Kaitlyn:
I thought I should write down Anders' birth story so I could look back and remember everything in detail or as much detail as I can remember! This is my account of how things went; there are moments that seem hazy but I'm sure if you ask my mom or Chris they will gladly fill in the blanks! I was a little hesitant to share my experience just because people can be judgmental and it was quite traumatic for me. I recently felt empowered from it and have seen the beauty in the pain.
Shall we begin at 41 weeks?
Yes, I went past my due date, surprise surprise! We had lots of wonderful visitors from B.C., my mom included. We spent the last few weeks walking, walking, and walking some more. I think I walked more those last few weeks than my entire life. When we went for my last prenatal check up I was still only 1 cm dilated. I was quite disappointed and VERY big. Chris and I made the decision to be induced.
On August 25th I went in for a Foley Bulb. If you have never heard of this or experienced it, you are extremely fortunate. Let's just say it's the epitome of uncomfortable. I was scheduled to return the following morning to begin pitocin and have my water broken if things did not progress. However that pleasant little balloon did its job and at 7:30pm that night my contractions began.
At around 2am they were 4-5 minutes apart and a trickle of my water had begun. We headed out to the hospital! We laugh about it now but I had asked my mom if this is what it would feel like for the most part. Bless her heart, she lied and said yes.
Chris drove, missing every pothole and bump. When we arrived at the hospital, I was still only 3 cm dilated. The doctor told me to go home and wait till I felt more pressure. The nurse however said to walk around the hospital for a while and see how things go. I seriously love my family; I walked slowly around the hospital followed by my support group: Chris, my mom, Chris' mom, Aunty Tammy, and Jessica at 3am!
Only 30 minutes later I was back upstairs. Thank goodness I hadn't gone home. I guess everyone was really busy last winter because it was packed in there! I spent from 4am – noon the following day in triage. My contractions were very close together from the get go and it really all seems like a haze. The only thing that kept me in the zone was focusing on my breathing. My very, very loud breathing. The hardest part of having a hospital birth was being in the triage area waiting for a room. I was only allowed one of my support people which meant my mom was left out in the waiting room not really knowing what was going on. At one point my mom snuck in... only to get caught and sent back out.
Finally, at noon I got a room! It was my little oasis in this sea of madness! I labored for 6 more hours, again my contractions basically on top of each other. Chris was wonderful and stayed with me the whole time massaging my back. His poor fingers... and I'm not being sarcastic! It was a very long time and he was pressing pretty hard. Before going into labour I had made up my mind to go into giving birth with an open mind. If I needed pain medication great if I didn't great! I tried some gas which only made me feel light headed. Then after a few more hours I asked for something else, they gave me some fentanyl which only made me sleepy. At this point I would faze out, wake up have a contraction, faze out, have a contraction. I felt like Goldilocks, I needed to find some pain relief that was just right.
At this point I was feeling the urge to push however I was only 7 cm dilated. That was pure hell. It was hard to focus and fighting the urge to push was horrendous. I can't even find the words to describe it. If you have gone through it, you know what I'm talking about ladies! I caved and asked for an epidural. Hallelujah! Best decision of my life right there! Shortly after I fell asleep and napped for what felt like 2 hours.
When I woke up and said this to my mom she laughed and said I was asleep for 15 minutes. I felt like I was in some crazy time warp.
I was finally able to focus again! It was a shift change time for my team and I got a new nurse and doctor. I went to a maternity clinic with a doctor rotation. Over the course of my pregnancy, I had met all the doctors and they all worked in shifts at the hospital. We're at about an hour later and it's time to push! I honestly felt like I was pushing for only 15 minutes but really it was 2 hours. Again, crazy labour time warp. Nothing, nothing, prepares you for that ring of fire. Oh my word! I actually really enjoyed the pushing part of labour though. It was the home stretch. Where I could really focus and work at bringing my beautiful baby into this world. My mom was a great focus point. She really helped with the counting and keeping me in the zone. I feel so blessed I was able to have her there.
This is where things get scary. I remember things being okay and then all of sudden they weren't. It's hard to describe. Apparently, a code was called. The doctor yelled "shoulders!" Chris thought this meant grab my shoulders so he pinned my shoulders down. The room filled with people! People were yelling at me to push, nurses were pushing on my stomach, the doctor was working her magic and finally he was out!
Silence.
That's all I heard, the silence was burning my ears. The nurses started telling me I did amazing, I did my best. What did that mean? I remember asking if he was okay.
Finally cries! My baby was okay. His shoulder had gotten stuck, hence "shoulders" being called. The nurses checked him out and finally after what seemed like forever I was able to meet my baby.
My 9 lbs, 52.5 cm, perfect baby boy.
My heart will never be the same. The unconditional love is just indescribable. He was having some trouble breathing and because I had been in labour for over 24 hours after my water breaking he had to be taken to the NICU. They also noticed he had a coloboma. I think it looks pretty sweet and it makes him very unique. We recently went to an ophthalmologist and it does not affect his eye sight at all!
I truly believe everything happens the exact way it is supposed to. The doctor I had after the shift change had worked in the Yukon and was very experienced in emergency situations. The nurse we had was amazing! She insisted that the NICU team be present when he was delivered because I had been given fentanyl. The NICU team being there was key in safely delivering Anders. The nurse was very calm yet assertive when Anders got stuck.
This definitely wasn't how I had imagined my labour experience to go but I honestly wouldn't change a thing. 26.5 hours later I had my beautiful healthy baby and that is all that matters. I am forever changed. I truly love being a mom.
