Hadley's Birth Story

On the evening of Monday, August 16th 2004, Chris and I left for the hospital to begin induction. We got off to a late start and still needed to get dinner and I had yet to pack a few things even though I’d known for the last week that I was going to be induced. You were due somewhere around August 4th or 5th but must have been quite comfortable inside of me because you decided you were definitely not going to come on your own. For the last two weeks, I anxiously awaited my doctor appointments to find out how much I was dilated or effaced and, for the last two weeks, I was hardly dilated to a 1 and about 70% effaced. I remember Dr. Edwards felt that an induction would be long and drawn out because of how little progress I was making. But at my last appointment he decided that you were becoming too long overdue and I should be induced. After having a quick bite to eat at the IHOP across the street from the hospital in Santa Monica, Chris and I anxiously made our walk over to the hospital, bag and pillow in hand. I checked in at about 8:00 pm.

My pregnancy had been relatively easy I think. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I made a conscious decision that it would be easy and I would try to avoid complaining too much, feeling that would only compound any negative feelings. Plus, I didn’t want to be a burden on Chris who would eventually be studying for the California Bar Exam towards the end of the pregnancy. And it worked! A relatively positive attitude seemed to make the pregnancy easier. I felt nauseous in the mornings at the beginning. Towards the end, I retained a lot of water most noticeable in my ankles and hands. (Not until after the birth did Chris and I realize how much I retained in my face – pictures right before the birth are evidence of this fact.)

My room, 207, was already prepared and waiting for me when we got to the hospital since I was prescheduled. The plan, according to Dr. Edwards, was to artificially ripen my cervix with a gel that evening and then begin pitocin to start labor. We decided Chris would not spend the night. Instead he would go home and get rest for the big event the next day because, also according to the Dr., the gel would not induce labor (or only does so in about 5% of women).

The rest of what I remember of that evening is pretty uneventful. Dr. Edwards prescribed me a sleeping pill to help me sleep. The 2004 Olympics were taking place in Athens so we watched them until about 11:00 when Chris left the hospital to go home. I remember being anxious and somewhat scared when he left but comfortable because I knew nothing was going to happen until he arrived in the morning and would be by my side.

At about 3:00 in the morning I realized I was having very bad and persistent cramps. When I used the restroom, it was difficult to get up out of my bed and stand up. I attributed it all to the ripening gel however. I can’t remember what time or which order it happened but at about 6:00 a.m. I buzzed for a nurse and told them I was in a lot of pain and possibly wanted an epidural if I was dilated enough. I tried to put off calling Chris because I didn’t want to wake him up and bother him. But when I felt the pain, I just wanted him to be close by me. Eventually I called him but insisted he could shower, eat breakfast and then come. Meanwhile, the nurse checked me and found that I was dilated – in fact, she was surprised because I had actually started labor from the gel. I think this helped me have the anesthesiologist come sooner than later to give me my epidural.

The pain intensified but Chris was still not there when the anesthesiologist came into my room. He administered the epidural right before Chris got there, so when he did and saw how well I was doing, I am sure he wondered why I called him so early in the morning as I appeared to be doing fine.

The rest of the day is more of blur and the time went quite rapidly. In fact, I don’t even remember if or when Chris ate lunch. He napped and sat by the side of my bed throughout the day and we watched the Olympics or news or whatever was on t.v. to distract us. An internal monitor also kept us somewhat occupied. It showed yours and my heart rate while I was having a contraction and so on. I remember feeling pretty content throughout the day. Occasionally a nurse would come and check on me and take my blood pressure, which had gotten high in the last few weeks of my pregnancy prompting me to be restricted to light activity.

Chris’ perception of the day, however was somewhat different. Off and on, nurses would come in and use an instrument on my stomach to stimulate you and make sure you were okay. Dr. Edwards was called early in the morning to see the monitor, and although he was not entirely pleased with the results, he suggested we just keep being monitored. Clearly, there were some concerns but only Chris really picked up on them. Maybe it was the drugs, but I felt I was in good hands and there was nothing to be concerned about. Chris admitted to me afterward, he was deeply concerned but tried to conceal it, knowing it would just add an extra burden on me. For that, I am very grateful. He was so strong, and that is what I relied on.

By the early afternoon, Chris tells me now, he knew there were some complications and a nurse confided in him that I would most likely need a cesarean section because my contractions were not progressing and there was fetal distress on the heart rate. Dr. Edwards appeared again and looked and the results of the monitor and was clearly displeased. I was hardly dilated and the pitocin seemed to cause more harm than good in progressing labor. That is when he stated that a c-section was the next course of action and it should be done relatively soon. Chris and I both knew that Dr. Edwards prided himself on his low c-section rate so when he decided it needed to be done, there were no questions – Chris and I readily agreed and I braced myself.

I was wheeled into the operating room while Chris was getting dressed in scrubs. It all seems like a blur and yet there are some vivid memories. The anesthesiologist was very nice and talked to me a lot and tried to cheer me up. I tried to stay lighthearted and to laugh or smile so as to not concentrate on what was happening. When I would think about it, I would tear up, which was difficult to do when my arms were strapped down and I had an oxygen mask on.

Chris came in and held my hand I remember when the initial incision was made. We were being talked through the whole thing so I remember when you were about to be pulled out of me. Chris held my hand and looked over the screen to see you. He beamed when you came out and was so surprised you had dark hair, he exclaimed to me. I too was VERY surprised that you had dark hair but was more concentrating on the sensations I was having, namely intense shivers, chills, and nausea. Chris brought you over to me after you were cleaned. It was incredible to see both of you. Chris was so excited and happy.

After what seemed longer than the birth, I was wheeled out of the operating room to a recovery room. The next thing I remember is seeing my mom’s face and my dad enter the room. It was a very warm feeling and I was very glad to see them and have them there. They sat and held you and we joked and laughed. It was very lighthearted. Dad and Chris gave me a healing blessing in there too. Chris and you were finally summoned to the nursery where you were weighed and measured. My mom and dad and I anxiously awaited the results in the recovery room.