Collin's Birth Story

They say that every pregnancy/birth/child is different. It's true. Everything has been so different this 2nd time around. From pregnancy to the first few days together at home, everything has been different.

Thursday morning on February 23rd I went to the hospital to be checked out because I was having really bad belly pain. Not contractions, just sharp knife like pains all across my belly, continuously. They said it was ligament pain and I should take it easy and drink a ton of fluids. I was still only a 3...I had been a 3 for over a week. I went home. Bummed.

Contractions had been going on for a couple weeks, off and on. Thursday afternoon they started up and I tried to ignore them but they were strong...they were irregular though so I went about my day. As I was typing my last blog entry, I was in some pretty terrible pain. I started tensing up and becoming anxious with thoughts on having the baby at home or in the car on the way to the hospital...they say 2nd babies come quick! I was freaked out.

I went to bed and slept for about 2 hours. I woke up at 12:30 am and thought I should start timing the contractions just in case. All through the night I timed them. They started to be regular and by 4:00 am they were excruciating. I explained it to John like it's a horrible charlie horse in your cervix and just when you think it's going to let up, it gets sharper and worse. I was so tense and unfocused that I could feel my body freaking out with each contraction. By 5:00 I said lets go I can't go on like this.

I got up, dressed, brushed my teeth and got loaded into the car all while hoping the baby would wait till we got to the hospital. My emotions were out of control. Scared, anxious, guilty because I didn't get to kiss my Evan good bye, excited, worried, etc.

We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 am and each step hurt. I stood at the check in desk, keeled over and crying from the pain. I couldn't take it. They sent me back to triage since they need to monitor you and make sure you are in true labor before admitting you to the hospital. I changed and got into bed, got hooked up to all the monitors and got checked. I was still a 3 (maybe a tad bit more). The nurse explained they could not admit me until I could show cervical change (since my water hadn't broken) which would prove true labor. If I couldn't show anything, I would be sent home....I thought I was going to die hearing these words. Induction wasn't an option because I was only 37 weeks and 6 days. They don't induce until 39 weeks. If I was sent home, I would surely die.

They made me walk. It was cruel. I walked the halls and could barely get a couple steps in between the waves of pain. My poor husband walked with me and held me up when I couldn't go any further. I was a mess. Crying, holding my breath. Everything you're not supposed to do. After only a short time we went back to triage because I couldn't walk. The nurses saw my discomfort and heard my pleas for help. It wasn't enough proof. I laid in bed for another hour for monitoring and then they checked me. I was a 4! I begged that this be enough change to prove I was in labor. It was! Oh happy day!

The best words I've heard my whole life: "You're in labor, lets go have this baby."

I was moved to labor and delivery and my heart jumped with excitement as I was wheeled into that beautiful room where I would soon get to meet my baby. I'm sure John was relieved because I would soon be getting that lovely epidural and I would stop grabbing his hand and trying to rip it off his body.

I got into bed, got hooked up to the monitors and immediately requested the epidural. I admire the women who can live through the pain of child birth, I am not one of them though. The experience this time around was miles better than the first. The anesthesiologist placed the catheter quickly and painlessly and before I knew it, I was comfortable and focused. Collin's heart rate was a bit worrisome though. It had been ranging from normal to low for a couple hours. They gave me some oxygen and I had to lie on my side for awhile. I started picturing these awful scenarios like the umbilical cord being around my poor baby's neck. So each time his heart rate dipped, I felt light headed and sick.

They hadn't given me any pitocin to start with so things moved a bit slow for a few hours. I was stuck at a 6 for a while. Then around 11pm they gave me the pitocin and things moved right a long. By 12:45 I was ready to push. my epidural seemed to be wearing off or only numbing one side. It was painful and I wanted relief but my nurse helped me see that feeling the contraction so I could push was beneficial to me. So, I started to push and within 30 minutes we met our new baby boy! It was amazing. He was laid on my tummy and he showed us how powerful his lungs were with his cry. It was such a beautiful sight to see the baby that was growing in my tummy. I couldn't stop staring at him and stroking his full head of hair. There was no umbilical cord around his neck, he was healthy and strong.

Collin was 6 pounds 15 ounces and 20 inches long. After 13 hours of labor , Collin was officially born at 1:13 pm on 2/24/12. He has dark brown hair and very dark eyes. We all think he looks exactly like John in the cheeks, eyes and nose.

I had some 2nd degree tears but the doc said they were superficial and I would heal up quickly. Baby was healthy and strong and I was in love with our new addition. After Collin was cleaned up and his testing was complete, I got to snuggle with him and begin our breastfeeding journey. I was elated to feel his warm little body on mine and see his dark eyes looking up at me and this strange new world.

