Tessa was due on April 16, but was making no indication that she was on her way. On April 24, I went for an NST and fluid check to make sure she was doing okay. The NST was deemed “non-responsive” after an hour with only one acceleration, though they seemed quite reassured that she moved around just fine when looked at by ultrasound. During the ultrasound, they found that my amniotic fluid levels were really high (polyhydramnios) – 35, rather than the more typical 12-15. They said this is often the case in moms with gestational diabetes (not me) or it could indicate a birth defect such as a problem with the heart or a problem swallowing. They assured me that they did not see any indication of these problems when imaging her heart and stomach by ultrasound, but there could be a defect they can’t detect until she’s born. They recommended induction that afternoon. Jeff came right over and we discussed it over lunch, and decided we should do the induction even though I had really wanted to avoid pitocin this time. We got an induction time of 2pm, giving us just enough time to get Cadence from daycare and then drop me off at the hospital. Jeff brought Cadence home, where his parents came and took care of her during labor.
I got checked in and started the pit by 3:30. With the pit, I couldn’t move around or anything beause I had to stay on the monitors. I was able to sit on the birthing ball for a few hours while Jeff and I watched a movie on the laptop. By 9 or 10 pm, the contractions were starting to hurt more and I got in the bed and tried to get some sleep before they got too bad. I got little snippets of sleep for a few hours, and at 1 am asked them to check my cervix. A few days earlier I had been 50% effaced and 1-2 cm dilated, and was the same at check in. I thought that if I had made pretty good progress and it seemed like the end was in sight, I’d stick it out, but that if I wasn’t very far yet, that I would get the epidural. I was 4 cm, but still 50% effaced and at -2 station. At 1:30 am I got the epidural, after 10 hours on pitocin. I was able to sleep well from 2-6 am. At 7 am, I was 5 cm, still 50% effaced, and -1 station. Around 11 am, the docs mentioned that they might want to break my water because they wanted to put a monitor on baby’s head – she was looking non-responsive again on the external monitors and they preferred the more accurate internal monitor. I was pretty hesitant about them breaking my water, especially because they had said I was at increased risk for a cord prolapse due to the high fluid level. But when they went to check me, they found that my water had already broken and I didn’t know it! I was also 5 cm. When they touched baby’s head, they found that she responded, so they delayed the internal monitor, but wanted it again by 1 pm and did it then. By then I was 6 cm, 70% effaced, and 0 station. They also found meconium in the fluid at that time. Though this would mean that she would be whisked to the side by the peds team immediately after birth for suctioning, it was actually a bit reassuring to me because it indicated that she was probably able to swallow and digest. Every time they checked me, I was squirting a ton of fluid all over the place. The docs and nurses found it quite amusing how many towels they had to use and what a mess it was!
Around this time, the epidural started to wear off but only on my left side. My right side was still totally numb, but I was starting to feel pain on just the left. I stuck it out for a while as my mom read aloud to me, but asked them to try to fix it around 3pm. At that time I was 8 cm, 100% effaced, and +1 station. It took a few different tries with the epidural, but it seemed pretty well fixed by 4:30. At 5 pm I was 9 cm and +2 station. At 6 the epidural started going off again and at 6:30 I wanted them to fix it again - I was no longer in the mood for patience! They had me turn onto my side, and very soon I was feeling pressure to push. They checked me again and said I was ready! I started pushing at around 7 pm, but my contractions slowed down when I turned on my back, so there was a lot of time to rest between pushes. They brought the mirror in so I could see what was going on, which was good because it helped me see what worked, but also a little scary to see it happening! It only took a few pushes after the mirror and I could see her come out! It was really quite amazing!
