Nothing Like Last Time

I am writing this 7 days after bringing Ellee Jean Larkin into the world.  I know the day of labor scared many people, and the amount of prayers and good thoughts were not lost on me.  Too many have a "vivid memory" (my OBGYN's exact words, the day before we induced) of what happened.  My memory consisted of many foggy memories, but here is what happened last time. 

So before I continue with this blog post, it would be a great time for me to add in a link to how we found ourselves pregnant again.

Now.  For Ellee's birth story.

Thursday, Feb. 26

We had been given a second unexpected "snow day".  It hit me throughout the day I would not be returning to school until May.  Being that pregnant though, it was a nice relief to be at home the last two days before giving birth.  I relaxed, as much as one with a potty training toddler can, and enjoyed the time I had with Cade.  We had a doctor appointment for 3:30 that afternoon.  Since we knew we would be induced on Friday we had made arrangements with our friends who would be watching Cade to drop him off after dinner.  The snow day allowed us all to attend the last pre-pregnancy checkup.

Dr. Angus was there, even though I didn't technically have an appointment with him, he came out to the waiting room to chat with Cade, and then he poked his head in the room to run an idea by us.  He wanted us to check into the hospital that night.  He wanted to start the induction as soon as he went on shift at 5:30am.  Because of the volume of mothers giving birth at the hospital he was worried I would not get a bed until the afternoon on Friday, which would put us at risk at him having to leave his shift at 7pm.  He wanted to be there for the birth.   He left the room to have us talk about it.  It was a no brainer to Jacob.  He had said from the beginning of this second child process, he wanted Dr. Angus to be the doctor in the delivery room.  I agreed.  Dr. Angus came back in and we set up our plan, and he filled out the paperwork.

All of our plans went into super drive. They could call us starting at 4pm.  When we left the doctor's office it was a little after 4.  We called our friends and made arrangements to drop off Cade right then.  I didn't want to leave.  It was hard for me to think it was going to be the last time it was just the three of us.  I didn't want it to end, but at the same time I couldn't wait for the phone to ring to get things started.

Jacob and I tried to stay busy.  We finished packing.  Yes.  We had a few things to add to our suitcase, a few hours before we went to the hospital.  We went out to eat.  We cleaned the kitchen, and bathrooms.  We watched t.v.  All the while pretending we weren't both secretly holding our breath for the phone to ring.  Around 9pm we decided to get into bed to at least try and get some sleep.  Yeah.  Right.  Jacob was able to fall asleep, but I just watched tv.  Waiting.

FINALLY. At 11:30pm a cheerful nurse called to let me know we had to check in at 12:30.

Friday, February 27

We walked ourselves up to the second level check in desk at Northside Labor and Delivery.  They brought us back to a much larger room than last time, and went through all of the paperwork, and medical questions.  Jacob and I were pretty calm, and just took everything in stride.  There is some kind of peace in doing this whole labor thing a second time.  Not to mention an induction a second time seemed like we had a pretty good grasp on what was to happen.  The night nurse told me that the orders were to hook me up to an IV, take my CBC (to check my platelets), and then let us sleep until 5 am.  We were left alone a little after 3am.

5am, on the dot, I heard the nurse walk in.  My platelets were at 114,000.  I was completely shocked.  Not only had they risen since the previous week, but they were 50,000 higher than when I went in to be induced with Cade.  It was time to get things started.  We did an edema, and then at 5:30 the Pitocin started.   I was hungry, as I am a total breakfast person, but besides that I was mentally prepared to get this labor over with.

**Sidenote:  I was nervous about being able to withstand the pain of natural labor again.  Although I had run/waddled most of the pregnancy the three weeks prior to labor I hadn't really done anything.  I feared I had let my body relax too much, and it would not be in the shape I was in last time.  I prepare mentally by doing a lot of visualization, and I had been practicing that, but I was still questioning myself this time around.**

I watched the news and it was the day of that stupid dress debate.  Is it blue and black or gold and white?  WHO CARES!  It was on every half hour segment of the local and national news.  The nurse came in every half hour to pump up my Pitocin.   The day nurse, Kathy, came in and told me the doctor wanted to move things along today.  I knew that was the plan, so I was game. My platelets were high enough that they were able to give me Fentanyl.  Which I guess is like a Tylenol to most people, but for me it really made me dizzy, and made me almost unable to talk.

The doctor came in to check on me.  We talked a little about last time with nurse Kathy.  I mentioned that we were in a much bigger room this time, and the doctor laughed and said "When the shit goes down it always happens in a small room"  I couldn't help but smile at that.  The last time was pretty dramatic, for all of us, I guess.  

