My Birth Story 🩵
I was scheduled for an induction at 39 weeks due to my gestational hypertension. I originally did not want to be induced, but my doctor explained that because of my high blood pressure they typically don’t want you going full term, and I listened to her because I wanted to have a safe birth and healthy baby. I go in for my 38 week appointment and my blood pressure had a big spike. I can’t remember the exact numbers, but it was somewhere in the severe range. Due to that spike, my doctor then told me that I needed to come back in 3 hours to start an induction. I started crying because I was like “I’m not ready, I thought I had one more week left”. And with this being my first pregnancy, I was very nervous to give birth. So that being thrown on me in was very nerve wracking to say the least!
At 8 pm that night, my husband and I go in for the induction. They had me hooked up to a machine that was reading my blood pressure every few minutes, and it was staying high, which freaked me out because I was at like stroke levels. They ended up having me take blood pressure medication to help it go down. Also, shoutout to the nurse who was working that night. I absolutely loved her, she was so sweet, and she helped ease my anxiety so much.
Fast forward to the next day around noon. I hadn’t progressed much. I was like 3 cm at this point, but the nurse gave me the option to do the epidural and I said yes, so we did all that. It honestly wasn’t as bad as I expected. I was progressing pretty slow, but all of a sudden once I got to like 4 cm, around 3 or 4 pm, I started flying through it.
When I was 7 cm I started to feel pain. I was numb before that from the epidural, and all of a sudden it was really painful. I was on the verge of tears, and the nurses were telling me it was just pressure and it was normal. I was like “no way this is normal”. So they call the guy who did my epidural and he says that he gave me half of the normal dose because I’m short. He did something and I became numb from right under my chest all the way down.
About an hour later, I felt an intense need to push. I communicated this to the nurse and she was telling me she wasn’t sure I was right because I was just checked. It really is so frustrating not having someone listen to you, so I asked for the doctor anyway. And what do you know, the doctor came in, checked me, and said I was ready to push. I pushed for about 30 minutes, and on February 27th at 9:54pm, our beautiful baby boy arrived 🩵
I honestly had a pretty pleasant experience with my induction and birth. I was in labor for 24 hours, but that was expected with having to get induced. The only thing that was frustrating was the nurses not listening to me whenever I brought up what I was feeling. Next time, I’m going to learn how to advocate for myself more because I know my body best!
#birth #mybirthstory #birthstory #stayathomemom #sahm #momlife #induction #boymom #Lemon8MomsClub #Lemon8Diary
Induction can be a daunting experience for first-time mothers, especially with complications like gestational hypertension. Many women share similar feelings of anxiety and uncertainty, particularly when it comes to making decisions about their labor. Understanding the signs of labor and having open communication with healthcare providers are essential to ensure the best birth experience. It's not uncommon for mothers to advocate for themselves during labor, learning to trust their bodies and stand firm on their feelings and needs. If you're facing induction, consider discussing pain management options ahead of time, such as the use of an epidural or other methods. Emotional support from partners and medical staff can make a significant difference in the birthing experience. Remember, every birth story is unique and can be both empowering and enlightening.
