We got to the hospital at 4:30am on .Wednesday for induction. I was so excited/nervous that I had only gotten about 3 hours of sleep. They put me on pitocin around 5:00am or so and steadily increased the dosage as the day wore on. At first I didn't even feel the contractions, and later on they felt like gas pains, and then menstrual cramps. They were never bad enough to require any kind of pain medicine... I actually watched tv calmly the whole day. They turned the pitocin off around 4:30pm to allow me to eat and (hopefully) rest. After 12 hours of the drug, I had made zero progress. The doctor told me to expect another long day tomorrow. I managed to get another two hours of sleep.

They turned the pitocin back on at 1:00am on .Thursday. The contractions were immediately just as strong as they were the previous day. I had much more trouble managing through them. The pitocin drip was only turned up a certain amount, because the doctor was not due to arrive until 8:00am or so to break my water. By 5:00am, I was having full-blown painful contractions about 1-2 minutes apart. They didn't slowly rise and fall in intensity - they hit me hard and fast. I felt the pain all throughout my stomach, back, and bottom. I couldn't get comfortable sitting, standing, or lying.

The nurse offered me pain medicine more than once,. But I was afraid that my labor would slow down if I accepted. I told her I would try to hold out for the doctor to arrive. They checked my progress and I was now dilated to 4 centimeters, completely effaced. The nurse offered me a heating pad (didn't do squat for the contractions, but felt good inbetween) and a birthing ball (felt like I was sitting/rocking on a knife during contractions). I got back into bed and she checked me again. I had dilated another centimeter and was now at a 5. She again offered pain medicine to me, and by this time I was so beside myself in misery that I accepted.

20 minutes later the epidural was in and I was finally able to relax. At one point I rolled over in bed towards my husband, and the nurse noticed that I had bled on the pad that was underneath me. She checked me *again* and I was already 7 centimeters! I started to feel like I needed to poo, and asked her if it was okay if I tried to use the restroom before we started pushing. She told me that she didn't want me using any of my pushing muscles without the doctor nearby, and paged him to alert him of my progress. He arrived and broke my water (i was at an 8 by then) and told me we'd begin pushing soon.

After my water was broken, I felt like (tmi) I was "prairie dogging", and asked the nurse if i'd semi-pooed. She looked and told me no, and I argued with her that I *really* had to go. She checked me and I was completely dilated. She and another nurse propped my legs up and had me "practice" pushing through one contraction. Pushing when you can't feel anything is .W.E.I.R.D! I was completely calm during the entire process and felt no pain or discomfort at all. When that contraction was over, they started prepping for the birth. From the beginning of that "practice push", I pushed for exactly 10 minutes before my daughter was born. We were shocked at just how quickly she came out, especially since we were expecting another long day of labor.

I tore pretty badly - down each side and through the middle. It took the doctor about half an hour to stitch me. I was annoyed, because I had hoped to take my time with the pushing to allow my body time to stretch. Because I wasn't expecting the pushing stage to be that short (and because I couldn't feel anything) I pushed just as hard as the nurses and doctor told me to, and I attribute that to my tearing. I don't think there was any reason to rush the pushing - the baby's heartrate was fine throughout the entire labor.

Alyvia is beyond beautiful. She's taken wonderfully to breastfeeding, although we're having trouble with latching on properly. My nipples are very sore, but I plan to stick with it and have faith that we'll both learn what's comfortable.

And to make a long post even longer - pictures!

Moments after the birth:


nursing my little one:


sleeping at the hospital:


at home! Her onesie was sooo big on her, and we had to put no-scratch mittens on her hands to keep her from clawing at her face:

Aw bless. I'm sorry you hasd a bad time with pushing her out too fast. I had the opposite problem. I was fully dilated and the nurse wasn't telling mt to push at all. I had an epidural so I couldn't feel anything and we sat there for half an hour then she said 'the babies heartrate is dropping if you don't push soon you'll need a c-section' I was like 'can I try to push then?' and I did and pushed her out in 7 mins.
Stupid midwives sometimes they get it wrong.

Sorry for my rant I just hate to hear of imcompetece.

Your little girl is beautiful and good on you for breastfeeding.

Have you got a name for her?

You have a beautiful baby.....Congratulation!

Congrats laura!!! It's 5 am here and sadly the first thing I did this morning was run to the computer to check "ehealth" :p what a great story to wake up to. Shes beautiful :)

What a little cracker! She's gorgeous!!! I tore pretty badly having my little boy but all is fine 'down there' now so hope you heal nicely too.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!

God I am getting so broody now...Where is my husband...?

Congrats what a cutie, I hope your feeling okay the tears must be quite painful..

Awww, congrats! Anyway, what's apgar scores?

Taken from babycentre.Co.Uk:

.Q.What is the apgar score?

A.It's a simple and effective method used to measure your newborn's health and to determine if she needs any quick treatment.

The method is quick, painless, and ultimately reassuring. In fact, your midwife may well make her assessment of your baby without you even noticing. Most babies are judged to be in fine health, but if your newborn does require medical help, you'll be glad to know it right away. The procedure has been a routine part of giving birth since anaesthesiologist virginia apgar developed it in 1952.

Here's how it works: at one minute and again at five minutes after birth, your baby is evaluated for:

• heart rate

• respiration

• muscle tone

• reflex response

• skin colour

each factor is given a score between zero and two, then the scores are added up. Most newborns score between seven and 10 and don't need immediate treatment, such as help with breathing.


What do the scores mean?


A "perfect 10" is music to proud parents' ears, but an eight or a nine is still good news. A difficult delivery, premature birth, or pain medication may artificially suppress scores so that the apgar doesn't depict your baby's true condition, but generally:

• infants who score between eight and 10 are in good to excellent condition and usually need only routine care.

• those who score between five and seven are in fair condition and may require some help breathing. Your midwife may vigorously rub the baby's skin or give him a whiff of oxygen.

• infants who score under five may be in poor condition and require some help. Your baby would be placed on sloping pad on a trolley in the delivery room. This has heat light and oxygen to help warm him up and help him to breathe. A paediatrician will be called to help treat the baby.

Congratulations!!! She's beautiful.. I hope you make a speedy recovery =)

Aww, she's adorable!!!

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

She's beautiful! Congrats! We demand more pics!

Oh my god she is too cute. Aawwww. Congrats.

Congratulations, what a cute baby!

She's doing .S.O well! We're still having some trouble with latching on, and my nipples are soooo sore now. I started using a breast pump today to keep my milk flow up, and we have a breast/bottle routine established now. I think she's getting much more milk since we started doing that, and she's so peaceful now.

Here she is in a milk-induced coma in her crib today :)

Awww she is sooo beautiful! How does being a mommy feel? Sorry, I don't know you that well, is she your first?

Aww my goddness girl she is so sweet just like an angel when she sleeps congrats to you and your family :)

She is one of the cutiest little girls I have ever seen. Congrat to you.

Omg!!!!!! She's beautiful!!!!!

Great labor story!!!!!

It's incredible to be a mommy!!! Little girls rock!!

Sarah

Congratulations!! She looks so sweet!