Tessa Brielle was born April 25, 2009 at 8:48 pm and was 8 pounds 10 ounces and 21 inches. She is much bigger than Cadence was (7 pounds 1 ounce and 19.5 inches)! It was a long labor – 29 hours on pitocin! The ped team suctioned the meconium and checked out her swallowing and judged her to be just fine while my doc was finishing up with me. I only needed one small suture, which has made my recovery so far easier than last time when I had 3 sutures. About 20 minutes after she was born, they were ready to give her to me to nurse. She took to it like a pro and nursed for about 40 minutes! She has continued to be a great nurser and seems to have no swallowing issues at all. Jeff went home for the night and brought Cadence over in the morning to meet her new sister, and she was so excited!
I got checked in and started the pit by 3:30. With the pit, I couldn’t move around or anything beause I had to stay on the monitors. I was able to sit on the birthing ball for a few hours while Jeff and I watched a movie on the laptop. By 9 or 10 pm, the contractions were starting to hurt more and I got in the bed and tried to get some sleep before they got too bad. I got little snippets of sleep for a few hours, and at 1 am asked them to check my cervix. A few days earlier I had been 50% effaced and 1-2 cm dilated, and was the same at check in. I thought that if I had made pretty good progress and it seemed like the end was in sight, I’d stick it out, but that if I wasn’t very far yet, that I would get the epidural. I was 4 cm, but still 50% effaced and at -2 station. At 1:30 am I got the epidural, after 10 hours on pitocin. I was able to sleep well from 2-6 am. At 7 am, I was 5 cm, still 50% effaced, and -1 station. Around 11 am, the docs mentioned that they might want to break my water because they wanted to put a monitor on baby’s head – she was looking non-responsive again on the external monitors and they preferred the more accurate internal monitor. I was pretty hesitant about them breaking my water, especially because they had said I was at increased risk for a cord prolapse due to the high fluid level. But when they went to check me, they found that my water had already broken and I didn’t know it! I was also 5 cm. When they touched baby’s head, they found that she responded, so they delayed the internal monitor, but wanted it again by 1 pm and did it then. By then I was 6 cm, 70% effaced, and 0 station. They also found meconium in the fluid at that time. Though this would mean that she would be whisked to the side by the peds team immediately after birth for suctioning, it was actually a bit reassuring to me because it indicated that she was probably able to swallow and digest. Every time they checked me, I was squirting a ton of fluid all over the place. The docs and nurses found it quite amusing how many towels they had to use and what a mess it was!
Around this time, the epidural started to wear off but only on my left side. My right side was still totally numb, but I was starting to feel pain on just the left. I stuck it out for a while as my mom read aloud to me, but asked them to try to fix it around 3pm. At that time I was 8 cm, 100% effaced, and +1 station. It took a few different tries with the epidural, but it seemed pretty well fixed by 4:30. At 5 pm I was 9 cm and +2 station. At 6 the epidural started going off again and at 6:30 I wanted them to fix it again - I was no longer in the mood for patience! They had me turn onto my side, and very soon I was feeling pressure to push. They checked me again and said I was ready! I started pushing at around 7 pm, but my contractions slowed down when I turned on my back, so there was a lot of time to rest between pushes. They brought the mirror in so I could see what was going on, which was good because it helped me see what worked, but also a little scary to see it happening! It only took a few pushes after the mirror and I could see her come out! It was really quite amazing!
Tessa Brielle was born April 25, 2009 at 8:48 pm and was 8 pounds 10 ounces and 21 inches. She is much bigger than Cadence was (7 pounds 1 ounce and 19.5 inches)! It was a long labor – 29 hours on pitocin! The ped team suctioned the meconium and checked out her swallowing and judged her to be just fine while my doc was finishing up with me. I only needed one small suture, which has made my recovery so far easier than last time when I had 3 sutures. About 20 minutes after she was born, they were ready to give her to me to nurse. She took to it like a pro and nursed for about 40 minutes! She has continued to be a great nurser and seems to have no swallowing issues at all. Jeff went home for the night and brought Cadence over in the morning to meet her new sister, and she was so excited!
: Congratulations! 
). Welcome Tessa! Glad she is perfect! I have liked the name Tessa for a while.
Tessa!!
Thank-you for sharing the story of her birth. 
