Birth Story

Well, if you thought this was the birth story for our new arrival then... Gotcha! We actually just got a new nephew this week (Congrats Jill and Jonathon) and I was feeling a little sad not to have my kids' birth stories recorded. Even though the details will be lacking, Brian's around to help so I'd better take advantage while I can. Note: This is really just for me so feel free to skip this post.

Lukas
A little pre-birth story on Lukas is that since I have narrow pelvic bones, Dr. Holmes had advised us that we should not try to induce even if I went over my due date because we may be forcing my body to do something that it can't. On the contrary, if I did go into labor and could deliver vaginally, I should be able to do that with all my babies. (makes sense) The day I finally did go into labor I was a week past my due date and scheduled for a c-section.
9.18.06 Since my sister has long labors, I wanted to labor at home as long as I could. I think we started timing my contactions around 7:00, called Dr. Holmes around 9:00 and left for the hospital around 10:00. We had a 40 minute drive from our house to the Desert Samaritan hospital (now Banner Desert) and my contractions were 3-4 minutes apart and getting intense. Here's where the story gets interesting. There was construction on the freeway and so speed limits were reduced. Brian must have been getting anxious and was pulled over by a police officer who clocked him around 85 mph. I know you're thinking that he probably just saw the situation and sent us on our way. Wrong! This young cop decided he should ask Brian to get out of the car, lecture him for 10-15 minutes, cite him for criminal speeding, and not provide a police escort for us. No joke! True story. Well, we arrived at the hospital around 11:00 and I remember the ladies behind the counter laughing - to this day, I don't know if they were laughing at me or somthing else but I felt like they were not taking me very seriously. Once in triage - they determined I was at a 6 and my water broke 5 minutes later. At the same time that my contractions were intesifying - they took over 5 tries and multiple nurses to get my IV started. We were then transferred to a delivery room where we waited about an hour for the anesthesiologist. I was at an 8, shaking uncontrollably and on an oxygen mask when he got there around midnight. He apologized for not coming to my room before a couple other women who weren't as far along. He got angry and snapped at Brian for "contaminating his field" of iodine when Brian tried to help me hunch over by grabbing my shoulder. Once it was in place, it took over an hour for it to completely kick in. I waited at 10cm for a while because Luke's head hadn't dropped, around 2:15 they had me start pushing. The nurse became very worried and said that the baby wasn't tolerating the pushing well and his heart rate was dropping - she went to get Dr. Holmes who was sleeping there at the hospital. Once Dr. Holmes was there, he let me push for a few more contractions and then said that if I didn't get him out on the next one he was going to try the forceps. On the very next contraction, just before 3 AM, out he came. 9/19/06 7 lbs 11 oz 20.5 in. To the suprise of all the staff, parents and grandparents (who had been waiting anxiously in the hall), he was completely alert and seemed to be watching and looking at everything.

Brooklyn
Unfortunately for Brooklyn, it seems as though the less traumatic the experience, the less memorable. With her, Dr. Holmes stripped my membranes at my weekly appointment and said, "I'll see you at the hospital within 48 hrs." Stripping the membranes had been tried unsuccessfully with Lukas so I was skeptical but we headed down to Banner Gateway about a day and a half later, one week before my due date.
8.7.08 Having heard that a woman's second labor is usually half as long as the first, I was very concerned that if I waited at home too long, I would get to the hospital too late for an epidural, or worse, not make it to the hospital. (I even made Brian take a labor and delivery class with me, just in case) After taking Lukas to Grammy, we arrived at the hospital around 8:00, my contractions were regular around 4-5 min. apart but not too intense to handle. They monitored me in triage for a while and I was worried they might send me home. Well, the nurse was really nice and asked Dr. Holmes if he wanted me to be admitted. Bless him, he said yes. Again, the IV part was crappy, and took many attempts but once they got me to a delivery room, I got the epidural fairly quickly (just before the shaking started) and they started pitocin soon after that. Unlike the previous epidural, this one was cold down my spine and kicked in immediately. Beautiful! My mom had come down and we all decided to turn down the lights and get some rest before the delivery. This brand new, top-of-the-line hospital had a deluxe bed for the dads and my mom rested (and snored) in the recliner. I know there was regular dilation/effacement checking and they broke my water at some point but now it's all sort of a fog. I told my Mom she could stay in for the delivery this time, I started pushing around 9:30 AM and she was born just before 10:00. Bonus: no tearing. 8/8/08 8 lbs 4 oz 21 in. I had learned from my delivery with Lukas that soon after delivering and holding my baby, my body goes into a little mini-shock, the blood drains from my face and I throw up. This time, Brian stayed right by me during this episode and took care of me before heading over to admire Brooklyn some more. A few memories from our hospital stay: the food was fantastic and could be ordered on the phone at any time of the day or night - it was like free room service. There was a "cookie lady" who came by once a day to deliver cookies. I was determined that Brooklyn would learn to nurse laying down, something Lukas never liked, and the nurses chastised me repeatedly for letting her sleep with me in the hospital bed. One night after a feeding, I was suddenly (and unexpectedly) overcome with emotions and felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude to have a daughter.

Birth story number 3 coming in 2 months...