I really want to document the events leading up to the birth of our son, because I felt the Lord's hand in every step of the way leading to our answered prayers of a completely natural and unmedicated spontaneous labor delivery of our baby. I'll start with last Thursday, Friday and Saturday in today's post and write subsequent ones leading up to his birth. Buckle in. :)
No surprise, due to my anxiety, my BP was high when the nurse checked it so I was gave them a urine sample to test for protein and rule out Pre Eclampsia. The results came back at a +2, which isn't good and the Midwife we saw that day (who we were meeting for the first time) told us we needed to immediately head over to the hospital for further tests and a high chance of induction.
Thursday
Last Thursday, January 10th we had our 40 week Midwife appointment. At the 39 week appointment my blood pressure was slightly elevated so I was a bit anxious about getting my blood pressure checked that week. Regardless of what it said, I was mentally preparing for at least another week of being pregnant.
No surprise, due to my anxiety, my BP was high when the nurse checked it so I was gave them a urine sample to test for protein and rule out Pre Eclampsia. The results came back at a +2, which isn't good and the Midwife we saw that day (who we were meeting for the first time) told us we needed to immediately head over to the hospital for further tests and a high chance of induction.
I had heard of this kind of "panic" leading to induction happening to many people around their 40 week mark so I started asking some additional questions. Can I retake the urine test? What are my options? Can I recheck blood pressure in 15 mins or so after laying down, etc. The midwife was not helpful started making me feel like me and my baby were in imminent danger if we didn't go to the hospital right away. It obviously upset me and I was in tears (which isn't hard to do) but she also upset Josh (which is VERY hard to do) so we asked if there was someone else we could see.
A different midwife came in and spoke to me. She did a MUCH better job of calming me but at the same time explaining the risks if I was in fact pre eclamptic. She had me lay down and retook my blood pressure - which came back completely normal and then did a catheter urine sample to recheck protein levels. (apparently discharge can throw a protein count so internal check is more accurate). That sample came back completely clean! With that, they said they would draw my blood in the office (rather than sending me to the hospital) and let me do a 24 hr urine sample.
I was so relieved! I had at least another day to mentally prepare for possible induction and to try and get active labor going in any way possible. I was checked at 3 cm dilation and 60% effacement and had my membranes stripped before we left the appointment. The rest of the day I had crampy early labor/braxton hicks contractions. They were about 8 - 15 minutes apart. Josh and I tried our best to relax and get the house in order, incase the next day we would need the induction, all the while prayed for spontaneous labor to start.
Friday
Friday morning we slept in. Braxton Hicks contractions has slowed down in the morning and I was feeling a bit discouraged. Around noon, we got a call from Josh's parents saying they were in town and wanted to do lunch. It was a big surprise to find they drove 4.5 hrs the night before and stayed in a hotel in KY just incase I went into labor in the middle of the night.
It was nice to have them there as a distraction from "trying" to go into labor...We went to lunch and then headed up to drop off my 24 hr urine sample and get the blood results back.
At their office we found the blood work came back clean! Which was a HUGE relief. My blood pressure was normal when I laid down for a few minutes on one side. Another HUGE relief. Linda - the midwife we met with, was beyond encouraging. She said they would strip my membranes again and then get back to me that night about how the 24 hr urine test went. She said the number needed to be under 300 to avoid scheduling an induction.
Linda checked my cervix and said I was at 4 CM and 80% effaced! Another huge answer to prayer - the early labor/braxton hicks my body worked on the day before gave me a bit of progress!
Josh and I left the appointment feeling SO encouraged and praying that the 24 hr test would come back clean and specifically we repeated "Lord, give us the weekend to go into labor on our own. Please, just give us the weekend."
After the appointment we went to get some coffee at Fido and then took willow on a long walk waiting for Linda to call with the results. I had really come to a peaceful place about everything. If I wound up with an induction, everything would be OK. It wouldn't be what we really wanted, but either way we would finally meet our baby.
While we were on the walk, I received the call from Linda. She said "You missed the cut off by 30 points..." and feeling a bit of defeat and feeling seeing pitocin in my near future I steadily said "Ok, so what are the next steps?" Linda replied, well you get another week because your number was 270." A wave of relief washed over me. "Oh! So I MADE the cut off? I don't have to be induced!?" "Correct," Linda replied. "Let's try and get that baby out naturally!"
When I got of the phone Josh literally jumped in the air and said "Praise the Lord!"
We had gone from Thursday morning feeling like induction was inevitable to Friday night having another entire week to go into labor naturally.
Saturday
Braxton hicks contractions continued all night Friday night and into Saturday morning. We went out to breakfast at the new coffee house in downtown franklin called Froth Monkey and then took a 2 mile walk in the spitting rain to see if contractions would intensify.
After the walk downtown we decided the rain was getting to be a bit much and would head to the mall. I continued to have early labor crampy feelings at regular intervals, but the intensity wasn't picking up. We went home to rest, shower and keep praying for things to pick up on their own.
Feeling discouraged by the "maybe this is real labor...oh no, probably not" back and forth and a bit like a watched pot that would never boil, we headed out that evening to a friends house for another distraction. Even though I was in a completely crummy mood, grilled pizzas, my nieces and friends around us and football on the TV did allow me to relax a bit.
We went to bed that night with the same braxton hicks contractions and the same prayer. "Let us go into labor spontaneously." Feeling hopeful and excited to finally meet our baby.
Even though I know what happens next - I can't wait to read your account!
ReplyDeleteAnd Felix is a gorgeous, perfect little baby. I love him dearly.