The story of Tate's birth: brace yourself it's lengthy.
Friday afternoon I went couponing with my friend Amber. We were in Target rushing to get our things to make it back to Windsor in time to pick our kids up from preschool. After feeling a little uncomfortable and a few random contractions I told her that I thought I might have him that night. Once we got in her car I was timing contractions that were 8 to 10 minutes apart. This started at noon. Two hours later they were getting closer to 6 to 7 minutes apart. So I called my mom who had just finished her work week and she decided to drive down, just to be safe. Unfortunately I tested positive for the Strep B test this time. So when I called my doctor to let her know what was happening she wanted me to get into the hospital right away. If you don't this, testing positive isn't a big deal but if you don't get to the hospital in time to have 2 rounds of antibiotics then the baby has to stay for 48 hours and has to go through some blood work. Each round of antibiotics has to given 4 hours from the last. So my doctor thinking I was going to have the baby quickly wanted me to get to the hospital as soon as things started happening. I was really hesitant about this because I was not uncomfortable or in any pain and I just had a feeling we were going to be there a long time and possibly sent home. So we went anyway. We took our time though. Jody stopped and saw one more doctor and then when we got to the hospital we walked outside for about twenty minutes. I just felt kind of dumb. When we finally got there the nurse said they had been waiting for us and my doctor had already called three times. It was about 3:30 in the afternoon by this time. I guess she really thought I was going to have him quickly! So I was checked, and was 4 cm., had a very stretchy cervix which I was told at least a dozen more times before I had him and was having contractions about every 6-7 minutes apart. So we walked and walked and walked the hospital. Which I knew would happen and I just really wanted to be home. They started the antibiotics and my doctor called and was surprised I wasn't in more active labor. My doctor was suppose to come in at 8 and then 9 and finally got there at 10 that night. Meanwhile Jody and I walked the hospital, timed contractions, and watched tv. My mom ended up coming to the hospital but by ten realized there wasn't going to be any action and went back to our house to stay with the kids. My doctor was going to break my water at ten but when she got there the nurses said they had too many patients in labor and not enough nurses and they didn't want her to break my water. So we opted to just stay the night. I would have liked to have been home this WHOLE time but my doctor didn't feel comfortable with that. So we stayed the night and got horrible night of sleep.
Dr. Weinert came in the next morning around 8 to break my water but then found out that another patient at a different hospital was 7 cm and I was only 5. She didn't want to make it so she would miss one of the deliveries so she decided to start me on pitocin and wait to break my water. I knew that if she would just break it I would have him quickly. That's how the last two deliveries had gone. Tate's head had not dropped enough and was still sitting a little high. I was petrified to have them start pitocin because I had a terrible experience with it when Ammon was born. But they started it slowly and it actually helped to get my contractions closer together and stronger. So we walked and walked so more. I have to admit I was pretty depressed. I wanted to just go home. I was tired and all I wanted to do was sleep in my own bed and see my mom and kids. Finally at around eleven the nurse told me the anesthesiologist was next door and if I wanted to get an epidural I could. I wasn't in pain but didn't want to wait until I was so I said yes. By 12:00 and two attempts with lots of pushing the epidural was in. The doctor had a hard time getting it in. Jody sat and watched the first time and almost fainted because the doctor was using so much force with obviously such a big needle. Luckily it didn't cause me very much pain or discomfort. I was just worried I wouldn't be able to get one!
At 12:30 my doctor finally broke my water and the girl at the other hospital stilled hadn't had her baby. The nurse checked me an hour later and I was 7 cm. Then at about 2 o'clock I started feeling the contractions a little more and felt the urge to pee. That urge turned into a pushing urge. The nurse checked me and I was complete. My doctor had been just hanging around outside. She came right in and got ready. By then I was going through transition. Which always causes me to shake like crazy and the contractions were very uncomfortable. I definitely felt Tate come out and felt like I was going die when I was pushing out his shoulders but lucky for me my kids come out quickly and it was over very fast. I pushed for about 10 minutes, but it didn't even feel that long. I will never understand how people can push for hours. That would kill me. Like the other boys Tate came out with his umbilical chord around his neck but was fine and started crying right away.
It was such an amazing experience. There is nothing, nothing like holding your new baby for the first time. Having a baby is truly a miracle.
