So, I think I mentioned some of this earlier, but I'll reiterate...
We came in around 6am to the room (LDR 3), got checked in, had the IV started (on the second try), drew blood with a butterfly since the IV wouldn't draw back, etc. We started pitocin around 7am since I already had orders from the induction aspect and my ctx were only every 2-3-7 min and not regular.
Erik and I brought in those plastic jack o'lanterns for our nurses, my anesthesia peeps, the residents, the office staff (for Dr. S to take down when he remembered), and one for our post-partum nurses. They were definitely appreciated and everyone commented on them. Hey, I've been there, done that and love when patients would bring in cookies or candy for the team taking care of them.
Dr. S came in around 7:30am to check me (right after the last post) and I was 75%/2/0 and let me just say that he had to change his scrubs after....oh dear, he tried to assess whether the back of her head was in the front or back and that little bit of manipulation sent a geyser in his direction.
I noticed the ctx were way more painful after pit (I'd say 1/10 pre-pit and 3/10 post-pit in pain levels thinking of 10/10 being those women I've heard screaming their heads off). I held out until 8:30am (mainly b/c I knew there was shift change for anesthesia and also I wanted to see what ctx really felt like and tried to imagine them getting worse) and then I requested my epidural. I figure I was definitely getting one so the moment I started to feel mildly uncomfortable, I called uncle and it was the best decision ever.
Mike Maromonte had done my epidural. I definitely felt comfortable with him since he was one of the fellows when I was on my rotation and I knew that he wouldn't make me nervous. It was so weird to experience everything I've explained to my patients before...I was like, "oh, that's what that part feels like."
For the lidocaine, it truly does burn. It definitely surprised me! As for the Tuohy needle, it does feel like a pressure in your back and I really could feel him walking off bone and when he was a little to the left. It seemed like it was taking longer than usual b/c well, you're sitting there all vulnerable but it probably took about 4 minutes for him to get it. All the while, Erik is sitting there on the chair watching and Patty is helping to keep me in position. It's hard to stay in the curled shrimp or cat arching its back position and I had to reposition in the middle to help open my spaces. I couldn't feel the thread of the catheter but I did feel the bolus of lido/epi as it did feel like a small pressure in my back.
It was an awesome insertion and awesome epidural. I truly felt my legs get numb and heavy and I figured that I had a T9 level. It was really an out-of-body type experience b/c I could move and feel my legs but they felt so weird. I started on my right side and took a short nap with Erik and sure enough about an hour later when my BP cuff went up, my right leg was numb and I had to flip over. Kelly, my nurse, had to help move me b/c, while I could move my left leg, my right was really numb and hard to move. So, I flipped to the left and napped again. I kept flipping about every hour or so. I did do the PCEA and didn't really need it until maybe 11am or so. Katie stopped by to visit and likewise, Mike and Giorgio stopped in to see how things were doing.
I was lucky to have been able to nap, send emails and do stuff on the computer on and off since like 9:30 after the epidural went in. Around 11, I noticed when I was on my right side that I felt a ctx on the left side of my abdomen. I pushed the button and switched the left (while dragging my right leg with me!) and within 5 minutes, my pain was gone. Until now, I pushed the button 3 times I think.
My pitocin was adjusted quite a bit and I think I'm at 10 now but my ctx definitely have regulated themselves now at about every 1-2 minutes. I don't feel them one bit but I have noticed that I'm starting to feel some pressure with the contractions. I'm hoping Dr. S comes in to check me soon. Erik and I are having a birth photographer so that Erik didn't feel like he needed to take a bunch of pictures...we wanted him to enjoy this moment but both MB and I didn't want her sitting around the whole day.
Erik is calling 4pm as birth time but my vote is 4:16pm. I think we're both pretty conservative on this. Erik and I have just been enjoying talking about things. We spent this morning napping, on the computer, or just chatting...it's been really special. I did send him out around 11-11:30 to go grab lunch and he just got back a few minutes ago. He went to Quaker Steak for wings and fries. I told him that he could bring it back but out of respect for my ice chip status, he ate there.
It's so nice that it's just the 2 of us. Our family arrived at the house and are getting lunch and taking care of Crosby. We just wanted labor to be about us and not have family there while I labored. We plan to call them when I start to push so that they'll be here for after she's born and after I'm cleaned, they can come back to meet her. We were very happy that our family supported this decision but know they're chomping at the bit for the call to come down (heck, it wouldn't surprise me if they were sitting downstairs in the cafeteria or something).
At this point, I'm pretty numb and I don't feel any part of the contractions. I'm super comfortable and DH and I are just chatting and relaxing. We chose not to have anyone in the room until after she's born (minus the photographer person who is coming in a bit) so that we could enjoy these last few moments as us. I hope this continues b/c this would be like the best labor ever.
Really, I have utmost respect for anyone who does this without an epidural b/c after just a few minor pitocin contractions, I was immediately thinking that this was for the birds and no way I was going to be uncomfortable for God-only-knows how long b/c I'd rather be sleeping, relaxing, etc that tired from pain and not sleeping. I even had a fear as Mike was doing the epidural that he wouldn't be able to get it and I'd have to go au naturelle and that thought just scared me. I actually thought "I would never have gotten pregnant if I had to do this without an epi...that wasn't part of my plan"....hehe!
I must say I was GBS positive so I had to get penicillin at 8am and again at noon and damn, that burns, hurts, etc....my whole arm, elbow joint, hand...EVERYTHING just hurt and ached. When she slowed down the rate, it still hurt so I just asked her both times to run it as fast as it would go to get it over with! They have been having a hard time keeping the contraction monitor on so Kelly or Jane keep coming in to readjust and her heartbeat has dropped even lower in my abdomen so she's definitely descending...so much so that I have to keep my legs straight to keep the monitor on!
And Dr. S just walked in the room....so hopefully we've made progress (hopefully about 5cm or so) so I can call MB to come in....
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