Bug’s Birth Story – My First Baby

My first child was born when I was 20 years old. I didn’t know much of anything about giving birth. We picked our OB out of the phone book. I didn’t really like him much, but stuck with him anyway. When he told us to pick a date to have our baby, I was surprised, but then again, everyone I knew was getting induced. Here is my original birth story written just days after having my son.

I was originally scheduled to be induced on October 16th, but my doctor called me the morning of October 15th and said that two women who were scheduled to be induced that day had already delivered and apparently there were a lot of student nurses at the hospital with nothing to do. He said that if I wanted to go ahead and get it done, I could come in. So, I called my husband and other family members and headed to the hospital.

I got there at 11 a.m. I was already 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced. They started the pitocin at 12 p.m. and broke my water about an hour later. I could feel the contractions, but they did not really hurt too much. I got my epidural at around 3 or 4 p.m. and could not feel the contractions at all after that. Things really got going when the nurses changed from day shift to night shift at 7 p.m. My new nurse came in and I was almost completely dilated. There was just a little bit of cervix left. They had me start pushing about 30 minutes later, but soon realized that there was still a little bit of cervix left. So, we waited 20 minutes or so and then I was complete.

I started pushing with all my might and it was exhausting. It was really hard for me to get his head down the birth canal. After pushing for 3 hours, my baby’s heart rate starting dropping with each contraction. I could hear it slow way down as I was pushing and could tell something was going on by the look on the nurse’s face as she watched the monitor.

My doctor told me I had to get the baby out because he was getting too stressed out. His head was right there, but I did not have the strength to just push him out. I kept praying that with each push he would just come out. After explaining to me the dangers of forceps or the vacuum, my doctor decided he had to use the vacuum to get Bug out. Well, by this time it had been hours since I pressed the button on my epidural and I didn’t even think about it. The doctor opened me up and plunged the vacuum in and I just started screaming. He also cut me for the episiotomy and that was the worst pain I have ever felt. The doctor said, “Push the button!” I controlled myself enough to push him out with the aid of the vacuum. He came out and made a little grunt and they whisked him away.

I had to ask what the sex was, and the doctor was right, he is a boy! The nurses stimulated him and he started crying and I started crying. His head looked a little funny, but it was back to normal the next day.

Knowing what I know now about inductions, I could probably figure the Pitocin caused the stress in my son. He was a big baby, born at 9 lbs. 2 oz. I’m not sure if that is why I had so much trouble pushing him out, or what. Obviously, he would have been even bigger if I hadn’t been induced.

My doctor did not take kindly to natural birth or screaming. He was not nice to me when I couldn’t push my son out. I never used him again, and I never will.

Bug’s birth was very traumatic for me. It was so scary that I opted for another induction with Sis (only two days before my due date) because I was so afraid I wouldn’t be able to push her out, either.

Even after having a scary experience, I can honestly say it was the best, most life-changing experience of my life. There is nothing like going through intense pain and then hearing your baby take his first breath. There are no words to describe it.

All in all, I’m blessed and thankful that my son was able to be delivered vaginally and he was and is healthy. Sure, I’d love to have had a better experience that didn’t strike fear in me, but I got my baby!