Birth Stories

PRESLEY'S BIRTH STORY

Presley's birth was the craziest event I've ever experienced. It's now nearly 6 months later that I'm writing his story...better late than never. I also need to recollect Trinity's birth story after this, which may be much more difficult considering I was on a million drugs for hers.

August 8, 2010 (Sunday) - 3 days past my due date

Sunday afternoon (between 1 and 2pm) my Mother and I took a walk around the block with Trinity in the double stroller (yet occupied by single traveler). It was common for me to have back spasms while on walks, but these felt a little different than usual. VERY subtel and barely recognizable, yet present. I figured that they would sustain as soon as we returned from our walk, as usual, and that nothing would come from it.

We returned from our walk and like I thought, the spasms seemed to halt as soon as I sat down. My mother left and I decided to watch TV. Georgianne (my mother-in-law) was staying with us during this time and I believe she was at her sewing machine in the kitchen, Chris was sleeping (he was working night shifts), and Trinity was doing only God knows what (a puzzle I think?). As I settled into the couch, I eventually noticed that I could feel faint spasms still in my lower back that would come and go at no regular interval, but they were so faint, I could easily ignore one.

But, just in case, I decided to take a shower (it was about 4 or 5 pm by now). I had read many birth stories where women decided to shower in their early stages of labor and to get "ready" for there big moment. I definitely wanted to be more photogenic than I had been with Trinity (I looked like I had been raised from the dead by the time it was over). I took a long shower and did the whole 9 yards...shaved everything I could reach, put lotion on my entire body, blow dried and straightened my hair, and touched up my fingernails, toe nail polish, and make-up (don't judge!).

It was during the time I was straightening my hair that I realised the spasms were starting to become more regular, regular enough to make me believe this was going to be it.

I double checked our bags, and waited for Chris to wake-up. I honestly can't even remember what we had for dinner, but I think it was chili...

Around 7 I finally decided to tell Chris. I woke him up and said that I was having continuous back spasm and they weren't going away. He called his boss and told him that he wouldn't be coming into work that night. I was hesitant for Georgianne to find out cause I still wasn't completely positive this was the real thing, and didn't want anyone to be disappointed in case it was a false alarm.

I put Trinity to bed around 8 or 8:30 p.m. The spasms were starting to get even more distracting at that point. I had a hard time reading and had to stop every once in awhile. I decided not to say anything to Trinity, because I wanted to her sleep peacefully (but she didn't when she woke up and realised we were gone).

I can't remember what time what happened after that, but I eventually decided we should watch a movie to keep my mind off of the slow progression. We watched Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. At one point during the movie I stopped feeling the spasms, but I think it was the position I was sitting in. I was starting to get excited at this point, and didn't want the feeling to go away so I was purposely staying in a position that made me feel the pain. I bounced on the exercise ball for awhile, did some stretching, and drank lots of water.

We called the doctor after the movie and told him the status (5 minutes apart for the last couple of hours). He said it sounded like early labor still and it was up to us whether we wanted to go to the hospital now or later (I believe this was around midnight). Chris did all the talking to the doctor, I was in the zone and didn't want to talk to a doctor I'd never met (our doctor was on vacation). The back spasms (I guess I can start calling them contractions at this point, but it was back labor from the beginning) at this point required much of my attention, but I was able to recover immediately in between.

At first we were hesitant for leaving so early because Trinity took 3 days (yes 3!!) and we didn't want to be turned away from the hospital. But, after everything I'd read about second births, and how much faster they progress, and an intuitive feeling, I decided we should leave.

The drive was difficult, but not awful. It takes about 15 minutes to get to the hospital from our house. From the very get go, the bumps and turns were not very pleasant. I would get very quiet when having a contraction, which drove Chris crazy, but that was how I dealt with the pain...focus. They were still mild, but very consistent about 4 minutes apart.

We arrived at the hospital and went in through the ER. I was wheel chaired to our room and met our first nurse. She hooked me up, checked the baby, and checked me...Only 2cm dilated. I was only slightly surprised, like I said, Trinity took 3 days. She recommended we walk around for at hour and see if I progress, if I dilated more I would be admitted, if I didn't progress, then it was time to go home. Little did we know that within the next two hours, we'd be parents, again.

