Logan's Birth Story

Let�s start at the beginning. Since I had a history of big babies and shoulder dystocia, plus being diagnoses with Gestational Diabetes, we (Dr. Freeman and I) had already decided to induce labor at 39 weeks if I hadn�t went into labor on my own before then. I went to my appointment on Friday, April 9, Dr. Freeman checked my cervix, I was 3cm dilated and 50% effaced. He stripped my membranes and told me he hoped to see me before Monday but if nothing happened to be at the hospital Monday morning at 7am for the induction. Nothing happened over the weekend so it was off to the hospital Monday morning.

I got to the hospital and was admitted at 7:15. After signing a few last minute forms and drawing blood, my nurses came in to introduce themselves and get things started. They were great!! They got my IV started and got me hooked up to the monitors, to my surprise, I was already having regular contractions but wasn�t feeling them. Dr. Freeman came in around 11:30 to check my progress. I was only 4 cm dilated and 80% effaced. I was making some progress, just slowly. I watched TV with my mom and Jamie for about an hour and half. Dr. Freeman told me I could have my epidural at anytime now and he�d be back in a couple hours to break my water. Since I wasn�t hurting at all I decided not to get the epidural yet. Around 1:30, I knew Dr. Freeman would be back soon to break my water and I wanted the epidural before that so I called the nurses and ask for it. The anesthesiologist got there at 2pm, got the epidural in with no problems. Dr. Freeman came back in at 2:20, to check my cervix and brake my water. I was basically the same, 4-5 cm dilated, still 80% effaced and -2 station From there things went down hill a little. My blood pressure and sugar levels bottomed out (84/42 and 61) I got really nauseous and just felt really bad. The monitors weren�t picking Logan�s heartbeat up so the nurses had to put a monitor on his scalp. They unhooked me from the Pitocin. I had to stay on my left side because when I tried to lay any other way I got really sick! Finally around 3:30 Judy (nurse) brought me some orange juice and peanut butter crackers. I ate a few bites and starting to feel a little better but being in one spot so long caused the effects of the epidural to be stronger in some spots and not as effective in others (blessing in disguise). Judy checked my cervix again at 4pm I was 7cm dilated, 90% effaced and -1 station. From then until 4:20 my contractions were going crazy, I could feel them but they weren�t showing up on the monitors...it looked like one big contraction. So at 4:20 I was checked again, this time I was fully dilated, 100% effaced and ready to push!! I couldn�t believe it, I had went from 4-5 cm dilated to fully dilated and ready to push, all on my own, no help from the Pitocin, and in only 2 hours time!! Judy paged Dr. Freeman, he came in for a second and watched me push a couple times then left. I pushed with Judy coaching me until 4:50 then they called Dr. Freeman back in. Things started going fast and I could feel him moving down the birth canal. That was the strangest yet most exciting, wonderful experience I�ve ever been through!! Everyone was yelling for me to stop pushing and breathe! Dr. Freeman said "I want you to pant" I was yelling at everyone "I�m not pushing!" Finally everyone got suited up and Logan was born at 4:55pm on April 12, 2004. He weighed 8 lbs 6.2 oz and was 21.5 in long!!