Tina's First Birth Story + Unplanned Epidural
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Dylan’s Birth Story
The day before I went into labor with my firstborn, I remember having the most amazing night of sleep of my entire pregnancy. I woke up on the 39th week and 6thday of my pregnancy feeling rested and excited to enjoy the last few days before the arrival of my son. The day started out normal and uneventful as I waddled around getting the apartment ready for Dylan. That afternoon around 4:30 pm I went to the bathroom and when I stood up from the toilet my water broke with a big gush. I was in disbelief but excited! I quickly told everyone in the house and texted my mom in Florida that it was time to book her flight because baby Dylan would be arriving at some point in the next day or sooner. I called my OB office and they told me to make my way into L &D Triage so I could get examined.
I was feeling great, leaking, but having no contractions. We were delivering at Mt Sinai West, which mean we’d be taking an Uber into the city during rush hour. We took a bunch of towels with us to deal with my leakage and sat in the taxi for around a hour in traffic going over the Queensboro bridge. I still had not contractions so didn’t feel a real urgency to get to the hospital and knew my baby wouldn’t be born in a cab.
We arrived at the hospital around 6:30 pm, checked in, and were seen in triage a little after 7pm… still no contractions. I was 1 cm dilated and was sent back home and told to come back when my contraction pattern was closer together. We headed back home around 9 pm and I was starving so I asked for a slice of pizza and Gatorade … wrong move!!!!
While heading back home in the Uber my contractions started but they were coming way stronger and closer than I expected. We made it home and my husband diligently went and got me pizza and Gatorade which I could barely eat. With every contraction came some fierce and intense back pain. I decided to contract while in hands and knees position as that made the contractions bearable. By 11 pm my contractions were coming 2 to 3 minutes apart, the back pain was intense, and I starting vomiting . Once my mom arrived from Florida we decided to head back to the hospital and the ride was much quicker at midnight than it was in the middle of rush hour. We got to the hospital around midnight. The back pain with each contraction made it difficult to sit or stand. It honestly shifted my desire for an unmedicated birth; I just couldn’t cope with the contractions and I was feeling overwhelmed by the pain, hyperventilating and tensing up.
When I got to my L & D room I was greeted and supported by an amazing nurse who went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable and cared for as I started to feel I was losing control. By 2 am, I was 5 cm dilated and I wasn’t coping well with my contractions, and requested an epidural. I remember telling my nurse I hope this doesn’t slow things down because I really don’t want a cesarean birth and she reassured me that we were in this together and that in her all years the rates of cesarean births of the patients she assisted was low. I got the epidural and finally felt comfortable and to my surprise it helped my labor progress. My nurse helped me move around the bed often while my husband quietly sat in the room in awe and in silence. He was my calming focal point. By 6 am, I asked my nurse if I could go poop but she said honey I can see his head, which meant it was time to push. In two quick pushes our big 22” 8.5 pounder was born: full of vernix and a big cone head. I was in awe and disbelief of what my body had just done and was hungry. And so began my journey into motherhood. I’m so grateful for the outcome and experience of my first birth--I had amazing support, an epidural that helped with labor progression, and the fast vaginal birth I wanted.
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