Owen Michael 's Birth Story

I was scheduled to be induced on 12/26/12, but on Christmas day, my body had some serious plans for me. I had been having stronger braxton hicks contractions all day and started timing them. The were pretty much all over the place so I just rested all day. We got home from celebrating Christmas with my family and I took a shower and laid down and that's when they started to get more painful. I was supposed to call the doctor when my contractions were 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute for 1 hour. Some of them were 15 minutes apart, others 7 minutes apart, but they were getting more and more painful. At 9pm, I decided to call the doctor and she said to head on over to L&D. By 9:30pm my contractions were 2 minutes apart and almost unbearable. Once in my room, the nurse checked me and said I was only 3cm dilated. I was in so much pain because he was facing the wrong way and with every contraction he was pushing on my back. She checked me a little later and I was a 5, then again a few minutes later and I was a 7. It was crazy fast and then when the doctor got there I was already a 9. I did get an epidural between 5cm and 7cm and then I was very calm. The doctor broke my water but couldn't tell if it was clear or not because I was losing a lot of blood. My blood pressure started out normal and then would go real high and then real low. Baby's heartrate was all over the place and was causing everyone concern. They were trying everything to try and regulate baby's heart rate but had no success. Although I was dilated to 9cm, I wasn't getting to 10cm fast enough to deliver vaginally and have a healthy baby. Because baby was in distress they rushed me to the operating room for an emergency c-section. It all felt so surreal and still does. It was all very traumatic and nothing I had planned for. Owen is doing great and I am trying to heal from the surgery. I will be in the hospital a couple more days and then we will go home on Saturday. Owen is the love of my life!

	Comment from Cockroach » Posted Dec. 11, 2012 11:52pm I mixed the castor oil with several things and so far I am still very much pregnant with no signs of labor :( I tried mixing it with raspberry lemonade, chocolate milk, mother to be tea, coffee, apple juice, and a melted chocolate shake (which is how my mom successfully got herself into labor with me!). Next step : Hot chocolate with some cayanne pepper. I am very desperate, my mom took vacation this week because we figured there would be a baby. My sudden halt in progression was a big surprise. I am scheduled for an induction next Thursday at 7:30 AM, I have a feeling doc doesn't think she will be coming here without assistance, as he said my only other option was to wait 3 more weeks and then he would make me get induced regardless. I wanted her here before Christmas, so I chose the next week date! Red raspberry leaf tea really did seem to help as far as effacement went! Sad I ran out :( Good luck to you with the EPO! I am still too cheap and too scared to try it!
	Comment from Cockroach » Posted Dec. 6, 2012 8:40pm Thanks! It's tough, but we gotta do what we gotta do. It is just very lonely here without him. We're hoping he will be able to make it, I'm actually praying for a long labor in case he has to drive from work because it will take him 3-4 hours depending on the weather to get to the hospital. I was really just hoping she would have come a few days back so we would have never had to be apart xD This baby thing is so rough. Worth it, but rough!
	Comment from ginabee » Posted Dec. 4, 2012 5:38pm Hey! I'm hanging in there! Sleep deprived but good! He is such a sweet little guy. How are you doing?! Getting close mama!
	Comment from Noelle8905 » Posted Dec. 4, 2012 7:25am Hey, I'm not doing too bad! These last few days are dragging! I had my last dr appt yesterday and I was 1.5 centi dilated and now I'm down to just a centimeter. Darn! My dr had mentioned inducing at my last appt, so this whole past week I've been talking to my bf about it and we both finally agreed to what we want. So I talked with my dr yesterday and we now are set to induce on December 6th at 6:30AM (my due date)!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited! I can't believe ill be holding my baby girl in just a matter of days! Of course tho, we are still holding out that she comes naturally. Sorry, I'm a chatty Kathy! Just soo excited!! How are things going for you?? 1 more week and you'll be full term!!!!
	Comment from Cockroach » Posted Nov. 29, 2012 8:11am I was going to, but with my husband having to drive 3 1/2 hours here to come to the hospital, I am trying to avoid anything that will speed up labor. I suppose I will just try exercise and stuff until she decides to make her appearance!
	Comment from Mrs.Mom » Posted Nov. 10, 2012 7:48am Hey! Thanks for checking in on me...I am sooo behind on the forums I dread trying to get back into it haha. Things with Ruby are amazing. She is such a good baby ...last night she slept from 9pm to 3am, ate/changed her and back to bed at 4am to 7 this morning! Her sleep pattern has been great this past week so I'm one happy momma! Motherhood has been a huge adjustment for me. I think it took the first two weeks just to sink in! I will give more detail in the forum. How are you?? Must feel like things are so close now??! Only 52 days remaining, not much at all!!