I delivered the perfect baby boy at UCSF Benioff Children's Medical Center at 10.36am on July 10, 2016. I want to document my experience here at the hospital.
I was 35 weeks 1 day pregnant. It was 3.44am on Sunday, July 10, 2016, when I woke up as a gush of water exited my vagina. I woke my husband up, "Lingon. my water just broke". We were up, and I thought oh shit for a moment, then I tried to figure out what to do with all that liquid flowing out of me. I got him to bring a bunch of towels to soak it up, and then thinking that all would now be fine, I ask for underwear and a pad to hopefully make my way to the bathroom. But nope, more water gushed out.
The water flow was now under control. We decided to take an Uber to the hospital because it would be cheaper than parking there, but there was surge pricing, so I decided to get an UberPool (with the assumption no one will really pool with me), much to Lingon's chagrin. Luckily we did not get paired with another. I brought a giant bath towel, just in case of any leaky accidents. Off we went. We made it to the hospital without incident at 4.21pm, and headed to labour and delivery. We were sent to triage, and I change into a hospital gown. The nurses came in and asked me if I felt any contractions, and I say no. Apparently when your water breaks, you do not necessarily go into labour, it depends on how far along you are, health status, etc. For example, if your water breaks at 25 weeks, they may give you drugs to keep your baby in. For me, at 35 weeks, they had to admit me, but would not give drugs to prevent labour. Depending on how the baby was doing, they could have given me drugs to help labour progress, but they just admitted me and we held our breath and waited to see what was to come. They tried to confirm my water broke, saying sometimes people pee on themselves, etc., but one look at the volume of liquid coming out of me and they were 99% sure my water broke. They did a couple of other tests - 1) PH test 2) slide 3) pap smear esque thing, and yes my water 100% broke.
From here on, I'm not entirely sure of the order of events, but let me try.
I started feeling some cramps, and when asked again how I feel, I say I have cramps, like very bad menstrual cramps. They feel me and I'm breaking out in a cold sweat. I was told these were contractions. Lingon said we were still in triage at 7am. Somehow we moved to the antepartum room, and the cramps got really bad. We were put in Labour Room 1, and I was dying of pain in there, and all of a sudden I realize the TV is smoking. "I have a question", I said, "why is there smoke coming from behind the TV?" No one knows but they wheel me out in a haste - "let's get you as far from there as possible". We had to move to Labour Room 7. We got a rest in between contractions, and I asked Lingon for my Ike's turkey sandwich. A midwife, Miranda, came in, and says I am in active labour. She tried to joke about seeing me throw up, as she saw me take my bite of my sandwich, and hands me a barf bag. I try to be brave and refuse drugs. I was yelling at people that I was going to die, and everyone told me I was not going to die, but it sure felt like it. I can't even remember if I was lying down, curled up, or what on earth I was doing, but someone said I was sweaty and this was a sign of active labour, and I was like yeah, no shit (in my head). The midwife put her fingers up my vagina, says I was 7-8cm dilated (or was that 8-9cm?), and told me I am close. So OK, I try to hold out for no epidural. At some point, I was told that my cervix was complete, and that I should push, "like taking the biggest poop of my life". So I pushed maybe through 2 contractions, 3 times each, and I remembered her telling me I would have the all natural labour I wanted to have, and was super encouraged. Then suddenly, she says, my cervix is not complete, and I feel like I'm going to die.
It might be at this point that I was begging for nitrous (laughing gas), which was what I had hoped would be the most severe drug during my labour. I was not sure how long that lasted, but I remember at some point throwing the gas mask away and again yelling "I'm going to die". I was told to relax. The labour doctor, Dr Nicole Teal, came in around 8am, and I think I remembered her saying "someone needs to talk to her about her pain" or something to that effect.
Then I'm begging for an epidural. The anesthesiologists come in. Monica and Germaine. I told Lingon to show them a picture of my spine since I have scoliosis (epidural has higher chance of failing or being lopsided as a result). They seemed impressed I have such a thing in my phone and I had the clarity of mind to be able to hand them this piece of information. I felt like a kid, so pleased that they were impressed. They waited for a contraction to end, and administered the thing. Time on the UCSF records system shows me 8.58am. There was not enough time to the next contraction, and I felt the pain coming on, but they told me I needed to hold steady. I remembered my legs being on Lingon's thighs, and I am bent forward, in tears and feeling like I was going to die. I waited another contraction. All of a sudden, I feel nothing. I have no legs. And no pain. Wow. Bliss. I think I was in tears, half asleep. Then suddenly it was time to push. I could not feel any contractions, so I had to be told when to push. Again, I pushed 3 times through each contraction, for a number if times, and this lasted for maybe an hour and the doctors tried using a vacuum pump since the baby was not descending. The pump snaps off. Shit. He is at +2 station. The doctors told me his heart rate is dropping to 60 and they recommended a C-section. I said OK. I mean, what choice did I have?
I got wheeled to the operating room. I asked for Lingon and they said he was outside, and I was upset and scared but they said he would come in soon. He came in. We got a chance to push once more. They used the vacuum again, but it failed. I was really upset, but have to be brave for the baby and Lingon. We started the C-section. I remember asking how long more, and they said 10 mins. I was holding Monica's hand, maybe Lingon's hand? Poor them, I was definitely crushing them. Baby was out at 10.36am, and he was crying. Then I was crying. They started to sew me up. I asked how long it takes. 45 mins. Lingon went to see the baby, and then walked back to me. I ask him to take a picture of goopy baby, and he did, and showed me. Then he brought the baby to me, all wrapped up. We take a family photo. Not quite how I imagined it, and I could not even describe the rush of emotions that were rushing through me. Then the baby had to go. As they sewed me up, I was shivering, like major chatters, my jaw was so painful and my whole body was wrecked, from being so tense and cold and in pain.
I wasin recovery. Not sure if I fell asleep. But I was asked every so often whether I can feel my legs. I couldn't for the longest time, but was anxious to, because when I could feel my legs I could be taken to see my baby. When I could finally feel my legs and lift my knees, I was wheeled in my bed to see the baby. They placed him on me, and it's the most wonderful thing ever. I did not get to hold my baby again until 2 days later.
I was put in Postpartum Room 13. I ate a mint Builders bar when I finally made it here. We had a conservative dinner, but I was hungry. I'm just hungry all the time.
I was told I was a good pusher. Big help it was for me. :-/
Anyhow, that's my story. Someone told me I went through everything - a natural labour, one with an epidural and a C-section. But only one baby. Haha. But the nurses told me some people get multiple babies via different channels, and I just thought that was crazy. Count myself lucky?!
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