Ian's Birth Story - Scheduled Induction - 12/27/11

Fast forward eight years when I got pregnant with my son. I was busy working 50-60 hours a week and felt great. Early on I noticed that I was having contractions around 9-10 weeks and assumed they were Braxton Hicks, although very early ones. I continued to have these often throughout my pregnancy. About 4 weeks before his due date I noticed that I was having more frequent and regular "contractions". I shrugged it off and just assumed my body was gearing up for labor. I didn't time them as they were not painful, though I did have some lower back pain and mild cramping. With this pregnancy I chose to be induced a week before my due date. I was due on January 1st, but my health insurance was switching carriers. Having worked in hospital billing for years, I know what a nightmare it is to have a delivery admission from December to January when the health insurance carrier switches companies. To sum it up, neither carrier wants to pay and the patient is usually stuck with the bills arguing for months to get it resolved.

I was still prepared to labor naturally if possible despite the induction. Six days before my scheduled induction I noticed early in the day at work that I had been having frequent contractions. I timed them and they were 3 minutes apart. No pain and the intensity was low level. I worked my entire shift but did go to the hospital later that evening when the contractions had not stopped. At my last OB appointment I was 3-4cm dilated and there was no change when I arrived at the hospital. My contractions were now every 2.5 minutes apart lasting about 50 seconds. The doctor told me I was too happy to be there and that he would be sending me home. This hospital is a 45 minute drive. Knowing that second babies typically arrive quicker and that based on my last labor my only "clue" was my water breaking in a huge gush, I asked him "How will I know when it's really time to come back?" His response was to look at my husband and ask "How fast can you drive?" The doctor also explained that he felt I was in early labor at this point and that I would definitely deliver before my scheduled induction in six days. I was not disappointed to be going home, as I also knew I was too happy to be there. But I was really worried about knowing when it was time to go. As it turned out, I made it to my induction, still having contractions every 2.5 minutes six days later. I was still 3-4 cm dilated. The nurse who started the pitocin asked if I was having any pain with my contractions and seemed surprised when I told her I wasn't. She asked me to let her know when I needed pain medication. I did tell her that I planned to use nothing and I could tell she didn't believe me. I wasn't sure I believed myself either. I have heard horror stories about pitocin. I was also afraid that they would break my water early and that I would instantly feel intense contractions similar to my first birth and that they would hurt this time. Pitocin is administered in ever increasing doses every 15 minutes for a max of two hours. Every 15 minutes the nurse would ask how I was feeling and I would smile and tell her I was fine. After the pitocin was maxed out the doctor broke my water when I was still at 4 cm. I was prepared to feel instant pain with intense contractions at this point, but nothing. I asked the nurse if I should walk around to help things along and she said I didn't have to, so I stayed in bed and decided to distract myself. I did notice that the contractions seemed slightly stronger, but still there was no pain. I did not feel like I was in labor even with the pitocin. At this point I know that thousands of women will instantly hate me and I should feel grateful for my experience, but it really was disconcerting. When the charge nurse came in to speak with me about four hours after I was admitted, I could tell that she couldn't believe that I was laughing and joking. She again reminded me to call for a nurse if I felt anything at all and apparently felt that I might not notice if I delivered since she also said that if I heard a baby crying, that I should definitely ring for a nurse! Five and a half hours after I was admitted, the nurse stopped in to see how I was feeling and I could honestly tell her I was starting to feel slightly uncomfortable. The way you feel when a stomach bug is coming on and you get that slight churning in your stomach. It's not the major churning that sends you immediately to the bathroom, just the warning beforehand. The nurse got very excited and did a vaginal exam where she found I was 7 cm. "Great" I thought, thinking I had another 2 hours or so to go until delivery. Ten minutes later, I had the strongest urge to push. Since I never felt that with my first delivery, it was a bit of a surprise. I rationalized that I was only 7cm and therefore my urge to push must be wrong and I tried to hold back, which felt agonizing and impossible. My husband, bless him, noticed I had a tears in my eyes and secretly called for the nurse. I told her that I had an urge to push and she checked me and went running out of the room calling for a doctor and telling me not to push at the same time. Less than twenty minutes and 3 pushes later, my son was delivered.