Holden Lee is here! He arrived on Sunday, September 2nd at 9:31 pm and was exactly 2 weeks early… I was 38 weeks that day. He weighed in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces and was 19 and 1/4 inches long. His name was kept as a surprise for two reasons: 1. for fun, and 2. because he shares a middle name with his great-grandma and we wanted to surprise her!
First, I’ll back things up though to the days before.
We knew we’d be getting induced that week sometime, but we weren’t sure of the exact date yet. I had an appointment on Tuesday, August 28th, as mentioned in my last bumpdate. It consisted of an ultrasound, an NST, and a check up with my OB. Jerry left work early to meet me. The ultrasound went well and the tech predicted that he was 6 pounds, 14 ounces. We figured by the weekend, he’d be in the 7 range… but not so!
Our NST also took quite awhile as the nurse had some trouble tracking his heart rate due to movement. She eventually brought in another nurse who successfully found him. Finally, we saw the doctor. We mostly discussed the induction, but he also checked for progress. Since I was only 37+2 at the time, he didn’t expect anything, but was surprised to find that I was 1 cm and 50% effaced. He asked if we’d like to go in Thursday night or Friday night and we chose Friday, just because we figured the more time Holden had to grow, the better. He told me he’d be filling out my induction paperwork for Friday evening and that I could expect to go in around 5 and begin induction around 7. He told me we’d get a phone call the next day to go over everything, then ended with “well, this is our last appointment. Aw, Steph!” Kind of made me a bit sad, to be honest. My doctor is fantastic.
Wednesday came and went without a call from the office which meant that Thursday we were still feeling up in the air. I gave them a quick call and was basically told the hospital would call us on Friday about when to come in.
Friday came and I waited around the ENTIRE day for a call. Nothing. Nada. We totally felt out of the loop. I finally called the office right before they closed because I knew it was a holiday weekend coming up. They called the hospital for me, and then a bit later, I got a call. The on call doctor told me “the inn was full” and I wouldn’t be able to go in that night, so Jerry and I went to dinner at Bella Pasta and were pretty frustrated. On our way home, a nurse called around 7:30. She apologized for the delay and said they would call the next day to let us know if we could go in.
Saturday was another day of wait and see. The day began to wind down with still no call, and we figured the induction would be pushed back yet again… until the nurse called around 6:00 and said “you’re coming in tonight! Isn’t that good news?!” We were instructed to arrive in about an hour to an hour and a half. We did a mad dash around the house, putting things away, walking the dog, and grabbing last minute things for the hospital. We dropped Caleb off at my parent’s and headed to the hospital.
We checked in around 7:15 or so and then were directed to the waiting room. Such a strange experience to be sitting in a waiting room, waiting to have my son. By 7:30, a nurse came out and called us back. We were let into our birthing suite, which already had our name on the door and everything. She quickly had me change and get into the bed, and we started immediately with answering questions, getting blood pressure checks, and just getting ready. The nurse put this new wireless monitor on my belly; it’s meant to replace the stretchy bands that they usually monitor baby’s heartrate and contractions with so that moms can be mobile. She literally battled with it ALL NIGHT LONG and overnight, too. It kept losing signal and coming off throughout the night. They also had to use this sand paper type thing to “exfoliate” your stomach each time it was reattached, so you can imagine how fun that was.
The real induction began around 9:00 pm when a resident came in to give me my first dose of Cytotec. He had to check my progress and then insert this pill and it hurt SO BAD. He told me it would feel like a normal exam but a little worse, but it was honestly a lot worse. I was told I could potentially get up to SIX doses every four hours, depending on if/when it decided to start working. At this point, I was hoping and praying it would start to work right away so I wouldn’t need to get it again. I was also given Ambien at this point so I could try and get some rest.
Jerry and I spent the next couple of hours dozing in and out of sleep until the doctor came back in at around 1 am to check my progress. I had gone to about 2.5 cm and 75% effaced. Cervix and baby were still up high, so it was time for another dose. I absolutely hated it again because as he said, he had to reach up really high since the cervix was so high. He left, and we tried to sleep again.