Shortly after reuniting, we were moved to the mama/baby room to recover. I was a bit nervous because John was going home to care for Evan which meant I was going to be alone with baby Collin. I felt confident in my ability to feed and diaper my newborn, I was just nervous about getting around and being so tired. Collin was awesome though. He cluster fed for about 3ish hours and by 1:30 am we were both sound asleep. He let me sleep until 4:30! I awoke feeling refreshed and excited to get to know my boy. I couldn't believe he let me sleep.

John returned late that morning and I dozed a bit. I was really surprised that they gave me the option to be discharged after 24 hours of delivery. So, Collin and I were back at home by 4:00!

It was such a different birth than my first. Even though this time around was considerably more painful, we survived and came out of it with a healthy and strong baby boy. It was amazing. I feel really lucky that everything went so well and that I got awesome nurses and a great doctor.

Now we are just settling into our new family of four. I am really enjoying this.

Part 2: Labor and Delivery-Items and Tips for Survival

My water broke at around 1:30 a.m (the full story is here). My husband and I were rushing around the house throwing things into bags.....clearly we were not prepared. We had a few things already packed but as we were running around the house in the middle of the night I realized if there is a next time, we need to be ready.  The following list is a result of my experience of labor and delivery in a hospital.

Labor and Delivery

1. Have bags packed at 34 weeks. You never really know when the baby will come, they have their own agenda. 
2. Have a bag for Dad with money for the vending machine/gift shop for snacks, a change of clothes, phone charger, toothbrush and toothpaste a pillow.
3. Bag for Mom: 
1. Toiletries like those face washing towelettes (then you can wash your face in bed, it's refreshing). Throw in a travel bar of soap and wash cloth, deodorant, hair tie, toothbrush and toothpaste.
2. Mints and chapstick. I wanted to freshen up every few hours. They let me chew on ice chips but my mouth was so dry that mints helped a bit. All that breathing dries your lips out, too. 
3. 3 pairs of undies that you won't mind getting ruined. The hospitals gives you these amazingly comfy boy short mesh undies. I actually wore those and never touched any of the ones I brought. Yet, I like to have choices so I would still want to bring my own just in case. 
4. 5 pairs of socks. I brought a couple different choices: fun patterned socks ($1 at target), 2 pair of ankle athletic socks and 2 pair fuzzy slipper type socks. Hospitals tend to feel cool and I knew my toes would be cold. The fact that you never really know how long you'll be staying (vaginal vs. c-section) I wanted to be sure I was covered.
5. 3 pair of bottoms (I brought yoga pants that were very loose and loungy.) 3 tops (I brought a tank and 2 loose, short sleeved shirts.)
6. Nursing bra
7. Flip flops.
8. Cell phone, charger and camera. Believe me, you will want to see those pictures no matter awful you think you look at the time. 
4. Pillow and blanket
5. Things to do: lap top (watch movies, browse the social sites, read blogs, look at labor focus pics to help keep your mind off of those contractions and play games with your partner), Ipod (to play some relaxation music), books (what to expect when you're expecting, handouts from your child birth preparation class) and 2 magazines (maybe some trashy celeb stuff and, of course, a mommy mag).
6. Honestly, I was so tired that I did not do anything. We tried to watch a movie but I was too tired because I had gone into labor as I was going to bed so I really had not slept for a day and half or more. BUT, if I had gone into labor in the morning after getting some rest, I can imagine I would have had some energy to focus on a movie or play cards with my husband. 
7. I don't like hospitals. I wanted to be as comfortable as I could be so that I could remain calm. I wore my own clothes to give birth. I wore a fold down skirt from Old Navy and a comfy, stretchy tank top that could be easily adjusted for nursing. 

Tips

1. Bring your birth plan and share it with your nurses. They will do their best to accommodate your wishes. Accept that things may not go 100% as you pictured but remember that the ultimate goal for everyone involved is to delivery the baby safely. 
2. Don't be afraid to ask questions or reiterate your wishes. I was sure to ask about the effects of all my options so that I could make the most informed choices. Don't let anyone pressure you into anything. This is your birth.
3. Be nice to the nurses. They are the ones that do the bulk of assisting you in the birth (I only saw the doc for maybe 30 minutes....she was there to catch Evan and do the repairs.) 
4. About an hour or so after giving birth, they want you to get out of bed and go to the bathroom (to make sure you can pee). They instruct you to get up very slowly. Do just that, VERY SLOWLY. I was like,"Oh, I've got this," and moved too quickly. I passed out. Pretty much on the pot. Not fun.
5. After you have rested a bit, take a shower. I made the mistake of waiting to shower until I got home. Not for any particular reason, it just never crossed my mind during my stay (gross, I know). Showering would have given me that refreshed, relaxed feeling that I really needed. 
6. Let the Grandma's and the Grandpa's hold the baby and tend to the baby for a bit. This will let you get some sleep. Rest/sleep as much as you can here because you will wish you had once arriving home. 
7. Get breastfeeding help while in the hospital. My lactation consultant was a wealth of information and hand-on guidance. She helped get this new relationship up and going. I was embarrassed at first but then I thought,"This is about feeding my baby. No one is judging me here." 
8. The hospital will let you take things like the mesh undies, the huge pads that you will need for a bit, numbing spray for your perineum and this lovely squirt bottle to help rinse your nether regions after #1 and #2. Take as much as you can!
9. Enjoy your new baby!

