Since this blog is, in effect, our family photo album and memory book, I have written the story of each of the kids’ births here in the kind of detail that I’d like to remember and that they may be interested to know one day. Delve in, if you’d like, but I’ll warn you that it’s long!
Being my 4th pregnancy, I was just sure I would know just exactly what to expect in the way I would deliver this time. I have learned quite a bit about how my body does this, after all, right? Well, yes, but I threw myself for a loop anyway.
Like my other pregnancies, I had Braxton Hicks contractions throughout. They are easy in early pregnancy and become more and more uncomfortable as the pregnancy progresses. Also like my other pregnancies, these contractions did real work for me and I dilated early. I was 4cm at 38 weeks and 5cm at 38.5 weeks. But at 39 weeks, things took a different turn when my water broke at a time when I was having no contractions whatsoever. (Just for the sake of memory…I had taken the boys to an 8am dentist appointment followed by a McDonalds breakfast playdate with Annie, so I was already pretty tired and settling into catching up on folding a pile of laundry Jacob was nice enough to wash while I was out when I felt the first odd trickle.)
Now, my other labors went quickly and I was GBS positive again, as I was for Joshua, so we had all the same concerns and considerations as last time, but a lot less stress in decision making since we already went down that road. Rather than write it out again, here’s what I mean: http://amlonglife.blogspot.com/2014/01/joshuas-arrival.html
When I felt the first subtle hint that my water broke at 12:30, I pretty much denied it, though I knew what it was. It took me a little while to stop telling myself I still had too much to do and warn Jacob of what was going on. After all, it was not too much to manage and I was in no pain, but it wasn’t long before the flow was too much to ignore and I told Jacob he needed to stop putting in the laminate floors in our bonus rooms (a pre baby project), feed the kids lunch real quick and get a shower while I showered and finished packing a bag. I originally had an OB appointment for that afternoon anyway that I was going to go to alone while Jacob watched the boys during naps, but we switched up our plans and called mom at work to take the boys (she met us at the hospital) and Jacob took me early.
We finally left for the hospital just before 2pm. Jacob grabbed a beach towel to put in my seat. Josiah became fixated on why this was necessary and wouldn’t stop asking about it. Neither of us had the creativity at the moment to answer smartly without scaring him, so we just blew him off. Poor guy. When I addressed it days later it turns out he was afraid it would be used to clean up blood. I think we’ve got that all cleared up, though :)
By the time we made it to the hospital I had had one or two mild contractions but as soon as I got out of the car I soaked my pants to the knees! No more denying it! My pants were dark and Jacob swears you couldn't tell they were wet, but it was pretty embarrassing to make my way from the top floor of the parking garage to Labor and Delivery with sopping wet pants! Suddenly I was regretting turning down his offer to drop me off at the door and I was afraid the boys would notice and ask in the crowded elevator if I peed in my pants.
After arriving in triage we waited for a little while where labor began and things became real! I had started having infrequent contractions that were noticeable but not painful by 3pm, when the nurse finally came in and said she needed to do a test to be sure my water was really broken. I had already made it clear at the front desk that it was REALLY broken, so I figured she knew and that this was just for documentation so I didn't mention it. When she lifted the sheets, she threw her head back with a laugh and exclaimed at the size of the puddle and asked why I didn't say something :) I passed the test and got promoted to a delivery room. The trek there was humiliating, too, as I waddled past a man and his son, along with all the nursing staff in my gown with towels wrapped diaper-like under me.
Once settled in the room sometime after 4pm (losing track of time now), the nurse prioritized getting my IV going so antibiotics could be started and got my blood samples as well. I had never had an epidural before and had no idea that the bloodwork results had to come back before you could get one. I learned this the hard way. This go round I was thinking I might go ahead with the epidural because I had been pretty miserable in this pregnancy and just kinda felt like I had already used up any wherewithal I previously had long ago. We discussed it and I hesitantly agreed I wanted to go for it. I told them that I tend to hit a certain point in labor and then things go quick, so we better act soon, because I was really starting to hurt and that was a sure fire sign that time was short! I don't think they took me seriously.
