To go with the "Flashback" theme the blog has been having lately, I figured I would post the birth story (as I remember it 14 months later) of the birth of Keira Isabella Dale. Enjoy!
I was 38 weeks and 6 days. The night before I felt uncomfortable, but because I had never felt contractions before, I didn't know that's what it was. I would find that out later. I woke up, but wouldn't actually get it. Let's just say I was out of it.
The next day, I was back to getting impatient. I told Andrew (my husband) that if I were to go get checked again, maybe it would get something started. We had previously spent the weekend eating spicy food, having sex, and everything we could. Nothing was working (or so I thought).
So that Sunday, 38 weeks and 6 days pregnant we decided to go in about 1:30pm. I remember the moments before we left the house. Andrew was finishing something on the computer (probably a FB game lol), and I decided to bounce on a yoga ball while he finished. We then walked out of the apartment after taking our dog potty. We left without our hospital stuff, no bags nothing. We would later slightly regret that.
We get to the hospital and they put me in the room to monitor me. Turns out I WAS having contractions, but they were 6-8 minutes apart. I could barely feel them lol. So I got checked by 2 people, and it hurt worse than any other time I had been checked. I believe they said I was 1.5 dilated, and about 80% efaced. They asked me if I wanted to walk around the hospital for 2hrs or go home and come back later that evening. Of course I chose to walk around the hospital.
They keep me hooked up, and walk out to clear with the doctor. Shortly after they walked out, Andrew noticed the baby's heartbeat was falling. His comment was "Oh wow, her heartbeat is going down really fast". 2 seconds after he said that, our whole world changed.
15 doctors and nurses came into the room at rapid speed. Before I knew what was happening, they began stripping off my clothes, inserting an IV in an awkward position in my arm, trying to get my bra off while putting the IV in, and rolling me from side to side. I was scared, Andrew looked nervous but was telling me it was going to be OK. I remember asking "What's wrong, what's happening???" This one rude nurse goes rudely, "you're baby isn't breathing". They then began to talk emergency c-section. Needless to say, I was scared.
After rolling me around from side to side, and getting me onto a rolling bed, they got the baby's heartbeat back to where it needed to be. They then decided to just admit me and induce my with pitocin.
We had taken childbirth classes and learned to breath through the pain. Andrew was my focal point and he was awesome. They get me into the room, and hook me up to everything. I finally get to go pee, and was bleeding a little. They said that was normal.
Andrew had to leave then to go get Rascal taken care of and to get our hospital stuff. I was OK with it, but couldn't wait until he got back. While he was gone, they wanted me to be elevated on my side so the propped me up. It was VERY uncomfortable. So bad at one point, I had an episode.
Nothing serious, but the way my IV was in the wrong arm, and the nurse call button was behind me, it made it hard. I needed to go to the rest room, and needed help. Wasn't sure if I was allowed to do it on my own etc. I did not want to turn because I was so scared that I would cause Keira to roll on her umbilical cord again and everything be hectic.
I reached around to find the nurse call button, but it fell. :( I tried to pull the cord, to pull it up to me, but there were so many cords. I ended up tugging a little on my IV, and the Blood Pressure cup (which then came off my arm), so I was miserable. I layed there for 45mins before anyone came in. I took the towels from behind me that were propping me up and threw them at the window across the room. I was right in front of the nurses station, so I thought the blinds moving would notify them. I was wrong.
Finally, after calling help and doing what I could, 45mins later the nurse comes in and helps me go to the bathroom and check my vitals. At that time, Andrew comes back with our stuff.
Now that all that excitement was over, it was time to settle in. I was checked again because it was 2hrs after the last time I was checked (so 3pm) and was told I was at a 3cm. They then decided to break my water. That was interesting. A warm gushing feeling, but it didn't really hurt at all. I still didn't have any pain meds, and the pitocin was upped again. By that time, we called our friend who was taking pictures for us. She arrived by 6pm.
By 6pm, I was 4cm and not moving. It was a real waiting game, but I couldn't sleep. I tried watching TV but it didn't help. I kept asking Andrew 500 times to check the monitor to make sure the baby's heartbeat was OK. :(
The contractions were getting more intense. However, I knew I could do this. Every time I had a contraction, I would stare at Andrew's eyes and just breathed through the contractions.
By Midnight I was checked again, and still was at a 4cm. The nurses were SO amazed that I still was OK without pain meds. They said from watching the screens, that the contractions were horrid. The fact I wasn't screaming, moaning, or even begging for pain meds was amazing.
At the midnight check I was told that if I hadn't progressed by 2pm they would start discussing a c-section. I knew I did NOT want a c-section. They told me that if I got the epidural, then it could relax me and move things along. I really didn't want it. I wanted to do it w/o it. However, if I hadn't progressed I'd need it anyway for the c-section so I gave in. I wish I wouldn't have.
I looked at Andrew and told him, "we've come this far, we've done great. Let's do the epi, and get this baby out". He kissed me and told me he was proud of me, and we got the epi. It was scary, I shook really bad because I was SO cold, but together, we did it.
Then the fun things started. In the two hours, from midnight to 2:30am, it was horrible. The pain was nearly unbearable. Our photographer friend held my hand, and said nothing. She was amazing! She stayed out of the way but was there when needed. I owe a lot to her. By 2:30am, I was begging Andrew to tell them to come and take her out no matter how they did it. I was dying. <--- not literally but it felt like it. He finally went and told them I was in a lot of pain and feeling everything. (yes even with the epidural), and they came in to check me.
It was amazing. In 2hrs I had went from a 4cm to a 10cm and ready to push. The nurse prepped me, and I was ready. The epidural only worked half way, and I was able to tell her when I was ready to push. The experience of a life time.
I had a mirror and saw the baby's head. She had a head full of black hair. <3 I didn't scream, I moaned a little as I pushed, and 45mins after we started, Keira Isabella Dale came into the world.
3:10am
7lbs 8oz
21inches in length.
She was/is amazing! We are truly blessed! It wasn't how we planned it, but we did it. Andrew was my rock, he was patient, loving, and supportive. I'd do it all over again and hope to do so sometime next year. :D
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