The next day was much the same. Third dose around 5 am, no progress. Fourth dose around 9 am, no progress. We got a new nurse Sunday morning (Kerry) who was fantastic. She ended up switching me from the crappy wireless monitors to the regular strap on ones which meant I had to ask her about every 30 minutes to be undone so I could use the restroom. Bleh! Anyway, we just hung out a lot and tried to rest. I was in no pain at all and was totally comfortable since I still wasn’t in active labor. When the on call doctor came in to check on me in the afternoon around 1:15, the nurse asked if I could have a small break to shower and get something to eat. “For what purpose?” he asked. RUDE! This doctor is one that I know pretty well from my office. He’s in his 70s and I always thought he was nice. In fact, he was the only other doctor I saw this entire pregnancy. I saw him a few times when my own doc was on vacation. However, the nurses were laughing the night before and saying he was a curmudgeonly old man, which we definitely started to see. He approved my break begrudgingly after the nurse said the purpose was that I had been in bed for over 12 hours and had a long day ahead of me. So I happily got in the shower and when I came out, my light lunch was there for me: a turkey sandwich, cheese and crackers, and some granola bars. My parents and Caleb had also arrived around this time for a visit; I was missing my boy! Caleb stole my crackers and juice, and I felt so much better eating and feeling clean. My mom then braided my hair for me so it’d be out of my way during labor.
My family left around 2:30, and then it was a waiting game until my next dose of Cytotec. It was due at 1:00, but got pushed back a bit because of my mini break. The resident came in around 3:00 to check my progress. I hoped and prayed I wouldn’t need another dose, but I still hadn’t progressed past 3 cm… so a fifth dose it was. Sigh.
Things took a very quick turn just a couple of hours later. Around 6:00 or so, I took another bathroom break, when I lost my mucus plug in the toilet. I said “oh crap!” and stood up… only to have my water break on the bathroom floor. This was basically the same thing that happened with Caleb, when I lost my plug in the doctor’s office bathroom, then my water broke right after. Sheesh! I’m nothing if not consistent, I guess!
I walked back into the room and excitedly told Jerry and the nurse what had happened. We were all thrilled that it was finally go time! She called the resident in (Simon, the guy who did my first doses of Cytotec and who I told Jerry I did not like because of the pain – ha!). He was really surprised to find that I had progressed A LOT to about 5 or 6 cm. I asked for an epidural immediately and he said we would have to hold off. He thought it would be hours before I made it to a 10 and he didn’t want me to be bedridden for so long. I told him it really wouldn’t be that long because I had progressed very quickly with my first son. He kind of blew me off though… rude! Right after this, painful contractions started and my night nurse Rebecca said there’s no way they would deny me an epidural at this point, so booyah to Simon. I breathed in and out during the contractions while we waited, and shortly after, right around 7:00, an anesthesiologist was called up to L&D. Myself and one other woman were waiting for one and I got it first. Yessss. Jerry looked very alarmed to see the large needle (I never look), and the doctor told him to “PLEASE leave if you think you’re going to faint,” but Jerry stuck it out. I stayed very calm and still the entire time and the anesthesiologist and nurse both said I was a total rockstar and that most women did not behave so calmly. I told them I try not to be dramatic, and they laughed and told me how much they appreciated it. Apparently, I’m a very good L&D patient because my nurse with Caleb told me I was her best patient in 17 years of doing this.
The epidural kicked in after about 10 minutes and I was no longer feeling pain, just some slight pressure during the contractions. I was feeling good, but they kept having me move and it was damn near impossible with numb legs. The baby’s heart rate was dropping, so I was instructed to go from side to side and even on my hands and knees at one point to try and get it up again.
Total chaos ensued as they discovered distress with the baby. His heart rate had become really low, and his head was getting kind of squeezed while my body progressed (this is the best I understood it). The nurse ran out of the room and called for the resident. He came in along with a bunch of nurses, and he called the doctor in. I was placed on oxygen for the rest of the night and told that baby needed to come out ASAP. I was fearing a c-section, but their plan was instead to have me start pushing right away, and they’d assist him out with a vacuum at the end. At this time, they also placed a monitor directly onto his head which they had to insert vaginally. EEEK! Luckily, I didn’t feel anything because of the epidural. Right around this time, my sister in law also arrived to be present for the birth. She made it just in the nick of time, too! She’s a nurse so it was good to have her there. She held my leg and also took tons of pictures for us.
Around 8:30, I began to push. This is not my strong suit. At all. My grumpy doctor grew annoyed and said I wasn’t pushing enough. “I hate epidurals!” he exclaimed. He made the nurses shut it off because he thought if I could feel the contractions better, I’d push better. Wahhh for me. He also had them start Pitocin at this time, because he wanted the baby out right away and I wasn’t having frequent enough contractions for him. During my first sets of pushes, we received the following gems of inspiration from the doctor (was he a football coach in his past life?):
“Now I know why it took you three hours to push out your first son! You don’t have the right kind of coordination!” (It was TWO hours, I told him. RUDE).
“You’re going to be pregnant for another week if you keep pushing like this!”
Then he told me to cough and said “that cough pushed the baby down more than your pushes do!”
“I told you to push from the ass! Isn’t that clear?!”
Yikes! As I said before, I’ve actually always liked this doctor, but the nurses were right… curmodgeonly. We also heard him berate the resident and nurses a time or two as well. He asked the nurse why she had brought in a cart with baby supplies… “I always do?” she said.
