As you all already know, Avery Marie was born on September 9, 2012. What you may not know is how and why she was brought into the world early. It's taken me a few weeks to learn how to be a new mom, so this post is a few weeks late! This is a long post, so I apologize in advance. I just want to include as much of the details that I can remember before I forget it all!!
In June I called the hospital to schedule us for a child birth class. This class involved breathing exercises, breastfeeding info, infant care, and a hospital tour. When I called in June, I found out that these classes are booked very quickly, and the earliest we could get in was September 8th. I did the math, and realized I'd only be 36 weeks pregnant, so I wasn't too worried about it being so close to my due date.
Fast forward to Friday, September 7th. I had my regular OB appointment (See previous blog post). They took my blood pressure, and since it had been high for a while now, my doctor put me on bed rest. I asked if I could still attend my child birth class, and they told me it wouldn't be a problem. I just needed to bring my portable BP machine and continue to take my BP throughout the day. If it was persistently high, then to leave class and head home to rest.
The next morning, Saturday, September 8th, I woke up and took my BP. It was within the normal range (for me), so we headed out to our class. I remember telling Neal, "I really feel like we should be bringing our hospital bags with us, just in case." (I guess my instincts we spot on!!! LOL) Needless to say, we didn't bring the bags... The morning was great. I was enjoying the class and felt like I was actually learning some things! Then it was time for lunch. Since I was supposed to be on bed rest, we decided to stay at the hospital and eat at the cafeteria, so I could rest. I ordered a burger and a vegetable medley (My last meal before her arrival). I took my BP before I ate and it was pretty high, so I thought maybe I just needed to eat something. So I took it again after I ate, but it was still high.
When class was about to start up again after lunch, Neal pulled the instructor aside, who is also a labor and delivery (L&D) nurse, and asked her opinion on what I should do. She seemed very concerned and told me to call the emergency line and let them know my BP was elevated. She even suggested that I head up to L&D since we're already at the hospital anyway. Since I'm hard headed, I decided to wait a little longer and test it at the next break. I'm glad we waited because in the next session, an anesthesiologist came in and walked us through how an epidural worked. He really put my mind at ease regarding getting an epi, and I realized it wasn't as scary as people claim it to be. After that session, I took my BP again, and it was climbing even higher. At that point, I started to freak out! So I took the instructor's advice and called the emergency line. They told me to head up to L&D. Luckily, we were already at the hospital!
When we got there, they sent me to a very small room, where there was another patient already being monitored. She was behind a curtain, but I could hear her little one's heart beat on the monitor (such a sweet sound!). They hooked me up to the monitors and left the room. It was taking my BP every 10 minutes. So, as I watched my BP, I thought they would surely send me home and continue my bed rest. So I decided to call my mom and let her know we left the class and came to L&D, but for her to NOT worry because I'll probably be out of there soon. As I'm telling her this, the doctor walks in, so I handed over the phone to Neal. The doctor has the sweetest voice, and it is very calming, but she was VERY rude to me. The first thing she says was, "What part of being on bed rest makes you think you could come to this class?" I told her my doctor was ok with it. She then tells me, without sugar coating anything, that they were going to induce me. Of course I didn't completely understand everything, so I said, "When?" She said, "Today." My heart sank. This was NOT in my plan. I was supposed to go to the birthing class, that's it! I wasn't supposed to have a baby that day! She then gives me specific instructions that I'm not allowed to be on my phone, I can't have visitors, the room must stay very quiet, etc. as to not raise my blood pressure any more. Another shock for me. How was I supposed to stay off my phone???
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| Last photo of the belly! This was taken before I found out I was being induced. |
So they transferred me from the tiny room that I shared with the anonymous girl, to a labor and delivery room, which was a lot bigger and much nicer! This is when reality hit me. This is the room where I'm going to have this baby. The nurse turns on the tv, but puts it on a channel that had black and white squiggly lines and was playing calming music. Wanting to change the channel, they told me I couldn't because I needed to keep as calm as possible... So NO phone, NO tv and NO talking??? Are they trying to kill me??
