See the rest of the story in Parts 1, 2, and 3.
At 3:00, I wanted to try to labor in the bathtub. This hospital was equipped with a really nice, deep bath tub, with jets. They weren't set up for women to deliver in the tubs, but encouraged women to labor there. In order to get in the tub, they had to take me off the pitocin, and the portable contraction monitor. I was having very regular, strong contractions, so they were hopeful that these would continue after removing the pitocon -- they did. Nurse Jacquie also said that she could bring a doppler in every so often to check the baby's heart rate -- but she was doing so well, that she didn't anticipate any problem with my laboring in the tub.
In the tub, I really got the hang of relaxing into my contractions, and definitely found my "zone". The contractions were VERY intense, and I laid on my side in the tub with the jets going. At this point, I was moaning through the contractions, and they were beginning to come two minutes apart (and lasting about 60-90 seconds apiece... so that left 30-60 seconds rest from the contraction ending to another one starting).
At this point, the most difficult part became wondering how long this was going to last. I was in my zone and I was dealing with the contractions... but they were unbelievably difficult, and I wanted to know how many more I had to get through. I could make it another hour... or more -- but another eight or more hours was not going to work for me. When the contractions were getting especially difficult, Hubby told me to make it through six more contractions and they we would have the nurse check me.
Making it through the next six contractions were hard, but at least I was counting down... one more contraction closer to someone checking me. Another contraction closer to someone checking me. Then, even after I made it to six contractions, it was another two contractions before I was out of the tub and someone was there to check me.
I was seven centimeters. So, back in the tub I went, this time laying on my other side. (And this is when Hubby called my parents and suggested that they might want to come to the hospital... things were moving along.)
While I was in the tub, Hubby and I went back in the zone for some more time -- maybe another hour... maybe longer? At this point, I was completely incoherent. Hubby later told me that I was speaking as though I was drunk. He said I was slurring my words and having a hard time finding the words that I wanted. All I remember saying at all during this time were single words -- "Contraction." "Count." "Bubbles."
"Contraction" was what I said to let Chris know there was another contraction. "Count" was what I said if Chris either wasn't counting for me... or if I couldn't hear him counting. "Bubbles" was what I said for the bathtub jets. A couple of times Dr. Katie or Nurse Jacquie came in to say something to us, and Hubby turned off the jets for me to hear what they were saying. Every time a contraction came, I needed the jets back on. I don't know that it was so much that they felt good, but the sound of them helped get me through the pain. The hum of the engine and the stirring of the turbulent water turned out to help me relax along with Hubby's counting and rubbing.
Throughout the entire labor, but especially during this most intense time, Hubby was the liaison between the nurse/doctor and myself. Various medical personnel poked their head into the bathroom from time to time, and Hubby always talked to them. Sometimes he asked them questions I had asked him; sometimes he relayed what they said to me... but I was not the one having any real conversation or exchange of information with anyone at this point.
Eventually, the intensity of my contractions changed and I began to have the urge to push during the climax of my contractions. At this point, I told Chris that I wanted to be checked again. Dr. Katie came in to check me and said she would be able to check me best if I got out of the tub and onto the hospital bed. So out of the tub, and onto the bed.
When Dr. Katie checked my cervix, she said I was at ten centimeters, but there was a complication...
At 3:00, I wanted to try to labor in the bathtub. This hospital was equipped with a really nice, deep bath tub, with jets. They weren't set up for women to deliver in the tubs, but encouraged women to labor there. In order to get in the tub, they had to take me off the pitocin, and the portable contraction monitor. I was having very regular, strong contractions, so they were hopeful that these would continue after removing the pitocon -- they did. Nurse Jacquie also said that she could bring a doppler in every so often to check the baby's heart rate -- but she was doing so well, that she didn't anticipate any problem with my laboring in the tub.
In the tub, I really got the hang of relaxing into my contractions, and definitely found my "zone". The contractions were VERY intense, and I laid on my side in the tub with the jets going. At this point, I was moaning through the contractions, and they were beginning to come two minutes apart (and lasting about 60-90 seconds apiece... so that left 30-60 seconds rest from the contraction ending to another one starting).
At this point, the most difficult part became wondering how long this was going to last. I was in my zone and I was dealing with the contractions... but they were unbelievably difficult, and I wanted to know how many more I had to get through. I could make it another hour... or more -- but another eight or more hours was not going to work for me. When the contractions were getting especially difficult, Hubby told me to make it through six more contractions and they we would have the nurse check me.
Making it through the next six contractions were hard, but at least I was counting down... one more contraction closer to someone checking me. Another contraction closer to someone checking me. Then, even after I made it to six contractions, it was another two contractions before I was out of the tub and someone was there to check me.
I was seven centimeters. So, back in the tub I went, this time laying on my other side. (And this is when Hubby called my parents and suggested that they might want to come to the hospital... things were moving along.)
While I was in the tub, Hubby and I went back in the zone for some more time -- maybe another hour... maybe longer? At this point, I was completely incoherent. Hubby later told me that I was speaking as though I was drunk. He said I was slurring my words and having a hard time finding the words that I wanted. All I remember saying at all during this time were single words -- "Contraction." "Count." "Bubbles."
"Contraction" was what I said to let Chris know there was another contraction. "Count" was what I said if Chris either wasn't counting for me... or if I couldn't hear him counting. "Bubbles" was what I said for the bathtub jets. A couple of times Dr. Katie or Nurse Jacquie came in to say something to us, and Hubby turned off the jets for me to hear what they were saying. Every time a contraction came, I needed the jets back on. I don't know that it was so much that they felt good, but the sound of them helped get me through the pain. The hum of the engine and the stirring of the turbulent water turned out to help me relax along with Hubby's counting and rubbing.
Throughout the entire labor, but especially during this most intense time, Hubby was the liaison between the nurse/doctor and myself. Various medical personnel poked their head into the bathroom from time to time, and Hubby always talked to them. Sometimes he asked them questions I had asked him; sometimes he relayed what they said to me... but I was not the one having any real conversation or exchange of information with anyone at this point.
Eventually, the intensity of my contractions changed and I began to have the urge to push during the climax of my contractions. At this point, I told Chris that I wanted to be checked again. Dr. Katie came in to check me and said she would be able to check me best if I got out of the tub and onto the hospital bed. So out of the tub, and onto the bed.
When Dr. Katie checked my cervix, she said I was at ten centimeters, but there was a complication...
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