This was new territory for me. With Rusty, my water did NOT break in advance and I actually had to have it broken-about 30 some hours into the intense and difficult labour. I figured that this was a good sign. When the water breaks that means contractions are right behind, right? Not so much. I did get Kevin up and we called my doula-who is amazing by the way, if you need one you MUST check her out! She advised me to try to get some rest and to see what happened. We waited around and then finally around 9 a.m. I started feeling the tightening in my back that for me is the beginning of contractions. We had been advised to go in to be checked out if nothing big was happening by 11 a.m.
I was desperate to try to avoid being induced. It had happened with Rusty and the experience wasn't the one that I wanted. I was really praying that God would start the contractions and we could be able to go forth with this birth naturally. After going in to the clinic we realized that the likelihood of this happening was pretty slim. The doctor on call that checked me determined that I was still not even 2 cm dilated and my water had been broken for 6 hours already. She said that I needed to go home and prepare to be induced...she said that if I was not having major contractions by 2:30 p.m. we would probably need to be checked in and induced. I was devastated, but went home and prayed about it and accepted the fact that this was likely to happen.
At 3 p.m. we called the doctor on call because I had started to have some more contractions. He suggested we go in to the case room to be evaluated, so in we went. They did a stress test on me for over an hour, and they said that the baby was fine and the contractions were about 30 minutes apart. They gave me the great news...I could go home and did not yet need to be induced! I could see if things continued to move forward and just hope and pray that it would!
That night around 7 p.m. Nana and Papa came to get our sweet Rusty boy. He would be staying with them until we came home from the hospital. As I said goodbye to my sweet boy I kept hugging him and could not stem the tears that flowed from my eyes. Even though I was so excited to meet our new little guy, I also was a little bit sad that the era of our time alone with our Rusty was ending. I didn't know what to expect. I just prayed that it would all be fine.
At 8:40 p.m. I went to bed, hoping that I would be able to get some rest. The contractions had become more steady, but in my past experience that could mean another entire day of on and off again contractions! I slept on and off for an hour and then around 10:20 p.m. I had to get up because the contractions were too intense and painful to sleep. I got Kevin up and we began to time them. After an hour of 4-6 minutes apart, we called our doula.
By the time she arrived at midnight I knew everything had started! I was really hoping to have this baby without any sort of inducing! I knew that I wanted to labour at home as long as possible. I first tried the shower...for a long time. It was truly the best thing for me and pain relief. I stayed there until the water turned cold, then tried laying on my side, standing and rocking and then back in the shower again.
Around 2 a.m., the urge to push became too much for me to handle. I was so certain that it was time. The contractions were so intense that I could not talk and think through them. I just remember Laura telling me to breathe and counting with me. Her amazing skills as she rubbed my back helped to soothe me and keep me strong. I had insane back labour-we would later discover that yet again I was labouring with a face up baby! I still remember Laura just pushing on my back...it was the best thing and the most helpful. Kevin did whatever we asked him too and was again a super support during labour. Upon the intense pain at 2 we knew it was time to head in to the hospital. I remember the drive there being so long and so hard. Every 2 minutes I would have an intense, breath stealing contraction and sitting in the car with the seat belt on was a difficult way to manage it! Thankfully we are only about a 10 minute drive from the hospital at that time of the night!
We arrived at the hospital at 2:30 and I slowly made my way to check in. I had to stop every few bits and get through a contraction. Kev and Laura were both parking their vehicles, and it took me so long to get up to the delivery floor that they caught up with me before I got there!
We finally made it to the case room, where I was assessed and found to be at 4 cm. I remember feeling disappointed at that. I had been labouring for several hours intensely and was hoping to be further along. It was faster than with Rusty, but still slow. We were transferred to room 5 where I again laboured in the shower with Kev rubbing my back and helping me through the contractions. When I finally came out of the shower and began labouring by standing at the side of the bed with a pillow our nurse asked to check me. It had been about 50 minutes and I was found to be 5 cm! For me that boosted my spirits and gave me motivation. To me, that seemed fast. A centimeter in less than an hour!
