A Birth Story: Part 2 (the end)

Warning:  This story gets graphic at precisely 3:48 a.m.  Read at your own risk.


I gave the birthing meditation my best shot, but it wasn't working.  It wasn't even helping.  In fact, it's quite possible it was making things worse.


Luckily, it wasn't long before the anesthesiologist showed up.

1 a.m.
She started explaining epidurals to me.  Calmly and slowly.
I listened.  Calmly.
Sorta.
Inside I was yelling, "JUST STICK ME IN THE SPINE ALREADY!  THIS IS MY FOURTH KID!!!"
She FINALLY finished her lengthy explanation.
"Any questions?"
Me:  "When can you start?!"
Her:  startled..."As soon as you sit up..."
Me:  "How long will it take?"
Her:  "not long..."
Me:  rolling over sitting up...

FINALLY!  Sweet relief.  You natural-birthers are NUTS!  NUTS I SAY!!!!

But wait...one problem...

Me:  "I can still feel my feet!"
Her:  "Well, we don't want you totally numb or you wont be able to push..."
Me: getting frantic "I DON'T WANT TO FEEL MY FEET!  I DON'T NEED TO FEEL MY FEET!  I CAN STILL PUSH WITHOUT FEET! .... FOURTH TIME...!!!!
Her:  chuckles disapprovingly and ignores me.

Curse her!!!

Now for the timeline courtesy of Doug's hastily scribbled notations:

2:45 a.m.
Water breaks.
With an extremely loud popping sound and an incredible gush, I might add!  I'm extremely grateful to not be in my bed at home.

2:58 a.m.
"First feeling of needing to push."
I don't remember this feeling.  Was I awake?  Asleep? In pain?  Who knows.  I have no recollection.

3:00 a.m.
9   100   +1
(I assume that means I was dilated to a 9 and 100% effaced.  Not sure about the +1)

3:24 a.m.
Complete.
Time to start pushing.

Only...wait...!
What's this?

Dr. Ryan is going to let Doug assist with the delivery!  Fabulous!  (for Doug)

But who's going to assist ME with the LABOR?  And who's going to take pictures?
Me, I guess!

I demand the camera and Doug rushes over to put on scrubs.

While the nurse helps me count through the contractions, I hold up the camera and aim it towards my lady bits snapping furiously.

(Many, MANY of these photo's have since been deleted.)

Yes, that's right.  I took pictures of myself giving birth.  How many women can say that!?!?  (How many want to?)

3:48 a.m.
BIRTH  As-yet-unnamed Baby makes his appearance.  He, like Max and Sam, has the cord wrapped around his neck -twice- and has aspirated meconium.  He doesn't cry at first and then only lets out one little squawk while being suctioned--then he's quiet again.  They place him on my chest and I get my first look at him.  He's very purple, limp, and swollen.  I'm glad when they take him away and get to work on him.  While I watch, they place him on a table and lift his arm repeatedly.  It falls back limply.  He's still not crying.  This does not make me happy.

A few minutes later the Pediatrician, Dr. H, comes in to examine him.  He's getting oxygen and when Dr. H listens to his lungs he detects labored breathing and crackling.  After I'm stitched up (he was 9'2"--I ripped.) Doug, Dr. Ryan and Dr. H take my purple baby to get a chest x-ray where they confirm aspirated meconium in his lungs.

Fortunately, after a blessing and about 48 pricks to the heel to draw blood (inducing excessive crying) his lungs are finally declared "clear".

And my beautiful, chubby-cheeked little boy is delivered to me--perfectly healthy.

Later that day, we name him Michael.

But that's another story.

The End

Thank you Dr. Ryan and Dr. H and all the nurses and assistants who helped my baby make it home safe and healthy!  And also Ryan, thanks for indulging my husband and letting him help with the delivery...  even if I did have to hold my own partially-numb legs up and take all the pictures!!!

Happy Earth Day!

These make me really happy!!!  (Watch them at YouTube to see the full view.  Can't shrink 'em.)

A Birth Story: Part 1

For TLC.
I mean...
Design Mom.
I mean...
POSTERITY!

---
April 4, 2010.  Easter Sunday.
10 a.m.
I go to church.  (Conference is delayed for us.)
I'm having contractions.  Regular, but not hard at all.
I give Brother/Dr. Ryan a hard time for not inducing me.  Aren't Home Teachers/O.B.'s supposed to do what you ask?

5 p.m.
Our good friends have us over for dinner.  Tami assumed, rightly, that I wouldn't be in the mood to cook an Easter feast.  See how thrilled I am with life?

Despite my maternal discomfort, I enjoy a delicious dinner (You rock, Tami!!!) and decide I'll force the baby out by over-eating.  My full stomach will push him out!

9 p.m.
Home again.  Still having regular contractions.  I decide to call Labor and Delivery.

Me:  "I'm having contractions 4 minutes apart.  They're not hard at all, but I'm Strep B positive so they told me to come in early...should I come in...?" please please please!

Nurse:  I'm sorry, you said your name is what?  Emily?   ...Strep B...?

Dr. Ryan:  (yelling into the phone over the nurses shoulder.)  "STAY HOME!!!"
(then he comes on the line and I tell him what I just told the nurse.)
"You're probably in pre-labor.  You're fine to stay home until the contractions get harder."