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| They had all this pumping into me! |
So around 4:30pm, they started my induction. Before the induction, they told me I was already dilated to 2cm and 80% effaced (Just the day before, I was only at 1cm dilated and 50% effaced, so my body was already progressing on its own). This is when they also informed me that as soon as I started feeling labor pains, they were giving me an epidural. They didn't want my BP to spike, and if I'm in any pain, my BP would definitely increase. So around midnight, even though I don't recall telling them that I was in pain, they brought in the anesthesiologist for my epidural. When he walked in, we immediately recognized him! It was the same anesthesiologist from our class earlier that day! Since everything was still fresh in my mind, I'd like to think I was a good patient for him, since I knew exactly what to do, and how he wanted me to sit, etc. However, the medication made me VERY shaky and nauseous, so as soon as they had me sit up, anything that was left over of my lunch, was coming up! (This was the only time I threw up)
After the epidural, I felt so much better. And so I continued to labor throughout the night. Around 4 or 4:30am on September 9th, the nurse came in to check me. She told me I was dilated about 4.5cm and that my water was about to break, so she basically broke it with her hand. I was starting to get excited because things were progressing slowly, but they were progressing! Then around 6 or 6:30am, she came back to check me again. What she said next, I don't think Neal or I will ever forget. She said, "What's this? I think I feel something soft. I think I just put my finger in a butt hole." I immediately freaked out! This can NOT be happening! The doctor was confident that the baby was head down with this all began. So Neal said, "Are you sure you didn't put your finger in her mouth?" So she checked again. She then called in another nurse for a second opinion. She couldn't verify if it was a head or a butt. So a THIRD nurse came in to the room. She checked me as well. They then decided to bring in an ultrasound tech. The tech wasn't able to verify with a sonogram if she was head up or down, so they then brought in a BIGGER ultrasound machine. That was when I got the terrible news that she was breech. At this point, my room was full of nurses that had been scratching their heads, so I tried to remain calm. I think I remember asking, "SO I guess this means I have to have a c-section?" But I don't remember getting a response because I already knew the answer to my own question.
When the nurses left the room, I lost it. I remember crying thinking that I did NOT want a c-section. I remember telling Neal, "I can have this baby vaginally. Other women have had a breech baby vaginally before, I can do it!" But I knew they wouldn't let me. I was trying to find ANY reason to NOT have a c-section. But what made me the most upset was the fact that they let me labor for 14 hours!!
The next 30 minutes were all a blur. I remember being wheeled into the operating room, where I had to climb on to the operating table (not easy when you've had an epidural). And I remember talking to the anesthesiologist. I remember lying there naked from the chest down thinking, "Well, this is awkward." I remember them putting up the sheet so I couldn't see what they were doing. I remember it feeling like FOREVER before Neal showed up. I also remember feeling them cut into me. Ok, I didn't feel the pain, but it felt like someone with REALLY sharp fingernails was poking at my stomach. I also remember my entire body being jerked around. Even Neal made a comment about how much my body was moving around. They were really doing a number on me down there. No wonder they put up that sheet!! I also remember having to pee REALLY bad, even though I had a catheter. I asked the anesthesiologist if it was normal because it was extremely painful. The next thing I remember was seeing them take Avery into the other room. I didn't hear her cry. They didn't show her to me. They didn't even let me look at her before they whisked her away. They just took her to the other room. They didn't let Neal go in there right away either. (We found out later that Avery wasn't breathing. Glad I found out AFTER the fact, otherwise I'm not sure how I would have reacted!) They then told Neal he could go in and take pictures. After what seemed like hours, Neal finally brought her out to me. I remember looking at her for the first time, and just crying! ANNNDDD that's all I remembered. They next thing I remember I was back in my room.
Avery Marie Johnson born:
9-9-12
7:00am
7lbs, 19 3/4"
Head circumference 13"
Chest circumference 13"
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| She looks bored, like she's ready to get home!! |
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| My poor baby's breech legs! |
