The birth story - part 3

After actively laboring on a pitocin drip for about 9 hours, Amy, the midwife, returned to check Lucy's cervix around midnight. We had high hopes that Lucy had progressed to 7 or 8 centimeters, and were mightily disappointed when our midwife announced that Lucy was only at 4 cm. Amy said that they would need to increase the dosage more aggressively to speed labor along. Lucy, Emme, Pat and I were all frustrated, but wanted to hold on to our goal of as natural a labor and birth as possible.

The midwife upped the dosage of pitocin, and immediately Lucy's contractions jumped in strength. We quickly elevated our comfort measures to incorporate a warm bath. Moving the remote fetal monitor, IV and pitocin drip to the bathroom, Emme and I worked to comfort Lucy by squeezing towels drenched in warm water over Lucy's abdomen and chest while she soaked. The contractions continued to get stronger and stronger, and Lucy for the first time started to moan loudly.

After a short period, Lucy brought up the prospect of an epidural as she was unsure if she would be able to handle the pain and the intense pressure to push that was accompanying these contractions for several more hours. Emme and I talked to Lucy about the great progress she must be making with these strong contractions. We agreed to page the midwife at 1:30 am to check Lucy again. If she had not progressed significantly, we would consider an epidural at that point.

That hour seemed like an eternity for all involved. When 1:30 came, Lucy was at her wit's end, but was hopeful of progress. Unfortunately, she had only moved a centimeter in that time - normally good progress, but under the painful conditions, not enough to give us confidence that Lucy would have enough energy left to go the next 5 cm, not to mention pushing.

Lucy and I talked, in the 1 minute intervals between contractions, and decided that an epidural was our best option at that point. Our hope was that it would provide enough relief for her to rest for the first time in roughly 24 hours, but provide enough sensation so that she would be able to feel the contractions when it was time to push. The midwife paged the anesthesiologist while Emme and I helped get Lucy out of the bath.