It all started on Thursday, the 21st. I had my 37 week appointment. Everything looked great - blood pressure, fetal heart rate, baby's growth, and he was head down and ready to go. I was especially thankful about that because he had been breech. The doctor set an appointment for the following Thursday, when I turned 38 weeks, and decided that we would schedule the induction date at that time. I was uneasy about a possible induction and wanted him to come on his own but I was also eager to meet him and uncomfortable - not to mention I was getting antsy wondering what day he was coming. Each contraction or pain sent me into a state of alert and it was exhausting. Since I had not many progress part of me was thinking that we may actually make it to 38 weeks but I wasn't holding my breath.
The next day, the 22nd, the girls and I made a cake for Adam and gave him his birthday presents. Mj is birthday was on Sunday the 24th, and I thought we might be busy that day. I was actually thinking I might go into labor that night since Saturday would put me at 37 weeks 2 days, the exact day in pregnancy Ann Parker came. Friday night came and went and I woke up Saturday pretty sure that Harrison was going to bake a little longer than AP did. Saturday night we went to dinner with Adam's parents and his brothers kids. Mimi and papa were in town keeping them for a few days while Andy and Brandi were in South Africa. When we got back to Andy's house, I started having contractions. I was for sure this was the night. Contractions would not ease up and then my nerves took over. Was this really it? Was I ready? Would my water break on their couch? We packed up and went home and waited...but not for long. The contractions got as close as 4 1/2 minutes so we called Adam's parents. They came over, we packed up, and off we went to UAB. It was so different then with Caroline - we were organized and fairly calm. I guess that happens when you have done this before!
As we sit in the car, I can tell my contractions start slowing down. In fact, by the time we arrive they are about 8 minutes apart. The MEU is so busy that we end up waiting in the waiting room for over an hour. (They did triage me and I was a "yellow" since my water wasn't broken and I was stable enough to wait) Contractions are now 12 minutes apart - totally not having a baby. We walk up to the desk to tell them that we are leaving and will just wait at home since we assumed with contractions so far apart we would be sent home. The nurse came out and said they had just discharged several patients and there were now beds available so I should just come back to be checked. If all looked good, it would be a quick 20 minute scan and then we could go home and sleep. Great, let's do it.
Twenty minutes turned into an hour. As we thought, contractions were between 10 and 15 minutes apart. A resident came in to check and see if I was progressed at all. She said I was unchanged so we could leave after she reported it to her boss. I got up and put my clothes back on. A few minutes later she came back in and said that she was mistaken...she thought I was already checked so she didn't actually know if I was progressing but since I was at a three, they wanted me to be on the monitors for two more hours. THREE??!?!???!!!!! I was at one not that long ago. Back into the gown and onto the monitors I go. The doctor comes back in with an ultrasound machine to confirm position, just in case. I wasn't worried for a single second since he was head down just over 48 hours ago- and babies don't turn at 37 weeks. Then she said it...head was up. He was breech. She brought in another doctor who confirmed that he was head up and then checked me and said that I was 3.5. She was going to put in orders for a c section that morning! I cried like a baby - I did not want a c section. I had never done it and I was scared. The one good thing about it was that one of my favorite doctors, Dr. Kimberlin, was the one on call. She is incredible and smart and a great doctor. If I had to have a c section, she was who we wanted to do it.
We called family and friends to let them know this was it! Adam even posted on FB and IG that he was going to sharing his birthday with his son. I was incredibly nervous and anxious but started settling into the idea that TODAY was the day. Shortly after that, Dr. Kimberlin came in and said that she wanted to try IV sedatives to stop the contractions completely. I wasn't having contractions and I wasn't at four cm (active labor) and she would rather give the baby as much time to develop as possible. We were thrown off - so we aren't having a baby today? She sent us to L&D for Demerol and close monitoring. It was an emotional morning...and it was only about 6:30 am at this point. We went from being told we were going home, to needing to wait, to having a c section, to maybe going home again, to being admitted for IV medication. What a morning!
When we got to L&D, I got the Demerol. It made me feel sleepy and a little loopy. Dr. Kimberlin came in to talk to us and explained that she didn't want to deliver the baby that morning. I wasn't in active labor and she wanted him to have more time. However, she didn't want to let us go home given the fact that my previous deliveries came during week 37 and being that this baby was breech I could go into labor at any point. She told us that this would be bad since I have to have a slow epidural due to my heart. If my water broke and they needed to do a c section they would need to move quickly and she didn't want to take that risk with my heart. She said that we had two options - go ahead with the c section on Tuesday or attempt an external cephallic version (version) on Tuesday following by either an induction or c section depending on the result of the version. If I wasn't already incredibly nervous (which I was) then I was after hearing this news. Basically, they were going to attempt to manually turn his head down so we could avoid a c section. On way or another this baby was coming on Tuesday so we decided to try the version.
