Failed (Cytotec + Cervadil + Pitosin) = 26 Hours of Labor and a C-Section

A few weeks ago, Allison shared Lincoln’s birth story with you all and while we both delivered via C-Section, we had completely different experiences, so I thought Caroline’s was worth sharing, too!!

Before I get into the details of Caroline’s birth story, I want you to know that the takeaways from this blog are to pack your own “go-bag”, shave your legs and womanly area (if that’s your thing) and be camera ready (hair and makeup DONE!) the entire last month of your pregnancy.

On July 8 we went to our OB for a routine 36 week visit.  Everything looked normal with the exception of my blood pressure–it was high.  Throughout my pregnancy, my blood pressure was low, so having high blood pressure wasn’t the best news.  Dr. Ramos, my fabulous OB/GYN, warned me that this could be the beginning stages of pre-eclampsia and that if I were to feel dizzy or had a headache to call them immediately.  Well..what do you know…half an hour later, I had a headache.  I called them up expecting them to say take some Tylenol and come back to the dr.’s office but they said…”Call your husband and head to the hospital.” I was LIVID.  I had this really vain desire to 1.) Have a dramatic water breaking moment and 2.) Have my hair blown out, makeup done, legs shaved, girly areas groomed, eyebrows waxed, etc. etc.  Now I didn’t have time for ANY OF THAT.  I called Matt, told him to pack my “go-bag”(big mistake–I’ll get into that later), grab the car seat we hadn’t removed from the box and meet me at the hospital.

I got to the hospital around 10 am and they hooked me up to everything and told me I couldn’t eat or drink anything until I had the baby.  I didn’t think that was a big deal because the competitive side of me thought we’d have a baby in three hours (similar to this “Up All Night” clip).  Dr. Ramos came in and told me I wasn’t even dilated a finger tip so we needed to try a few things. Cytotec, Cervadil, Pitocin and TWELVE hours later…we were getting no where.  I was starving, thirsty and delirious and just wanted to have my kid so I could eat a hamburger or something!

Dr. Ramos came in and said she and the specialist I had visited REALLLLLLLYYY didn’t want to do a C-Section because they thought I could do it (“it” meaning a natural birth) so I had a couple of options: 1.) Go home and check in with her the next day or 2.) Have a C-Section first thing in the morning. I picked Option 2.  I wanted that kid…now.  The nurses came in and gave me some sleeping pills and that made for a wonderful night’s sleep.  In the hours I was legally drugged, my mom and sister made it into town (I don’t remember but we took a picture!) and Lebron James made some decision involving a basketball…I think…

Fast forward to the morning of July 9th…it’s 8 am and I’m told that I’ll be wheeled off around 9 am and we’ll have a kiddo by 10 am.  At this point I’m thinking, “Perfect! Just in time for lunch!” Well, apparently a few other mamas had more urgent baby delivery situations because it was 11:30 before I heard a peep.  At this point it’s been 24 hours and I’m FAMISHED!  I hadn’t gone 2 hours without food the last nine months much less 24!

Finally at 12:15 pm they started unhooking me so I could be wheeled freely to deliver sweet Caroline!  They wheeled us off, took Matt to get his sexy hospital gear on and propped me up to give me a spinal block–aka the wonder drug!  I’ll never forget the banter between my OB and Anesthesiologist while they were giving me the spinal block.

Anesthesiologist: This is just going to feel like a bee sting.

OB: No, it’s not.  It’s going to hurt a lot and then feel really good.  Bee stings never feel good.

Anesthesiologist:  Good point! How do you feel?

Vanessa: Hungry.

45 minutes later as they continued to prep me…they DRY SHAVED my womanly area where they were going to do the incision (Ugh!) after a quick nip (no tuck) at 1:09 pm, we heard the sweet cries of our beautiful 7 lb 2 oz baby girl, Caroline Grace Barry.

This next photo is why I wanted to have my hair and makeup done….yikes!

And THIS is why you don’t let your husband pack your “go-bag.”  I told him to grab something comfy and cute and this is what he grabbed….seriously….yikes and I forgot how puffy I was post baby!  In girl world “something comfy and cute” would mean a sun dress. Not in boy world.

But all of that aside, July 9 was one of the best days of our lives. We were blessed with a beautiful, healthy little lady who has filled our lives with immense amounts of joy and in ten years I’m sure I’ll be over the messy hair, pale face and frumpy outfit.

                                                           One Day Old vs. One Year Old