Thursday, April 4, 2019

My Birth Story

I've been meaning to write out Keegan's birth story, I don't want to forget a thing about that amazing day, or should I say dayS (this is your warning that this story is not short)!  This is a birth story and I'm not going to try to tone it down for blog purposes because I want to be able to look back and have all the details, so reader, you have been warned.

If you follow me on Insta, you know I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes early in my second trimester.  The diagnosis devastated me, I cried for several days but after meeting with a nutritionist, learning how to use a glucometer and ultimately being put on insulin, I adjusted fairly easily.  I also learned I would be induced at 39 weeks which I was surprisingly (or not) okay with.  I am a planner, I make as many lists as I can to stay organized and being able to plan out exactly how my birth would go put me at ease.  Of course he could've still decided to come on his own, but I was pretty sure he would be getting evicted, since first time moms tend to go over their due date.

Because Gestational Diabetes can cause additional issues, I had two extra ultrasounds scheduled, one around 29 weeks and one at 37 weeks.  The ultrasounds had two goals, to check my fluid levels, as Gestational Diabetes can cause high fluid levels (Polyhdramnios).  Polyhydramnios can lead to babies not being in the right position for birth, cord prolapse, and preterm labor to name a few risks, so it's important to make sure fluid levels are normal.  The ultrasounds were also to measure the baby's growth, as babies can grow bigger than normal in moms with GD.  The first ultrasound fluid levels measured great and so did Keegan's size.  The second ultrasound, fluid levels were again great, but they said Keegan was pretty big, almost 9 pounds.  I went home feeling fine (albeit slightly nervous to birth a 9+ pound baby), looking forward to being induced in just over two weeks.  

Later that day though, I got a voicemail from my doctor, saying the baby is really big and she would like to talk to me.  We talked that evening and once we hung up the phone I was in tears.  She said she estimated Keegan would be 4437 grams at birth (9.78 lbs) and started naming the risks of birthing big babies, and birthing babies of moms with GD.  The most concerning a broken clavicle (due to shoulders getting stuck) or even fetal fatality.  She said if I wanted I could elect a c-section, which are typically recommended when babies are estimating to be 4500 grams (9.9 lbs).  A C-SECTION!?  That is not what I wanted or envisioned for my birth story.  I felt so torn because I didn't want anything to happen to my baby if I "selfishly" chose to try a natural birth regardless of the risks I had been advised.  I cried so much that night.

I started doing tons of research, some of it frightened me, but mostly I started to feel more comfortable moving forward with an attempt at a natural birth.  I learned that doctors pretty much HAVE to offer a c-section, to eliminate any liability on their part.  I felt like I was always hearing of 9-10 pound babies being born and that I could do it.

Back to the big day(s), the induction was scheduled for December 27th at 9am (technically I was 39 weeks on the 25th but that was Christmas and they don't do inductions on Christmas) and I wanted to go in the day before my induction to have my membranes sweeped, in an attempt to do as much as possible to prepare my body to birth my baby boy.

On December 27th I woke up at 6:45, grabbed a cup of coffee and sat on the couch relaxing while Chris showered.  I called the hospital shortly before 7am to make sure they were okay to take me at 9am and they said come on in.  Chris took Guiness to camp (Camp Bow Wow, aka dog boarding) and I got in the shower.  I was surprisingly really calm and not at all nervous.  He got home and we had a healthy scrambled egg breakfast, packed the car and we were off.  The hospital is about 25 minutes from our house, it was so surreal that we were on our way to "go get our baby" as my uncle would say. 

We checked in at the desk and got called back shortly later.  We got our room, LDR 7, I got changed and they hooked me up to monitor the baby while they did my vitals.  



After an hour it was time to start the induction process, with the foley bulb catheter.  This is basically a tube with a balloon on the end that is placed above your cervix, the balloon is inflated with saline and puts pressure on your cervix which leads to dilation.  Every hour or so Chris and I walked the halls, which is super awkward in a robe with tubes hanging out your nether regions, but I knew staying active was the way to make things progress.  I had some slightly uncomfortable contractions throughout this process, but nothing regular.  We had lunch, watched The Proposal (which I actually napped through) then it was dinner time and I couldn't believe how long this was taking!

The bulb was removed after 12.5 hours, and the doctor said I was dilated to a 5!  I couldn't believe it, but was so happy.  The plan was to start me on pitocin, but first they monitored the baby more and got me a snack, since once pitocin was started I wouldn't be able to eat.  Pitocin was officially started at 11:15pm.  I was able to rest for a few hours, but contractions definitely started to pick up.  On one trip to the bathroom I lost the mucus plug, which is super gross, but made me so happy, things were progressing and by now it was already December 28th.  At 5:15am the doctor came and checked me and I was still a 5.  ONLY A FIVE?  I was pretty discouraged, but he said the foley bulb causes a mechanical dilation of the cervix and my body had to catch up, which is what it was doing.  He said it was time to break my water.  That was a weird, warm feeling....  

