Taylor’s Hypnobabies Birth, an Induction Due to Pre-eclampsia
I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and preterm labor at 31 weeks and was told that I would likely be having my baby within 1-2 weeks at that time. My blood pressure was elevated at my appt. with my midwife, my uric acid was a little high and I had some protein in my urine. I had to transfer from the free standing birthing center with our midwife to an OB/GYN-Dr. Hall and a hospital birth. We were disappointed but wanted what was best for our baby and I so we decided we needed to make the best of the situation. We had appointments with Dr. Hall twice a week to check my blood pressure, labs and monitor our baby on the external monitor. We were very fortunate to have a wonderful Dr. that we both liked and trusted.
My blood pressure was never elevated except for that one time at my appt. with our midwife and my labs stayed pretty close to where they were in the beginning so my preeclampsia never really progressed. Dr. Hall actually sat us down and asked us what we were doing so he could tell his other patients who were diagnosed with preeclampsia. I told him it was my herbal program and the power of the mind (Hypnobabies). The perinatologist-Dr. Grey, had recommended trying to keep me pregnant as long as possible and if I made it to 37 weeks to induce me in order to prevent me from getting any sicker (allowing the preeclampsia to progress) because the worse it gets the harder it is on the baby and me. They said moms with preeclampsia generally don’t tolerate labor very well.
Anyway…I made it to 37 weeks and got induced at 37 weeks and 2 days. I was taking Evening Primrose Oil orally and vaginally for a week before the scheduled induction and had my friend come over and give me some light acupunture the day we went to the hospital in hopes of going into labor on my own. We went to the hospital on Sunday night, Feb. 10 and they gave me 3 doses of prostin (vaginal suppository to help ripen/soften the cervix) and I was 60% effaced in the morning. On Monday morning at 9 am they started the Pitocin and I was having pressure waves by 11 am. They were having a difficult time with the external monitor for my contractions and had to keep repositioning it. They had to turn the Pitocin way down because I was having pressure waves every couple minutes.
They were not very strong…just felt like menstrual cramps-I used the Hypnobabies tools a few times but didn’t really need them yet. At 5pm I was 1.5 cm dilated and 80% effaced. At 10pm I was still 1.5 cm and 90% effaced. When the nurse checked me my water broke. She wanted to put in an internal monitor to monitor my pressure waves since they were not getting a good reading and my water was broke. I agreed since they were going to continue to monitor the baby externally. She turned the Pitocin off, inserted the internal monitor and she wasn’t getting a good baseline reading and had some blood return in the tubing. She ended up replacing it and the same thing happened. I started bleeding and they were not sure what was going on. They called Dr. Hall in and he wasn’t sure why I was bleeding either. They were questioning placental abruption but I wasn’t showing the clinical signs of that. At 11pm he took the internal monitor out and checked me and I had another bag of water…he broke it with the hook and said to leave the pitocin off and the internal monitor out and to let’s see what happens.
My husband and I (although we didn’t say it to each other at the time) were very worried that I was going to end up with a c section because of the bleeding and not knowing what was causing it. It was pretty scary. I stopped bleeding after Dr. Hall broke my water. I went to the bathroom and my husband told the nurse that we were going to be doing some Hypnobabies scripts so she didn’t really come back in and bother us. They came up to draw my blood to check my clotting factors and blood levels. I was having frequent pressure waves and they were much more intense than they had been.
We put on the early first stage and I laid on my side and used my Hypnobabies tools (we listened to it 1.5 times). My pressure waves were pretty much back to back-I don’t think I was even getting 30 sec. in between. My husband didn’t even know how frequent my pressure waves were because he could only tell when I was having more intense ones because my breathing was heavier. He was wonderful and used the shoulder/relax cue on my intense pressure waves along with massaging my back. The nurse hadn’t come in since 11 pm and it was a little after 1 am and she came in and I was having an overpowering urge to push. I told her I had to push and she was slow to check me and I was 9.5 cm with a little lip. She sent someone to get Dr. Hall and he got there a few minutes later and checked me and I was 10 cm.
They were scrambling to get everything ready for me to push. They broke down the bed and had me put my feet in stirups and I was Ahhh pushing and the nurse was encouraging me to purple push. I pushed 3 times 2 Ahhh’s and one purple push and Taylor was born at 1:18 am! We didn’t even have time to put the Pushing stage script on. I went from 1.5 cm to 10 in 2 hrs. My husband got to cut the cord and they put Taylor on my chest. It was so amazing! I couldn’t believe how fast it was and I know I couldn’t have done it without Hypnobabies!!
It was very intense but I was able to stay completely relaxed and focused with the Hypnobabies techniques and my husband helped to keep me in hypnosis with the shoulder/relax cue. It was awesome!! The PA student, Dr. Hall and the nurse were all very impressed. Dr. Hall was telling me how proud of me he was and the PA student said “that was so amazing!” I don’t think they even knew I was close to having a baby as my pressure waves were not showing up on the monitor and the nurse hadn’t been in since everything started. I was actually kind of glad that she hadn’t been in as it allowed me to stay relaxed and focused without having to deal with any distractions. I didn’t tear at all, wasn’t even that sore and feel great.
Taylor was 6lb 14 oz and 19.5 inches. He is adorable and breastfeeding well. We were soooo happy that the pitocin was turned off and my body took over and I was able to have our baby naturally and we are both healthy and happy! Thank you Hypnobabies!!
Heather
Originally posted March 28, 2008
