Cash's Birth Story

August 5th

9:20am - I had a Dr.'s appt and my urine showed protein, as it had been the past few weeks.
My Dr. sent me to the hospital for more bloodwork and a Non-Stress Test.
After the bloodwork was back, it showed my liver enzymes were very high, even more elevated than last week. Being 37 weeks, I am considered full-term and they decided the best thing to do is get the baby out ASAP.

12:00pm- I am checked into my room..the BIG room :)

12:50- An IV is started so I can get antibiotics since I tested positive for Group B Strep. I will get antibiotics every 4 hours until delivery.

1:05pm- The nurse inserts the first round of cervadil gel. This will help my cervix to dialate and bring on contractions. This morning my stats for dialation were almost 2cm, 70% effaced.

2:35- The monitor shows contractions about every 6 minutes, but I am feeling no pain.

Shannon the doula is on call, and will arrive once labor really gets going, as will Emily the birth photographer.

Keep checking back, as I'll update this post when I can.

8:30pm- Contractions are starting to be painful, but not too bad.

August 6th Wednesday
1:00am- The cervadil is taken out, and much to my disappointment, there is no change in my cervix.
I want to rest for awhile before the pitocin is started, so I lay in bed for a little bit, and after the nurse gets some good reads on the monitors for fetal heart rate and my contractions, I decide to get in the tub for awhile.

2:00am- I started off with a shower, and then after a few minutes decided to relax in the jacuzzi tub. Being in the water felt great on my back and I wasn't feeling any pain.

2:45am- I was out of the tub and back in bed, it was time to start the pitocin.

6:00am- I've been at the hospital for 20 hours and there is still no change in my cervix. At this point I am worried that they may want to do a C-section, and I'm wondering how much longer they will let me labor.

6:30am- They finally let me eat some breakfast..well, 2 pieces of toast and some juice, which was better than nothing because I was starving. My Dr. comes on at 7am, so I'm looking forward to seeing her and finding out what she thinks and what her plan is now.

10:00am- I just now got to a full 2cm dialated after being at the hospital for 24 hours. My Dr. stresses that he needs to be born as soon as possible but knows that I don't want a C-section. She asks if I will consider deviating from my birth plan and offers to break my water and give me an epidural in hopes that this will speed up my labor. It should still be several hours but I'm hoping I start progressing faster. I'm also hoping to be able to sleep or atleast rest after getting the epidural.

10:30am- The epidural was given and my water was broken. My fluid is a greenish color which means there is meconium. There will be an extra Dr and nurse present at delivery to examine the baby incase he has swallowed meconium and needs to go to the nursery.

12:00pm- Finally I am 4cm and contractions are less than 2 minutes apart, but I am not feeling them, which is very strange.

I'm stuck at 4 for several hours and very uncomfortable. As the afternoon goes on, I have a major headache and start feeling sick.

5:00pm- I'm finally at 6-7cm, and the Dr orders more bloodwork because I still have a headache. I won't be getting checked again until atleast 8:30pm.

9:00pm- I still haven't been checked again.

Around 12:00am
August 7th- 8cm 100% effaced

As of now I've been getting sick and throwing up every 20 minutes or so. The contractions are getting stronger and I am feeling all of them.

1:00am- I ask the nurse Rachel to check me and I am 9cm

1:15am- I get checked again and there is only a little lip of my cervix left. As soon as I lay back down and get comfortable, I have the urge to push. Rachel checks me again and I am complete and ready to push. I have her go get everyone. (My mom, Matt, Matt's mom, Taylor, The photographer) I had sent everyone out of the room when I was getting sick.

1:20am- I start pushing. I can tell it's not going to take 2 and a half hours like it did with Taylor, but that it will be happening soon. I'm relieved because I'm so exhausted I don't know how much longer I can make it.


1:44am- After almost 37 hours Cash Allen Willard finally arrived, weighing 7 lbs, 2 oz, and was 20 inches long.