Better Late Than Never?

I typed this up on my iPod over the course of a few nights while up with Hannah. Rather than let my blog die a slow death, I am going to try to keep it alive with random posts. So here is Hannah's birth story. She was born sept 17, 2010.

Birth story

I woke up about 4 am or so with a contraction. I waited through it with anticipation. I had had some mild contractions from time to time over the last week but nothing that had lasted. But pretty quick, here came another. Then another. So I picked up my iPod and started timing them. They were anywhere between four and eight minutes apart. I lay there and enjoyed those contractions for the next hour and a half. Yup, enjoyed them. I knew these would actually amount to something and I would soon meet my little girl.

When bradley's alarm when off I told him he might as well turn it off. "why?" he asked. "Because I'm having contractions and have been for a couple hours." He was excited. We rested and chatted until Preston woke up. I called my mom to let her know I was in labor. My parents were leaving that day to drive to California for my mom's 50th class reunion. We had had a few conversations over the last couple weeks about whether she would go or not but I was pretty adamant that she go. I told her the baby would come no matter what and would be there when she got home but her class reunion would only come once.

Mom called me back after just a little while to tell me she was coming over. She spent the morning with us until we decided it was time to go to the hospital at about ten am. Then she took Preston back to her house. I felt bad pushing their departure back but mom insisted.

When we got to the hospital they put us in a room and checked me. Almost a week before, at my last OB appointment I had only been dilated to a one and I was still measuring the same so they sent me out to walk the halls. I walked and walked with Bradley. No progress. They had me get in the jacusi tub to relax me. No change. I walked some more. Still no change. It was pretty frustrating.

Eventually, they decided to send me home. We were so disappointed. But I knew they were right. My labor was just not progressing. So about two pm we picked up Preston and went home. I ate something and then took a shower. Well, wouldn't you know it but about the time they sent us home is when my contractions started changing. By the time I finished my shower each contraction had me in tears. These contractions were different! And they hurt!

We called Bradley's sister Laura and she came and got Preston. I felt bad, sending him to their house, simply because I knew it would be stressful for Preston. But I knew he would be well taken care of.

We went back to the hospital and were put in another room. I had hoped that my nurse from earlier, Stacy, would still be there. But I was given another nurse. She was different from Stacy's kind, calm manor. She sternly told me I was making it harder on myself and bossed me about how to breathe and focus through the contractions. I did not want this nurse! I wanted someone nicer! But I soon realized, she was right. Focusing and breathing the way she told me DID help. So even though I got another nurse less than an hour later at shift change, I am grateful for what I learned from her.

My next nurse was Patty. We soon discovered that we had gone to junior high together! She was quiet and calm and very reassuring. Just what I needed.

My doctor, who was actually a certified nurse midwife, Jo, was off that night. Her partner, Georgiana was on call that night. I wasn't sure how I felt about that. I had only met her once before. But she turned out to be exactly what I needed.

I was checked and had made a little progress since we had been there before. Yay! But they sent me out to walk some more. A little more progress! I got back in the jaccussi tub for a bit. That turned out to be not so pleasant. I felt nauseous so I brought a barf bowl with me but it turned out not to be big enough. Ug. What a mess. Poor Bradley had to leave as we got me cleaned up so he didn't lose his dinner, too. I felt so bad for whoever had to clean that tub. I still feel bad about it!

I went back to my room and I had made a little more progress but not enough for an epidural. So they sent me out to do a couple more rounds in the halls. I only made one before I was crying and begging for the epidural. Thankfully I was finally dilated to a five.

They called in the anesesoligist and got me prepped for the epidural. My contractions were coming fast and hard by this time. The guy tried to work between my contractions but eventually I had one that hurt so bad and I yelled out "can I move?" and he quickly says No! It was so hard to stay still! But I made it.

A side note about this epidural. With Preston, they had me lay on my side while they put it in. I assume women are more able to hold still that way. But as they rotated me back and forth, it would wear off one side so quick and I would pretty much beg them to roll me back. And when it came time to push, my legs were just dead weight. This one was so different. They had me sit up for it, which made me nervous. But it worked so much better. I never experienced the wearing off and when it came time to push with Hannah I could move my legs. In fact, I could actually feel when a contraction was coming and was able to push better. They didn't have to tell me when a contraction was coming, I could tell. It helped make better use of each contraction. Anyway.

After the guy got the epidural in and made sure it was working, things calmed down. On his way out I thanked him for going into debt to do this wonderful job. Yup, I'm a nerd. It was about 11pm at this point and was exhausted, as was Bradley. Jo told us both to get some rest. We gladly obliged!

Bradley stretched out on the little couch and fell right to sleep. I conked out pretty quick, too. They let us sleep for about two hours. Then Patty checked me and let me know that I was making good progress but still had a bit to go. So she left me to rest some more. Sadly, I was not able to go back to sleep. I had on one of those automatic blood pressure cuffs that went off every 15 minutes. Just as I was about to drift off, it would start up. And out room was just outside of the nurses station and there was one nurse that had a very loud laugh that kept me awake, too. But at least I rested.

Georgiana came in at about three am (after she got a nap of her own) and checked me. She then said "how about we have a baby?" Really? Yes! I was fully dilated! Oh wow! It was interesting to me because just a couple minutes before I had thought to myself that the pressure in my pelvis was different. I guess there was a reason!

We woke up Bradley and got things all ready. I started pushing at 3:15am. Georgiana and patty were awesome about coaching me on how to push, how to arch my back correctly so the baby would be able to move where she needed to. They kept telling me that I was doing a good job after each time but after awhile, I started to doubt myself. What if they were just saying that to make me feel better? What if I wasn't really making any progress? Then Georgiana told Bradley to look at the baby's head and see all the hair she had. Wow! I was doing it! A few more pushes and I was able to reach down and feel her hair myself. So surreal!

They called in the NICU team and I knew we were really close. There was meconium in my water so they knew the baby had pooed and wanted to be able to clear her lungs and check her out right away. I was nervous that it would end up like Preston, in the NICU for a few days, because he had done the same thing. But it turned out fine. I'm so glad!

Then came the contraction that Georgiana had me push and push and push. Hannah was born at 4:05am. They put her on my tummy and Bradley cut the umbilical cord. We were told not to stimulate her so the NICU team to clear her lungs before she cried but I just had to touch her! I put my hand on her and just held it there until they whisked her away to the warming bed. A minute or so later there was a beautiful cry. It felt so good to hear. They worked on her for a few minutes and got her cleaned up. She was perfect. I got stitched up a bit (not too bad) and soon got to hold my sweet baby girl. She weighed eight pounds even and was 20 3/4 inches long. She had dark hair and wonderful long fingers. And I had done it! I had pushed her out! I was so, so happy that I was able to do VBAC. That I didn't have to have another c section. The whole birth experience was amazing.

My dad had given me a blessing the previous Sunday and in it he had said that it would be hard but that I would be calm and I would look back on the experience with joy. It is so true. It was the hardest, most painful thing I have ever done. But I do look on it as a joyful experience.