They continued to monitor the baby and boy did things start to get intense pretty quickly after my water was broke.  I was ready for an epidural by 6:15am.  I never planned on an unmedicated birth, I didn't even want to try and I'm glad I always had it in my mind to get an epidural because the pain at that point was unreal.  I was shaking, freezing, nauseas, it was rough.  It was so hard to sit through the epidural process, but once it was over they covered me with a warm blanket and I was SO happy.

Now that I was bed ridden, with the epidural, continuous blood pressure monitoring had to occur, and any bathroom trips had to be via catheter.  I was able to sleep on and off and around 8am I met a new doctor, who I will never forget.  I had breakfast consisting of a jello and diet ginger ale.  At 9am they checked me, still a 5.  I started to get a little nervous that I wasn't going to progress, but the staff seemed content and the nurses helped me change positions on the bed to hopefully help things along.  The most interesting position was around 11:30am, they got me on my knees and arms bent over a bean bag, on the bed.  At first it was okay, but then the pressure came, it literally felt like I was going to poop all over and I was horrified for that to happen.  The nurse had the doctor come check me and I was an 8, 100% effaced but a -1 station.

PROGRESS, finally.  I was back on my back and they called for an epidural booster because I could not stop my body from pushing, it seemed like it was doing it on it's own!  The boost helped take away some of the pressure pain.

Around 1pm we started to hear things happening in the room next door, and by things I mean grunting and screaming.  Talk about intimidating for a first timer.  I was convinced I would not be that wild but also scared about what was to come, but surely she was unmedicated, right?

2pm, I'm 10cm and it's time to push.  Even though it has been a day and a half, I couldn't believe I was about to push my baby out.  Pushing was, let's say, interesting.  We did three pushes for every contraction (maybe that's typical?).   At first it was hard timing them to occur during the peak of the contraction, but with the doctor's encouragement he was coming and soon I would know for sure my pushes were working because holy crap, the feeling of him crowning was insane.  It was painful and stressful and soon I was the lady next door grunting and screaming through contractions.  Prior to the pain of crowning the doctor talked me through what would happen if Keegan were to get stuck in the birth canal.  I remember her being so calm and understanding while explaining what could be a very scary experience for all of us.  She said if he got stuck a lot of people would be rushing in quickly bu it was important that I remain calm and focus on her for instructions.  I never felt scared because her bedside manor was perfect for a laboring mom. 

When the doctor started suiting up, and they dropped the bed (and apparently put down a tarp Chris told me after the fact) it was like an out of body experience.  I was about to have my baby.

At 4:23pm Keegan William West was born.  They put him on my stomach immediately, he was crying his head off!  I remember saying, "he's so cute, he's so cute" and I too cried my eyes out.  I was in total disbelief that I just had a baby and he was here with us.  I am literally tearing up just reflecting back on it now.



Keegan did not get stuck in the birth canal (I should've known but I did ask the doctor to be sure since the last little while of pushing was excruciating I don't even think I had conversations between contractions it was that intense).  I only had a small 1st degree tear, it was bleeding so the doctor did a couple stitches while Keegan was still on my chest.  At some point Chris cut the cord, I think probably before I was stitched up?  Keegan was moving his arms all around, the nurse had to hold them so he didn't get cut!  

Keegan was on my chest for over an hour, he had calmed down and it was the most glorious feeling of my life staring at him, looking at as much of him as I could, his little hands with long fingernails, cute nose, small ears and long hair on the back of his head.  I told the nurses that my family all did wagers on Keegan's birth weight, so we all took turns guessing how much he weighed, no one thought he looked as big as the ultrasounds estimated!  The nurses guessed high 8's, I guessed 9, Chris guessed


It turns out he weighed 9lbs 2oz and was 20.5 inches long.  After his vitamin K shot, eye ointment and other vitals were completed he was diapered, wrapped up and handed over to Chris while the nurses tended to me.  They removed the epidural and helped me to my feet for my first trip to the bathroom.  No need to get into those details, but I have to talk about my nurses who got me through the end of my labor, delivery of Keegan and the couple hours after.  Jamie and Jessica were their names, one was in training, as a labor and delivery nurse, the other seasoned veteran. They were seriously amazing and I will never forget them.


Just over two hours after Keegan was born we were being wheeled to the "Mother and Baby" unit at the hospital where we would stay until it was time to go home!  I hugged the nurses goodbye and choked back tears because they really were wonderful and I was so grateful for them.  I don't even know if I got to say goodbye to the doctor who delivered Keegan, but I did send her a thank you note, because she was that amazing and I am so grateful for her.

If you're still here, thank you for reading my birth story!  Stay tuned for a post about my first two months of motherhood and my newborn must have suggestions.  


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