Blake's Birth Story

Ok...I don't know how long this has been sitting in my drafts. Oh, yes, I actually do. Almost 3 years. I had written down notes but never gone back to edit. It's so weird reading this....I can barely remember anything from the whole experience other than a few things here and there.

So, I don't know who I'm writing this for. Probably myself to remember all that I went through. Not anything like I expected, but I still thank God that he was born healthy.

Without further ado, here's Blake's Birth Story.

Well, maybe a little background since I don't think I talked much about this in the blog. My pregnancy with Blake wasn't as easy as it was with Campbell. I had gestational diabetes, which was a complete shock and was very stressful and a lot to manage (eating set number of carbs 6 times a day, taking blood 4 times a day, checking keytones everyother day). Then when I was following the diet exactly and still couldn't get the numbers I was supposed to, I had to go on medication which was stressful in itself because I really didn't want to take anything. But then it caused a couple blood sugar lows which were scary and can be very dangerous. Then, I can't remember at what point, but I started having severe saitica pain where I'd wake up at night to go to the bathroom and fall to the floor in excruciating pain. It was horrible. I saw a physical therapist who did some very gentle adjustment/stretching to stop the pain. Looking back, not sure if this is what triggered labor? I was in horrible back pain and stressed. Could the pain be the cause of labor? Or the release of the pain? Or was Blake dropping by himself and that is what was causing the pain and I would've gone into labor either way? (Either way, I'm glad the pain wasn't there during labor because I'm pretty sure they would've had to knock me out if I would've had to deal with that plus labor pain.) The doctor was baffled by why he came early since after having a full term birth it's very rare to have a premie.

WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY
Ok, now really. Onto the actual birth story. Contractions started at 7:30 Wednesday evening as I was putting Campbell to bed. It was a very mild cramping feeling that I thought was weird, but didn't think it could be contractions. They kept coming so after a while I started writing them down & keeping track.

Called the PETU to tell them what was going on. They said to lay down and drink a bunch of water which I did and the contractions still kept coming.

Called again after a while since the contractions didn't stop. They said to eat some toast the lay down again & call again in an hour. I did that and laid and watched tv, the contractions didn't stop and still fairly consistent.

Called again in an hour and they said I better come in to get checked out.

We decided I would go in myself so Gabe could stay with Campbell and we wouldn't have to wake up someone. At this point we hadn't even made plans for what to do with Campbell because my due date was so far away. And the hospital was only a couple miles away. And I thought there was absolutely no way I was in labor and would be home in a couple hours.

Got in at 2:30 am. Started an IV. They did a test that would tell my likelihood of delivering in the next 2 weeks. At this point, I was 33 weeks and 5 days along, which if i had been 34 weeks, they would have just let me deliver. Days make a huge difference at this point. They did an ultrasound & saw that baby's head was down.

Checked me at 5:00 am & was dilated to a 2.5-3 cm so they admitted me and got me started on magnesium sulfate to try to stop the contractions. At 5:30 am was given a shot of steriods, just in case the baby came, this would help his lungs develop.

At this point I called Gabe to tell him to come to the hospital.

Gabe got there around 7:00 am Thursday morning. He had called Dede and she came over to watch Campbell until Deb/Paul could get there from Up North. 

Contractions still kept coming very often. 

Got a hand massage from volunteer around noon, which was nice, but the contractions were coming so often and hurt (from a 4-6 on the pain scale) and the drugs that were trying to stop labor were making me very out of it.

I couldn't sleep, only doze for a minute, but then the contraction would wake me up.

Then it was getting to where I couldn't talk through the contractions.

The whole day was a huge vicious cycle of contractions and then I'd have to go to the bathroom. So we'd ring for the nurse & she would come unhook the things from my legs (I had compression things to keep my legs from swelling). Then I could go to the bathroom, pulling my IV stand with me. Then back to bed to get hooked up and then I would contract more when I got back into bed. Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, etc, etc, etc. 

My Ob/Gyn, Dr. Witztke was in the hospital so stopped by a couple of times & she said that it was possible that I stay a a  3-4 for a long time. I guess people can do that for weeks. I almost lost it when I found out that I might have to do this for weeks. But if  went much further than that I would probably have to deliver

Special Care Nursery nurse came in and went thru things with us about what to expect if he was born. He'd have an IV and he wouldn't be able to go home for 2-3 weeks, etc.

Nurses kept checking me. I was a 4.

Didn't think I could handle the almost constant pain anymore & asked for pain meds. I hadn't used any up to this point because what they could give me would only last an hour. Then I went to bathroom & the mucus plug came out. So the nurse checked me & i was a 6! So it's off to labor we go! Took me off the mag sulfate and broght to the labor room.

I felt so much better off mag sulfate. It had made me fuzzy, a bit of a headache, and just generally didn't feel good on it.

I got into labor room and got an epidural pretty much right away. I don't think there was ever a person as excited to get an epidural as me. The anesthesiologist didn't have a very friendly bedside manner, but I didn't care. Pain relief after 30 hours of constant contractions was amazing.

The goal was to hold off delivery until 5:30 pm Friday. That was when I could get the second steroid shot (24 hours after the first shot). Then even if that steroid had a couple hours to work it would be great for baby's lungs.

Nurse Barb was my nurse for a while. Sometime here is when I had a bit of a meltdown because the reality was sinking in that this was really happening, and I was scared. I remember asking what the baby would look like and if he'd be ok. She answered my questions and helped me to relax.

New nurse, Heidi, started her shift at 7:00. We really liked her, she was so very friendly & good.

