Oh, Pitocin.

JJ's Birth Story - Part Two

So my parents overheard my exciting phone call from the midwife, sending me to the hospital.  I basically ran out of their house, dialing John on the way.  He didn't answer.  Twice.  I knew he was planning on taking a shower, I just couldn't believe that was the time he was unreachable!  He called me back pretty quickly, thankfully, and I informed him of our 'head to the hospital' plan.

When I got home I pretty much just paced around the house, looking for things to throw into my hospital bag.  Yes folks, that's right.  I was 5 days overdue, and my bag was not yet packed.  At least not all the way.  I checked and double checked my list, then decided we were ready to go. 

Of course, we had to stop for gas on the way, and some McDonalds for John.  I knew that I should eat something, I knew it.  (Especially since I had only had a handful of Lucky Charms that morning.)  But I was too excited and nervous to think about eating.  So I had a small milkshake.

We got to the hospital around 12:15 or so.  I got settled in a gown, settled in my bed, and we began to wait.  It felt funny to just walk in, no pain, no contractions.  I always pictured myself barely able to walk in because of the pain!

So while we waited we watched some TV.  Of course since their remotes had been stolen, John had complete control of the stations.  I did feel bad that he had to keep getting up to change them though.  They gave me something to prepare my cervix, and we continued to wait.  Have I mentioned how much my husband dislikes waiting?  When I told him this could easily be another 24 hours I think I may have seen a tear.

At 5:00pm on Tuesday, March 22, pitocin was started.  I was still only 1 centimenter, but we were hoping the pitocin would get things going.  At some point we called our families...I don't remember exactly when.  Both sets of parents, as well as all our siblings, and my sister-in-law, were at the hospital that night.  I'm not positive when they got there, but before we knew it everyone was hanging out in the room with us!

Now I've heard about the joys of pitocin.  How it basically gives you non-stop contractions.  How you never get a break from the pain.  How nasty it is.  And let me tell you, it's even worse than that.  I have no words for it, really.  Except maybe torture!  I was glad to have the contractions start, but before long they were truly unbearable.  And they got worse by the second.  My Dad was timing them, and the peaks of my contractions were pretty much 90 seconds apart.  That doesn't leave time for much of a break inbetween!

The next time I was checked, I was still 1 centimeter.  Pretty depressing to hear after all that pain.  I didn't want to get the epidural yet, because I thought it would slow down my labor.  My midwife assured me that with the pitocin going, it would not slow anything down, so I said, "Bring on the drugs!"  John wanted to watch them stick that needle in my back, but they wouldn't let him.  So he watched in the reflection of a picture on the wall.  :)  I received the epidural (actually, 'paradise') at 8pm.

It was almost immediate relief, and I loved it.  My family all came back in the room and I was pain free!  After an hour of the epi, I was checked again and I was 6 centimeters!  Unbelieveable!  An hour later I was 8!  Soon after that I was 9 and I started to be afraid.  I could feel the contractions again, and they were getting stronger.  And the worst part, at least what I thought would be the worst, was yet to come: the pushing.