My Birth Story

Brooke is sleeping on my chest as I type this. I love life. :)

Tuesday, April 16th was my due date. Jeremy and I drove up to Pocatello to see my doctor. I had been feeling some contractions, but wasn't sure if I was in labor or not. I got checked, and I was still 0 cm dilated, 0% effaced, and my cervix was high and posterior. My body was not at all in labor. My doctor is awesome, and said we can wait another week to see what happens, we talked about inducing, setting a date for a C-section if nothing happens, and then he left so Jeremy and I could talk about it. I was actually the one who brought up doing a C-section the next day. I had been super uncomfortable, and if my body hadn't gone into any kind of labor at 40 weeks, it seemed unlikely I would in the next week. I did feel like I was throwing in the towel and that my natural-birth friends would think I had given in too early. I'm also probably being much too harsh on them. But there was that sense of failing to do it on my own. But Jeremy and I weighed pros and cons, prayed, and felt that a C-section was the right option, and that we should get it done as soon as possible so I could start healing sooner. That choice might have saved my life.

We scheduled the C-section for 6:30 the following morning, and we had to be there by 5:00, so we had to leave Malad at 4:00. I didn't sleep much thanks to my restless leg syndrome, but we made it. I was still having some contractions, but they weren't too bad. My spinal block (anesthesia) took forever to kick in, and never fully kicked in, so I was really uncomfortable and in some pain. General anesthesia wasn't an option because of my cold, so they did their best to work quickly and as soon as Brooke was out they loaded me up with drugs. My recovery has been uneventful, and Brooke scored a 9 on the Apgar and is continuing to do great. I'm in more pain than I remember being with Tayvin, but I've also been on my feet sooner and eating sooner. And breastfeeding is actually causing the most pain because of the uterine contractions, which are a lot stronger than they were with Tayvin. My actual incision doesn't hurt much at all.

So, how did this C-section save our lives? When Brooke was delivered, not only was the cord wrapped around her neck twice, but there was a true knot in the cord. If we had delivered vaginally, that knot could have been pulled tight and cut off the blood supply.

But the big one was that my uterus was almost paper-thin. The doctor had to sew me up very delicately. If I had delivered vaginally, or if they had induced me at all, there is a very high chance my uterus would have ruptured. Uterine ruptures have a very high rate of infant death, and can cause death in the mother due to hemorrhaging. So while I may have wanted a VBAC, I know the Lord was saving our lives when He inspired Jeremy and me to go with this C-section. Even my doctor (who is also LDS), called this a miracle.

I am so thankful that even though I was in more pain than I should have been, it's nothing compared to actual labor. All you ladies who have been able to deliver naturally, you are amazing. It just wasn't in the cards for me, and I'm ok with that. I'm glad to be alive and have this beautiful little girl in my life. If a C-section is what it takes to make that happen, then so be it. :)

Also, we had been planning on naming her Bridget, and of course this time we told everyone so, but Brooke has been the second name on our list. The night before she was born Jeremy and I were talking about her name and thought Bridget Brooke would be nice. But after she was born Jeremy kept accidentally calling her Brooke, and after I awoke from the haze of anesthesia I saw that she didn't look like a Bridget at all. So we have our little Brooke. :)

Place Your Bets!

Alright.

It's go time.

My due date is on Tuesday. In two days.

I have a Dr. appointment on Tuesday, so we'll get to see if I've progressed at all. But until then, I'm taking guesses as to when baby girl will come.

Just so you have some info: I was barely dilated a week ago. At her last ultrasound she was measuring 3 days behind her due date.

I'm guessing she'll come on the 19th. Mostly because I think it would be kinda cool if my kids were exactly 3 1/2 years apart.

What do you think?

Preparing for the Jump

I went to the doctor again yesterday and am barely, maybe dilated. But honestly, that's a good thing. Jeremy is taking his boards today, and then he leaves tomorrow for Grangeville, ID for a job interview and won't be back until Thursday evening. So baby girl can wait until then to come. (And if any burglar-y types want to come over while Jeremy is gone, I've been itching to use my shotgun.)

After that, we have a week of waiting for baby. And then Jeremy has another interview on the 24th. So baby, you have between the 12th and the 23rd to make an appearance so Daddy can be there. Sound good?

I'm bored, so I blog

I have been pretty bored lately. All the baby clothes are washed, folded and organized in their drawers. The diaper genie pail has been washed and loaded with a new bag. I finished some headbands, and am close to being done with the quilt I've been working on. We have the swing, bouncer, car seat, and bassinet all ready to go. Well, I've been holding off on setting up the bassinet so it won't take up so much space in our room, but I have the bassinet sheets all ready to go on it as soon as we do set it up (I've been itching to put it up. Resist!). We have diapers, wipes, receiving blankets, a couple flannel blankets, the blanket I crocheted, and two more my Mom bought, just in case. My mother bird nesting instincts are kicking in, and I have nothing more to nest! So I blog. :)

I've been a little bummed every time I look at my hands because they are naked. My fingers have been swelling on and off lately so Jeremy asked me to take my rings off so we don't have to worry about them cutting off any circulation. I almost never take off my wedding ring, unless I'm making meatloaf or working with really sticky dough, so it's been weird to not have it on. :(

But, I have things to be happy about:

There are a ton of birds going to town outside my window scratching in the dirt and taking dust baths. Starlings, robins, sparrows, titmouses, and they're all pretty cute.

It's warm outside! Tayvin and I went to the park today and he had a blast.

Jeremy is home! At least, when he's not studying.

Our laptop lives! Tayvin splashed some orange juice on it this morning and I nearly died when I saw. After cleaning it all up and blow-drying the keyboard just in case, it still works.

I have crunchy ice! The local burger place called The Drive-In has crunchy ice like Sonic, so that craving has been fulfilled.

I got to eat the last three mint Oreos.

I laid down on Jeremy's Mom's couch and it was the most comfortable I've felt lying down in weeks.

I made a whole bunch of strawberry jam yesterday and it set b.e.a u-tifully.

I have a gallon of frog-eye salad to enjoy. (It sounds gross, but it's tiny pastas with vanilla pudding, whipped cream, marshmallows, and assorted fruit. Totally delicious right now.)

I just checked out several new books, including the sequel to Stargirl, one of my favorite books, and didn't even know it existed. Or if I did, I had forgotten, so I was still excited to see it at our tiny library.

My little baby girl is still moving around and doing well. That really makes everything worth it.

Waiting for Baby

Jeremy, Tayvin and I headed up to Pocatello today to see my OB/GYN and for me to get checked. I am at 38 weeks, and my cervix isn't dilated at all. Phooey. But I did start having Braxton-Hicks contractions yesterday, so that's a step in the right direction. Two weeks to go! (I hope...)