Corinne's Birth Story

On July 27 Dr Thompson decided if you did not make an appearance by August 3rd she would induce me. Well that week came and went. It was not in your plans to make that date. I had wanted a natural labor and delivery but you were going on two weeks late. I did not want Pitocin, the drug used to start contractions. So she came up with the most natural way to induce me, which was to break my water.

Your dad and I prepared ourselves for the trip to the hospital. I tried to sleep the night before, but it just was not going to happen. Maybe I got a few hours, if I was lucky. Your dad on the other hand slept like a log. We got up around 5:30am on August 3rd. We needed to be at the hospital by 7:30am. Your dad was driving, I'm not quite sure were he was going, he was clueless. But he did get us there.

We got the hospital at 7:30 and had to wait till 8. We went right to our birthing room. They got me connected to the monitored and I filled out all the paperwork. Dr. Thompson got there and broke my water at 9:30. I was 2 centimeters dilated and 50% effaced, which was nothing new… I had been this way for two weeks. She was going to let me go 2 hours before starting the Pitocin. Scott and I walk the halls till 11am, but nothing was happening.

At 11am the nurse started the Pitocin. I did not want it but I was given it anyway. I was concerned that the contracting would be too hard to fast and painful. Things from 11am till about 4pm are a bit of a cloud. I was on and off of the birthing ball and using hot compresses and a heating pad. I needed Scott to tell me when the contractions were going to begin and end. Some times he would forget and I would get so upset. I needed to know they were ending.

The pain for the mast part was my back. The contractions were strong and I had to concentrate though them. Around 4ish I started losing control and really needed Scott to help me through the contractions. The nurse came in and was also helping me breath and concentrate. They were so intense and strong... I could not tell when they were at their peak or even on their way down and that is what I need Scott to tell me.

At 7pm with the exchange of nurses came and new and fresh face. Lanka was so understanding and helpful. She knew I was at my wits end and I needed help with the pain. So I was given Stadol in my IV. It made me feel so loopy, but it did help with the pain. I think I received two shots of Stadol. I labored till around 9pm and wanted to be checked. Lanka checked me and I was 4-5cm and 80% effaced and -1 station still and very long way to go. I had been in labor for 10 hours and had progressed 1 centimeter. That was not good.

By this time I was in so much pain and decided to receive the epidural. Scott and I both did not want it to come to this but it was just too much with the back labor. Scott was very concerned and had second thoughts about me getting the epidural. I just want it and my mom. I received the epidural 10:30 it worked on my right side but the left was still in pain. So the nurse worked that out. The back labor was still there. The pain before was so much more intense then I could ever have dreamed of. I know that was the Pitocin. My body was not mine. I was out of control. After the Epidural I was calm and I could think somewhat clearly and enjoy my labor. I slept from about 12:30am till 1:40am August 4-2001.

My mom stayed up pushing my little epidural button every 20 minutes while Scott and I slept. At 1:40am I ask mom when would the nurse be back and she said 20 minutes. Well, I started pushing that nurse call button because I could not wait 20 minutes! I told her I was in so much pain with my back. She checked me I was 10cm dilated, 100% effaced and at 0 station. All that is very good except the 0 station… that is still very high. The baby needed to be at +1 or +2. She still let me push for about an hour and called Dr. Thompson. I used the squatting bar. It felt so good to push and to release the pain. When the Dr. got there she watched a few good pushed and checked me again. No change in station after pushing for an hour. The doctor wanted me to rest and see if she would move down.

At 3:15, Dr. Thompson was back and there was no change. We needed some progress. So I pushed for another hour and nothing. She said we needed some help - either the vacuum or a C-section. Scott and I decided to try the vacuum first. So at 5am they started the vacuum. Dr. Thompson needed some help so she called Dr. Brickle. It took two doctors to pull her out with the vacuum; it popped off her head three times. In the end, I had no clue things were going so bad. I never felt you crown or the real pain of the vacuum. Your arm was stuck so Lanka had to jump on top of me to move you down. It took from 5:00am to 6:05am for you to be born. Your APGAR scores were 1, 2, 1. You were held up to me for a moment. I knew of nothing wrong... and you were whisked away.

The second time I saw you was 3 hours later. You were in NICU. We were told the vacuum pulled the skin away from your head. They did a CT, MRI and an X-ray that confirmed that you were bleeding in the outside of the skull. That was good news. We were told they don't know the long-term effect to the head trauma.