One note about the epidural…when people hear that I have short labors that pretty much only hurt during transition and time to push, they comment that I don’t need an epidural anyway. I have no doubt this is true when you are talking about long hard labors, but from experience I can also say it takes a physical and mental toll to go from 0-10 on the pain scale in a matter of minutes and not get a break to catch your breath between contractions. Now, I’m pretty anti-epidural just because I tend to be pretty minimalistic in what I want done to my body, but can I also just say that crowning HURTS! Transition is not exactly a walk in the park either.
Anyway, it wasn’t long before I said I felt a little urge to push. The new nurse (we liked our first one) wanted to check me but I said no, partially because I didn’t like her (terrible bedside manner!) and partially because I didn’t feel like it was a strong enough urge yet and I wanted more time. To my relief, Dr. Million walked in. She wasn’t on call, but was headed out for the day and came to check on me. She decided to stay and take over my care. Bless her! Unfortunately, she had a really cute skirt and shoes on and this became a problem – more on that later.
It was confirmed that it was time to push right when anesthesia showed up at the door. Dr. Million wouldn't even let them enter the room for lack of time. She adorned herself with a double layer of booties and a gown to protect her attire and we were down to business. I told them I just needed a minute to prepare my mind for doing it without the epidural and shut them all out with closed eyes. I’m sure I seemed ridiculous though later Dr. Million told me she much preferred that to her last patient who screamed “I want my epidural!” the whole time she pushed :)
Pushing commenced and there’s not much to say about that because that time period is always a blur to me afterward. I do remember that it was “easier” than the others and that initially I was able to feebly laugh and joke a bit between contractions. I also remember Dr. Million saying she could see dark hair which struck my heart with a mother’s tenderness (That sounds corny, huh? But it did!). I also clearly remember crowning! At one point I felt like her whole body should have been out by now and asked how much more was left of her. I swear she seemed to be 3 feet long! :)
At 5:15, after only getting about 45 minutes of antibiotics, I felt relief from pain followed by a collective GASP! Followed by “OH NO!” I assumed they dropped Hannah but then someone had the decency to fill me in and said everything was ok, but that her umbilical cord avulsed and that blood sprayed everywhere, but that it was clamped now. Dr. Million is a seasoned OB and there were a lot of years of experience in that room, collectively, but no one had ever seen that happen before. Leave that to an Amlong!
Then my beautiful, healthy, whole, warm, slimy, and sweet Hannah was in my arms. She indeed had plenty of dark hair and a darker complexion (not too dark, but not like my and Elijah’s fair skin). Somehow I wasn’t as exhausted at the end of it as I was with the others and I was able to more completely enjoy and absorb the time that followed. Hannah was precious and I soaked her up. Quite a bit of time passed before I ever realized Jacob never got to hold her, but he was loving and patient about it.
Something about this delivery was different. Not just the part about my water breaking first. During the actual pushing phase I just felt more aware of things and was able to be in the moment. Perhaps that just comes with having done it a few times, or maybe it is a result of the order of events being different. I’m not sure, but other than the mess of the wet pants and bedding, it was nice, as far as painful delivery goes :)
Dr. Million later apologized for sending my epidural away without asking, but she knew I could do it and so did I. I joked that I got her back with the blood spray, which went through her gown and smeared her legs, though her cute shoes and skirt were spared! So while I’ll never know about these blissful pain-free deliveries people talk about with epidurals, I’m also happy to have just kept it simple. Within hours I was already feeling better than I had in months and little Hannah was my reward, though the whole girl thing still felt odd!
Hannah was 7lb 8oz, 20.5” long, and was born at 5:15pm. Shortly after, her adoring brothers came to visit her.
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