11 Pounds, Vaginal, No Complications, Positive Induction

AmommaT

I was induced for High BP at 39w.  I had been having growth u/s with an MFM group b/c of the BP meds, so we knew he was big.  The 38w3d estimate came back at 11 pounds +/- 1.5 pounds, head measured 43w+, belly 43w+.  I am a big lady and he filled my torso.  I also had higher normal fluid (AFI at 25).

Since I did not have GD, and had vaginally delivered a 9 pounder without trouble before, my OB agreed to let me attempt vaginal - as long as I had an epi in place and we pushed in the Operating Room to expedite a c/s if DS got stuck (shoulder dystocia is a serious concern for these huge babies).

We arrived at the hospital at 7:30am on Friday March 30th.  They got me settled and checked.  I was 2cm but stretchable to 3 or 4cm when we started.  The OB broke my water.  If flowed and flowed and flowed.  I flooded the bed, the floor, and about 10 puppy pads.  It was hilarious.

The IV was placed and Pitocin was started by 10am.  Progress was slow going.  They kept upping the Pit and my contractions weren't getting that painful.  At noon I got an internal monitor placed for DS b/c the belly monitor kept losing him when I would sit on the ball.  By 2pm I was starting to breathe through contractions, but was only at 4/5cm and the Pit was at 18 (max is 20).  I got an epi at 4pm and quickly progressed to 6cm after that.  I was at the max dose of Pitocin for the rest of the day.

Once again, I had a great epi.  I could feel and move my legs, but the belly pains were gone. 

By 6:30pm I was breathing through intense rectal pain/pressure.  Since we knew he was so big, they had me labor down for an hour before checking me to give my body time to do some of the work getting him to drop before I started pushing.

7:30 - 10cm, rolling to OR to start pushing

7:45 - practice push = nurses telling me to breathe through them until the OB was ready, baby was right there now

I pushed through 3 contractions - I asked for a mirror which was amazing, b/c I knew my pushes were doing something.

We let him crown for a whole contraction to stretch my bits.

8:02pm, Thomas was born.  11 pounds, 22 inches, 15.25" head circumference.

I had a small internal tear that required a few stitches, but my external bits were fine.  Recovery was tough at first b/c of sciatic pain that hadn't resolved yet, but by the time we went home on Sunday I was feeling pretty great.

The epi was great.  I get so tense that I can't let my body do what it needs to do.  The epi allowed me to progress from 5 to 10 in about 3 hours.

My OB was thrilled that there weren't any scary complications and the nurses were amazed at his size.  I also let the MFM group know that their prediction was spot on.  I was supposed to have small preemies b/c of my weight and BP - but in the end I have 2 full term huge babies.  I am blessed.