Phoebe's Birth Story

Phoebe’s Birth Story

            I went in to the hospital to be induced at 8:00 in the morning on September 15, 2010 after waiting an hour for a room. Apparently through the night there was a huge rush of women in labor and there were NO rooms. Charlie and I had breakfast at IHOP before we went in because all you’re aloud to have while in labor are popsicles and ice chips. As soon as we got into our room, I was hooked up to the monitors for your Phoebe’s hear rate and my contractions. I was having a few really light, irregular contractions on my own, but it was nothing to get excited about. At 10:05 am the Pitocin was started to get things going. It took about an hour for my contractions to start moving closer together, but the intensity was still inconsistent. Dr. Mos came in to break my water around 11:10 am. The fluid was clear, which was a relief, and I was dilated to about 2-3 cm and 50% effaced. Dr. Mos told me she would be back in awhile to check on me and left. After the water was broken, the contractions quickly became more intense. Charlie sat by me and rubbed my head while I tried my best to breathe through each one. I was trying my best to hold off on the epidural, but around 5:00pm, I couldn’t handle it anymore. The anesthesiologist came in with an ultrasound machine to find and mark the spot on my spine to stick the epidural needle into. I had heard how much these hurt so I was sort of nervous, but I was surprised that it really didn’t hurt at all. It was just a little pinch. After the epidural got going I felt 100 times better. I could still feel the contractions, but it wasn’t nearly as intense. I didn’t get to celebrate for too long though. Phoebe’s heart rate suddenly started to stay in the 95-110 range, which apparently isn’t normal. I sat there constantly watching the monitor and worrying that there was something wrong. Shortly after this started, Dr. Mos came back to check me. I was now dilated to 4 cm and was 100% effaced, but she was expecting me to be a lot further along since the contractions on the monitor were so consistent and strong. She also told me while she was there that Phoebe’s heart rate range was just fine where it was. There was nothing to worry about. She hooked up a monitor to Phoebe’s head to watch her heart rate more closely and put a internal monitor on my uterus to see the contractions better. Around this time too, Charlie’s mom and brother Josh came in to say hi and check on everything. Following their visit, my brother Tommy and sister-in-law Anne-Marie came in to say hi as well. After visiting for awhile, Dr. Mos came back in to find I was still only 4 cm dilated and Phoebe’s head looked like it wasn’t going to fit. Contractions were still running strongly and consistently, but I just wasn’t progressing anymore. Dr. Mos said we were probably going to have to do a c-section. I was pretty upset to hear this, but she said they would prep me, and then check me once more to totally make sure a c-section was necessary. After a nurse came in and prepped me, I was checked once again and was told a c-section was indeed necessary. It took me a few minutes to collect myself, but then I was ready. Anything to get Phoebe out into the world safe and sound. Charlie got into his scrubs and I was wheeled to the OR. OR’s are normally supposed to be freezing cold, but the air conditioner was broken on this side of the hospital so my OR was extremely warm. It took about twenty minutes or so to get everyone in the room and get everything set up, and then we were ready to go. I think I felt more of the c-section than I was supposed to, but it didn’t really hurt. After about five minutes of cutting, Dr. Mos said to get the camera ready because she was coming. At 9:25 pm, Phoebe Lynn was brought into the world. She cried loudly and I couldn’t help but tear up when they thrust her above that blue curtain. She was so beautiful and I couldn’t believe she had just come out of me. I listened to the Dr.’s and nurses coo over how cute she was while she was weighed, measured and assessed. I knew Charlie had run over to snap pictures of her as I listened to her cry. My Dr. started to stitch me up while all this was going on. After a few pictures were snapped and I got to see her up close, she was sent to the nursery with her daddy in tow. I was sad to be missing her first bath and being able to see everything they were doing to her, but I was reassured knowing that Charlie was with her. In the meantime, I was super exhausted and eventually dozed off while I was being closed up. After that was done, I was taken to a recovery room. I dozed while waiting for Charlie and Phoebe to make an appearance. When I finally got to hold her for the first time I was so excited and nervous. I was suddenly expected to care for and raise this little person. I immediately stuck her to my breast and was so amazed that this little baby, brand new to the world, understood exactly what she was supposed to do. I felt a sense of pride when she latched on. Our incredible little girl was finally with us and it felt amazing.