My name is Samantha Holland. This is my second child’s birth story.
Lyla made her appearance on Sunday, June 2! I was 37 weeks and 4 days along. I was so uncomfortable by that point that to me it was 4 days too long! After 6 and a half weeks on bed rest I didn’t want to go a day over 37 weeks. I don’t know what it is about being pregnant but those last few weeks just drag out and it seems that you are never going to meet that baby.
The Friday before I had gone to the Dr and found out I was dilated to a 4 and still 80% effaced. I was glad to hear that I was progressing but she also made me well aware and to prepare mentally that I could still go to 40 weeks!
On Sunday morning I woke up with a really bad cramping pain in my lower stomach. It was constant for about an hour and a half. I then started noticing it only when I was having contractions. This whole pregnancy I had just planned on my water breaking, I’m not really sure why, I guess just because that’s what I knew from my first pregnancy! I was also nervous about counting contractions and since I hadn’t really been feeling them the last 2 months I was worried I wouldn’t really know what labor was like. Anyway…I kept having the pain so I started to keep track. At first the contractions were really random they were going anywhere from every 7-8 min up to 15 or 20. By noon they were getting stronger and more consistent. They were about every 20 min and extremely uncomfortable! I had been texting my friend Tressa, who is a labor and delivery nurse, asking her about it and getting her expert advice. My husband came home from his meetings and decided we should just go up to the hospital and get checked. I was really hesitant because I did not want to be sent home! By the time my mother in law got to my house and we were on our way they were coming every 6 min. We got to the hospital at 2:30 pm and it seemed like they were taking FOREVER to get me hooked up and let me know what was going on (even though I’m sure everything was done in a timely matter). The nurse checked me I was at a 5 and completely thinned.
They got me into my room, got my IV going, and gave me an epidural. I was so relieved to have that even though I was terrified. My last epidural experience wasn’t the greatest. The Dr came in and broke my water. Within 2 minutes of my water breaking I was at an 8+. Also right after my water broke the baby dropped suddenly into my cervix. They were noticing with each contraction the baby’s heart rate would drop, so she kept me well aware that another c-section wasn’t completely out of the picture. They gave me a shot of terbutaline. It was supposed to slow the contractions a bit just to help give the baby a little break and put me on my side because she did better when I was laying on my left side. After about an hour it was time to push! I pushed for 3 rounds of contractions and then they decided with my c-section and for the baby that we better just help her along and get her here quick, still reminding me I wasn’t totally cleared from having another c-section. They got the vacuum and said they will only do it 3 times and after that they would have to cut! She came out on the last try! I was so glad to have her here safely. Her cord had been wrapped around her neck which was causing the heart rate to drop with the contractions! She was born at 5:45 weighing 7 lbs 3 oz and 20 inches long with lots of dark hair! She is perfect!
Everything went well and we are so happy to have our little Lyla here
