Dec 8 - (sat)
We had scheduled maternity pictures for Saturday morning at 9 am. Although I was on bed rest, we did take an hour to go take pictures! We went to a park near our house. There was about 3in of snow overnight, so we were happy to be outside for pictures!
We went home, put on sweats and tried to warm up! Paul fixed us a a nice brunch and then we decided to had a fire downstairs and watch some tv. Around noon, I started to have upper abdominal pain. The pain was constant and wasn't going away so after about 2 hrs we decided to call the 24 hr nurse on call who proceeded to tell us to call 911. I didn't feel that was necessary but it did freak me out so I called my sister, told her what was going on, and she encouraged us to go to the ER to get things checked out. Paul quickly packed himself a bag, took a last bump pic at 38 weeks. grabbed my hospital bag, and we went to the hospital.
We entered the ER around 3pm and I was quickly checked in and brought to triage on family birthing. My blood pressure was quite high and pain was still present so they took some labs (cbc and liver profile). The labs came back showing elevated liver functions and low platelets which was quite concerning. The nurses said we weren't leaving the hospital without a baby. So we were admitted.
We got to be in the labor suite.
Dr. Matuska came to our room, told us I had HELLP syndrome (severe preeclampia) so I needed to be monitored very closely, only thing for resolve of syndrome is to have the baby and we were going to move things along. I was not dilated at all so they had to give me a medication called sidotec to help my cervix soften. HELLP syndrome put me at risk for seizures so they had to give me magnesium through my IV to help prevent them. So, around 6pm I was given sidotec and started on IV fluids and magnesium.
I also had to have fetal monitors on and had to lay on my left side to help with my blood pressures, and had to be bed ridden with exception of trips to the bathroom. The magnesium cause me to have nausea, vomiting and a really red flushed face. I was able to take Zofran which helped the nausea. I got another dose of sidotec around 10pm. The nurses indicated baby's heart rate was decelerating and need for continued close motoring.
Dec 9 - (sun)
Regular dose of sidotec ceased at around midnight due to baby's fluctuating heart rate in response to contractions. Dr.Matsuka broke my water and placed internal fetal monitors at 2:25am. She said I was only dilated to 1cm and indicated "breaking the water was little ambitious" but hopeful it would help me progress. I had to remain in bed, laying mainly on my left side.
-Pitocin started at 6:15am. 70% effaced at 7am and 90%effaced at 10 am but was only dilated to 3 cm. Contractions were intense and Dr. Stocker offered and encouraged getting an epidural. My goal was no epidural...but being confined to bed, unable to use repositioning techniques we learned/practiced made things difficult. Dr. Stocker said epidural would allow my body to relax and make things less stressful for the baby. The issue for getting an epidural was that my platelet count was only 99 and needed to be above 100 to be able to get an epidural. Paul and I talked about it. And we did feel an epidural would be best. They drew a stat platelet count which came back at 104. Dr. Stocker said we'd have a baby by sunset. The Anesthesiologist came to talk with us about the risks of an epidural, encouraged us against an epidural because I was at increased risk for bleeding, but was agreeable to do put it in.
I got the Epidural at 10:45am and was fully dilated at 11:40am. I couldn't believe how much the epidural allowed my body to relax and how quickly I dilated. Dr. Stocker ordered the room to be prepped for delivery. I was still able to feel contractions, much lower intensity though, and MD said I should start pushing.
After only a handful of pushes...Paul announced we had a boy! Time of birth 12:29pm, 5lb 3oz and 18.5 in long and his name...Jason Eugene Menard
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