It's amazing how different a birth story can go the second time around. Wyatt decided to surprise us and come a week early, which I was certainly not expecting. Ethan was a week late, and I was using that experience as my guide with this pregnancy. I worked the week leading up to Wyatt's birth day...we did all the usual things that weekend before. I had no signs of labor that would indicate that things would go any differently. But Wyatt had different plans!
I remember we had our 38 week appointment the Tuesday before and my doctor did his first internal check. He told me I was 2.5 cm along and that my cervix was favorable. He also told me he was on call all weekend so it would be a perfect time to have the baby! ;) I took it with a grain of salt. Ryan, on the other hand, took it a little more literally, and thank goodness! He pulled out all of Ethan's newborn clothes to wash and installed the carseat. I, on the other hand, still thought we had a ton of time to prep for baby. In fact, I was planning to work that coming week and then maybe back off the week of his due date.
Early Monday morning, around 6:30 am, I felt a little pop and a gush of fluid. Not a huge gush, but it was something. I ignored it. Then I felt another pop followed with the same sensation. We have one of the alarm clocks that projects the time on the ceiling {you should get one if you don't have one, they're amazing!} and wanted to get a little more sleep. Plus, I know if I started shifting around, it would wake the cat, who would then pester me for her breakfast. So I probably tried to go back to sleep for about 15 minutes before I realized I should probably check out what I felt. When I got up to go to the bathroom, I knew this was not "normal" fluid. It was definitely different, had a distinct odor, and there was a lot of it. I yelled at Ryan: Babe, I think my water broke. He shot out of bed and started working through all the things we needed to do. I was still not convinced this was "it". I didn't leak any more fluid, didn't have any contractions...maybe I was mistaken. Plus, I figured we would have all day to labor at home, before I went into the hospital. Ryan suggested I call the doctor's office anyway...just to be sure.
I called them and they said, "Well you were 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced at your last appointment {I was?!} and since this is your second, you should come in right away." Wait, whaaaaat?! I didn't feel prepared at all. I still needed to wrap things up at work {big lesson learned there} and I didn't have my hospital bag backed, or the diaper bag. So that morning, I was responding to work emails, putting my out of office on, packing my bags, getting Ethan ready for school {
and took some pics!} and I still didn't feel any different. Was this really happening?!
We checked into the hospital around 10am and they asked how I was feeling...was I experiencing contractions? I felt the same, other than I knew my water had broken. They hooked me up to the heart monitor and all looked fine, but I really wasn't experiencing contractions...little ones, but nothing to write home about. It was kind of an odd waiting game. With Ethan, they made me walk the halls and sent me home after it was clear I wasn't far enough along {but of course, my water didn't break with Ethan}. This time, I suggested walking the halls, to see if that would help {it didn't}. But they were firm that I was staying put.
Eventually, the conversation came up about starting me on Pitocin. Ironic that my water broke, but that I still needed the drugs to get things going. I was worried that it would be a slippery slope, but they assured me it wouldn't, plus it was critical to get things started since they wanted to get the baby out within 24 hours of my water breaking. So, they started me on Pitocin and I still didn't feel anything. I really thought we would be there all day and night!
Several hours later, I started to feel tightening at the top of my uterus, which I understand is what a Braxton Hick feels like...ha! It definitely wasn't the deep down, excruciating pain that I remember with Ethan. Maybe this labor would be different? The doctor finally checked me around then and said I was maaaaybe 2.5 centimeters dilated and maaaaaybe 70-80% effaced? Um, what? I thought I would be further along--not going backwards! The anesthesiologist came in and said he was going home for the night {random side note, but we were the only ones in the L&D wing that day...welcome to a small mountain town, so things were slow, to say the least!} and did I want the epidural yet? I was in zero pain, so I declined. He said he would be on call until 7pm that night and that he only lived about 5 minutes away, so he could be back asap if I needed him. I was doubtful that I would. The doctor ordered the nursers to turn up my Pitocin some more.
Well...not 30 minutes later did I start to feel those deep down pains. Those gut-wrenching menstrual-like cramps that take your uterus and twist it until you feel inside out. Ugh, I did not miss those! I told Ryan that I thought I would be ready for the epidural soon. He said, ok, well just let me know when you are.
I'm ready...like NOW!
I felt like a wimp...I don't think I was more than 4cm and here I was, crying uncle. But they were coming on strong and with no mercy and that 5 minute drive may as well have been an 5 hours. As the anesthesiologist was walking me through the process and I was bent over the table, I literally started to cry every time a contraction hit. No bueno. But finally, the epidural was administered and he told me that the contractions would lessen each time and they did. But as they lessoned, pressure started to build up, down there. He administered the epidural around 5:30 and I thought that it would slow down my labor {as epidurals tend to do}, but by 6:15, the pressure was really starting to build.
I told Ryan, who told the nurse, who then checked me and sure enough she confirmed that I was an 8 going on a 9 with the baby's head right there and that she was going to call my doctor in now. I couldn't believe how quickly I had progressed and that the time to push was here. My doctor cruised in, threw on his scrubs and told me on the next contraction that it was time to push. I couldn't believe it! It was all going so fast!
I pushed and felt the same insane pressure...it HURT, but more from the pressure than anything else. He told me that the baby was going to be out on the second contraction with a little cut, and I didn't believe him. He told me the cord was wrapped around his neck {instant panic set in, not again!}. But sure enough, the second contraction came around, I pushed and out he came. I started pushing at 6:40 and he arrived in my arms at 6:43 pm.
Now this is where I get really emotional, because this was the part I never got to experience with Ethan. They placed that baby right on my chest and my gut instinct was to ask if he was ok. Wasn't the cord wrapped around his neck? Was he breathing ok? But my doc was such a rockstar, he pulled the cord off without a second thought and my baby was perfectly fine. They placed him on my chest and he let out the sweetest little cries and he was all mine. Ryan got to cut the cord {which he never got to do with Ethan} and we got to just be. He even started rooting right away and latched right on. It was the most magical and surreal experience ever. I'll never forget it. Wyatt was so alert and sweet...he looked right into my eyes and I felt my heart grow twice as big in that moment.
I instantly said , "Ah this is how it's supposed to be. I could do this again!" That surge of love {and hormones!} is unlike any other. I was just so in love.
They say every labor is different and I am so pleased that this one came out the way it did. The staff was so on point and to have such a quick and smooth delivery was such a blessing for me. Wyatt is already such an added joy in our lives and I am so happy he is here. It feels like he was always supposed to be a part of our family.
You can read Ethan's birth story
here.
xo natasha
