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Little Jude
By Amie
My first delivery was induced at 36 weeks and 6 days. The pregnancy was normal until around 32 weeks when I began having some pretty painful contractions that luckily only lasted a few hours.
Concerned, I called the doctor and was told to drink lots of water and put my feet up. At my checkup later that week, my doctor said I was 1 centimeter dilated, thick and high.
Days later I began having the same problems, only this time the contractions did not go away. I called the doctor and was sent to labor and delivery. My husband and I picked up Burger King on the way because I was starving. When I arrived at the hospital, I received an IV, a shot of Terbutaline (awful stuff) and a quick ultrasound to check the baby's position all while munching on French fries. The first shot of Terbutaline did not stop the contractions, but the second one did. I was monitored, then released on bed rest.
Later that week I received the series of two steroid injections to help speed the development of our baby's lungs. From weeks 34 through 36 I was in and out of the hospital due to contractions. Each time I would get a shot, then go home.
Finally, on April 1, 2003, I was offered the option of having an amniocentesis to check the maturity of the lungs, and then schedule an induction if they were mature enough. I jumped at the chance! After three sticks with the amniocentesis needle (OUCH! I still hold the record for the most sticks!) and a day of anxiously awaiting the results, the doctor called and said I would be induced on April 3.
We arrived at the hospital at 7:45 a.m. There was an emergency Cesarean section being performed, so my Pitocin drip wasn't started until around 10:30 a.m. This was the day the United States first invaded Baghdad, so we watched Fox News the whole time.
When I was admitted I was already 3 centimeters dilated, 90 percent effaced, and the baby was just about in position. At 12 p.m. I was only 4 centimeters, and the doctor broke my water.
At around 1 p.m. the contractions began to get really painful. I was allowed to take a 20-minute shower, and it felt so good and actually helped quite a bit. My husband was wonderful through everything and stayed by my side through it all.
At 3 p.m. I decided I wanted an epidural. I was given Demerol to take the edge off, and the epidural was administered at 3:30 p.m. I fell asleep for an hour or so. I had just woken up and began playing UNO with my husband when the doctor came in to check me and discovered I was at 10 centimeters.
At around 5 p.m. I started pushing, but our baby's heartbeat kept dropping very low with every contraction. I was given an oxygen mask. The Pitocin was stopped, and they placed an internal monitor on the baby. The heartbeat stabilized and I began pushing again, this time still with the oxygen mask, internal monitor and without Pitocin.
At around 6:35 p.m. the epidural wore off, and I was able to really push. The baby began coming very quickly after that, and the doctor had to hurry to get all of her gear on. Our son, Jude Carter, was born at 6:50 p.m. on April 3, 2003, and weighed a tiny 5 pounds, 9 ounces and was 19 inches long. He was an angel!
Right after he was delivered, he didn't cry immediately. The doctor said, Well come on – breathe, baby! and the whole room quieted and held its breath. After what felt like an eternity (about two seconds later) he started a low, grumbly cry that eased into a wail. My husband said it was like a lawnmower starting. We all began breathing again, relieved. The doctor clamped the cord, my husband cut it and they put my sweet baby on my chest. How amazing!
He was a little jaundiced when we left the hospital, but he was able to come home with us and eventually have a bili-band light to put around his belly to get rid of the jaundice.
Jude is now a healthy, happy, and funny 10-month-old baby, and we're expecting our second baby boy in June 2004.
