Cerniglia Family: Gage's Birth Story

On August 9th, 2010 I went in for my 40 week (and three days) check up. I still was only dilated to a 1 and had not dropped. My doctor told us that she was going to schedule me to be induced and that I could either choose to be induced the next day, Tuesday August 10th or I could wait until Sunday August 15th. Rob and I both were really wanting to go naturally and decided we would wait until the 15th, hoping that Gage would come on his own before that. Each day came and went and Gage stayed nice and snug inside, exhibiting no signs that he was ready to come. I was to be at the hospital at 5 pm on August 15th. At 4:00 pm I got a call from the hospital. The hospital informed us that they had several births that afternoon and that I was to come at 7 pm instead. Rob and I had spent many moments talking and laughing the past nine months as we role played different scenarios of what the crazy and rushed drive to the hospital would be like once labor began. But Gage had different plans for us and instead we had a short peaceful drive.

We checked in and at 8:20 pm I received my first dose of Cytotech. At 12:30 am the nurse checked me and said my cervix was softening very well and that I would not need the third dose. After giving me the second dose she told me they would wait until 7 am to start the Pitocin. At 7 am they had me shower and order breakfast, as it would be awhile before I ate again. The first dose of Pitocin is administered at 8 am. I am dilated to a 3 and 60% effaced. My contractions were getting closer and closer together but were not increasing in strength so they decided to break my water. At 1:15 pm my water is broken by the on call doctor. Things went a little faster from there. At 2:10 pm my epidural is given. I am only dilated to a 4, however, if the epidural is not given now it will be awhile before the anesthesiologist is available. The anesthesiologist hits the wrong place and has to do it again! The epidural was like a shock wave of pain. I almost jumped off the bed and ran out the hospital. They increase my Pitocin and at 5:15 pm I am dilated to a 9.5 and 100% effaced. The surgical set up begins. By 6:10 pm I am at a 10. The nurse says she wants to have me “labor down” so that I don’t have to push as hard. I am not feeling any pain at all, not even pressure during a contraction so they call someone in to turn down the epidural. The worst and pretty much only pain I felt was when the epidural was given. They call the doctor on call as well (which unfortunately was not my doctor). Dr. George arrives at 8:45 pm. At 9:04 pm Gage is born, 9.075 pounds, 19 ½ inches long. Rob cuts the cord and then quickly follows the nurse who is going to clean him up. My first response is, “why isn’t he crying?” About thirty seconds later he cries and Rob runs over to me to tell me he looks beautiful. Rob is so excited and he tells me that Gage grabbed his finger. The nurse puts Gage on my chest and I blink back tears as I hold my little boy.