Amelia's Birth Story

I do not know about you, but I love to read birth stories.  I love to read about the unique way each little life comes into this world.  The beginning of these tiny little lives is an exciting time.  Some babies come with a huge bang and some come quickly and quietly. The stories of their beginnings seem to mirror the life they will live. Each of my babies has a unique story of the day they were born.  I will never forget any of those five days. They are all special to me.  Before Eli, I had never actually sat down and written about those special days.  Now, I go back and read Eli's just to remember sometimes.  I guess I need to at some point write down Jay, Cooper, and Lucie Rose's story just to have and be able to look back at. 

So, Saturday, March 19, when I posted a blog, I had no idea that I would really have Amelia the next day.  I did know that I was having some really strong contractions but I had been having them off and on for a couple of weeks.  Well, by Saturday night these contractions were lining up and getting consistent. I went to the handy dandy little web-site that has a contraction timer and began timing them.  They were 5-8 minutes apart when I decided I would call the doctor.  We had just put the kiddos to bed when the doctor called back and told me to come on in and get checked out.  I live about an hour from the hospital and he did not want to take any chances.  My doctor was out of town that weekend :(.  We got the kiddos up and took them to my sister's house. (I love my sister) Once the babies had been taken care of, we headed on to the hospital.  Thank goodness I had shaved my legs and gotten my toes done earlier in the day!!! This time we took our bags with us because at this point I kinda had a feeling that I would be staying.
In the car, on the way to the hospital I was having contractions about three minutes apart.  I kept this little tidbit to myself because I did not want Jamie to think he needed to travel any faster than he was. I knew that it was not imperitive that we get there super fast.  Once we got to the L&D floor of the hospital, I was taken to a room where I went through the routine of answering questions, changing clothes, and getting checked.  By this time I had not had one contraction since entering the room and getting into bed and I was bummed to learn that I was not any more dialated than I had been two weeks earlier, which was about 1cm but not thinned out any. It would be about thirty minutes after arriving before I had anymore contractions. I was given fluids to see if that would stop the contractions and I was also offered a shot to stop them, which I initially refused.  Jamie and I both were just tired of going up and getting shots to stop the contractions and had decided not to take anymore. About an hour after initially refusing the shot the nurse came in and was more insistent on giving the shot to see what would happen.  I decided to take it and just see what happened.  It stopped contractions for about two hours and then they started back again.  I was then offered another and I flat refused it this time. I was very frusterated by this point. My cervix had not changed any. This was about time for shift change Sunday morning, and to my surprise, the nurse that I had with Eli came in and was going to be taking over for this shift.  She is an awesome person and nurse.  I was so thrilled and happy to see her.  I will also say that the nurses I had when I went in the night before were all really good.  One of them told me that she was working the night I had Eli also. Another of them was working the day I had Lucie Rose.    
Around the time of shift change, my contractions were beginning to really pick up and and were about two to three minutes apart.  I had previously been told that I was probably going home as soon as the doctor okayed it.  Now, we were not so sure.  A, my nurse decided at this point to check my cervix once more and to our surprise I was beginning to dialate more and had progressed a centimeter since last being checked. I was told that was enough to get me a ticket to the OR for a c-section.  A called the doctor and told him what was going on and he was then on his way.  Everything really kicked into high gear after that.  There was blood work to be done, surgery prep to be done (that stuff they make you drink before a section is AWFUL), and people to call. The doctor came in and checked me again and I had dialated another 1/2 centimeter.  Before I knew it A was parking a stretcher in my room for my ride down to OR.  This c-section was so different than the one I had with Eli.  There was no sense of hurry or panic...no tears...I was awake this time...I was going to get to keep this baby...So many differences... There was a sense of De-ja-vu, being wheeled down to the OR.  Once in the operating room, things were different.  I was awake this time and received a spinal block which was followed up by pain meds in my back.  It gave me a buzz. I was chilled...I liked the buzz...until the itching started that is!!! There was not enough Benedryl in the hospital once the itching started!! I itched for two days. I digress...
Once my spinal block took effect...literaly ten seconds after is was put in...I was on the road to meeting my sweet baby girl... holding her...loving her...feeding her...or so I thought.
Once she was out, she was taken to the side to be cleaned up and worked on.  She had to have some fluid suctioned from her lungs.  She cried when she was first born, but there was a long time when I heard nothing and I kept asking if she was alright.  Everyone assured me that she was just fine.  I guess I just needed to see her or hear her to know for myself.  Soon enough Jamie brought her over for me to see her and kiss her.  She was so beautiful.  I just wanted to hold her.  Jamie got to go and carry her to the nursery while I was taken to recovery for a few minutes.  When I finally made it to my room, I fully expected my baby to be waiting on me, but she was not.  The nurses in the nursery kept putting us off...asking for another 30 minutes or another hour.  I knew at that point that something was not right.  I told Jamie a couple of times that something was wrong if they were not bringing her to us.  He tried to reassure me that she was fine, but just needed to warm up some.  I knew better.  Eventually, the nurse called and told us that they would bring her down to us for just 20 minutes.  That was a HUGE red flag to me.  Just 20 minutes...Why???
Those were the shortest 20 minutes ever.  It was not enough but she had to go back to be monitored more.  After our little 20 minute visit, everyone left and Jamie went home to get the kiddos clothes together so they could go to my sister in law's house. Tina(my SIL) and her family had come by that time and went to the nursery to see Amelia.  That is when the nurse called down to my room to let me know that they were hooking Amelia up to some machines to monitor her more closely and starting an IV.  She wanted to tell me because there were people at the window watching and she did not want me to be alarmed when they came back to the room.  Really....not get alarmed... Not too long after that, the nursery doctor came in to talk to me (by myself).

To be continued...

Much love,