Natural labor is a very active process.  The contractions started really hurting around 8, and the concentration it takes to make it through a strong contraction is immense.  Walking helped a bit, and Kathy hooked me up to wireless probes that were tracking the heart beat and my contractions.  Thank goodness for that.  I walked around for a good part of 45 minutes.  During a contraction I have to think about breathing, trying to focus on something other than the pain, and remind myself it would only last for a minute or so.  During most of my labor Jacob said I just laid there with my eyes closed, and said very little except for answering questions to the nurse or doctor.  The doctor came in around 9:30 and again, wanted to move things along, so he broke my water.

Walking through the contractions

Jacob wanted me to add this one. He calls it "Natural Labor"

At 10:10 I remember telling Jacob to mute the tv.  I could not take the sound of Kathy Lee and Hoda. They were breaking into my intense concentration.  I was literally feeling like my contractions were way too much.  I didn't feel like I was getting any relief what so ever.  I told Jacob to get me a bucket.  I was going to puke.   While dry heaving, due to the fact I hadn't eaten since 7:30 the night before, the nurse came hustling in and clicked away at my Pitocin.  She explained my body was giving me contractions, and the Pitocin was giving me contractions, hence the feeling like I had no relief, because I wasn't coming down from the contractions.  She wrapped a cold compress around my neck and rubbed my arm while I finished dry heaving.  She was able to give me some nausea medicine through the IV.  After a few minutes I could feel a difference.  I was at least able to come down from the lower back pains I was having. 

During the entire morning I could hear the doctor and nurse coming in and out of the room.  He had set up a table in the corner of the room, and I knew he was putting things on the table.  I learned later it was his arsenal of what he thought we might need.  He was going to be prepared for anything I could throw at him.  He explained to me that as soon as my pain went from my back to the front to call him.  I could hear him talking to Jacob, and giving him suggestions on what I could do to help with the pain, like crouch down, face backwards, or sit in the fetal position.  I know he was trying to help, but I mentally just needed to sit there.  Exactly how I was.  I didn't want to move.

Just like last time I loose the details somewhere in here.  Apparently at some point I told Kathy it was time to start pushing.  Jacob said he was not ready.  It was only around noon.  Kathy must have called the doctor because it was only a matter of time I heard Dr. Angus's voice asking for a can opener.  The story behind this is Dr. Angus wanted to try and numb my nerves in the birth canal with a practice that many doctors don't do anymore.  It has no blood thinning elements, and he said it would help me be able to push while relieving some pain.  Apparently he needed a can opener.   I remember feeling like between the time I heard his voice, and him F.I.N.A.L.L.Y being in position took forever.  My body was screaming at me to push, and it seemed to take way too long for him to get ready, almost like he didn't understand the urgency.

It was just Dr. Angus, Kathy, and Jacob in the room.  Kathy was on my right leg, and Jacob on my left.  They put me up in the stirrups, and Kathy instructed Jacob on how to hold my legs.  I remember little in here, but apparently I gave two pushes, and the head was out.  I remember hearing a cry, and then the doctor saying, "Well we are just waiting on the next contraction".  Sure enough I pushed a third time, and out slid our little girl.  Ellee was passed off to the APGAR nurse who had arrived at some point.

I asked how long I had pushed.  Kathy laughed and said 3 minutes.  I couldn't believe it.  I was waiting for all the chaos to start, but it never did.  Dr. Angus and Kathy worked on stitching me up.  We chatted back and forth the entire time.  I made Dr. Angus's record book once again:  "Quietest natural labor he had ever had".  I was in awe of how calm everything was.  There were no nurses running in and out, no shots in the leg, no room full of strangers.

Everything was completely different.

Nothing like last time.  

The doctor finished me up, set me back up in the bed, and they brought Ellee over.  I was able to see her face.  I was completely coherent.  I was able to talk.  Smile. See my baby.

Ellee Jean Larkin.  Born Feb. 27 at 12:22pm.  7lbs 10 oz, 19.5 in long. Healthy.

There was no high risk room to be wheeled to.  No being too "unstable" to care for myself or my newborn.

Nothing like last time. 

There isn't much else to write.  We were up in the postpartum area by 3pm.  We had our first visitor a little after 4.  I felt great.  I was going to the bathroom on my own.  My body felt like I had just done a 30 minute intense workout.  I was in good spirits.  I was not in the pain I had been in the last time.  They were able to take the IV out of my arm less than 20 hours after giving birth.  I was able to eat regular food with no restrictions.  We were discharged 48 hours after Ellee was born.

This labor story is

Nothing like last time

and that is okay with me!