Hellobee

I gave birth to the newest Baby P eight weeks ago. My household is adjusting to life as a family of four and we are working on finding a routine. Little P turned two last week. She is an energetic and outgoing girl and is learning that having a sister is pretty great.

It’s no secret that I didn’t enjoy pregnancy as much the second time around. It was challenging taking care of a young toddler while pregnant, plus I had several complications. I saw my MFM for the last time at 37 weeks. She checked my placenta location and measured the baby. My placenta was 2.5cm away from my cervix, which was a half centimeter more than it needed to be for me to have a vaginal delivery. The baby was measuring 1-2 weeks ahead instead of the 2-3 weeks she had been for most of the pregnancy. My MFM estimated her birth weight at high 8 or low 9 pounds.

Rainbow Joy Photography

At my 38 week appointment my OB and I talked about delivery. For most of my pregnancy we weren’t sure if I would need a c section because of my placenta. At that appointment my OB recommended inducing based on the baby’s size. She said that because I had a successful and very easy vaginal delivery the first time, she was comfortable with inducing me versus having me have a c section. I was happy to hear that. I enjoyed my labor and delivery experience the first time and was hoping to repeat it. I left that appointment with an induction date for 39 weeks.

Over the next couple of days my mom and Mr. P’s mom and aunt came into town. He finished up work before his leave (I was already on leave) and we got the last of the baby prep finished. The night before I delivered, Mr. P and I took Little P out for one last outing as a family of three. That night as I spent a little extra time tucking her in, I told her she was going to have a sister the next day, but she was too young to really understand what that meant.

Rainbow Joy Photography

5 : 3 0  A M

My alarm went off at 4:30 the next morning. Mr. P and I got up, gathered our bags, and drove 10 minutes to the hospital. We walked into my labor and delivery room at 5:30am. Seeing the baby station really made it sink in that we were going to have another baby. I changed in to a gown, signed all the paperwork, and got an IV. At 6:30 I was hooked up to pitocin. I was having contractions but they were very manageable. Mr. P and I both took a nap. At 7:45 I met the day shift nurse, Jess. She increased my pitocin a little and let me know the OB was in a c section and would be in the check me afterwards. I decided to sleep a little more.

9 : 3 0  A M

The OB came in at 9:30 and broke my water. I was 3cm dilated, which is what I had been at my last appointment. When she checked me she told me she could feel my placenta. She recommended I get an epidural because my placenta was low. She told me that if it caused problems during delivery and I needed to be rushed for a c section, I would be put under general anesthesia if I didn’t have one. I absolutely did not want that to happen. My contractions still weren’t painful so I held off for a while. My mom and Mr. P’s mom arrived at the hospital around 10. They kept us company while I labored. Around 11 my contractions started to get painful and I had to concentrate to work through them.

1 2 : 0 0  P M

It was around noon that I asked for the epidural. The anesthesiologist was with someone else so I had to wait a little while. He was in my room before 1:00 and I happily signed all the consent forms in between contractions. Mr. P and our moms used this opportunity to go get lunch. I was a little nervous about having to keep still while the epidural was placed. Jess, my nurse, was wonderful during this process. She and the anesthesiologist kept me engaged in a conversation. Before I knew it my epidural was placed, a catheter was in, and Jess checked me and let me know I was 5 cm. I was so relieved that the last couple of hours of contractions had been doing something. I had a really good epidural. I was able to move my legs, but felt no pain.

At that time it was 1:30. Mr. P came back from lunch. I was drowsy so I dozed off while listening to podcasts and he watched a movie. Jess came back and checked me at 3:45 and I was 8cm. I told her I was determined to have the baby before she went home for the night. She said I definitely would. The next couple of hours passed peacefully. Mr. P and I visited with our moms while I had 3 minute long contractions that I fortunately couldn’t feel.

5 : 3 0  P M

Jess came back to check me at 5:30. “I see some bloody show,” was the first thing she said, followed by, “you’re a 10!” She helped me sit up and then went to call the doctor. Some nurses came in and out of the room to get the baby station and delivery table ready. Jess came back and told me the OB wasn’t at the hospital. She called her and let me know she was on the way back. We waited. And we waited. I was getting antsy. Jess suggested I do a practice push. I pushed and she quickly said “stop!” The baby was about to crown. She briefly discussed with another nurse whether they should deliver the baby before going to call the OB one more time.

Rainbow Joy Photography

6 : 3 0  P M

At 6:30 the OB finally walked in the room. She didn’t offer any explanation for the delay or apologize. I thought to myself “one or two pushes and we’ll have a baby.” Mr. P grabbed one of my legs and our moms stood behind him with cameras ready. Jess coached me on when to push. After a couple of pushes the OB said my scar tissue from the tearing I experienced during Little P’s delivery was not stretching and asked if she could do an episiotomy. I could tell she had been trying to get it to stretch out with no luck, so I agreed. I pushed a couple more times. I could see what was happening in the reflection of a light fixture overhead. Baby P started to crown. “I need you to push hard. Can you do that for me?” Jess asked. I pushed harder. I could see half of Baby P’s face now. It was blue and I could see a cord around her neck.

“Call the NICU,” the OB said. Then looking at Jess she said “McRoberts position.” Suddenly the room filled with people while I was being quickly laid back. “I need you to push as hard as you can,” the OB said to me. She reached inside of me while Jess climbed onto the bed and pressed on my stomach from the top. I pushed with all of my might crying out from panic. At 6:48pm Baby P was born. They laid her on my stomach briefly while the OB cut the cord. Her little face looked bruised and she felt limp. She was quickly whisked over to the NICU team. “Is she ok?” was all I could get out while tears streamed down my face. “She’s ok,” said my mom, Mr. P, and Jess. I didn’t believe them until I heard her let out a very loud cry and she didn’t stop. I grabbed Mr. P and we broke down in relief.

It took a long time for the OB to stitch me up. All of the nurses in the room were a great distraction. They were speculating about how much she weighed. “She’s at least 9 pounds,” one said. After both of her APGARs and the NICU determined she was stable Baby P was placed on the scale. The room got really still as everyone turned to look. “She’s 10 pounds 7 ounces!”

first skin to skin

Finally I was able to hold my baby. She was placed on my chest. She was so angry! She cried and cried and didn’t want to nurse just yet. The NICU nurse told me that large babies can have trouble with their blood sugar level. I needed to give her some high calorie formula to keep her level in a good range to avoid her having to go to the NICU. Then the OB finished up and told me what happened: shoulder dystocia. Baby P’s shoulders got stuck in the canal after her head was mostly delivered. Fortunately she doesn’t have any long term complications from her traumatic delivery. She came through with some bruising and a busted blood vessel in her eye.

I had such an easy labor and delivery the first time around and I assumed it would be the same the second time. That was naive. Childbirth is always unpredictable. Baby P is almost two months old now. She is happy, healthy, and easy going. She looks just like Mr. P and seems to have his laid back personality too. She’s a perfect addition to our family.