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The Betty Experience: The Darkest Night is Just Before Epi
So things got really intense there for awhile and when Mariah came in at 6am to take out the cervidil, I was pretty much feral and silently weeping into my pillow.
I took out my headphones and asked her about the epidural. I didn’t yell or scream. I just felt weak.
She answered that she’d need
to see where I was dilation-wise after removing the cervidil. Also she said my doctor would be here at 7am to give a yea or nay.
By the time she pulled the cervidil out I was in so much pain that I basically refused to let anybody else touch me, so no cervical exam.
Mariah and another shift nurse looked at my monitor and determined that the reason that I was having such a hard time of it was b/c my contractions were long, fairly strong, with less than a minute between most of them, so it gave me little to no time to recover.
My doctor came in at 7:30 and said, “Well let’s get you an epidural.” I had been pretty staunch about waiting for 4 or 5cm while going over our birth plan with him last month, but that had been one of the few things he had fought me on, saying simply that if I asked for an epidural he would give me one no matter how far along I was.
God, I’m grateful for that policy now.
About 30 min later a lovely Dr. Kang was administering my epidural. I had about 5 contractions during the time it took him to get it in, but 10 minutes later, I felt 10 times better and more importantly like myself again.
I could actually make jokes and I formally said hello to Shandi, the nurse that had taken over for Mariah about an hour beforehand. When she had introduced herself earlier, I had answered her greeting with, “Where are we with the epidural?”
Strangely enough, as soon as I stopped feeling the contractions, my #1 concern became Betty again.
They did a cervical exam to determine whether I’d need pitocin. I was only at 2cm. WTF?!?!
So yes, pitocin will definitely be administered as soon as the contractions space themselves out a bit. Also, Shandi says that my pelvis is really narrow, so it looks like I may still have to do a C-section if Betty is too big (over 8 lbs). I guess that means that we might not have induced soon enough.
Nothing’s quite going to plan, save funnily enough, this live blog, which I really didn’t think I was going to be able to pull off.
So again thanks for reading. I’ll try to get in a another update or two before the big event. But right now I’m going to (finally) get some sleep.
This is like the longest night before Christmas ever.
So impressed and amazed that you are giving us the joy of this play by play. Can't wait to see you and your whole new family on the other side!
So impressed and amazed that you are giving us the joy of this play by play. Can't wait to see you and your whole new family on the other side!
BEST WISHES for your little family!! Hope she comes out perfectly.
BEST WISHES for your little family!! Hope she comes out perfectly.
GEEZ!! A live blog and a baby, busy day for you. I'll keep checking the updates. Good luck!
GEEZ!! A live blog and a baby, busy day for you. I'll keep checking the updates. Good luck!
That is funny, I was just thinking this morning that it must be like Christmas. All the anticipation the night before and little sleep and the anxiety of checking your cervix the next morning to see how far you have come.
I'm sorry you were only at two. Sometimes when people get epidural it relaxes them enough that they dilate more quickly. This is why I am keeping my options open, even though I am trying for natural.
Good Luck, Ernessa! You have me glued here all day!
That is funny, I was just thinking this morning that it must be like Christmas. All the anticipation the night before and little sleep and the anxiety of checking your cervix the next morning to see how far you have come.
I'm sorry you were only at two. Sometimes when people get epidural it relaxes them enough that they dilate more quickly. This is why I am keeping my options open, even though I am trying for natural.
Good Luck, Ernessa! You have me glued here all day!
Hooray for epidurals! And glad you're feeling a little more like yourself. I hope you move through the next phase quickly and have little Betty in your arms soon!
Hooray for epidurals! And glad you're feeling a little more like yourself. I hope you move through the next phase quickly and have little Betty in your arms soon!
Yeah, in the end, who cares when you get the epidural! It's just great you feel like yourself again! Good luck with pushing, if you end up trying, or good luck with the c-section! It's amazing that, whatever route she comes by, soon you'll have your daughter!!
Yeah, in the end, who cares when you get the epidural! It's just great you feel like yourself again! Good luck with pushing, if you end up trying, or good luck with the c-section! It's amazing that, whatever route she comes by, soon you'll have your daughter!!