They say every birth is different. I thought I was prepared for the possibility that this one could be different but I don’t really think I was. I pretty much expected it to go along the lines of the other two. Those two seemed very different to me, with S being induced and all. It’s a good thing this was my third experience with delivering a child or there might not have been a 2nd and 3rd!
This delivery was completely different than K and S. It was the hardest, most painful experience of my life. I want to thank everyone that was praying for us during it because although it was the most horrible thing I’ve ever been through I can also see how God was answering prayers and taking care of things along the way.
It all started on Tuesday. I felt kind of achy all day and wasn’t very hungry. I tried to go about my normal business but I just felt different. For the life of me I could not get comfortable enough to go to sleep that night. I finally went out to the couch and got a couple hours sleep, but around 5 a.m. I woke up to go to the bathroom. I thought my water might have broken but I wasn’t sure (just like with K). I called the nurse but she didn’t sound too encouraging since I was only 38 1/2 weeks. I laid back down and at 5:50 I started having contractions. They were about ten minutes apart. About 6:30 they went to 5 min. apart and I thought maybe things really were starting. I got up and got the last minute things packed, fed the dog, watered my flowers, etc.
Around 7:15 I told T that I thought this was it and he got up to take a shower. He didn’t really think it was “it” either but I told him I would feel better if we just went to the doctor’s office to get checked. I had an appointment that afternoon so I just went a little early. He got the girls up, we called my mom and headed to town. We dropped them off with Noni and continued on our way to the doctor. My contractions had gotten down to two min. apart but then went back up to four by the time we got there at 9 a.m.
We took our bag in since I was pretty sure I was in labor. Since they were fitting us into the schedule it took a minute to be seen. I was back down to two min. apart so that was not a very fun half hour to wait. :P My doctor was out of town so his partner came in to check me and my water broke all over the floor. The water was brown, meaning she had already passed the meconium which he said meant she was stressed. He said she was head down but “floating” which meant she wasn’t securely positioned. I told him my history of quick labors so they got me in a wheelchair and got me up to a room.
I had to get a whole IV of fluid and a bag of penicillin in me before they could give me an epidural so I spent a very uncomfortable hour getting poked, prodded, and answering dozens of questions as they got me checked in.
I finally got my epidural around 11 and it wasn’t kicking in as fast as the others. I was already having some intense contractions and telling the nurse I didn’t know how much longer it was going to be, but that it could be quick. The epidural started to give me a little relief but I could still feel some contracting. My blood pressure wasn’t doing that well so they didn’t want to give me the maximum dose. Then the pain started coming back so they gave me more. It didn’t touch the pain at all. I was feeling like I really needed to push but she kept checking me and saying it wasn’t time.
I was dilated to an 8 at that point and the pain was getting worse. It was all I could do not to push and she checked again and said, “I’m not convinced that’s a head.” She went and got the charge nurse who came and checked me and said, “Yep, that’s a butt.” I was breathing through the contractions and trying desperately not too push at that point so I wasn’t paying close attention to what they were saying but I heard them calling for the doctor and they said, “We are going to have to take you in the back.” I had no idea what that meant, but I was just trying desperately not to push because they kept telling me, “Don’t push!”
Nurses started swarming around and they said again, “We have to take you in the back.” and started unhooking my bed. They started to wheel me out the door and I realized they were talking about giving me a c-section. The doctor made it up to the hall and was trying to get my consent for a cesarean while they were pushing me down the hall. He was explaining that she was breech, and not only that but “Frank breech” meaning both her feet were up by her face. She was folded completely in half and it would be dangerous for both of us if I tried to deliver her regularly.
He kept talking but, in between gasps of breath, I told him whatever was best for the baby. He thrust a clipboard under my chin and I tried to sign it, but the best I could do was squiggly initials. They pushed me into the OR and took Tyson away to get suited up.
At that point I learned the meaning of “blinding pain”. I was in so much pain I literally could not keep my eyes open, but at the same time I realized God was taking care of me. If I hadn’t had my epidural exactly when I did they would have had to put me under completely and Tyson wouldn’t have been able to come in. It was strange because even though I could feel the horrible back contractions I couldn’t feel them cutting me open. My whole body was shaking horribly and I was just barely keeping myself from passing out. I would start to lose it and someone would say, “Deep breaths” and I was able to get enough breath to keep conscious. It was all I could do to keep from screaming and/or crying. I think a few tears did leak out from the overwhelming pain.
It felt almost like my entire body was contracting. It would start in my stomach and back and radiate up and down my whole body until I was shaking so hard I would almost lose consciousness. The only thing I was aware of was T leaning over me, helping me breathe and telling me I was doing good. It seemed like he or the anesthetist would pull me back from the brink of losing it every time. I finally felt a big tug and heard them say she was out. I was worried that she wasn’t crying. T later told me that she was purple and not breathing. They took her away and a few minutes later I heard a cry.
The contractions finally started to ease up enough that I could catch my breath. I don’t know if I was unconscious at that point or not. It felt like a matter of minutes but T said it was over an hour before they brought her to me. He said I was sleeping, but I could hear what people were saying, I just couldn’t open my eyes.
My body finally stopped shaking and a numbness replaced the tension radiating through me. I don’t know if I was keeping my body tensed up or if it did that itself. I do know that every muscle in my body ached later once the epidural wore off.
They brought her over and I was finally able to see her for the first time. It was a lot different than seeing my other girls for the first time. They were all wet and wrinkly, with gray skin and bloody water all over. They were also bright red, puffy faced and cone-headed from their birthing ordeal. This baby was clean and dry and so perfect looking!
By the time we were wheeled back to a room (a different one than we’d been in before) my whole body was numb from the neck down. My right arm wasn’t too bad but I couldn’t move my left arm to hold her. I used my right hand to take a first picture of Baby A with her Daddy still scrubbed up.
Poor T. I think this was one of those instances where you would rather be the one in pain than helplessly watching someone you love in so much pain. I know it was really hard for him to go through that, but I’m so glad he was there with me. He really was the only thing keeping me from losing it a couple of times.
It really was a horrible experience, but I know it could have been so much worse and even with as bad as it was I never felt alone. I know God was with me, watching over me and baby and answering the prayers you all were sending up. Thank you again for every last one of them. We definitely needed them! I’m so thankful that it’s over and baby and I are both healthy and doing great.
Now on to some of the more light-hearted stuff!
Our hospital waiters…Noni, Papa, Mama, Grandma, Grandpa, Bug and Boo. I didn’t want the girls in the waiting room all day so they stayed at Noni’s most of the morning and then once we figured out I was really in labor and getting checked in, they came up. I think they arrived around 10:15.
Baby girl was born at 12:21p.m. She weighed 7 lbs. 7 ounces, and was 20 1/2 inches long.
Her sisters got to come meet her around 1:45. It was love at first sight. :)
Our little family of five! (that’s going to take some getting used to!)
Noni and her three granddaughters!
Daddy and his girls. :)
Papa
Grandma
Mama
Big sister Bug. Little girl looks JUST like Boo in this picture! Check it out!
So sweet!
Big Sister Boo.
Baby girl, it was a lot of hard work getting you here, but you were totally worth it! We love you to pieces. You have already filled our lives and our hearts and we can’t imagine our family without you in it!
We love you little peanut!