Labor and Delivery

I am sooo tired but I really want to record my memory of my labor and delivery of Evan.

WARNING/CAUTION: I am going to be honest so if you are close to me and don't want to know personal details of the event or you have a week stomach, skip this post. It's really not that bad but I just want to warn those who don't wish to know the gory details of birthing.

Friday, July 30th was a typical day. John had the day off of work so we took care of some chores and errands. I was feeling good but I was having contractions. Later that night John and I were eating dinner and watching "The Wire" (really good show by the way). I noticed that the contractions were not going away and they seemed to be more consistent than I was use to. Around 10ish, we started to time the contractions just for fun. They were consistently 7 minutes a part and they were stronger than I was use to with the braxton hicks contractions. We watched 3 episodes of "The Wire" and went to bed around 1 am. The contractions were still continuing and still strong. We didn't take it seriously so we just went to bed. Not but 10 minutes after laying down my water broke. I felt a gush of warm fluid soaking me and the bed. Immediately I said, "John my water broke!" He had fallen asleep quickly and I startled him. He jumped out of bed and says, "Really?!" We turned the lights on and I felt the reality of the event hit me. I felt dizzy, overwhelmed, excited and scared. I knew that I would soon bring a baby into the world. My heart was beating hard, I was shaking and I felt like I couldn't breathe even though I was trying my best to stay calm. John and I stumbled around trying to find the book that described what to do if your water breaks. We called the hospital to ask them for instructions (How long could I labor at home? Could we wait until morning to go to the hospital?). Since my water had broken, they said we needed to come to the hospital but not in a frantic rush. So, I got in the shower to clean up, we gathered a few last items for our hospital bags and loaded everything up in the truck. The whole time I was thinking, "Oh my, this is really happening. The next time we come home, we will have a baby with us."

We headed to this hospital around 2:30 a.m. I checked in at the front desk and I was appalled that they made me stand there in pain to fill out something and show ID etc. It was cruel and awful (I had pre-registered because I thought that would help me avoid this....guess not). They got us set up with our wrist bands and sent us to triage so they could make sure I was really in labor.....

Again, I was appalled because the nurse had to ask me like 100 questions before beginning the exam. So, in some pretty awful pain, I answered the questions. They wanted me to change into the hospital gown but I didn't want to. I hate hospitals and being in my own clothes helped me feel more comfortable. I had to leave a urine sample and then I was examined. Turns out my water hadn't completely broken. When the nurse did the internal exam she ended up breaking the rest and I was surprised at how much water came rushing out of me! I pictured an ocean of water, I swear. She had to see how far I was dilated and it was excruciating! I think I actually let out a scream. I felt bad because John was holding my hand and probably feeling awful because of the pain this nurse was causing me! It was cruel. I think I was only 2 cm dilated, but I was definitely in labor.

In the triage area at 2:30 a.m.

Eventually I was moved from triage to a labor and delivery room. Poor John looked sooo tired and I was exhausted. I had been taking daily naps but had missed the Friday one, bad move. I didn't want to get into the bed because I had read a lot about how counterproductive it is for labor. BUT I was sooo tired, so I got into the bed. They placed the IV which was painful because she had to redo it twice....and then it was pinching and hurting my hand. Then we met our nurse. She was AWESOME. I was so afraid we would end up with a mean nurse but we sure got lucky. Turns out she actually lives on our street! Small world. She was so kind and encouraging and didn't force me to do anything I didn't want to. She reset my IV and made it more comfortable and helped me try out the birthing ball. I was sad to see her go at the end of her shift at 7am but we got lucky all day, the nurses were great.

