Dec 4th- 4:45 am.
My alarm was set for 5 am. I'd hardly slept. I kept thinking about being in pain, what if I had to have a C-sections, blah blah blah. The phone rings. "Hi this is the nurse at Pomerene. We're not going to be able to induce you today. We're too busy. Come in tomorrow at 7 am."
I rolled over and told Brian, not sure if I should be happy because I am tired anyhow and I want baby girl to come naturally, or sad because I'm now in Millersburg, without a baby, and not even with my own kids.
Brian spent the morning working from my parent's house, then we drove to Glenmont and hung out with the boys. Jackson didn't understand why mommy didn't have a baby (I never dd even blog about the false alarm I had on 11/24).
Dec 5th-
I got to the hospital at 7 am, went through the barrage of questions and got settled into the room. One particularly alarming question from the nurse, "Are you going to have a tubal?" What? "Are you having a tubal?" I'm sorry, what? "Your tubes tied?" Oh, no!! Good thing I didn't answer that one wrong, I was really thinking she was asking if I had a doula!! That's the million-dollar question ladies, be careful how you respond!
With Olen I had a 1/2 pill of cytotec. That birth was fast and furious. Mary Ann had office hours in Berlin, and she didn't want to make me have a crazy labor, nor have Deb (the other fantastic midwife) have to catch my baby, so we decided on 1/4 of the pill placed on my cervix. I still wasn't dilated. away we went!
By 10 am, I was definitely getting crampy, but nothing too exciting. I wanted a baby by lunchtime and I was starting to realize that wasn't going to be happening. Brian and I settled on House Hunters on HGTV. At one point when things start to kick in I'm mad at him because he was busy ranting about people borrowing more than they could afford while I was trying to get him to time my contractions. Leah is not a nice laborer. Sorry babes.
By noon I was hungry and realizing that I better eat now or forever hold my peace. Or peas. I ordered chicken fingers and a salad. I know that chicken fingers would probably be frowned upon as a labor food, but hey, I needed strength and I swear the Pomerene Hospital has the best chicken fingers!!! I may or may not have eaten them 3 days in a row. I can't confirm or deny this report.... (This is now becoming less of a birth story and more about a hormonal lady that likes to eat).
I was promised that Mary Ann would be back around 2. The nurse checked me around 1 and I was 2-3 centimeters. Not great, but it was something. The contractions were definitely getting stronger so after awhile I decided to get into the tub. Laboring in the tub was amazing. The warm water and jets do really take the pain away. When the jets would go off, I could feel that things were getting stronger and more uncomfortable. Mary Ann came in and acknowledged that she was back She told me I may want to get out so the baby doesn't get overheated. I got out of the tub around 4:30 and I could definitely feel that things were getting uncomfortable. I felt discouraged because Olen's labor was only about 3-4 hours of active labor and I was already past that. I looked at Brian and said, "if it goes on this slowly, I'm getting the epidural." He said nothing (He is a smart man!!).
Mary Ann checked me. She said I was about 5 centimeters. "Hmmm, but that feels like a bottom, not a head!" "What?" I asked. Mary Ann was perplexed. She knew she felt a head this morning, but now it appears that our baby girl is breech. I look at Brian, I'm completely sick with fear. I tell Mary Ann that there were times throughout the day where I couldn't tell if the baby was moving or if I was having a contraction. It felt like she was moving a LOT.
Mary Ann ordered an ultrasound to confirm, but radiology had already left for the night. She asked me to lay down and I was given a relaxant to slow down my contractions. At this point I was flat on my back with tears streaming out the corners of my eyes. If there is one person who is against C-sections, it is Leah Yoder. I wanted my baby to be safe and healthy, but I also wanted her to come out the "right" way. Since radiology had left, Mary Ann got ahold of Dr. V. He would come as soon as he was done with patients at his office. This was reassuring, I knew Dr. V delivered my nephew, Nathan, and I was in the room with my sister-in-law, so I felt confident that he could help. I also knew Mary Ann would do everything she could to help me avoid a c-section.
Dr. V arrived and grabbed the ultrasound wand. He pointed it where the head should have been. "Do you know what you are having?" Yes, a girl. "You're right!," he said, "but those parts should be up here (points to my ribs) and they are down here." I felt like the air had been let out of me. Dr. V explained that I was chockablock (going back to my Aussie terminology) full of fluids! Baby girl had literally swam herself upside down. Mary Ann and Dr. V decided that they would try to turn the baby. I cried out from some contractions that I was feeling even more now because I was flat on my back. ( If you are trying to labor without pain meds, being flat on your back is one of the worst places to be). Mary Ann ordered some Nubain so I could be comfortable while this was all happening. It was very important at this point that my water didn't break. If my water would have broken, I would have been wheeled straight back for a C-section. Dr. V started using the ultrasound wand along with some light pressure and what I called "a zapper thing" to get the baby to move. The noise of the vibration was supposed to make the baby squirm! (It definitely made this mama squirm!!)
Meanwhile, I could tell Brian was trying to secretly text our friends and family and let them know what was happening. I found out later that many friends were praying for our little girl to flip!!
After 5 or 10 minutes of moving the wands back and forth across my stomach and pushing a little, her head was down. But it was off to the side. If my water was to break, the cord could have slipped out because C was not aligned with the cervix. At this point, Dr V asked Mary Ann to take over as midwife and have me try some different positions. First I was face down on the bed with my butt in the air (ignore that image, please) for 5 minutes, then I was laying flat on my back with feet off of the bed and dangling for 5 minutes. The positions were meant to open the pelvis and allow the baby to, for lack of a better term, swim south for the summer. After I held my positions, Mary Ann checked me. "The head is right there, is it ok if I break your water?" Yes! Mary Ann walked me to the restroom to empty my bladder, and I knew that I was going to meet our little girl soon. I came out to Brian and labored for 2 or 3 contractions just swaying in his arms. I started to feel as though I "couldn't take it anymore" and was ready to push.
I stepped up into the bed and laid on my side. I was secretly hoping to myself that I didn't have another hour to go like I did with Olen. There is really nothing to describe the pain and fear and elation of knowing your little one is coming!!! I remember with C, moreso than O, not thinking about the pain as much but just trying to focus on my little girl. It seemed like she had been through so much and I just wanted her in my arms. When Mary Ann said she could see the head, I immediately asked if she had dark or light hair! Yes, I was selfishly hoping for a lookalike (and I got one). In just a few more pushes. at 7:20 pm, she was here!! I had pushed for about 25 minutes. I remember being so much more emotional this time around, just repeating, "Thank you God, thank you God," over and over. Not that I wasn't thankful the past two births, but this time taught me that things do happen in labor and I was ever so thankful that a c-section was avoided.
Cecilia wasn't Cecilia until about midnight. We were down to Louisa and Cecilia and I couldn't make up my mind. I'd tell Brian to send out a text saying one or the other and then I would tell him to stop. As much as I loved Louisa (my name), I couldn't get over thinking that C really looked like a Cecilia (Brian's name).
I really can't say enough nice things about the nurses and staff at Pomerene. If we have any more babies, they will be born in Millersburg! While I can't speak enough kind words of Mary Ann or Deb, I also received the best care from the nurses. They are attentive and kind. Thanks to Trisha again for getting me a fan (which Brian says I rudely demanded--sorry!!) and holding my hand! I'm sorry you got stuck with me again. :) And Mary Ann was so gracious throughout the entire "breech drama." I really felt like she was treating me the same way she would treat her own daughter- very reassuring and nurturing.
It is hard to believe that our baby girl is now 3 months old. Wow, the time has flown by!! We couldn't be more in love with our little Princess.
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