The doctors left and I continued with several more sets of pushes. I was really struggling, but my sweet nurse said, “you’re still a rockstar.” Once more progress was made, the whole team came back in. At around 9:30, I pushed with all I had in me, and I could finally feel the baby coming out. The epidural hadn’t worn off, so it didn’t even hurt! He had been sunnyside up at one point, but luckily had turned back around… and then his FIST came out first! His head started to emerge and the vacuum was attached. I continued to push while they pulled… and then he was here.
It was 9:31 (Caleb was 9:47!), and he was placed on my chest. Just like his brother, he had a full head of dark hair. I was in love and started talking to him right away. Just like when I met Caleb, it was the best moment of my life. I held him for awhile, then stated that I wondered what he weighed. The nurse said they could check if I was ready, and I told them I was. She started guessing his weight, and asked if we were sure he was early since his skin was a little peel-y (yes, we were sure). Jerry and Sheena, my sister in law, went over to be with the baby while the doctors were finishing up with me. They pushed out the placenta, and then I was getting stitched the whole time the baby was being checked over. I had a second degree tear this time (third with Caleb) and it took about 30 minutes. They didn’t even give me anything for it for numbing and yet it still didn’t hurt much at all. The doctor said “wow, you got a lot of mileage out of that epidural! Look at all the medication we’re saving from not using it for this!” Classy, right? But when the resident said “yay, you’re not pregnant anymore!” after the placenta came out, the doctor yelled at him and said “don’t say things like that!” Hmm. Go figure. I also heard the doctor tell him to switch sides so he could finish it up because his back hurt. SHEESH!
My mom and aunt came up late to visit, sometime around 11:00. My mom wanted to be there so badly, but she had Caleb, so we were glad she got to see him right away, at least. After they left, we tried to get some rest and re-adjust to taking care of a newborn again with round the clock feedings.
Monday brought another full day. An on call doctor from the pediatrician’s office came in early and checked him over. She said he looked great! As for my office, my own doctor was on call but we literally didn’t see him all day. Jerry and I felt really out of the loop because they just kind of leave you on your own after the birth and don’t give you any information. I had some blood pressure checks that were still high, and at one point, the baby peed all over himself so we requested he have his bath. A nice tech came in and bathed him in our room, then put him on me for skin to skin, which was really nice. It was a day full of visitors and excitement, especially as Caleb met his brother and held him several times. My dad also brought his camera and took some great newborn shots.
Tuesday morning came, and my doctor finally made his first appearance at 6:30 am. He’s a funny guy who likes to pretend he’s everyone’s friend. “I’m so sorry I didn’t make it in yesterday! I knew you were here and I wanted to just come in and sit and hang out since I’ve known you guys for so long, but I had FIVE deliveries. Three were c-sections! It was one of my worst nights on call EVER!” See why we like this guy? Then we told him about his grumpy colleague and all of his one-liners. He kept covering his mouth and laughing, saying that it wasn’t funny but it was just nervous laughter because how he treated me was so inappropriate. I told him that at this point, I thought it was funny and we didn’t want him in any trouble, but he said he’d be addressing it. Who knows? I kind of hope he didn’t. He also told us we could go home that day, which Jerry was so excited about.
The rest of the morning was a flurry. A new nurse, Anne (who works as nursing faculty at the college where Jerry works), came in and spent a lot of the morning with us. She checked to see how I was healing and did several blood pressure checks… all still high. She also did some vitals on the baby, and another nurse came in for his hearing test. Around 11:00, Anne came in and said we were being discharged! We rushed around packing things up, dressing the baby, filling out paperwork, and then we were out the door.
Quick comparisons: total labor with Caleb was 9 hours and total with Holden was 24 hours. From the time my water broke to the time Caleb was born was 9 hours, and about 3.5 hours with Holden… very short active labor with Holden (5 cm or more) with that 3.5 hour mark.
Tomorrow I have a follow up appointment with the OB to check on my blood pressure, but I’m thinking it’ll be back to normal. Holden had his first pediatrician appointment on Thursday and looked great. He had lost just one ounce and weighed in at 6 pounds, 11 ounces. We’re adjusting to our new family of four and it’s going pretty well.
This is getting quite long, so I’ll end it here. Next week, I’ll write some more about the after birth: how I feel about the induction vs non-induction with Caleb, my second foray into motherhood, going from one kid to two, and more. I apologize for the lack of pictures, but have decided I’d like to keep most of our labor and delivery photos private for just our family. As Caleb gets older, I’ve been wanting to be a bit more private with family photos.
Thanks for reading, if you made it this far! Now it’s time to go snuggle my boys. 🙂
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