So, by 8 am I was thinking about pain meds. I was in some pretty bad pain. I don't know why I didn't just get the epidural at that time, I kept waiting. I would say, "Lets do it at 8:30," then 8:30 would pass and I'd push the time out further even though the contractions were bringing tears to my eyes. Finally I caved (I'm not really sure what I was trying to prove, maybe to show myself what I could endure?) and got the epidural around 10ish. This was an AWFUL AWFUL experience. I'm pretty sure it's not that bad for most people but my experience was just wrong. The doc comes in to place the catheter in my back which was painful. Then, he had to do a test dose to see how I reacted to the medication. John was standing in front of me supporting me while I sat on the edge of the bed. As I got the test dose, John says I turned white. The doc said to let him know if I had any ringing in my ears and I did. I felt weird in a bad way. It was like I wasn't in my body, like I was dreaming and had no energy to hold myself up anymore. The nurse was talking to me and I could barely hear her let alone answer her. It was scary. After a couple minutes I came out of it and recovered. Later, they explained that the medication had been put into my blood which is not correct so they adjusted the catheter to fix the problem. Once the epidural kicked in it was nice to have relief from the pain. I was so exhausted. I was able to doze off a little but the excitement of the whole situation made it hard to settle down. John stayed awake the entire time. I was in labor for 24 hours total. He's certainly a trooper.

Then....the epi started to work on only my right side which means I felt contractions on the left side. Oh. Boy. They were really painful. I kept pushing the little button that gives you a boost of meds but it wasn't helping. My in-laws had come to check on us and visit for a bit and I could not concentrate. By this time I was at a 6. So, the doc came back to fix it. He had to RE-DO the epi.....This was scary and painful again....I swear I am traumatized now. After he finished, the meds started working again and everything was fine, BUT...I started to slow in progress. It took half the day to go from 6cm to 7 cm. They had the pitocin going but that wasn't helping things along. I was getting nervous because I did not want to have a C-section. Because my water broke, they like you to deliver within 24 hours. I was also shaking a lot which is a side effect of the epi. I was having trouble getting the shaking under control and it started to scare me. Luckily John calmed me down by talking to me and helping me focus.

The hours seemed to fly by. John and I just sat there. We were too tired to play any games or watch movies or anything. 7pm rolled around and the nurse that lives on our street was back! I was so glad because she had this nurturing way about her and I knew she would help John and I get through the delivery in one piece. She checked me and I was at a 9.5!!

By 7:30 I started pushing. John holding one leg and the nurse holding the other. The lights were dim and it felt very calm and relaxed. The actual pushing hurt the top of my abdominal muscles...I should have worked those out because that was what hurt the most! After maybe 40 minutes of pushing I was skeptical. Was I really doing anything? Because I couldn't feel anything down stairs, I felt like I was simply holding my breath and flexing my abs. The nurse and John both said I was making good progress and they could see Evan's head. I was thinking, "Yeah right. You guys are just saying that to make me feel better." I continued to push and felt tired yet exhilarated at the same time.

By 9:00 ish the nurse got the doctor because we were getting close. Unfortunately, my doc wasn't on call but her colleague was there and she did and excellent job. At 9:16 our little guy was born. I heard him cry and it was such a beautiful sound. He was placed on my belly and I was instantly in love. He was so perfect. I just stared and cried and talked to him. He looked right into my eyes. I looked at John who stared at us with a huge loving smile. They stitched me up but I didn't even notice. I had 2nd degree tears which scared me but it could have been worse.

They cleaned Evan up and performed their tests while John took pictures and stared at his new little dude. What an amazing experience. It was scary, exciting, tiring and exhilarating all at the same time. I couldn't believe he was ours to love and care for forever. This was our family. I couldn't stop crying and smiling.

They took our baby boy to the nursery to have his bath and more tests. I was sad to see him go...I wish they would do that stuff in the room.

Evan, just after delivery.

Evan, getting to know Dad.

I was allowed to rest for a bit and enjoy my strawberry Eegee (like a slushy). After a while the nurse needed to be sure I could pass urine so they told me to slowly get up and she and another nurse would help me walk to the bathroom. Of course, I think I can just get up like I normally would....I didn't take my time sitting up or walking. I go to the bathroom and everything is just peachy....until I stand up and immediately faint. I wake up to that nasty smelling stuff they stick in front of your nose..yuck. Clearly I needed to listen to the medical staff and take it slow.

Eventually we were moved to another room for rest and recovery. They also brought Evan back to us and we all crashed for the night. Poor John had to sleep on this sad chair that kept folding up on him. He made it work though.

Evan and I, exhausted.

Evan and Dad, exhausted.

What an adventure it all was. What an adventure it all is. Of course, I think our baby boy is the most handsome baby ever. I am so lucky to be his Mama. I'll never forget this day.