One hour later, at 5 a.m., the doctor on call arrived and checked me. I was devastated to learn that I was still just 5 cm. I had made no progress in an hour of intense and incredibly painful contractions. The baby was face up so his head was rubbing along my spine and my body was already pushing very hard involuntarily with every single contraction. The doctor became extremely concerned. He stated after checking me that my cervix was swelling considerably due to the involuntary pushing and that the baby was swelling as well. He asked that I consider an epidural to allow my body to relax and my cervix to dilate. I was still very against it, due to some complications I had experienced with the one during my previous delivery. Laura agreed to help me do everything I could to get through it, and Kev and I decided that we would try morphine first.
I received the dose of morphine...and it did NOTHING. I felt absolutely no change in the pain level. With every contraction I could only get through it by getting on my knees on the bed and leaning over the birthing ball and just doing my best to get through it. Laughing gas had been incredibly helpful in my labour with Rusty, so I asked to try that again, only to have it immediately make me extremely nauseous, to the point that I almost threw up into the mask. I ripped it off and then tried again with the next contraction to experience the same feeling. Laughing gas was out as well.
The doctor came back an hour later and again, expressed his concern about the baby and me. In my mind, I feared the c section even more, so agreed to the epidural. They came and administered it. It did not provide immediate complete relief but it was enough to take the edge off and my body finally relaxed and I started to dilate. It even relaxed enough that the baby turned and became face down, which was what we also needed.
At 7:30 a.m. everything changed...my doctor, my amazing doctor whom we adore and were praying would be the one to deliver our Rocky, came on duty. I will never forget her breezing through that door. It was like a breath of fresh air. She greeted me the way she always does, "Hello my DEAR!" and hugged both Kevin and I. I felt this incredible calm and peace steal over me, and even my doula later commented on how she had rarely seen a doctor like this one.
Dr. H. checked me and found me to be 9 cm! She cheered, she had two students with her and they cheered, my doula cheered, Kevin cheered and I? I felt relief! We were almost there. Dr. H. asked us to make our predictions on the weight of the baby, said she was off to get a Starbucks-would anyone else like one?-and then breezed back out of the room. The students stayed with us and answered questions Kev had. The epidural was finally kicking in fully and I was feeling some relief.
At 8:30 a.m. Dr. H came back and said I was ready to push! I have to say one thing about the epidural...it allowed me to enjoy the birth. I was able to be in my right mind and I remember EVERY SECOND of that pushing time. I remember pushing, I remember the sounds, I remember hearing Rocky's cry, I remember feeling joy throughout it all. I remember having the energy to go for it because I had been able to FINALLY get a little bit of rest beforehand. For that, I am incredibly thankful.
Thirty one minutes later, at 9:01 a.m. on January 19th, 2011, our sweet boy entered this world. He came out crying and the best part was that they immediately handed him to me! With Rusty the cord was around his neck so I didn't get to see him right away. I loved holding my Rocky from the start. I remember not even crying, just being full of joy and cherishing seeing his little face for the first time. I even remember looking down at his hands and thinking how big they were! People still comment on that to this day, how big his little hands are.
Another great thing was that Kev was able to cut the cord. He was so proud and loved his little guy immediately. Again, this was one of the few times I have seen my amazing husband cry. He recalls just looking at Rocky and feeling the same way he had felt with Rusty. Crazy, over the top love.
Our little Rocky was officially there. He was in our family to stay. Our love for him has only continued to grow as we have watched him grow this year. Through his first five rough days in the NICU and on to the first month, the first smiles, the first giggles...his first steps. Through it all he has had this way about him...just this happiness and joy. He is truly another great blessing in our lives and we are so grateful to be blessed with our two boys. Little Rocky, you made our three a four...and a wonderful four it is! You made Rusty a big brother and you completed our family. 
What a beautiful story of how your little gift from God came into this world. What a true blessing!!!
ReplyDeleteGod Bless your family!!
Emily Miller (Wagner)