At about 1:00 am Friday morning, I finally got to sleep. I was woken up every hour until 6:00 am, but it felt so great to get some sleep. I hadn't slept since Tuesday night....so I was going on many hours with out sleep.

Checked again and was a 10 and I felt pressure. The baby's head was still up, so they said to just let it come down & not rush things.

Heidi told story about patient that had very strong epidural and when she came back into the room after being gone for 5 minutes the baby's head was out & the patient didn't even know it. I got scared and didn't want her to leave. The good news is that they got the second steroid shot in for the baby's lungs.

Someone said that I would probably have to push just 2 times and he'd be out. Yeah, wished they wouldn't have said that. I pushed for 2 hours. Heidi was great at telling me how to push and what to do. I started to lose it a couple times and she really helped me pull it together again.

Once it was time to deliver there was quite the crowd - a student nurse, a resident, the doctor, the delivery nurse & 3 people from the Special Care Nursery who were getting things ready once the baby was born.

The baby was born at 9:20 am Friday (a long time from Wednesday evening when I went to the hospital). I only needed 1 stitch which was nice. Baby's head was turned wrong way/he was sunny side up, so that is why it took longer to push out. Not sure why they didn't know that before I was pushing?

The baby started crying immediately, which was the best sound I'd ever heard. It was so awesome to hear that sweet cry. It was a great sign that he was breathing good and he was moving around a lot too. He got a 8/9 out of 10 on apgar score, so that was great. He weighed 5 pounds 13 ounces, which was a good size for being so early.

I got to hold him for a couple minutes before they took him to the Special Care Nursery. He looked a lot bigger than I thought he would, but still tiny! I was so grateful that he seemed to be ok.

Both his and my blood sugar was good, which was a relief.

When they took him to the Special Care Nursery, Gabe went with him while I got fixed up. Then after a while it was only me in the room all alone, which I thought was funny because it had been so hectic with so many people buzzing around. Then the baby came & I got left in the dust! I was on such a high. I called Nana & Papa who were in the middle of ECFE class with Campbell. Then I called Ginia mom & Papa Stan & Grant/Dede.

Once the epidural wore off, I got up right away & took a bath & got ready because I wanted to go see the baby. I was feeling awesome and on such an adrenaline high.

Deb, Paul and Campbell came later that day. Campbell was very cuddly with me - I had really missed her! Campbell was very interested in looking at the baby thru the glass. Visitors are restricted and no kids are allowed in the Special Care Nursery, so Gabe just held baby brother up to the glass to show her. I had to explain to her that baby brother had to stay there and get bigger before he could come home with us..

My high was starting wear off and I was getting tired, so we went back to the room and ate lunch & Deb/Paul took Peanut home for a nap. I napped & Gabe went out and bought a laptop. He brought me back my first choice on my list of food I was dying to eat while I was pregnant but couldn't because of the gestational diabetes. A chocolate shake from Pot Belly with a ton of crackers on the straw. SO AWESOME, but I barely tasted because I sucked it down so fast.

Deb, Paul and Campbell came back after dinner to visit. Campbell had wanted to 'go see baby brother' and had been talking about him a lot. She was very interested in him even though she can only look at him thru the window. She was quite the hit with the nurses when she was walking down the hall telling everyone that she was 'going to teach baby brother the monkey dance' and then 'ooh ooh aaah aah' like a little monkey.

Later that night, Dede, Grant, GG, Michele, Todd & Ellie came to say hi. and we went to look at baby. Grant and Dede came back later and brought me Big Ten wings & a Dairy Queen Heath Blizzard, which was awesome, I've never appreciated food so much!

That night, Gabe was so out of it and exhausted and starting to feel a bit sick. Since he wasn't going to get a good sleep at the hospital in the vinyl sweaty chair, I sent him home to get a good night's rest.

SATURDAY
I went to feed Blake every 3 hours and also pumped afterward since he's only strong enough to drink drops at a time. He has a feeding tube in his nose that they feed him my milk through. He's also in an incubator to keep his body temperature up since premies can't stay warm enough on their own.

SUNDAY
Discharged at 9:00 am. Went to feed Blake and then went home. Deb & Paul went to feed Blake for his noon feeding, while I went to get Campbell packed up for her trip Up North. Deb/Paul/Sharon were going to take her for the week so I could be at the hospital as much as possible with Blake. Campbell seemed to be totally fine with leaving. She just loves her Nana & Papa!

We had forgotten in all the commotion to tell Paul the baby's name! He found out by the sign over Blake's crib!

I went back to the hospital to feed at 3:00 & 6:00 pm. Then Gabe & i went to Macaroni Grill for a really nice dinner. I felt super good, nothing like after having Campbell. I loved being able to eat all the carbs - bread and pasta - I wanted and not having to worry about blood sugar anymore! I even had lemonade....so good! We had a really nice date & talked about the labor & how lucky we are that everything is working out so well so far and Blake is doing so good.

MONDAY
I was up at 5:00 am to pump at home and then off to feed Blake for his 6:00 am feeding, where he ate 35cc!!!! He's been eating so well! His bilyrubin was 10 and looking  a bit yellow, so they may put him under the lights. The nurse said the lights do a great job & better to do it here than have to at home.

They said that Blake had some PPS, which is a heart murmur that's common in premies & will go away. If was more serious, they would hear more as he got older &amp it sounds different.

So I guess that was longer than the actual birth, but there it is. So weird reliving it by editing. Brings back alot of emotions. Stress of the pregnancy and super stress of the whole labor ordeal and then alot of gratefulness of what a healthy boy we've been blessed with.