Caleb's Birth Story

Sorry it's taken so long, but I was very thorough and it took me days to write.  So if you're interested in every little detail, then read your little heart out.

There's this place in Folsom called Skipolini's Pizza that has a pizza called the "Prego Pizza" that guarantees that it will put you into labor. Well, as many of you know, I had a C-section with Ellie because of a prolapsed cord and was very eager to do a VBAC with little Caleb. My main concern
however, was that I did not go into labor with Ellie on my own and had to be induced. With VBACs you CANNOT be induced because it doubles your chance of uterine rupture (well you can be induced, but it's done very, very carefully and it's not a risk I was willing to take) so I knew that I needed to go into labor on my own in order to have a successful VBAC. In fact, I had scheduled a C-section at my 39 week appointment for March 14th (at which point I'd be 42 weeks, yikes!) in case I didn't go into labor. Just so you know at my 39-week check up I was only dilated to a 1 but was about 60% effaced (with Ellie at 40 weeks I was a 1 and maaaaaybe 25% effaced so it was at least looking better). But still I was bummed, but determined to go into labor.

Thursday, February 28th, was the day that I told everyone I wanted to go to Skipolini's because then I'd go into labor in the evening and have the baby on the first. I really like single digit birthdays. Also, how cool is 3-1-13? So we went there for lunch and got this massive pizza that is covered in 6 different types of meat, every kind of pepper, onion, garlic, and then more onions and garlic. It didn't sound very good but it tasted delicious. I had two slices. Then we went home and I made sure everything was ready just in case it really put me into labor. Honestly though, I didn't think it would do a thing. Then at 3:45 AM I felt a contraction that started in my back, moved to my belly, was pretty painful, and lasted about 30 seconds. I didn't let this excite me because I had already had a couple the night earlier. Then, 10 minutes later another one came. Then another 10 minutes another one came. And every ten minutes for the next two hours they came. I was so excited. I didn't wake Tristan up though, just in case. Then at 6 Tristan woke up and asked how I felt and I told him I'd been having contractions and he got really excited. He got ready and I told him he should go into work for  a few hours and I'd keep him updated. Well as soon as he left (around 7) they started getting stronger and closer together (lasting 45 seconds and about 6-8 minutes apart). I called my mom to tell her I was 99% sure the baby was coming today.

Just checked in to the hospital

At 9, Tristan came back and by then Ellie had been up. We got ready, dropped Ellie off and Tristan's moms and headed to the hospital. It was around 11:00a before they finally checked me and I was 90% effaced, but only dilated 1cm! I was crushed because I felt like I was having strong contractions. So they told me to walk around for 40 minutes and then they'd check me again. I knew they'd send me home if I wasn't progressing so I was really motivated and also determined not to go home. Tristan was so patient with me as we walked around outside (it was a beautiful day, like 70s beautiful). I could walk through them, but it wasn't easy. We were out there 15 minutes and all of a sudden my water broke. The first thing I said was "whoa!" and I knew they couldn't send me home after that so I was pretty thrilled. But I wasn't super excited for long because immediately my contractions got about 5xs worse? Maybe 10? Either way I knew I wanted to get an epidural in as soon as possible. But I didn't even have an IV yet! And I knew they needed to give me at least a liter of fluid before they would give me the epidural.

Luckily my water broke outside on a trail by the hospital (no clean up necessary). So we walked to a chair and Tristan went and told a nurse because I was getting light-headed and nauseated with every very painful contraction. Guys no worries--no vomiting! The nurses were shocked that my water broke while walking outside, they said that never happens. So that happened at about 11:30. Then the next two hours was spent trying to put an IV in me. With Ellie they had no problems because I was all swollen,  but I was a lot less swollen and they had a hard time finding a vein. On the third try they got a vein. This is after blowing one vein, and infiltrating the other one, my right hand was bruised all week. But finally they got fluid in me and I was on my way to getting an epidural, which I was desperately wanting at this point. Let me just say really quickly how awesome Tristan is. During this whole thing he was fanning me during every contraction and afterward too (because they couldn't give me anything for nausea since they couldn't find a vein) and putting cool wash cloths on my head, and getting mad at the two nurses who were a little less than organized while trying to find a vein (they spilled blood all over my arm and floor when they found the third vein). Anyway, I was just quiet during the whole thing and trying not to yell during the contractions. I have so much respect for people who don't get an epidural. MUCH respect. It was difficult to suppress moans, yells, crying, etc, but I think I did a pretty good job. And my thoughts were still positive, mainly I was just praying that I could get through the next contraction. Does that sound super over-exaggerated? Because it's not. Am I a baby? Definitely.

