Harper Willow's Birth Story
Submitted by LauraBeth23
I'm a first-time mother and my labor was nothing like I expected it to be. First off, I was a week late and my doctor was going on vacation and decided he would like me to be induced while he was still around. I went in the hospital at 7 o'clock Weds night and we started the Cervidil. At about 8 o clock the next morning, the doctor came in and removed the Cervidil and broke my water (there was A LOT of water!!) At around 10am Thursday morning, they started me on Pitocin and I got up and started walking the halls to kickstart the labor.
About 2 hours went by and I was still walking the halls and getting some really good contractions so I decide to go to the room and sit on the yoga ball. After hours of sitting on the yoga ball, the nurse put me into the bed and gave me an analgesic through my IV. About 2 hours after that, the pain was so bad that I asked for my epidural. I have a slight curve in my spine so the epidural only worked on the right half of my body and the left side felt like it was being ripped apart at the joints. The anesthesiologist came back and reinserted the epidural and I finally got relief!! Less than an hour later, the doctor came in and told me it was time to start pushing and he had the nurses turn the epidural off. I pushed for 3 hours before the doctor decided to use the vacuum to get her out and within two pushes with the vacuum he had her head out.
She had her cord wrapped around her neck twice and that was what was preventing her from coming out that whole time!! The nurses put her on my stomach to clean her off a bit and we quickly realized she wasn't breathing. They whisked her out of the room and called the respiratory team down (they arrived in what seemed like seconds!). Meanwhile the doctor called in help for me because I was passing so many blood clots and losing too much blood. I ended up being stitched up and having several blood transfusions throughout the week I was in the hospital, and little Harper Willow ended up being a perfectly healthy 7-pound, 5-ounce baby girl. The doctors couldn't find any reason for why she wasn't breathing at birth, but hours later they brought her to my room looking like a nice pink newborn baby!
I always expected to have a nice easy birth with great pain medication and plenty of bonding time as soon as the baby was born but things went much, much differently. ... I wouldn't change it for a second though!! I am loving every single second with my little girl and I would do it a million more times for her if I had to. I can't wait for the next one!!! :)
Read more birth stories or share YOUR birth story now!
About 2 hours went by and I was still walking the halls and getting some really good contractions so I decide to go to the room and sit on the yoga ball. After hours of sitting on the yoga ball, the nurse put me into the bed and gave me an analgesic through my IV. About 2 hours after that, the pain was so bad that I asked for my epidural. I have a slight curve in my spine so the epidural only worked on the right half of my body and the left side felt like it was being ripped apart at the joints. The anesthesiologist came back and reinserted the epidural and I finally got relief!! Less than an hour later, the doctor came in and told me it was time to start pushing and he had the nurses turn the epidural off. I pushed for 3 hours before the doctor decided to use the vacuum to get her out and within two pushes with the vacuum he had her head out.
She had her cord wrapped around her neck twice and that was what was preventing her from coming out that whole time!! The nurses put her on my stomach to clean her off a bit and we quickly realized she wasn't breathing. They whisked her out of the room and called the respiratory team down (they arrived in what seemed like seconds!). Meanwhile the doctor called in help for me because I was passing so many blood clots and losing too much blood. I ended up being stitched up and having several blood transfusions throughout the week I was in the hospital, and little Harper Willow ended up being a perfectly healthy 7-pound, 5-ounce baby girl. The doctors couldn't find any reason for why she wasn't breathing at birth, but hours later they brought her to my room looking like a nice pink newborn baby!
I always expected to have a nice easy birth with great pain medication and plenty of bonding time as soon as the baby was born but things went much, much differently. ... I wouldn't change it for a second though!! I am loving every single second with my little girl and I would do it a million more times for her if I had to. I can't wait for the next one!!! :)
Read more birth stories or share YOUR birth story now!
Submit!
