[...learned #182] epidural
July 9th, 2009 Graig
When we (and by “we” I mean Aden, with me dragging a suitcase, backpack and food cooler behind) were finally transferred into a birthing room, Aden’s contractions had pretty severely intensified and were about 2 minutes apart. After settling in (as settled as we could get), our nurse hooked Aden up to more monitors and coaching her through breathing. She summoned the anesthetist who arrived about 10 minutes later to deliver the epidural. This process was, quite possibly the most agonizing and laborious process of the entire delivery, as Aden had to sit cross legged on the bed, leaning forward and thrusting her butt out as far as it could go, while also holding her head down, chin to chest. The doctor proceeded to stick a needle in her back and tried to put the epidural catheter in through the hole he made, only he botched it up, having to do it over again… likely no doubt due to the all too frequent and lengthy contractions Aden was having that would stiffen her body up. The whole process took about 25 minutes of Aden trying to hold her very uncomfortable position.
Later he would explain that there’s a space for the epidural and a further space for a spinal, the latter which they would use if performing a cerebralspinal for cesarian. In trying to put the epidural in the first, he accidentally punctured through to the cerebralspinal. He explained that in 48 - 72 hours she may have a really severe headache, as cerebralspinal fluid may have leaked into the epidural. His hope was that the headache wouldn’t happen altogether or it would be easily treated with Tylenol and pass. If it didn’t pass, then they’d have to perform a blood patch, whereby they’d take a sample of blood from her arm and put it in her via another epidural, the blood clotting the hole. Normally, when they do a spinal they use a smaller needle, so it clots more easily, and since he punctured it with the larger epidural needle he was concerned, and has since called a couple times to check in on her, which is nice of him. But she’s been doing fine.
After they administered the epidural, they did an ice test, to check her belly and legs for sensitivity. She could still move her legs, but she could feel anything below the waist, which meant it worked. Aden was relieved. For a bit the epidural wasn’t strong enough on one side, and she was feeling the contractions again, so they adjusted her position and had the anesthetist come in and permit a higher dose on the auto regulator she was hooked up to. After this she fell asleep for an hour, but not before the doctor (and the shadow doctor… it’s a training hospital) came in and broke her water to help the contractions along. I found it interesting watching the monitor and seeing the contractions intensify and Aden resting peacefully in spite of.
By the time the shadow doctor returned to check Aden out, she was fully dilated, and ready to deliver.
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