Goddammit, I had the whole thing typed out, and my baby hit the back button. Aghgh.
Long story short, I came in for my induction with excremely high blood pressure. My OB upped my medication, and started pitocin. I came in 3 cm dilated. The contractions were easy, and I could talk through them just fine.
After a few hours, my OB came to check my cervix again. It was softer but still at 3 so she manually opened it to 4. It hurt like hell. They turned up the pitocin. Still, the contractions were manageable.
Then around 4 PM, labor took and that turned off the pitocin and broke my water. Ladies, the first contraction after knocked my breath out. There's a certain level of pain we think we can manage through. This contraction blew past it, leaving it mangled on the floor. It hurt at worse than I could handle, and I knew I'd need an epidural if I couldn't get off of my back. Fortunately as soon as I moved it became a lot easier. It still hurt, but it was ok.
Once my bp was stable, I went to take a shower with my exercise ball. I could feel the rest of my water gushing out with each bounce as it opened my pelvis. Upon getting out, I felt a little faint, and there was an anasthesiologist in my room asking questions just in case I needed to move forward. My bp prior had been up and down, limiting my movements.
Suddenly, I felt like I weighed a thousand lbs and I struggled to her back on the bed. The contractions were getting worse, and mentally I felt like I was slipping away. My nurse couldn't find Clara's heartbeat. I could hear the panic in her voice. She pressed the emergency alarm and searched for the heartbeat.
Finally she found it, but it was incredibly slow, at 60 bpm. I could hear it on the monitor, nearly 100 beats slower than her usual speed. I began to hyperventilate and sob, which dropped it even slower. My nurse began to yell for me to breathe and stop crying. I couldn't think, my mind was fading and I focused on breathing through the sobs. My doula was speaking quietly, inches from my ear trying to keep me calm and aware. The doctor rushed in to check my cervix, 7 cm. Nurses piled into the room. The doctor tried to open my cervix farther to get a head monitor on Clara, but it was brand new equipment and it malfunctioned.
My doula prayed for me, and all I could do was cry through every contraction, which at this point were nearly on top of each other. And because I was on my back, I felt the full brunt of every single unbearable one. She called for a c section. The nurses ran around like ants looking for different equipment - they were from other departments and didn't know where anything was. My husband was pale and looked terrified. My MIL was crying, but helping the nurses look for the surgical materials. My nurse and my doula were still trying to keep me conscious and breathing.
After 15 minutes of looking for everything, I was wheeled into surgery. I writhed with every contraction until the spinal tap went in. I loved that spinal tap!! My lower body suddenly felt warm and then numb. Oh my goodness, the relief!
My husband was brought in after the first incisions. The first thing it if his mouth was, "Your organs are on the table." I couldn't help but laugh. But I was still terrified had Clara wouldn't be okay.
They pulled her minutes later with the cord wrapped around her neck and meconium dripping from her butt. My OB was giving me a step by step description, and I waited for the cry.
Finally, I heard Clara scream, and the only thing I could do is break down into ugly tears. My husband started crying, as well.
They showed her to me briefly then took her away. My husband went with them while I was getting sewed up.
Once they cleaned her up, the nurses came back and announced she was 21 inches long, 8 lbs and 6.9 oz. My main nurse came by, placed the baby on my breast, and she latched instantly.
From then on, I was in love. And still am -- more and more every day.
Apparently, I'd gone pre-eclampsic when I came, but I was asymptomatic other than blood pressure. My 24 hr urine test came back with protein levels over 3x the safe limit. I was on the edge of a seizure when my ob called for surgery.
Still, despite it being the delivery from hell, it was still way, way worth it! But with gestational hypertension, diabetes, gall bladder disease and bed rest, I don't think I would like to do any of this ever again. Still, I wouldn't trade the experience for my daughter. She makes up for it every single day.