tuesday 4/12 i was given cervadil again and awoke early on 4/13 to start pitocin. my water was broken (by my midwife) that morning so we knew that nugget was coming one way or another.
i was still only dilated to 1 at noon despite all efforts to get labor going. i was having serious contractions and getting no where fast. my midwife began to suspect that all of our hard work was going to end in a c-section and began to prepare me for that reality. i was given an epidural in preparation and that was the most terrifying thing ever but i survived it and was grateful for it once it was done.
around 5pm my midwife returned and confirmed that despite a small amount of dilation (i went to a 4 once the nurses were putting my legs in weird positions and i had foreign objects (contraction monitor, catheter and fetal heart rate monitor hanging out of me), our nugget wasn't going to come out the way we wanted him to. she told steve and i that a surgeon was there to do another c-section and she would see if he could stay around to complete mine. we thought at that point we would have a few hours to get used to the idea but minutes later the surgeon came in and announced he was taking me right then because the other woman wasn't in active labor yet.
i was prepped and whisked away to surgery. i held it together pretty well during the actual procedure - it was once salem was out that i lost it. i cried wanting to holding him but wasn't allowed to. he was 7 lbs and 14.5 oz at birth and 20 inches long. steve was able to hold him almost immediately.
i started having a crazy reaction to all of the medication i was on while they were sewing me back up. i couldn't feel myself breathe or swallow. i asked for CPR at one point much to the amusement of steve and every one in the room. apparently i was given so much medication because during the surgery the doctor tore my uterus slightly and so it took way longer than it should have to get me closed up.
side note -- when i had been given the epidural earlier in the day, i was told to wiggle my toes. the nurses said i didn't stop wiggling my toes from the time i got the epidural until post surgery.... that is many hours people. who knew i was so crazy? i was wiggling away while being cut open.
want to see what it looks like after laboring for 2 days, being cut open and drugged out of your mind? not pretty... i guess we're stuck with this first family picture though so i may as well show it proudly.
after what seemed like forever, salem was given to me and we were wheeled back to our room. it took me a long time to come out of the fog i was in but even though i was incredibly messed up on all the medication, i was able to see how beautiful and perfect he was.
oh - by the way, i learned after my surgery that i have a rare pelvis shape that doesn't fit babies. this can't be determined during routine checks and my midwife wasn't able to confirm this until i was opened up on the table. who knew?
there is much more to come about salem's arrival, our hospital stay and the challenges we've been dealing with. i just wanted to get a few pics out there and give the run down on how our sweet baby showed up. i will leave you with one of me and salem where i am looking halfway human and a more enjoyable family picture!
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