10:00ish
I'm cleaning the house and doing laundry.
Ryan calls from LandD to check on me.   Tells me I'm welcome to come in and get an Ambien to help me sleep tonight.  I walk over to the hospital to get checked out.
Dr. B says I'm still at a 3 and not in real labor or I wouldn't have been walking to the hospital.  (Doesn't that just prove I'm tough?  I ask.  Laughs all around.)
Asks would I like him to strip my membranes.
YES
All of the sudden, I'm screaming (not very tough) and trying to claw my way up the hospital bed.
All of the sudden, I have a contraction that hurts.
A lot.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!?!?!?!?"

The nurse gives me an Ambien and makes Doug come pick me up.
I get home and fall instantly asleep

And here's where it gets kinda blurry.
12:30 ish
I wake up with a scream.
Real labor has started.  Time to go to the hospital.
I stumble out of bed and Doug calls Roxanna to come over to stay with the kids.
I stumble to the stairs.  I remember crashing a few times.  Keep in mind, I'm only two hours into a sleeping pill so I'm not entirely coherent.  Doug has to help me into the car so I don't fall over.

We go to the hospital and check in.  The contractions are hard.

The Anesthesiologist hasn't come in yet.  I decide to try my Podcast meditation.

It goes something like this...
A chick with an Australian accent tells me:
"Allow yo focus to go into the location of pain.
Breathe into the pain.  Allowin' the enegy of the pain to dispuse as you relax...
Breathin' into the pain...You awe calm, you awe focused..."
Me yelling: "NO I'M NOT"
"Imagine this pain has a colah.  What would it be?"
Me:  "RED!!!!"
"See the colah gettin lighta..."
Me:  "IT'S NOT GETTING ANY LIGHTER...!!!"
"You are in control.  Not the pain...."
Me:  "NO I'M NOT!!!"  (Rips iPod from ears...)

I tried.  I really did.


To be continued....

Love in the Early Morning

It's almost 4 a.m.

Baby Gray and I have been up since 1:30. Which is actually great since I was expecting him to wake up at 2330.

In between feeding and changing and feeding and changing and burping and changing him...and gazing into his soulful eyes... I've been reminded of a few things I'd forgotten over the last three years:

*Babies poop every time they eat. (And they eat a lot.)

But sometimes they poop more than that.

Sometimes they eat and then poop and then poop again five minutes later.

And then again two minutes later...

...and then a little more while you're changing that third one.

*Baby legs are strong! How are such tiny little legs so strong? I can barely control them to change his diaper!

*Baby heels instinctively retract directly into any applied diaper cream, (and/or baby poo...) then spring back out spreading said diaper cream to opposite leg, jammies, mom's hands and dad's leather chair. (Yeah, so maybe I shoulda put a changing pad down. Sue me.)

*Diaper cream is extremely hard to remove. So is mustard poo.

*Baby hands instinctively grab for their wettest, slimiest area once the diaper is removed...then proceed to spread said slime to stomach, face, mommy's arm, and dad's leather chair.

(Let up on the chair, will ya?)

*Baby boys in little baby boy nightie/sleep sacks are the cutest thing EVER!!!

*Happy, clean, full-bellied, heavenly-smelling babies staring intently up at your face...

...even at 4 am...

are worth it.

P.S. One day I'll put make-up on again before having my picture taken...but not today.

Baby Love

I'm home. (As of yesterday afternoon.)

My milk is in. (ouch.)

My belly button is still out. (ick.)

I'm tired. Exhausted. Overwhelmed that I now have four (FOUR) energetic boy-children...

I'm sad that my mom can't be here to see and hold and love and bathe my baby. (She always bathes the baby too early so the cord takes 3-17 weeks to fall off.)

BUT...

I'm thankful for hospitals and drugs (I love you Epidural! You failed me, Podcast Birthing Meditation!) and inspired modern medicine and Doctors and Nurses.

I'm especially thankful for friend-Doctors who can assist awesome husbands in giving Priesthood blessings. (But that's a story for another day.)

I'm thankful for all of our friends here who've;

brought gifts, treats, flowers, and meals,

taken Gabey for play-dates,

and called or come over to visit me.

I'm grateful for Skype so at least Baby Gray can be admired all over the world in real time.

Mostly, I'm just in love with my baby! Looking at him I think "Why did I ever want a girl? Girls are over-rated!!!" I wouldn't trade him for anything. Or any girl. I can't stop kissing his chubby cheeks and neck and lips and feeling his soft, silky hair and skin.

He's perfect!

And he's hungry.

A lot....

Especially at night.

So I should go now.

Goodnight!

Introducing....

It has been decided (mostly by Em) that the child shall be known as:

Grayson Brandon

For some more pictures check out my blog. I can't let Em get all the hits!

-Posted by Doug

He's Here!

Baby ???? Warner was born on April 5, 2010 at 03:48. He is 9 pounds 2 oz and 21 inches! No name decided yet, we have never known the name on any of the kids for the first few hours.

Em is doing great. Baby got a little meconium in the lungs and had some labored breathing but is doing better. They are just keeping a closer eye on him in the nursery. He's already looking better. Oh, and I (Doug) got to catch him! More to come...