Well as some of you may know Austin's Estimated Due date was February 23, 2008. He didn't want to come on that day or earlier despite contractions on and off since about 3-4 weeks prior to his "due date". Well my doctor said that if I didn't deliver Austin by Feb 28th (40+5) we would schedule an induction and on the 27th I would go to my final dr. appt for an assessment of how he was doing in utero (fluid level, his breathing status, etc. . .) via ultrasound. Well I went in to that appointment and I was dilated to a 1 (yeah! finally) and about 80% effaced (thinned) and he was pretty far down in the birth canal. Well when she went to do my ultrasound to check everything my Doctor noticed that my amniotic fluid was low - low enough to warrant going into L&D that day instead of the next, which was the day of our induction. Well I went into L&D on Feb 27th to begin the induction process. I rec'd pitocin (to begin and/or increase contractions) around 10:45 and then I also rec'd cervadil (to thin my cervix even more) around 11:15. Well the pitocin reacted Strongly b/c shortly therafter I began having Strong labor pains that were every 2-3 min apart and then around 2 pm after SEVERE pain and my contractions begin one on top of the other without letup I begged the RN for meds - she came in checked me and said I was dilated to little more than a 3 and that I could get my epidural. When she told me that I almost cried (Scott says I actually did) b/c I was so excited. Some of you may know that I can't handle pain very well so this was def. a blessing!! I rec'd my epidural from an AMAZING anestesiologist (sp?) and didn't feel a thing except one tiny pinch for the numbing shot. When she was done I was like WHAT?! your done already - I have seen the needle and let me tell you I was worried about the pain I was going to experience withit but it was great. Instantly after the epi I was pain free - GOD LOVE THE EPI Maker!! Well my RN then went up on the pitocin again (throughout the course of the day we were going up on the pitocin) and within 20 min of that Austin started having heart rate drops after my contractions. So they came in and stopped my pitocin to see if my body would naturally contract strong enough to dilate me even futher (at this point I was dilated to a 4). Well after some time and after his heart rate going back to normal they started me on pitocin, low dose. Well within 10 min his heart rate again would drop after contractions so they again came in a stopped it. My Dr. then came in and told us that he obviously isn't responding very well to the pitocin and that we would see how he would do for a while without it and see what my body would do - dialte me further. Well after a while she checked me and I onnly was dilated to a 4.5 and his heart rate began staying high now constantly. So the Dr. again came in and said that they were going to break my water to see if they could move things along. Well when she did that I had VERY LOW clear fluid and his heart rate still was high. So after about 10 min the Dr. came in and decided that in his best interest we would be doing a C/ Section (this was at 5:30pm). That his heart rate was consistently high and that we should take him out now before it became an emergancy situation. As a NICU RN I was terrified of the complications that he was going through and as a person fearful of the C Section in general. From then on out I couldn't stop crying!! So at 6:10pm they wheeled me into the L&D OR and got me prepped. (I was still crying). Scott came in once I was 'settled' and the NICU team also came in. (they came in for many reasons. 1: low fluid 2: it was a C Section 3: "failure to progress" & 4: heart rate drops alt with high heart rate) So that somewhat (not by much) relieved me b/c I trusted these ladies to help my son if needed. At 6:26pm he was born screaming :-) After a while they wheeled me in to recovery where I attempted (haha) to breastfeed and obviously begin the recovery process. I then went to postpartum at 9:30pm while the newborn nursery had him for their initial assessment. By about 1 am I got to spend time with my son and breastfeed him - he went to town right off!!! :-) Scott and I spent till Sat at the hospital and came home Sat afternoon. It's been a whirlwind since with emotions going (and I'm NOT a crier, but apparently I am now esp when it comes to breastfeeding issues) and me & Scott lacking in sleep. Austin's daddy has been SUPER DADDY!! He helps me out of bed (due to the C section I can't move very well), changes pretty much 99% of his diapers and bring him to me to feed Austin. I have been truly blessed with a great husband and daddy to Austin!!!!! So that's our story, still going. . .
Austin Ealy Bradshaw
Birthday: February 27, 2008 @ 6:26pm
7 lbs 11 oz 20 1/4 inches long