The kids and I hadn't really gone anywhere the week before she was born. We had stayed at home most days that week so by the time Saturday came around, I was eager to get out of the house. With Matt home on a Saturday we decided to go out and do something as a family. We thought about going to the zoo but it was bitterly cold and I didn't think I could walk that much being 39 weeks pregnant. Matt and I had been to the new Ikea the month prior and thought the kids might want to visit the store as well, so we all got ready for a family adventure to Ikea. I called one of the young women that I teach at church, Jenette, to see if she wanted to join our fun which she did so we picked her up on our way and drove the 1½ hours to the giant furniture store in Kansas.
Ikea was packed! We walked through the store surrounded by masses of other shoppers. We weren't planning to buy anything but it was still fun just to walk through the maze of the store see the different items they offered for sale. The kids were more interested in the pizza and soda we told them would be available at the end of our trek through the store. I could feel contractions as I was walking but this was normal for me. Whenever I did anything active I would feel contractions. I didn't think much of it at first. But by the end of the walk through Ikea the contractions were strong. I was surprised by their intensity. When we bought pizza and soda for lunch I had to sit down for a rest. The contractions were tiring.
Matt and some of the kids walked back to the freezing cold parking lot to bring the car around to the front of the store where Jenette, Klaus and I waited. While waiting I could still feel contractions and I also felt something leak from me which wasn't pee! I started wondering to myself, "Could I be in labor?!?!"
We drove towards my sister's house in South Kansas City to hang out with cousins. I wanted to take a picture of her and I with our big pregnant bellies. I figured if the contractions continued while I was sitting and resting in the car, then this could be the real thing! If the contractions abated, then labor was not imminent. We took a scenic route through some real nice areas of Kansas and then through downtown Kansas City. The contractions continued and I felt like it would be a better idea to drive towards home than to drive further south to my sister's house. We texted back and forth and she called me a "lucky bum" that I felt I might be in labor. (She is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her eighth baby, Maggie's soon-to-be-born boy cousin).
Now we were driving north toward home again and I timed the contractions. They were about 2 minutes apart and they were increasing in intensity not decreasing with inactivity. This could really be it! I was getting excited! I called our babysitters to see if either of them were available to watch our older kids but one family was sick with strep throat and the other family wasn't answering their telephone. We made alternative plans with Jenette's family. We'd drop off Jenette and drop our kids off too. Then their mom could be in touch with our babysitter's mom to get our kids for the evening.
We stopped in Kearney to drop off and pick up books at the library and for a bathroom break. We all had drunk a lot of lingonberry soda for lunch! When I went to the bathroom, I lost the mucous plug and had a little bit of bleeding. I knew then that this was labor for sure!
Matt sped towards home when I told him I felt this was the real deal. I did not want to get to the hospital in Chillicothe too late to get an epidural. I wanted to get there quickly! The contractions were getting stronger, still about 2 minutes apart. We dropped off the kids and zoomed to the hospital which was another 30-40 minute drive.
About 5 pm we got to the hospital which felt deserted. There were not many people around. I was put on the monitors and checked by a quiet and petite nurse, Martha, who determined I was about 2-3 cm dilated. That surprised me because I felt the contractions were strong enough to put me further dilated. She called my doctor, Dr. Peniston, who advised me to walk around the hospital to see if I would progress further. Matt and I explored the hospital and I felt the contractions get stronger and stronger. By 6 pm, they were strong enough that they hurt and I had to stop and breathe through the pain. Matt made further babysitting arrangements on the cell phone during our walk through the hospital. The kids would be well cared for Saturday night and even into Sunday afternoon.
When we came back to the OB department I had progressed to 4 cm dilated and my water had broken! I began leaking fluid everywhere! I was admitted to the hospital and changed rooms. This delivery room was bigger and nicer than a hotel room! There were huge windows lining one whole wall. There was a couch and a recliner and of course all of the medical equipment needed for labor and delivery. The contractions were painful and I had to stop to concentrate on breathing through them.
I had made it clear to Martha that I wanted an epidural and I didn't want to miss my window of opportunity for an epidural and that I usually delivered quickly so the next nurse who was in charge of me, Sarah, got blood work ordered and all other details necessary for receiving an epidural. I was told that Anesthesiologist Joe was on his way. He explained the procedure to me and got me all set up by 7 pm-ish. The contractions were strong and painful but they quickly went pain-free with the spinal and epidural and Fentanyl he gave me. He gave me a spinal because I had mentioned I progress quickly through labor and didn't think the epidural would reach low enough quick enough to prevent pain during delivery. The contractions continued on the monitor but I couldn't feel a thing. I laid back when the epidural was placed and felt great. If the baby had been born a boy, I think I would've called him Joe. That's how grateful I was for the pain relief!
Nurse Sarah checked me and commented that sure enough, some women progress quickly when an epidural is used. This was a fear I had discussed with her previously, that the epidural which I had never had before would slow progress down. Without telling me that I was fully dilated and ready for delivery, she ordered that Dr. Peniston be called right away. I thought that meant I might be close but honestly, I was just so happy to be pain free that I didn't really care what was happening in my body. I really felt so relieved the epidural was working.
Apparently, 5-10 minutes after calling the doctor, the baby's head crowned and Nurse Sarah then ordered that the ER doctor be called upstairs because Dr. Peniston hadn't shown up yet. This all happened within minutes. But even the ER doctor couldn't walk up the stairs in time to catch Maggie. Her head came out and I didn't feel a thing. Sarah asked me to give a little push. I strained the tiniest bit and out she slipped into Sarah's hands. The ER doctor walked in (TOO LATE!) and minutes later Dr. Peniston showed up. I caught a glimpse that the baby was indeed a baby girl and I was full of relief at her birth, gratitude at her health and wonder and awe at the miracle of life. The baby's nurse, Kelli, put her immediately on my chest and we had over an hour of skin-to-skin bonding time and nursing.
Her birth was incredible. She literally slipped out of me. It was pain-free. She was healthy. She was perfect. She was smart. She was busy sucking on her fingers. I felt so much love for her! Daddy called the older siblings to let them know Maggie was born. What an amazing experience it was.
3 comments:
What a GREAT story!! Exactly what I wanted to hear for you Rhyetta!!
Even though I'd heard it already, I loved reading it again. What a happy birth story.
Megan says you're going to have to change your blog name.
Yay! Thanks for the story. I'm so glad you got the birth you were hoping for and planning on. That can be so healing after a traumatic birth! She's so lovely! Congratulations
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