minka while they cleaned up everything and shortly after we were all left to bond as our new family.  Minka was an 8-9 on the Apgar scale and was in very good health.  We stayed in recovery for a couple hours as the hospital was also busy with the other lady (her girl was born a few minutes after Minka) and then we were off to our suite for the next couple days.

While I was pregnant I could never fully comprehend how birthing a baby was possible.  Such a large baby coming out of such a small space...I never had my mind wrapped around the idea that so many women have done this for so many years and it is natural...So I thought once I experience it I would have my questions answered and understand it all.  I was wrong.  I now understand why each baby is a miracle.