Preston's Story

Last Wednesday, I woke up noticing contractions that seemed to be pretty close together, but they weren't painful. I figured they were just more Braxton Hicks and didn't give them a second thought. By about 10:30, I starting timing them and they were 5-6 minutes apart and coming pretty regularly. I was with Jamin, and he decided that we should go to Renown and get checked. I didn't really want to go because I was not in any pain, but went anyway.

When we got there, they hooked me up to the monitor and the nurse said that it was probably just pre-labor since I wasn't in pain. The monitor showed that I was having contractions at 3-5 minutes apart, but they weren't that intense. Luckily, my OB was working at the hospital that night and she decided to keep me since I was already dilated to a 3 and 95% effaced.

At around 7 pm, the doctor came and told me I was now dilated to a 5. I was surprised because I still wasn't feeling contractions, but I was watching them come on the monitor. She decided to break my water at this time and give me pitocin. At around 9 pm, I started feeling some contractions but was able to breathe through them. The doctor came to check me again and I was a 7 and she told me that if I wanted an epidural I should get one because it would take awhile to get the anesthesiologist there. I told her I wanted one. He came to give the epidural at about 9:45 and I was dilated to an 8. Everything was fine until about 11:00 when I felt a ton of pressure. I thought the epidural had stopped working. The nurse checked me and said I was complete and ready to push. I started pushing and made little progress. I kept pushing and pushing and started getting discouraged that I would never get the baby out. Finally at about 11:45 the doctor came in. By this point I was exhausted and Preston was stuck and I couldn't get him out. Suddenly his heart rate dropped low and the doctor said I had one push to get him out or she would have to do an episiotomy and use the vacuum because he was under so much stress. This scared me to death and I pushed with every fiber of my being but I couldn't get him out. At this point, my blood pressure starting falling really low, so the doctor cut the episiotomy and I gave a final push and he came right out at 12:16 am. It was the craziest, most surreal moment of my life. I couldn't believe that he was finally here and that I was his mother.

Our first week has been amazing. He is a really mellow baby and a great nurser. I am so in love with him and so glad that he is here safe and sound!