The oh-so-flattering picture Tristan took of me after the epidural.

At about 3:30 my anesthesiologist came in. That man is a miracle worker. He was SO nice and friendly with great bedside manner. A nice change from the nurses before. He hooked me up with some awesome stuff and for the first time in 4 hours, I smiled haha. And guess what else happened at this time? My mom came in! She caught a flight at the last minute and was able to be there for the rest of my delivery. I was so happy she could be there (I didn't expect her at all) and then she stayed for the whole first week! An unexpected blessing. Love my mom and dad for making it happen. They checked me around this time and I was at a 5. I tried to relax for the next few hours, which my mom thought was super bizarre after having no epidurals with any of us (not even my sister and I). I kept telling her what an amazing woman she was for doing that haha. The anesthesiologist kept coming in and checking on me (bless that man's soul) and I told him it was getting painful again, so he gave me a little more and I was totally numb. Like I couldn't move. I was worried for when it came time to push, but let me tell you he knew what he was doing. The nurse checked me again at 5 and I was at a 10 and complete. Then I got nervous (my heart rate during this whole thing was around 130, crazy right? Normal is 60-100). After a few minutes the nurse came back in and said they were gonna let me "labor down" so that pushing wouldn't be as long. I was okay with this because I didn't want to push for 3 hours.

After two hours I had two new nurses come in (one was training for L&D after 12 years on med/surg) and they were AMAZING. They talked to me about my concerns, reassured me, and really took care of my nervous self. The bad part of being an RN is that I know the dangers of a VBAC and know when something isn't right and how quickly things could go wrong. So they were great at keeping me calm. At almost 8 o'clock they told me it was time to push. I could feel my legs and move around on my own at this point and could also feel the pressure of the contractions (not the pain of them). So it was perfect because I had control and could understand what my body was telling me. Pushing can get discouraging because you don't really feel like you're progressing (at least for me because I pushed for a long time), but my nurses, mom, and Tristan were awesome for keeping me motivated. The nurses kept my nerves at ease by talking to me about what I wanted to do with my degree, etc; they're so smart because it worked! I pushed for 2 1/2 hours! But I never once got discouraged. And toward the end they brought a mirror so I could see the progression (sorry if you think that's weird/gross, but it was the best thing I did and I highly recommend it!) I called Tristan "Iceman" because we gave me ice in-between pushes and was an awesome sidekick. (I think he would prefer Goose or Maverick, but that's okay.)

The Doctor came in at about 10:15 and literally three minutes later I delivered Caleb at 10:18pm. I was very focused on pushing, but I saw everything thanks to the mirror. It was awesome, definitely one of the coolest moments of my life. With Ellie, I only heard her and didn't get to see her until nearly two hours after delivery. My mom cut the cord! (I was nervous for Tristan to do it because he doesn't handle blood and things like that well, but my mom was all for it). It was super awesome haha. I looked at my mom and Tristan and we were just overwhelmed with love for our little guy and for a successful VBAC with no problems. Although during pushing I was running a fever of about 102 so they gave me some antibiotics. Lame, but I figured it was probably a good idea.

 

Like his head? That's what happens when you're stuck in the birth canal for 2 1/2 hours. I was surprised when it went away within the hour.

Caleb was perfect and weighed 8lbs 2 oz. Ellie was 6lbs 1oz so quite the difference! He was calm and hardly cried at all. When they gave him a bath, I'm pretty sure he didn't make a peep. And after 10 days of life, he's still just as calm, easy going, and super lovable. He's a great nurser, eats about every 3 hours (Ellie was every 2, maybe every sooner), poops and pees like a champ, and burps so easily with an occasional spit up.

 

He's all boy. There's no mistaking that.

Tristan seeing and holding Caleb for the first time.

 

Holding my little guy for the first time. So in love.

 

Me probably saying "I can't believe he was inside of me." or "We made him, Tristan!"

Something of that nature.

 

 

We left the hospital on Sunday and were glad to be home!

The recovery has been awesome and so much quicker than with my C-section. I'm so glad I decided to do a VBAC and to have had amazing nurses. My mom and Tristan being there was awesome. Looking back, I have nothing but positive thoughts about this delivery.

 

 Ellie wasn't feeling well that whole week so I was nervous to have her hold him. She did see him in the hospital, but she was nervous because I was all hooked up to lots of things (and it was 11:00pm) so the combo made her scared to hold him. BUT she loves holding him now, and is so sweet and cute with him.

MUCH more pictures and updates to come! Loving our family of 4!