I had been having contractions for about a week. Even went to the hospital on 7.22 thinking I was in labor, but as soon as I got to the hospital the contractions stopped. They still monitored me for a bit and had me walk around to see if things started up, but they didn't. So we went back home and waited for Tuesday 7.24 since I was going to be induced. My doctor and I scheduled the induction to give me a little bit of a better chance of having a successful VBAC and to make sure my doctor was the one delivering me.
Daniel and I had to be at the hospital at 6am that morning. They started me on the monitoring and the IV. They started the pitocin around 7am since I was already dilated to 4cm. My doctor came in at 7:30am and broke my water as well to get things really going. Breaking my water was not comfortable at all! It definitely got things going very quickly. I was having super strong contractions every minute and a half. I decided to get the epidural around 9:15am. By that time, the contractions were ridiculous, and I remember them taking their time getting me the epidural.
I got checked again around noon and I was 6cm and then checked again at 1:30pm and I was 8cm. Great progress! I was feeling quite a bit amount of pressure during the contractions, it was a tad painful but I didn't opt for more epidural. At 3pm one of the nurses checked me and said I was 9cm, so she tilted my bed up for about 30 minutes to try and get the last cm. My doctor then came in at 5pm to check my progress, and she said I was still at 8cm. Apparently the nurses didn't check far enough - nice. So, they tilted my bed up again - but this time for an hour to see if it would help me.
My doctor came back in at 6pm to check me. There was still no change. She said that I had been in a really good laboring pattern and that I would've progressed if I was going to. So, she said she was sorry but that she recommended a C-Section. I trusted her and agreed. Emotions hit me then - I was tired and disappointed my body wasn't able to have a vaginal birth. But in the end, I knew I'd have my babygirl, so in that sense I was OK.
They immediately got me ready for surgery, and wheeled me back. Daniel and I were both a bit nervous. I remember asking Daniel if he was OK once he joined me cause I could see the worry on his face. <3 They gave me some medicine while I was back there because I was feeling very nauseous. Then at 6:37pm Hayden Alexis Harris was born. As my doctor lifted her out of my belly, she was saying how beautiful she was :) She cried immediately, which was amazing! I told Daniel to go over an be with Hayden while they worked on me. There were some complications with my placenta, so I was in surgery for an hour after Hayden was born. They were pushing on my stomach so much, I remember thinking I was going to throw up any second, but I didn't. My placenta ended up being attached to my uterus, and it wouldn't come out. They ended up having to scrape my uterus to get it all, and instead of coming out in one piece - they had to get it out in pieces. After the fact, my doctor told me she ended up having to take my uterus out of my body in order to get the placenta fully.
After they were finished I finally got to see my gorgeous new babygirl! She was perfect - all 8 pounds 6 ounces and 21" of her! Daniel and I enjoyed a little bit of time with her, and I fed her before our families came back to meet the new Harris addition. The best part was seeing big sister Hadleigh with Hayden. She was very sweet and giving kisses the entire time!
We are so in love!!!
