36w4d- INDUCTION HAS BEGUN!

I will be updating this post throughout the induction so keep checking back:

3/09/10- Nevaeh should be full term measuring 37w5d according to ultrasounds.

2:15 am- Induction started with Cytotec to ripen the cervix and induce labor. The pill was broken into 4 pieces and one was placed next to her cervix.  This will happen every few hours until the cervix is ready for labor! Courtney is already 1cm dilated!  Next check may not be until 6:00 am.....time to get some rest.

5:15- 2nd cytoteck and almost 2 cm dilated.   Had bleeding time tests to determine if clotting properly due to blood thinner shots. Failed the test twice so far due to blood being too thin, almost 2 cm dilated good contractions shooting between 60 to 90

8:15 high risk for epidural due to thin blood, so they were ready to do a C-Section if she didn't clot properly.....Luckily all went well.

8:30- OB came in to break her water, but he said she WASN'T dilated????? (We think he has short, fat fingers!).   No luck breaking the water this time.  Contractions around 110 range and in a regular pattern about 2-3 minutes apart! Will try again around noon. This is going to be a LONG day!

9:00- Mommy was fingerprinted for the baby's birth certificate!

9:15 Oxytocin (Pitocin) started!  Let the big contractions begin!!

12:00- Completely thinned, 1 cm. dilated and baby is engaged at-2 station, OB broke her water!  Courtney's goal is to be 2cm at 3:00 and 4cm by 5:00 or he will start talking C-Section.  Pray for her and the baby!

3:00- Making progress  :-)  She is 2 to 3 cm. dilated (3 during contractions).  The baby is still at -2 station, but the cervix is coming down to anterior position.....which the nurse says is a good thing!  The nurse is happy with the progress this time and so is the OB!.  We do have a worry about Courtney's heart rate.  Her heart rate has been between 100-140 since the beginning of induction....could be the blood thinners or could be a potential heart problem for her to check if the rate does not go back to normal after birth. She would have to see a cardiologist.  We are hoping she is just stressed out over all of this! Next check is 5:00!

5:00- 4 cm. dilated and 100% effaced, -2 station!  Making slow but steady progress.  The nurse will check Courtney again at 7pm.

7:00 - 5 to 6 cm. (6 during a contraction and bearing down), -1 station!  Contractions shooting up to the 120s and 2-3 minutes apart! The epidural has numbed Courtney's belly and left leg, but not the right.  She can feel the contractions on the right side.  They gave her a booster.  Hopefully it will take hold on both sides.  Fever of 102 and given antibiotics.

8:30- Mucus plug is out. and  6.5 cm.  dilated.  The epidural is not working to its full effect even with an extra boost. Courtney is having a lot of pain during contractions.  Baby is at -1 station.  Fever down to 100.2.

9:30- The rest of the birth story is a bit of a blur because it happened sooooo fast.  The OB checked Courtney and she was complete and ready to push!  At 9:45 the practice pushing started, along with other things.  Courtney vomited about 6 times and had uncontrollable shakes and chills.  The nurses chalked it up to nerves and hormones and said it was normal.  Courtney's instincts took over and insisted that something was seriously wrong....but no one would listen to her even with a high heart rate and fever.  She tried her best to do the practice pushes, but found it very difficult to concentrate on the pushing while chilling and vomiting at the same time....not to mention she was exhausted by this point because the epidural had worn off several hours ago!  By 11:00 that evening the OB decided that Courtney needed help pushing the baby out so he put a head suction cup on Nevaeh to help pull her out of the birth canal.  After several unsuccessful attempts, he realized that the baby was stuck in the birth canal.....so an emergency c-section was preformed.  The OB actually had to put Courtney to sleep in order to get the job done quickly and Mike was only able to view behind a glass!  It was over an hour before we got to see Courtney in recovery and Nevaeh in the NICU.  Both Mommy and Baby had high fevers. Courtney 102 and Nevaeh 104.  The OB said it must have been from the UTI/Kidney infections that Courtney has been dealing with this whole pregnancy!

11:25 pm- Nevaeh Grace was born weighing in at 7lbs 8oz. and 18 inches long!  Other than the high fever, she is a healthy baby!!!!