Elements of Jenn: Ella's Birth Story

June. 17, 2010 I experienced the greatest day of my life!

Like I had blogged earlier I was scheduled to be induced on Wed. June 17th at 5:30 am at Mercy. Weeks before I really frowned at the idea of being induced because I wanted every thing to happen as natural as possible when it came to when she was ready to to be born. Then I hit 40 weeks and with this hot weather, my increasing size and the pressure I felt made the answer easy when my doctor asked about being induced- it was an instant "YES!".

So Wednesday I spent the day at the office making pending notes and wrapping up projects. That evening I had dinner with my best friend and her son Jace then we went to the park so Jace could play and we could chit chat. One of the the things that I told Jess was that I was shocked that my water had not broke, I explained that I really felt that my water would have broke...

{ Well My Head didn't make this picture very well but Jess wanted a picture with my full grown belly! }

After the dinner and park I came home and took a much needed shower. After my shower I put on sweats and went to take clothes out of the dryer. When I looked down I was surprised to see that I had "Peed my pants" I thought for a moment that it might be my water but I played it off as wishful and thought I more than likely lost control of my bladder. After the third change of pants I finally was convinced that my water was breaking. I guess it's confusing because it doesn't happen like you see in the movies, no big gush of water it was more like a "leak" (later I find out thats exactly what it was, a leak). I was thrilled. I could not have planned it better! My water was breaking on my due date and I was already getting prepared to go in that next morning to be induced. So I called my mom and she rushed home and also my best friend Jessica was on her way over to help in anyway she could (because I thought I had til 5:30am and it was around 10pm I still wasn't completely ready!).

My mom had color in her hair I told he to finish because I had clothes in the wash anyway and needed to blow dry my hair. We finally left for the hospital after midnight and arrived at Mercy a little after one.

{ Jess and I right before I left for the hospital .. my water is breaking in this pic! }

I will say the great thing about going to the ER when your pregnant is that you NEVER have to wait. My Mother and I walked in calmly and I explained that my water broke and I was already scheduled to be induced at 5:30am that morning. They pulled up the schedule and for whatever reason I was not on it! It was also a busy night for them many women where coming in with their water braking...must have been a full moon or something. I was told that if my water had not broke I wouldn't have been able to induce that morning because they were so full. Man I was so happy my water broke!! I can't imagine showing up ready to get my labor started and being sent home!

Anyway I was then wheeled chaired to my "first" room where they ran a test to insure that my water was breaking and that turned out positive! I also found out that I was still only dilated at a 2. So from there the nurse told us that once they had my room ready I'd be moved and they would start the pitocin drip at 5 am. I asked for some ice chips and as my Mom fell asleep for a little while I sat there eating ice chips as if it was popcorn and starring at the clock that now read 2:00am as if it was a movie.

About an hour and a half passed and I was moved to my room where Ella was going to be delivered.

I my water was then broken but not on prepose as the nurse went to hook the fetal monitor to the baby's head. At this point I still was not on any pain medicine and I hadn't had any contracts that I could feel.

The nurses left the room and I sat there again starring at the clock just waiting for the little hand to reach 5 and the big hand to reach 12.

Finally 5:00 am was reached! The nurse came in and checked me for dilating, I was at a 3 by this time. She then started my pitocin drip to induce my labor. About an hour passed and I started to feel contractions, nothing I couldn't handle just really bad cramps. Every time I had a contraction my first reaction was to hold my breath and every time my Mom would have to remind me to breath! I guess I should have taken those breathing classes ( But I think I did awesome without them!).

After an hour of being of the pitocin my nurse came in and told me I was now at a 4. The contractions then started getting worse not horrible though. After another 40 minutes had passed the nurse checked me again and said I was now at a "good 4" which I guess is almost a 5. She then asked me if I wanted to go ahead and get an epidural, the thought of a needle in my back scared me ! I always thought I would be in so much pain from the contractions that the epidural wouldn't bother me. I of course said yes and 30 minutes later the anesthesiologist came into the room to administer the epidural. Did you know the whole process takes about 20 minutes? For 20 minutes I was scared to death and trying to relax and stay still through it all even while I was having contractions, not easy! Finally the epidural was in and after a couple minutes the bottom half of my body went numb. I was worried though because I could still move my legs and toes that I would feel pain during the delivery. The doctor reassured me several time that I would not feel a thing. After I was given the epidural they turned the pitocin drip up a little.

My Family plus my best friend, Jessica then came in to visit with me. After 30 minutes of talking with them and knowing I was only a 4 and could be while they left for lunch and would return later.

Not even 10 minutes passed before I started to feel major pressure "down there" I told my mom to get a nurse because I felt something going on. The nurse came in and to our shock she said I had already been dilated to a 9!!!! I went from a 4 to a 9 in less than a hour!!!! I was excited and ready to start the whole pushing process although at the time I didn't really know how, only that I was going to wing it and visualize it the best I could. My Mom immediately called my sister-in-law and I called Jess and had them turn around and come right back to the hospital. I had two nurses come in the room and told me that soon we would begin to start pushing. Christen and Jessica showed up and shortly after the nurses came back into the room. They pulled out the leg stirrups and I felt excitement knowing this was another step closer to meeting my baby girl. Then nurse told me I would start pushing when they saw I was having a contraction and I would push for 10 seconds then take a breath and do it two more times. I have never been more focused, I pushed with everything in me and visualized Ella's arrival. I pushed with the nurses for about 20 minutes before my Doctor got to the hospital. Once my Doctor sat down and I was told to start pushing through the contraction by the second push Ella was here!

I had never been more Excited, Overwhelmed, or Exhausted in my life!

I couldn't believe that after only 30 minutes of active labor Ella was born!