Thursday, August 12, 2010

The birth story from Siobhan's perspective

Thank you to our many readers who faithfully voted in the name bracket. We hope to continue to post our stories, pictures and videos.

Well, our little boy decided to come out a little earlier than expected, three weeks earlier. Either he heard my request for him to come out earlier or he has a mind of his own already. That is another blog post for later on.

You can read in Garrett's blog about his side of the story and I will share with you all about my side. The days leading up to the birth, I was getting anxious and not feeling prepared to have a little one in our home. There seemed to be so much to be done and not enough time to get them done. I guess we were ready and all the other stuff was just extra preparation.

On Wednesday, I was not feeling well, kind of a carsick feeling. I thought that morning sickness was just the first trimester. I talked to my sister later that evening and told her about the feeling and how I had eaten mostly vegetables for meals. I just couldn't eat anything "heavy" or rich. My body may have already known that evening was going to be the night.

I waited for Garrett to return from Bible study while watching television and falling asleep. He came home to watch some news and then I had the sudden urge to use the restroom. He helped me walk to the bathroom and I did my business. I didn't have my glasses on so I didn't realize what was happening to my body. I called for Garrett to bring my glasses because "I think my water broke." Garrett came by with a shocked look and said Are you sure?. I replied, ""I don't know." I had no contractions at the time so I didn't think it was happening. So we called the nurse line to confirm that indeed my water broke and we should head to the hospital.

Oh another detail, I was stressing about writing a birthing plan the week prior. I felt that I didn't know what to write in one and I kept putting it off. Also, we had not talked with my OB about the birthing details and the steps to do when the water breaks. So that evening, I felt at a loss of what to do, a feeling that I will get to know very well in parenthood.

So after we gathered our belongings, the contractions started to begin. Slowly but surely, they were getting closer together and a little more intense. We walked into the emergency room and another contraction started. I couldn't talk to the lady behind the desk, so she told Garrett to take one of the wheelchairs. Garrett wheeled me to the OB triage. I was glad we went on the birth tour so that we knew exactly where to go. We arrived and the nurse hooked me up to a machine to monitor my contractions and the baby's heartbeat. It felt like forever for the nurses to see the pattern that my contractions were about a minute apart and intense as ever. So off to the birthing suite we go.

Room 555 was where the magic began. Now the contractions felt like they were coming less than a minute apart. Yes, I grabbed Garrett's arm for dear life. Since I was early, my OB did not check my cervix at a previous office visit. So the nurse had no idea where my cervix was at. The contractions were coming more frequent and my body would not allow for the nurse to check the cervix. So while the contractions were becoming more intense, I started to get lower back pain alongside with them. Oh they were fun! Plus, the nurse said, do not push. I was thinking, what was she talking about. As the contractions took over my body, I had to make an effort not to push. That was why I had to squeeze Garrett's arm so tight. Also, three nurses had to try to find a vein for the IV. Every time a contraction would come, they would pull back and have to try again. So there I was no IV, many contractions and no sight of an epidural anytime soon.

I was at the point where I didn't care where they put the IV just so that I could get that epidural. Contractions at this point were about 15 seconds apart and intense as ever. I heard the nurse getting the delivery table ready just in case I couldn't get that epidural. I felt that I might have to deliver a baby au natural. Oh dear, I didn't put that in my birthing plan.

The epidural was wonderful. Getting it was awful. I had to stay still through a contraction so he could get it in. Let me repeat, I had to stay very still with in fetal position so that he could get the needle in. Again, my head was thinking that would be impossible. Again more fingernails in Garrett's arm. Thanks birthing couch. I mean coach.

After the epidural, the time flew by waiting for the contractions and to push the baby out. We talked about the names and parenthood in between the contractions. It was pretty much a blur as we waited for his arrival. I appreciated Christine's presence as she prayed with us before the pushing began. I felt more relaxed and ready to deliver a baby.

Gideon came out after three hours of pushing and a vacumm to help him out. He laid on my chest with his hands folded together like they were in prayer position. That is the first memory that I have of our son, crying loudly with his hands together. Prayer has brought us our bundle of joy, Gideon and it will continue to uphold us together as a family.

(I'll write more later)

 

3 comments:

  1. awww i'm all teary eyed! i'm so happy! prayer is the best! :)

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  2. welcome gideon!! WHOOP!! you're a rockstar CC!! congratulations to you chans!

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  3. Just read this. What a great birth story!! I'm glad you wrote it while you still remembered...before sleep deprivation killed all your brain cells! :)

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