MY BIRTH STORY + Epidural Experience

My entire pregnancy, I wondered how I would go into labor. Would I be in the shower? Sleeping? Driving? Was it even okay that I was driving at 39 weeks pregnant? I don't know.

My doctor had told me that I could try pumping, intimacy and  bouncing on an exercise ball. I had been using my exercise ball through my pregnancy so I was ready to try something different and since I wasn't 'feeling myself' enough to be intimate with my husband, I decided to try pumping.

I didn't break out my electric pump so I just used my haakaa. I used it mid-afternoon on November 9th and went into labor that evening starting around 8:30PM with minor contractions. I hadn't had contractions my entire pregnancy so I knew something was happening. Brandon and I had gotten in bed and tried to get some sleep. He fell asleep instantly but the contractions were coming too often for me to fall out. I started timing them with the app I used throughout my pregnancy. They were mostly within ten minutes apart.

​Around midnight, I had told Brandon that I have been timing my contractions and that we may have to go to the hospital. He just casually started walking around the house getting his clothes on and stuffing his things in his pockets while I was still laying in bed. I debated if I should really go to the hospital or not because I've heard labor could take hours and I would've rather been comfortable at home for as long as I could. We did decide to go  because first, I've never done this before so I didn't know what to expect. Second, my contractions were where they needed to be and third, the hospital was about 30 minutes away.

We got to the hospital around 1AM. They checked me in and the lady behind the counter looked at me and said "you're definitely in labor" because of how flushed I looked. We waited for about 40 minutes until they got me a room.

I got settled and changed into the hospital gown. I was FREEZING! I guess it was partially from the nerves but I had to get several warm blankets and that helped a little but not a ton. My nurses stuck my IV in and while I was waiting for the doctor to come give me the epidural, my IV had started coming out from me moving around.. oops!

My nurses started to switch my IV to my right hand as soon as the doctor came in to give me the epidural. They figured they could knock them out at the same time but as they were both pricking me, my heart rate shot up to 127bpm.

The epidural didn't go in right at first. It felt like the bottom right side of my back was concrete, it was so stiff. Then, voices started sounding robotic and the room started to slow. I never actually passed out but I imagine that's what it would start out like. I slowly started to feel better. My nurses had already secured the IV so we just needed to try the epidural for a second time. It was successful and I immediately felt shivers again from the coolness affect it had on my back.

After about 15 minutes, I couldn't feel any more contractions and my legs were completely numb I couldn't lift them. It felt like was paralyzed from the waist down but it was totally fine since I wasn't in any more pain. Brandon and I just chilled in our room for several hours with the nurses checking on me every so often. I couldn't get comfortable enough to actually sleep but I did get about 10-15 minutes here and there.

​The nurses checked my cervix when I first arrived and I was 4cm dilated. I hadn't progressed until 10am when I was at 7cm. My doctor had come in and broke my water assisted by my nurse and failed to mention, until they were actually doing it, that I would feel immediate pressure. Sure enough, I had the WORST contraction in my lower right pelvic area that just would not let up. It was the most painful experience that I wouldn't wish on anyone. A doctor had come to give me a dose of something to help with the pain but that lasted all of five minutes except for the fact that it helped to split them up like actual contractions.

11am rolled around and the pain was unbearable. Y'all it hurt so bad that I COULDN'T cry! I tried describing it to my nurse saying it felt like it was burning and freezing at the same time with some intense sharp pain. I felt like I was going to be sick, I was sweating and tempted to yank everything off of me to get in another position but I had no strength. She had told me that it sounds like Ella was face up. I didn't quite know what to do with that information. She just left it at that until she was done at the monitor. She checked me again and I was at 9cm. She had told me the only way I was going to feel better was if I started pushing any time I felt that pain. When she told me that, I did it. No questions asked. I would've done anything to help the pain I was feeling.

After a few pushes, she remembered I had asked for a mirror to watch the birth. I told her it was fine but she sent someone to get one for me. The whole time I was pushing, I just thought I was helping my pain and not actually making progress. However, when they set up the mirror and I could see myself, I realized I WAS making progress. I could see a sliver of Ella's head and I was shocked. My nurse had suggested I wait for my doctor to get to the room before pushing any more but I couldn't help but continuing since that was the only thing that seemed to help the pain. He got there about five minutes later with plenty of time to deliver her. I guess them actually setting me up in the position and seeing the 'tools' down at the foot of the bed made it real and more nerve racking than several minutes ago when I was just pushing to relieve pain.

Delivery took about 45 minutes total but it felt like 15. I felt Ella's head crown and release and then one more push for her body and she was out! Ella Rose Wren, born at 11:47AM on November 10th, 2021.

​They laid her on my chest and I was so in awe. I couldn't believe that I was now a mom and that this 7lb 13oz baby was mine.

Brandon cut the umbilical cord. There was one more push and some pressure applied to my stomach to release the.. extra stuff.

The nurses cleaned Ella up and left us alone with her for about an hour. It was nice to have some quiet time but we had no idea what we were doing, haha! We just held her and stared at her. I was so tired from staying up for more than 24 hours so I had Brandon put her in the bassinet for me to be able to doze off for a minute. Some nurses came in to push on my stomach some more (this is so everything goes back in place correctly after moving around for baby).

Two hours or so after delivery, my legs felt normal enough to walk on so I cleaned up and wheeled Ella to our recovery room.