We did laps around the maternity ward for about 50 minutes. My contractions went from mild to..., "I don't think I can do this without drugs". Chris was an absolute trooper and massaged/pushed my lower back during a contractions as the intensity began to increase. The familiar stabbing and twisting back labor pain was only getting worse with every step I took. We got back to the room, the nurse checked me, and I was between 4 and 5 cm, in 50 minutes!! Let me tell you that laying on your back is the most uncomfortable position ever when your in labor. HORRIBLE! and the nurse kept getting mad at me cause I would want to stand up or bend over to relieve the pain!! Hello!! Needless to say, I was admitted. Chris called his mom and told her we were staying, and I think he sent a text to my mom and my sister. He rushed to get our bags while the nurse also rushed to get me set up for an IV drip to prepare for an Epidural.

I was left alone, by my self, with the worst pain I had experienced yet. It gets slightly fuzzy after this point. I stood up I think most of the time they were gone, and leaned on the rocking chair to soothe during the contractions. My eyes were closed nearly ever time I had a contraction, the lights were bright, the room was dead quiet, and all I could do was stand there and rock. I was just about to burst into tears when Chris came back and the doctor said she had Stadol if I wanted it. YES PLEASE. The nurse came in to hook me up to an IV which she did while I was standing, thank you, and then I had to sign some paperwork for the medications. The nurse hooked me up to the monitors again to check the baby, and...again I was told to stop crouching over cause now the monitors were having a hard time picking up the baby...ok ok.

The pain at this point was putting me at my breaking point. I was sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, and out of no where, my entire body lifted and did like a "wave" if you will. I think I said something like, "Oh my GOD my body just pushed!". I stood up, and then I peed, haha, and my water broke, just a tinkling, and I said "I think I just peed!".

Time for another check. On my back, not again.....I closed my eyes, put my hands on my lower back and pushed on them into my back as hard as I could while in this position. Not "pushing" for the baby, but pushing my hands into my back to relieve the pain. She checked me and I was FULLY dilated. Goodbye stadol, goodbye epidural, not gonna happen. I almost lost it. I wanted to start sobbing and was in so much pain! I can't even describe the shock of knowing that I was gonna have to do this on my own, without drugs, which was what I wanted, but NOT AT THIS PRICE. Back labor is the WORST. My body once again did the "wave" and get this, the nurse says, "Don't Push! The doctor isn't here yet!". Um, ok, I did my best not to push, but REALLY? She told me to start taking short breaths and breath through the contractions without pushing...that lasted for...one minute..then....hello the baby is crowning!!! I was on by back which was the LAST position I wanted to be in, but I was in too much pain to move. My legs were being held by Chris and the NURSE was down there about to deliver my baby! She gave me the go ahead to start pushing which I probably didn't do for more than a couple of minutes before the baby's head was out. Then the panic set in. The nurse looked at me straight in the eye and said, "Melissa, you need to push NOW," and then Chris said, "Push, babe, push! You need to push!" I took a deep breath and just pushed with all my might!

(I wasn't aware at the time, but Chris said that the nurse was pulling on his head and he just wouldn't come out!)

And then he was here, on my belly. Bright blue and crying a beautiful cry. His lungs were suctioned and the nurses cleaned him off while he lay there. And all the pain was gone, like nothing had happened. Chris cut the umbilical cord, we wrapped him up and he instantly started nursing. He was beautiful. Full head of hair, eyes wide open, looking right at me. I was bursting with cheer!

10 minutes later the doctor shows up. "Couldn't wait for me?" he asked. Very funny. He delivered the placenta, and said I didn't need any stitches. He cleaned me up and that was that. Presley nursed for about 15 minutes and then the nurses took him to clean him up some more. He weighed 9 lbs 8 oz! Big boy! and was 22.5 inches long.

He wiggled around a lot while he was being weighed and then she cleaned him up some more. The nurse got a little waterfall in the face at this time, haha (that's for pulling on his neck!!). By the time he was diapered and clothed under the heat lamp, he was fast asleep.

I felt wonderful afterwards. I was alert, in minimal pain, and in disbelief of how fast it all happened. We were admitted at 1:00 a.m., and he was born just before 3:00 a.m. He just couldn't wait to meet his parents!

TRINITY'S BIRTH STOY

I love my daughter. She's everything I could possibly hope for and she gets more amazing every day. She lights up this family in a way I never could have anticipated. I have regrets on how she was brought into this world, but I know at the time, it was the best I could do.

Trinity was due on September 26, 2006. Labor began on Friday, September 28 in the a.m. hours. At the time, we lived in Los Osos and I was at home by myself in our apartment. That weekend happened to be the same weekend my dad was in town from Fresno doing a century ride on highway 1. The entire pregnancy with Trinity had been very uneventful...no complications, no surprises, just a 50 lbs weight gain on my end (and Chris too, lol), but otherwise 100% healthy.