We hung out in the hospital for the rest of Sunday and Monday. It was a sweet time with Adam. A few last minutes of relative quiet and calm before we have a baby - which is not a quiet and calm time. I was sad about not being at home and spending my last couple of days as just a mom of two without my precious two kids. In hindsight, I realize God works in mysterious ways because had I been at home knowing that I was going to give birth I would have cried at everything...this is my last meal before baby, this is the last time I tuck AP in as the baby, etc. While it was hard to be away, it allowed me to not fall apart before the delivery. The girls came to visit on Monday night and I did get one quick picture with Ann Parker - her last one as our youngest.
Tuesday morning came and I nervously showered and straightened my hair. Gotta look good, right? Dr. Jenkins, the doctor who was going to be doing the version, and Dr. Cribbs, the cardiologist came in to go over the plan. We did one last minute ultrasound to make sure he was still breech, which he was. Dr. Jenkins was reassuring. I felt safe with her, although incredibly nervous. Then they left us to sit and wait. An emergency c section went back before us, so we got started late. The longer we waited, the more nervous I got. Thankfully right about that time, our nurse Alli walked in. She was one of our nurses who we had when we had Ann Parker. Her familiar and friendly face made me feel so much better. What a blessing she is to us! Not that I imagine we will, but if we ever have another kid, I will be sure to request her as my nurse. Finally the time came. They had us put on hair nets and Adam had to wear scrubs. Off to the OR we went. I was trembling the entire ride back. Once I was on the table they got started on the epidural and arterial line. The doctors were great and I was numb before I knew it. The room started filling with doctors and nurses and soon it was time to start the version. Dr. Jenkins let Adam stay in the room thankfully. I kept my eyes on him the entire time. As lame as this sounds, it was one of those moments where I realized how much I love him. His ability to keep me calm and make me feel safe was a life saver that morning. My God, I love that man. Harrison, watch your daddy closely - he is a good man to try to be like. Anyway...after about thirty minutes of intense pressure the doctors stood in silence. I tried to stare into their eyes to see if I could tell what happened. They have great poker faces. Finally, dr. Jenkins said the words I desperately wanted to hear, "baby is head down!"
We were wheeled off to L&D room 1 around noon. They started pitocin around one. After an hour or so they came in to break my water. The doctor checked for progress. I was only at four but she felt a hand sticking out. She couldn't break my water since the cord could slip between the head and the cervix. She guessed that he would move it, but if not they would have to do a c section. After all that stress about having a version and going through it...if he didn't move his hand I was going to freak out! Around 5:00 a doctor came in to check progress. I had been contracting for several hours at this point so I knew I had to be pretty far...wrong...still at FOUR!!! Good news is, he moved his hand enough that they could break my water. It didn't hurt, but I could hear it - which was bizarre. Shortly after, I felt the worst contraction pains. The anesthesialogists kept increasing the dose of epidural, but I kept feeling the contractions. I was yelling asking for help from the doctors and for mercy from God. It was dramatic and crazy and oh so painful. I don't remember much because of the pain, but in about an hour an a half I went from 4/5 cm to 10 and plus 2. It was go time. I finally got some relief with a pudendal block. For the first time ever, the doctor told me to push. They were going to use the forceps to pull him out, but to get him all the way down they were going to have me push. I got in a few pushes but I don't think I was that good because I couldn't feel. Finally they started positioning the forceps and pulled him out at 7:38. They quickly whisked him to the baby bassinet to start working on him. I was watching Adam's face and I knew something was wrong. He wasn't crying and Adam looked as if he was about to cry. Later I found out that he came out pale and limp and the cord was wrapped around twice around his neck. Adam truly thought we lost our son. After what seemed like an eternity, he pinked up and moved and we heard his sweet cry. His first APGAR score was a 1 but his second one was a 9. I was so worried about. Harrison, I didn't think about why the doctors were still working on me and pushing on my abdomen. Turns out, I had a small hemorrhage. They got it stopped but decided to keep us in L&D for monitoring.
They finally brought him over to me once he was breathing. He was tiny and perfect. He fell right asleep on my chest and I just soaked in his baby perfection. He was so wrinkly, it clearly has Adam's nose. It was one of the most amazing moments in my whole entire life and I hope that I always remember it as vividly as I do right now.
We had a rather dramatic next couple of days...but none of that is as important. Another story for part 2. The most important part is that we were finally holding our beautiful, healthy baby boy. I feel so incredibly blessed that I was able to carry and deliver this amazing little human.
Happy birthday, Harrison. You are always loved and you are our answered prayer.
