For all who dare...

This was Royce's first time in a swing. Notice the clasped feet!



Its taken me 3 weeks to post my birth story. I've started and stopped writing my story numerous times over the last several weeks. I recently wrote to a co-worker about my experience and decided to use that as my post so here goes:

My labor and delivery was not what I expected. I ended up having rolling contractions so they did not stop, just one after the other. By the time I reached the hospital I was already 4 or 5 cm dilated so they admitted me that was at 1:30 am. I ended up delivering Royce at 8:33 a.m. When I was about 7 Cm's I couldn't take the pain any more, plus it was hard to ignore the suggestions of an epidural. I even tried sitting on the bouncing ball but that did not work . I went in with an open mind and just wanted to see what my body was capable of. Plus, side note I am a big baby when it comes to needles . I got an epidural. It did not work. I had to be re shot! I was hunched over a table for 45 minutes getting poked in the back, being told to keep still, and my contractions never stopped the whole time. I was in so much pain. I even called out for my mom. I guess it was bad b/c they allowed her to be in the delivery room even though there was a limit to how many were allowed in. I had planned on just having myself and my husband in the room :). By the time I was fully dilated the epidural started working. This was when I needed to feel to push, but instead I was numb. They had to bring out a bar I could place my legs on and a sheet I could pull on (almost like I was doing sitting crunches) for me to push the baby out. I did it though! After he was out I cried and cried. They cleaned him up and placed him on me.

The next day I started to get a mind searing headache. It felt like a combination of a hangover or migraine that I've heard about (I've never had one before). I told my nurse about it in passing but I didn't think anything of it. I thought it was just the after effects of giving birth. Plus, I was having painful lower back muscle spasms. I had a great nurse!! She was so concerned she called the anesthesiology department and arranged for them to come speak with me. I thought she was making a big deal out of nothing, but I was still grateful.

It turns out I developed what is known as a spinal headache. The hospital tried to correct it by hooking me up to an IV with caffeine and a salt solution for 24hrs but that did not work. They said I could try another option which is known as a blood patch and requires a third shot. It is very much like an epidural except some of your blood is taken out and pumped back into your spine. The after affects were that I could not hold anything heavier then the baby for 48-72 hours after and I had to spend the majority of my time lying on my back or else there was a chance it would not work. It was hard to do this with a baby but my husband, parents, and mother in law pitched in to help. I'm so glad the blood patch worked because I was given an example of someone who had to have the procedure done 4 times before the pain went away. I'm just starting to feel like myself. Whew that is a long story!