Chris was at work, so the first person I called was my Mom. She was in Fresno, but as soon as I told her I was having contractions, she freaked out and did everything she could to leave immediately. In fact, when she went to fill her gas tank, she was in such a flurry that she left the gas station with the pump still in her tank! She told me to call my Dad and have him get to the apartment as soon as he could. Unfortunately, "as fast as you can" doesn't mean much when you're on a bicycle and have been riding for 4 or 5 hours already. Nevertheless, he arrived at the apartment around noon. I can't recall the intensity at this point, but I think I was more scared than anything. I was barely 20 years old, and about to become a Mother. I also remember that the contractions were nothing like I imagined them to feel like. The pain was centered in my lower back and no where near my stomach. I had not read much about back labor, so I didn't realise what I was in for.

My Dad took me to the hospital (Chris was still working) mid-afternoon so we could find out if I was indeed in labor and that everything was ok. I was hooked up to the monitors and described to them what I was feeling and where. No one said anything to me that what I was feeling was back labor. But, the nurse DID tell me that I wasn't dilating and that I should leave and come back when the contractions were at least 5 minutes apart and more intense.

I was severely disappointed. I was ready for that baby to come out! and I was done being pregnant!

My Dad and I drove back to Los Osos, and I'm pretty sure that I had to hold back years. Once my Mom got there, and Chris got home, we all decided to walk to the Mexican Restaurant down the street for dinner. I remember walking with my Mom, ever so slowly, and clenching my teeth whenever I got a contraction. We all sat down and within minutes my Mom was telling the waitress that I was currently in labor and that we might have to leave at any minute. The waitress mentioned she was CPR certified in case we would need her...For what? I don't know. I ordered a burrito, added lots of hot sauce, and gradually worked my way through about half of it. I was ready to go back home. I was tired and knew I should rest, if possible.

Turns out that trying to sleep while your in labor is not easy, no matter how tired you are. I struggled so much that I couldn't make it through the night. I woke up Chris in the early a.m. (2 or 3) and told him to call our doctor because the contractions were intense enough that I couldn't sleep and was absolutely miserable.

We drove to the hospital and told them that I needed something to help me sleep until labor kicked into higher gear. I was given Morphine. Now, the point was to help me rest and take the edge off the pain. Well, the pain decreased, and I was much more relaxed, but sleep....did not happen. I layed there trying to sleep for hhooouuuuurssssss!!! When I started to get close to sleep, I'd feel the faint twinges of a contraction and it'd wake me right up.

The whole day thereafter is absent in my memory. I have no idea what happened on Saturday, or even Saturday night for that matter! I've waited too long to write this and that's what I get. I'm pretty sure I was given another dosage of Morphine to get through the night though.

Sunday I was given an epidural. I had finally progressed enough that afternoon to "qualify" for one. The epidural was like a gift from God. Other than the fear of being paralyzed from having a needle shoved within inches of my spine, once it was over, it was like nothing could get me down. Hours more went by before my doctor came in and said that it as time to start pushing. "Really? I'm dilated? I can't feel a thing, but ok." That's exactly how I felt. The nurse had to tell me when to push cause all ability to feel was lost. I noticed that right around the time I was ready to push, I started getting chills and shaking. I had a fever, and knew it before the nurses and before my doctor. Right before it was time to start pushing they took my temperature and it was 101. Not dangerously high, but definitely needed to be monitored. Pushing wasn't painful at all. It was more uncomfortable than anything. Chris was holding one leg and I couldn't quite get him in the right position. The nurse on the other side kept moving around and asking me to hold my leg myself periodically. After about 5-8 minutes of pushing they took my temperature again it had jumped over 105. My doctor kept her calm really well, but I could tell that my fever was putting the baby in jeopardy and she needed to get out. I pushed her out in about 15 minutes from start to finish....if you know anything about pushing while on an epidural, 15 minutes is pretty darn good!

Trinity came out very quietly. She was purple! And very slimy! I remember once she came out that I sighed a huge loud sigh of relief. I had done it, she was here, she was alive, and I was still alive, but absolutely exhausted and ready to pass out. I got to hold Trinity and attempted to nurse for about 5 minutes before they took her away to check her out more carefully. She had swallowed meconium and had been exposed to my fever long enough to cause concern and reasoning for a few tests.

She was exactly 9.0lbs and 22 inches. She had bright blue eyes and barely any hair. She was a little doll. Unfortunately she tested positive for an infection in her stomach and I had to stay in the hospital for a week while she was given antibiotics. That week was the longest week of my life! All I wanted was to take my baby home and I couldn't. After 7 additional days however, she was finally cleared and our journey as parents could continue in our quiet Los Osos setting.