Now before we begin — please know Wesley and I are both doing extremely well and everyone is healthy and safe. I truly believe God led our path to getting here and everything I’m about to tell you all is more about awareness and signs to look for when you are not feeling heard or possibly dismissed by a doctor. This experience has taught me a lot about how the hospitals work and it’s definitely put a whole new outlook on how I will choose to give birth again (if that’s what Chip & I decide) and it will most likely not be with my current OBGYN practice.
My experience — though started out amazing -- had a very VERY different outcome than I ever could have planned or imagined….
Friday morning (Jan.22) I went to see my doctor for my weekly pregnancy check up, I was 38 weeks and 5 days. There was not much change from the week prior. I was measuring at 3cm and 75% effaced, the same as before. However, Wesley had moved even further down to the point in order to check my cervix she had to move around his head. I learned that these checks can cause contractions and to not be worried if it happened that evening but if they became very consistent to go ahead and give them a call.
So that evening came and just like predicted I began having consistent contractions (3-5 minutes) starting at around 6pm. I tracked them until 8pm due to having 2 days worth of “latent labor” that week. I was told this is very common with your second child. Latent labor is the early stage of your body preparing itself for labor. I learned by experience that it can cause frequent and painful contractions like active labor then completely stop after as long as 2 hours worth, which was exactly what I was having leading up until Wesley’s arrival. So at 8pm we called the on call M.D. and explained what was happening. He said to come in to be checked out — so we did.
We arrived around 9pm and the nurse hooked me up to the cardiotocography to measure Wesley’s heart beat and my contractions. She came in several times over the next hour to check on me. Then around 10pm came back with the MD.
The hospital MD was amazing — he checked me and said I was now 3.5cm and 80% effaced but I wasn’t considered “active labor” which is 4cm dilated. He however saw my contractions and how consistent they were and wanted me to stay so he could monitor them more closely. Though I wasn’t considered active labor he was confident that this was it and for us to get excited! Believe me we were!
So we began to wait — my contractions stayed consistent and became increasingly painful to the point I had to call the nurse in and request something for the pain. When I asked how long until an epidural would be considered she expressed they could not give me one because I was not 39 weeks or in active labor yet. Though, by this time I was now 38 weeks and 6 days pregnant because it was past midnight. But she was able to request some medication to help ease the pain for a bit so I could get some rest. Unfortunately again it only lasted about an hour before wearing off and I was back to having contractions.
At around 1:30am (Jan.23) the nurse came to check my progress — and SURPRISE still no change to my cervix. I was now in tears because I couldn’t understand being in this much pain and it literally doing nothing to my cervix.
The hospital doctor still wanted me to stay so that I could be checked again later that morning. Which we thought was great because it was going to be one of the partners from my OB’s office.
I met multiple amazing nurses— which happens when you are there for many shift changes. They all had ideas on how to help me induce and dilate my cervix. The most common one was to walk — so we did. Chip and I walked and walked (11 laps around the ward actually made a mile. Many nurses told us that and it made us laugh.) Again, my contractions were still consistent and becoming more painful. I was constantly stopping in the hallway bending over in pain during our walk. It wasn’t until 10:30am Jan. 23 that the on call doctor from my OBs practice came into the room to check me.
AGAIN — I was told there was no change. At this point I was so physically and mentally exhausted that I had no clue what to do next….
Chip was now getting mad because he was seeing how much pain I was in. He knew there had to be other options. This just didn’t make sense.
Red Flag number 1 was how the doctor came into the room. His bags packed, jacket in hand (essentially ready to go home for the day?) I tried not to think too much into it but then he just kept talking in circles…
He said if I came in later that day (Jan.23) instead of the night before I’d be admitted? But since I came in at 38 weeks and 5 days being 38 weeks and 6 days didn’t matter?...Red flag number 2.
It was so confusing — I tried to hear him out and understand but I was having too many contractions to concentrate.
Finally, Chip asked “So we have to leave and come back to be admitted?”
He never answered yes/no so Chip and I realized it had to be an insurance issue. But when Chip pushed more with questions the doctor came back multiple times saying “I’m not trying to be a dick” ~ Red Flag number 3.
The time was about 11am at this point.
When he left our nurse looked at me and said “Okay honey — let me go talk with him because that was super confusing” and I said okay. My contractions were still going and getting stronger.
I looked at Chip with every emotion. He was pissed and we were sent home at 12pm. My contractions were still going and I was stopping every few steps bending over in pain. I remember hearing my nurse say “she shouldn’t be sent home...” and I heard the others agree. I went home in tears.
To be continued...
Photo from our multiple walks around the ward -- we were on lap 6!
XO,
Christine ~ The CurlyQ Mom