So this post is long over due, but here is the birth story of Sophia the first.
We tried for 5 1/2 years before getting pregnant. Multiple failed clomid rounds, 3 failed iui's, ovarian drilling surgery, fibroids removed from uterus, PCOS, and one miracle IVF cycle that worked at the first try. I consider myself lucky that it "only" took 5 years and the IVF worked the first time. I know I'm fortunate for that. My IVF process is documented in this blog in 2012 entries.
I was also lucky enough to have a fairly easy pregnancy. I had a few normal pregnancy symptoms that were not even remotely "bad". But at the end of the pregnancy, after 6 years of waiting, 40 weeks just seemed like an eternity so after I reached 37 weeks, I was looking for ideas to induce labor naturally but didn't try anything until 38 weeks 4 days.
January 15
I had been reading about cinnamon tea and took some the day before and it tasted good even if it didn't do anything. So I made me tea in the morning. Then I googled "labor inducing food" everything says spicy and as a Hispanic person, I eat that a lot soooo if it hasn't worked yet lol. Although I must admit the week before I bit into a piece of Serrano and that night I had bad contractions, got scared and stayed away from spicy. So I found a recipe for "labor cake". Sounded good and it was just chocolate so even if it did t work it would still be tasty. So for dinner we ate spicy tortilla soup and labor cake
January 16
2:28 am I was awaken by a decent contraction. But didn't have another one for an hour so I fell back asleep but had one every hour. I called out of work because I felt exhausted. I got up at 830 to pee and after I finished it felt like water running out of a slow faucet. So I txt DH and called the doctor. The nurse called back at 1030 and said to go in at 130 to see if it was my amniotic fluid. So I called DH and asked him to come home to take me. We didn't take the bags because we both figured I'd be coming home since I hadn't noticed any more contractions after 11.
When I see my doctor she says I'm 2cm dialated... Boo lol but then asked about fetal movement and I hadn't been feeling the grandiose movements since the last appt a week before so she sent me for in office fetal monitoring. On the monitor I noticed I had 3 contractions in the hour I was monitored. Nothing strong or anything so thought "great more Braxton hicks". She came to the room and said she didn't like the fetal movement and sent me to labor and delivery for a 2 hour fetal monitor in a dim quiet room. Towards the end of the first airing if family feud, yes I was watching tv lol, I felt a bunch of contractions pretty close, but again not strong and the doctor was due to come any minute. After the 2 hrs she came in and said that there wasn't enough movement and she wanted to induce me since I was 38 weeks 6 days. Wow... So DH ran home to get our bags and I called my mom to come right away.
Doctor came back a little later and explained that first they would break my water, put in an internal monitor, then start pitocin after an hour or so.
So then we got down to business. When she went to break my water she goes "OMG, you are already 4cm! You are already in labor! But since the baby isn't moving well I still want to continue with the pitocin." So I said ok. Contractions were good and tolerable up until 9pm when they increased the pitocin too high. I started having off the charts contractions. When they checked my cervix at 10 and I had only increased 1 cm I broke down. I kicked everyone out and asked for an epidural. I felt like a failure but I was exhausted and hadn't eaten all day! I thought I'd leave my appt and get lunch, I was wrong!
I got the epidural and knocked out. My blood pressure dropped really low apparently but they got it stabilized and let me sleep.
January 17
I slept until I was woken up at 1 to check my cervix again, I was at 9cm! So they got me ready to push. I kicked everyone out again at 230 because they came back when I was asleep lol.
After an hour of pushing my doctor came in sleepy looking n said I was ready. 4 good pushes later I hear "330 happy birthday" I started crying immediately because the next sound I hear is MY baby. The respiratory nurse was called in and other that seeing a flash of her for a second I didn't see her for a few mins. So during labor her pulse kept dropping so they were worried. She was born with the cord around her neck but thank God she was fine. She also got a big bruise on the top side of her head that was squishy for weeks but now is just a big bump. There's a name for it but I don't remember. It'll go away and if it doesn't I still think she's perfect. The bump made her severely jaundiced which gave us an extra day stay in the hospital but breastfeeding has gotten rid of it mostly. Her color is also becoming less yellow.
We are so in love with her and so thankful to God that we finally got out miracle. I believe you will all get yours one day too. I hope this story gives you hope to keep pushing for your happy ever after no mater what route you take!
-Mrs Red
