Eli’s birth story

Eli Richard
2 lbs 12 oz
15 inches
June 11, 2008
12:53 a.m.
29 weeks exactly

After a preterm premature rupture of membranes at 15.5 weeks, I was put on bed rest. At 23 weeks, I was admitted to Ohio State University Hospital for constant care/monitoring. Throughout that time, there were a few occasions when I experienced some bleeding (blood-tinted fluid really) but it always ended up clearing up within a few days. On the morning of the 9th, I had the second bleeding episode within a week. At this point, I’m a little concerned, but I kept telling myself everything would be ok and we would at least make it to my goal of 30 weeks. My nurses kept an IV in my arm, just in case I needed to have an emergency delivery.

As some of you know, the hospital is 3 hours from my home town and my fiance, Seth, was only able to visit every week or two, but it just so happens that he was with me the days before the incident. After his parents and sister left on the afternoon of the 9th, I got up out of bed to go the bathroom. When I sat on the toilet, I felt a huge gush of something spray into the toilet. I’m used to leaking fluid, but this was a huge amount. When I looked down, the toilet water was a deep blood-red. I knew that I was at a high risk for a placental abruption, and I’m a pretty much panicked at this point, but trying to keep my cool. I told Seth to call the nurse and tell her that I am bleeding A LOT.

My nurse was in my room within a matter of seconds and immediately put me on the monitor. His heartbeat was strong, which made me feel better. A doctor came in to check me with a speculum and didn’t sound concerned when she said my cervix was still closed and then all of a sudden, apparently some more blood gushed out, at which point she said I would be moving to labor and delivery. There, another doctor did an ultrasound and said that my placenta looked thick, which is an indication of an abruption. The prognosis was a partial abruption and the OB team recommended that I agree to induce labor. They said that continuing the pregnancy would risk a full abruption and/or Eli’s oxygen and nutrition supply to dwindle. Before consenting, I asked for some time to talk it over with my family (Seth’s parents had come back at this point). Before we had a chance to discuss it, my favorite neonatologist came in to talk to me. He went over the expectations of a 29-weeker, which I have heard many times, but Seth and his parents had never heard it from the doctor. He told me that obviously it would be optimal to keep Eli inside me to grow for as long as possible, but sometimes we have to cut our losses, and that I was past the 28-week mark which was a great advantage.

It took little discussion before deciding that an induction would be best (I am still bleeding heavily at this point). We agreed that we were in an amazing hospital that specializes in high-risk pregnancies and that the doctors knew best. The next step was Cervadil to soften my cervix–I was only 50% effaced and 0cm. It was administered at 7:30 p.m. and takes 12 hours. The Cervadil also provoked some contractions, but not strong enough to keep me from getting a little sleep.

The next morning, I was still not dilated, but my cervix was at 70%. Around 8 a.m. something called Mizo (which is short for something) was given. It is similar to the Cervadil, and with any luck, after 4 hours, I would be 1 cm and ready for pitocin. If not, then another dose would be administered and possibly a third. Had I gotten 3 doses and still showed no changes, they probably would have concluded that I wasn’t going to be able to be induced and I would have had to have a c-section. Luckily, at my next check, I was a little less than 1 cm and my cervix was nice and soft (I can’t remember the percentage).

I started pitocin at 2 p.m. and was checked again around 5 p.m. and still was only a cm. I had been having stronger contractions, but was still not uncomfortable. The next time I was checked, it was starting to get pretty painful with each contraction and they were coming every minute or two, and I was still only 1 cm. The doctor decided to rupture my membranes to try and speed things up. I didn’t quite understand, because my water had been broken for months. She explained that sometimes the sac ruptured higher up and breaking it at the bottom could speed things up. When she broke it, fluid actually came out! This was huge for me. At my previous ultrasound, I was told there were no measurable pockets of fluid left. The fluid is crucial to lung development, so it really had me worried. When fluid came out, I had hope that there was enough in there all along, and maybe it just wasn’t showing on the ultrasounds.

I was planning on going through labor without drugs, but was not against taking something if I needed it. At 10 p.m. I was having very painful contractions and the last time I was checked I was still a cm. I couldn’t imagine going into the morning or next afternoon in that much pain if things continued to progress so slowly. I was considering IV drugs, but DF wanted me to go ahead and have the epidural because the anesthesiologist had told us that IV drugs can go to the baby. I went for an epi and I have absolutely no regrets about it. My mom and sisters were there, Seth and his family, and I was being so mean to them because I was in pain. The epidural made labor much more enjoyable and I could still feel contractions so I knew I would know when to push.

I was checked soon after the epidural was placed and was 3-4 cm! Sometime around midnight, I was 9.5 cm. I’m not sure if it is coincidence or if the epidural sped things up. I think I might have been “fighting the contractions” before. I was trying hard to relax, but I’m sure I was tensing up to some degree, who knows. Once I was told I was 9 1/2 I was feeling a lot of pressure with each contraction. Not long after the doctor left the room, I told my nurse “I’m not sure because I’ve never done this before, but I really thing he’s ready to come out.” She called the doctor back in and she put her finger down there and said “Oh yeah, his head is right there.” The whole team came in and the doctor put on her gown and goggles and everything, and I got ready to push. Seth and I said a prayer together and it was time to begin.

I was so excited and so nervous. It was now setting in that my son was going to come out 11 weeks premature and he might not be ok. It didn’t take much pushing to get him out. Seth was incredible. I had earlier asked him if he was going to be a good labor coach and he honestly answered “probably not.” He is very shy and quiet, but during the labor, he did talk me through it, saying “come on baby, push.” It was not much compared to the loud coaching, counting and praise of the doctors and nurses, but it meant a lot to me. After about 4 or 5 contractions, at 12:53 a.m., Eli Richard entered the world. He gave out a little whimper, again, giving Seth and I hope for his tiny lungs.

He was brought to a table in the room to be evaluated while Mommy delivered the placenta. The doctor also had to do quite a bit of manual extraction because of my ruptured membrane, and even with the epidural was quite uncomfortable. Daddy was able to watch as Eli was cleaned up and evaluated, and he came back to my bedside and said he was beautiful and had a lot of hair. Once he was placed in the isolette for transport to the NICU, they let me and Daddy have a look at him for a minute. This was much more than I expected; I figured he would be born and rushed right to the NICU, so I was very pleased.

A little later, I found out his APGARs were 5 & 6. They told us his weight and length. At 4 a.m. we got to really meet our little man for the first time. He is so perfect. I can’t believe we created such a strong and handsome little boy. We still have a long road ahead of us, but I know that God is watching over him. He has given us the most precious gift!

Thank you to everyone who was thinking about us, and praying for us. You have no idea how much of a comfort it was to know that so many people were rooting for us.

He has skinny legs and big feet like his Daddy!