We checked into the hospital, got all comfy-cozy and I was given my first round of Cytotec. The nurse left and we tried to get some sleep before my next dose.
Travis snuck this picture of me.
It was a long night of no sleep. It was hard to get comfortable while being hooked up to an IV and all those monitors. It seemed like every time I was almost asleep, it was time for my next dose of Cytotec. And I'll tell ya, if having your lady parts doused in cold gel doesn't wake you up... I don't know what will!
The next morning I had a yummy breakfast and my Dr came in to check on me. After a long night and my 3 doses of what was supposed to be some magical labor inducing drug, I was still sealed up tight, like a steel friggin trap. I was really disappointed to hear that my body had made zero progress. I had some contractions during the night but nothing significant, so I wasn't all that surprised. He suggest we try one more dose of the Cytotec and that there were other things to do when this happens and we would take it one step at a time.
After my 4th dose, which was around 9 am, I was up walking around and started having some really strong, awesome contractions that were fairly close together. Then out of nowhere, I watched my stomach shift and my awesome surges turned into horrible back labor. Standing became unbearable so I went back to my bed to try different positions so I could relax. My mom and older sister Barbara came by around the time I had retreated to the bed and Barbara suggested I try getting in the shower to make myself more comfortable. I hobbled to the bathroom and got in the shower. After less than 5 mins my back felt so much worse I started yelling "Travis! TrrrrAAAAviiis!!! TRRAAAVVIIISSS! GET IN HERE RIGHT NOW!!!!" My loving fiance, scared shitless because he thought I had just birthed out our son into a bathtub, burst through the door- "What?! What's happening?!" Clinging to the safety rail in the shower I had Travis turn off the water, towel me dry and dress me. Lucky him haha. Back to the bed for me!
My Dr came to check on me around 1 pm. At this point I was still having pretty strong contractions that were now 1 to 3 mins apart. Even though the back labor was intense, I had remained fairly relaxed and was feeling optimistic that we were making some kind of progress... But sure enough, nothing. This was really where I started to feel discouraged. Since my baby had now flipped into a posterior position, the odds of him dropping enough to help me dilate were pretty slim.
Our next step was something called a Foley Bulb (or as I like to call it, horrible vagina torture from the deepest levels of space hell). My Dr's hope was that by placing the bulb it would at least get me dilated to a 3 and he could break my water and then James would be able to drop down... yada yada yada. The only problem was that I had still not dilated at all, so he let me know it wasn't going to feel great going through my closed cervix but I was definitely not prepared for the pain! With 2 nurses holding each leg and Travis holding my hand I endured 20 mins of my Dr struggling to place the stupid effing Foley Bulb. It took everything I had not to scream and while he was finishing up, my eyes started to roll into the back of my head and I started to black out. I shook myself awake and informed everyone I was going to throw up. After throwing up all over Travis, the nurses sat me up, I could barely sit unassisted and I was shaking uncontrollably. My Dr told me that was the most difficult one he'd done, and if I wanted to ask for my epidural, he wouldn't blame me. I really didn't want to have an epidural but I was in so much pain all I could manage to say was "Yes, epidural."
After dropping the F bomb several times at my anesthesiologist, getting poked twice and almost throwing up again, I felt the sweet relief of pain medication flowing through my body. I was so relaxed... but all of a sudden, so freezing cold! I was given multiple heated blankets and an oxygen mask. Apparently my blood pressure had dropped to 90/45 and James heart rate dropped low enough that they were concerned. Feeling baby and I were both stressed we were told that we weren't going to be doing anything else for the rest of the day except feeding my epidural and sleeping. I was totally ok with that.
Fortunately, my family was still there and Travis' parents just happened to show up to see us before everyone was told we wouldn't be having a baby until the next day. Unfortunately, about 15 mins after my family left and Travis' parents were about to leave my Dr came back in because my blood pressure had returned to normal but James' heart rate and shot up to the 190's and wouldn't go down. Our baby was in distress and they broke the news to us that we needed to have an emergency c-section.I was so disappointed and emotional, but at the same time I just wanted my baby safe and healthy. Travis called my mom and told them to come back and they got there a few mins before we were taken to the operating room. Travis was almost left behind while changing into his suit!
The face of genuine fear!
I really wanted to see everything that was happening and watch the birth of my son but I wasn't allowed. I made Travis watch, take pics and give me a play by play with everything that was going on!
Warning! Pics of my c-section!
Honestly, I wasn't freaked out at all about being cut open. The worst part was not being able to see anything that I really, really wanted to see. That, and the pressure and tugging that you feel. It's slightly annoying feeling your body wrenched around like that.
Turns out that the reason Jameson was stressed was because he had passed meconium into his amniotic fluid and inhaled it. I watched them suction it out of his lungs with a syringe with tubing and it was totally the color of pea soup! YUCK. I was glad at that point that we did the emergency c section because had we waited longer, he would have been really sick and probably needed to spend some time in the NICU.
I couldn't believe how sweet and calm he was. He just had his eyes wide open, looking at everything and everyone.
Beautiful baby boy, Jameson Arlo Nutt, was born at
3:49 PM
May 31st, 2014
9 lbs 1 oz
21 inches
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