Here is the story of how it went. This is definitely not a homebirth-in-a-hospital type story, don't say you haven't been warned. 
It was pretty medical but I am okay with that since I made all the decisions myself-- apart from when to go to the hospital which was chosen for me because my water broke at about noon, I called my husband and he immediately called his mom... which caused a lot of frustration for me. I feel pretty certain labor would have started and then I would have gone into the hospital while in active labor, which was always my plan. But once my mother in law was breathing down my neck and freaking out, like she does, I called and made an appointment so they could check if my water had indeed broken. I packed a hospital bag and left.
I went to my appointment at 2:00pm and leaked a lot on the exam table while I waited so I knew this would be it and I wouldn't be going back home (45 minutes out of town). I also had some more noticable contractions though still early labor. She checked and it was amniotic fluid and I was at 3 centimeters, so she told me to go and get a snack and check into the hospital in about an hour. So DH picked me up (he works two blocks from the hospital) and we went and had a snack about 2:15pm and then went to the hospital about 3pm.
I was really hormonal, crabby and crying at the drop of a hat. I was frustrated that I was in the hospital in early labor, something I didn't want because I know how it can effect a normal labor pattern. The nurse had to do the IV twice and accidently numbed my whole thumb at the first site so after she got it in and left the room I cried about my thumb. I hate IVs but it was for the GBS antibiotics. The midwife said they would not be checking me until I was clearly farther along in active labor since my water had broken and they wanted to limit the chance of infection.
Labor slowed and stopped after we got to the hospital, and at 5:00pm I was crying about that too. I was stuck in the hospital, with irritating monitors on and an IV in my arm and I wasn't even laboring. We tried to watch TV and just wait but for whatever reason I just kept crying. At 5:30 the midwife took a look at my emotional condition and told me that I could get an enema because that might start labor. I really didn't want that. :o She said that when waters break labor almost always starts within 12 hours without any intervention so we can just wait. She came back 15 minutes later and took a look at me (think basket case) and said that there's three options and she doesn't care which one we go with but she wanted us to have choices.... we could try the enema, or we could wait because she thinks labor will start eventually, or we could try a low dose of pitocin and if the pitocin doesn't work turn it off and try to sleep and then try it again in the morning. DH and I decided to go for a walk in the hall to think about it and I decided I wanted the pitocin in hopes that it would kick in faster and I could have the baby and not labor through the night.
I felt pretty confident that it would go quick and that had I not been in the hospital I would already be in active labor.
So at 6:00 they started a low dose of pitocin and I started right away with active labor. Sometime after 7:00 I asked for an epidural and they let me have one at 8:00. I don't know why people "love" epidurals (I've heard people say this) because I found that to be a pretty scary and painful experience when they're poking you and my legs felt like pins and needles the whole time(so wow I am glad I only had it for an hour...). However it did keep me from totally going over the edge with screaming, which I was pretty close to and my attitude wasn't in the right place. At 8:45 I started to feel shaky and nauseated and the midwife checked me and I was at 8 centimeters. She said she would be back in a short bit and at 9:15 I felt uncomfortable pressure and pushy right when the midwife showed up. I pushed (which still hurt though not as much as last time when it was natural) while she used warm compresses to prevent tearing and on the third contraction I was done with my first no-tearing birth.
Elijah was born at 9:21pm at 6lbs 3oz and 18 1/2 inches and was in perfect health even at 36 weeks.
It was pretty medical but I am okay with that since I made all the decisions myself-- apart from when to go to the hospital which was chosen for me because my water broke at about noon, I called my husband and he immediately called his mom... which caused a lot of frustration for me. I feel pretty certain labor would have started and then I would have gone into the hospital while in active labor, which was always my plan. But once my mother in law was breathing down my neck and freaking out, like she does, I called and made an appointment so they could check if my water had indeed broken. I packed a hospital bag and left.I went to my appointment at 2:00pm and leaked a lot on the exam table while I waited so I knew this would be it and I wouldn't be going back home (45 minutes out of town). I also had some more noticable contractions though still early labor. She checked and it was amniotic fluid and I was at 3 centimeters, so she told me to go and get a snack and check into the hospital in about an hour. So DH picked me up (he works two blocks from the hospital) and we went and had a snack about 2:15pm and then went to the hospital about 3pm.
I was really hormonal, crabby and crying at the drop of a hat. I was frustrated that I was in the hospital in early labor, something I didn't want because I know how it can effect a normal labor pattern. The nurse had to do the IV twice and accidently numbed my whole thumb at the first site so after she got it in and left the room I cried about my thumb. I hate IVs but it was for the GBS antibiotics. The midwife said they would not be checking me until I was clearly farther along in active labor since my water had broken and they wanted to limit the chance of infection.
Labor slowed and stopped after we got to the hospital, and at 5:00pm I was crying about that too. I was stuck in the hospital, with irritating monitors on and an IV in my arm and I wasn't even laboring. We tried to watch TV and just wait but for whatever reason I just kept crying. At 5:30 the midwife took a look at my emotional condition and told me that I could get an enema because that might start labor. I really didn't want that. :o She said that when waters break labor almost always starts within 12 hours without any intervention so we can just wait. She came back 15 minutes later and took a look at me (think basket case) and said that there's three options and she doesn't care which one we go with but she wanted us to have choices.... we could try the enema, or we could wait because she thinks labor will start eventually, or we could try a low dose of pitocin and if the pitocin doesn't work turn it off and try to sleep and then try it again in the morning. DH and I decided to go for a walk in the hall to think about it and I decided I wanted the pitocin in hopes that it would kick in faster and I could have the baby and not labor through the night.
I felt pretty confident that it would go quick and that had I not been in the hospital I would already be in active labor.So at 6:00 they started a low dose of pitocin and I started right away with active labor. Sometime after 7:00 I asked for an epidural and they let me have one at 8:00. I don't know why people "love" epidurals (I've heard people say this) because I found that to be a pretty scary and painful experience when they're poking you and my legs felt like pins and needles the whole time(so wow I am glad I only had it for an hour...). However it did keep me from totally going over the edge with screaming, which I was pretty close to and my attitude wasn't in the right place. At 8:45 I started to feel shaky and nauseated and the midwife checked me and I was at 8 centimeters. She said she would be back in a short bit and at 9:15 I felt uncomfortable pressure and pushy right when the midwife showed up. I pushed (which still hurt though not as much as last time when it was natural) while she used warm compresses to prevent tearing and on the third contraction I was done with my first no-tearing birth.
Elijah was born at 9:21pm at 6lbs 3oz and 18 1/2 inches and was in perfect health even at 36 weeks.
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I wish I were there to help with Eli!