Friday afternoon I went couponing with my friend Amber. We were in Target rushing to get our things to make it back to Windsor in time to pick our kids up from preschool. After feeling a little uncomfortable and a few random contractions I told her that I thought I might have him that night. Once we got in her car I was timing contractions that were 8 to 10 minutes apart. This started at noon. Two hours later they were getting closer to 6 to 7 minutes apart. So I called my mom who had just finished her work week and she decided to drive down, just to be safe. Unfortunately I tested positive for the Strep B test this time. So when I called my doctor to let her know what was happening she wanted me to get into the hospital right away. If you don't this, testing positive isn't a big deal but if you don't get to the hospital in time to have 2 rounds of antibiotics then the baby has to stay for 48 hours and has to go through some blood work. Each round of antibiotics has to given 4 hours from the last. So my doctor thinking I was going to have the baby quickly wanted me to get to the hospital as soon as things started happening. I was really hesitant about this because I was not uncomfortable or in any pain and I just had a feeling we were going to be there a long time and possibly sent home. So we went anyway. We took our time though. Jody stopped and saw one more doctor and then when we got to the hospital we walked outside for about twenty minutes. I just felt kind of dumb. When we finally got there the nurse said they had been waiting for us and my doctor had already called three times. It was about 3:30 in the afternoon by this time. I guess she really thought I was going to have him quickly! So I was checked, and was 4 cm., had a very stretchy cervix which I was told at least a dozen more times before I had him and was having contractions about every 6-7 minutes apart. So we walked and walked and walked the hospital. Which I knew would happen and I just really wanted to be home. They started the antibiotics and my doctor called and was surprised I wasn't in more active labor. My doctor was suppose to come in at 8 and then 9 and finally got there at 10 that night. Meanwhile Jody and I walked the hospital, timed contractions, and watched tv. My mom ended up coming to the hospital but by ten realized there wasn't going to be any action and went back to our house to stay with the kids. My doctor was going to break my water at ten but when she got there the nurses said they had too many patients in labor and not enough nurses and they didn't want her to break my water. So we opted to just stay the night. I would have liked to have been home this WHOLE time but my doctor didn't feel comfortable with that. So we stayed the night and got horrible night of sleep.
Dr. Weinert came in the next morning around 8 to break my water but then found out that another patient at a different hospital was 7 cm and I was only 5. She didn't want to make it so she would miss one of the deliveries so she decided to start me on pitocin and wait to break my water. I knew that if she would just break it I would have him quickly. That's how the last two deliveries had gone. Tate's head had not dropped enough and was still sitting a little high. I was petrified to have them start pitocin because I had a terrible experience with it when Ammon was born. But they started it slowly and it actually helped to get my contractions closer together and stronger. So we walked and walked so more. I have to admit I was pretty depressed. I wanted to just go home. I was tired and all I wanted to do was sleep in my own bed and see my mom and kids. Finally at around eleven the nurse told me the anesthesiologist was next door and if I wanted to get an epidural I could. I wasn't in pain but didn't want to wait until I was so I said yes. By 12:00 and two attempts with lots of pushing the epidural was in. The doctor had a hard time getting it in. Jody sat and watched the first time and almost fainted because the doctor was using so much force with obviously such a big needle. Luckily it didn't cause me very much pain or discomfort. I was just worried I wouldn't be able to get one!
At 12:30 my doctor finally broke my water and the girl at the other hospital stilled hadn't had her baby. The nurse checked me an hour later and I was 7 cm. Then at about 2 o'clock I started feeling the contractions a little more and felt the urge to pee. That urge turned into a pushing urge. The nurse checked me and I was complete. My doctor had been just hanging around outside. She came right in and got ready. By then I was going through transition. Which always causes me to shake like crazy and the contractions were very uncomfortable. I definitely felt Tate come out and felt like I was going die when I was pushing out his shoulders but lucky for me my kids come out quickly and it was over very fast. I pushed for about 10 minutes, but it didn't even feel that long. I will never understand how people can push for hours. That would kill me. Like the other boys Tate came out with his umbilical chord around his neck but was fine and started crying right away.
It was such an amazing experience. There is nothing, nothing like holding your new baby for the first time. Having a baby is truly a miracle.
9 comments:
Reading this makes me feel like it was yesterday. It truly is a miracle. Especially when you are holding them and you think they were inside you an hour ago and you wondered what they looked like.
Wow you have a very vivid memory. You remember every little detail and I felt as though I was with throughout the entire day:) Four babies that is truely a miracle. Congratulations our your new little boy.
Is it weird that I am baby hungry just looking at these? Yeah, I have a seven month old {supposedly my last} and every time I see a newborn or hear someone's L&D story, it makes me want another one. There's just nothing like the first couple weeks getting to know your new baby.
I think I need another one. :)
Is it weird that get jealous of all these L&D stories? I have to have a C-Section next time so my story will be really boring.
That was one crazy story but seems like you are doing great! Hope your first week alone went well!
You definitely brought back some memories of my own. I had B-Strep with Jonah, but they only got 1 dose of antibiotics in me - be glad you got it all...they would wake him up every hour to prick his toe. I can't believe they let Jody in when you got your epidural! I delivered at 2 different hospitals and both had the policy that no one was aloud in the room since they'd had too many dads faint on them (David was VERY happy he didn't have to be there!)
Crazy as this sounds but reading this made me very excited to have this little man... I've been nothing but nervous about the delivery. I'm so glad everything went well for you... beside not being able to be home more when you wanted. He is here and he is handsome!
Congratulations Kelly! I'm so happy for you guys.
Yep, love these stories. Of course you look beautiful too kelly!
Sounds like everything went just right. Congrats, congrats!
Yes, it is...I can't wait to see you guys. He looks so cute and I don't want to wait much longer or he'll be big already!.
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