Childbirth story (1/4): when we cause the encounter

Childbirth story part 1 of 4

It's a Thursday evening at the end of November, it's time to go to the hospital for the most anticipated appointment of our lives! The suitcases are ready (in fact they have been for a long time already), we “pack the tank” with great excitement.

When we arrived at the hospital, they set up a monitor for me to see the pattern of the babies' hearts, to make sure that everything was fine; that's the case! My birth will therefore be induced to attempt a natural birth.

I am made to spend the night with a cervidil tampon that was placed near my cervix. Its usefulness? Make the latter work, because it is not at all erased yet. Darling managed to get some sleep, I'm way too nervous! At 3am I'm going to get an exercise ball, to get my nerves out of the way and to try to help baby get down and work my cervix a bit.

When morning comes, the resident comes to see where we are, if the tampon has done its job. It seems that nothing has progressed, what a disappointment. She told me that in her opinion I would not be provoked today, that it would be better to leave the tampon in place for another 12 hours, but that it was up to Dr. Zen to decide.

Visit Dr. Zen; after examination, true to herself, she is enthusiastic and confident: this collar is very nice, it has started to work, and the dilation has begun slightly, we are starting the protocol to provoke you and I am coming to pierce the membranes of the first baby in 2 hours. Wow, a little rush of adrenaline, and stress: that's coming!

Different catheters are being installed on me. First for glucose, in order to avoid hypoglycemia, as I may not eat much in the next few hours. In another, it's oxytocin, which will cause contractions. A monitor is also installed to see each baby's heart and to monitor the intensity of my contractions. Let's say I'm logged from everywhere!

At first, the monitor records contractions, which I don't feel very much (what good news!) But what we want is a contraction frequency every 2 minutes at the right intensity, if we want them to make my cervix work. The nurse then adjusts the oxytocin dose. With these adjustments, I can confirm that I am beginning to feel the contractions well! But the whole thing is still very liveable. This is the moment that Dr. Zen chooses to break the membranes of the first baby! This further accentuates the intensity of my contractions.

It's time for the dinner break for the nurse assigned to me, a second arrives. You know the pearl of the department, the one we absolutely want to have by our side. She suggests that I get up and try to experience my contractions on a balloon. My nurse didn't offer anything to me because it's a hassle to help me get around with all my sons. The ball is great, I really feel in my bubble, with my darling supporting me with each of my contractions. My work is progressing, at the beginning of the afternoon, my cervix is 80% erased and dilated to 4 cm. At the beginning of the afternoon, these contractions start to be painful and painful. My nurse comes back from her break, and I go back to bed (I hope to regain the comfort I lost on the ball). My nurse is starting to get on my nerves: when I have a contraction, I need to be in my bubble, but she always chooses these moments to check either my blood sugar, or my pressure, or another element of the protocol. Afterwards, darling will confirm to me that I had definitely become boring somewhere in the early afternoon.

I can't endure myself anymore: LET SOMEONE DO THE EPIDURAL FOR ME!