Hi everyone!
Marshall Isaiah White was born on 10/19/12 @ 11:06 pm. 6 lbs, 11oz & 19/25 inches long. (On his due date!!!)
My water broke early that morning (about 4:15 am). I had been to the doctor several times that week and had already asked tons of questions, including how quickly I should race to the hospital if my water breaks at home. I'm glad I asked those questions because it helped me not to spaz out on the actual day. We took showers,made sure we had everything packed, ate some breakfast, then called the doctor, then our parents. Everyone else on our huge list got a mass text.
Once we got to the hospital, we were told it was a very busy delivery night/day and we got the last available bed! When the nurse came to check me, I failed the amniotic fluid test and they talked about how it might be a false alarm... I was thinking "there is NO WAY that was a false alarm!!!" My water must have broken toward the top because there was a dry spell for a moment. By the time the doctor got there, we were in full-fledged water mode again and there was no question. At that point it was somewhere between 8 & 9am and I had not started contracting on my own yet. They started pitocin and my contractions began and were 1-3 minutes apart the whole time. By 2 or 3pm I asked for some Stadol which definitely took the edge off - still felt the contractions but didn't seem to mind as much and I could actually relax in between them. By this point I think I was talking about an epidural with the doctor and nurse but they really encouraged me to hold off as long as possible just because I was not dilating and they were thinking it could be well into the next day before I had the baby. Well - I couldn't wait too long and asked for the epidural around 5 or 6 - and let me tell you, that anesthesiologist was there lickety-split! The epidural worked so well that I couldn't even move my right leg! We stayed on the pitocin for the next few hours, but as the pitocin went up, Marshall's heartbeat went down. They would stop the pitocin for a while until the baby's heartbeat would level out, then they would start the pitocin up again. They were trying to get me to dilate but I never got past 4 centimeters. After the first time the heartbeat problem happened, the doctor started hinting at the possibility of a cesarean. I was fine with whatever they had to do as long as I got a baby by the end of it. Around 10pm, the doctor came back in and talked about how I was not progressing and the baby wasn't dropping, so he felt like we wouldn't get much farther on the path we were on. My literal response was "let's get this party started". I was ready for the c-section and to meet my baby! Before I knew it, I was on the table with a room FULL of people who were going to operate on me. (Such a helpful part of class when we walked through what a c-section might be like!) I wasn't really nervous until I was on the table with the curtain up. They make the daddies change into scrubs in another room and don't call them back in until they are sure you are numb and ready. I kept asking for him, I was afraid it would be over before he was there! Before Justin got there to comfort me, there was the absolute nicest anesthesiologist leaning over my head with his eyeballs like 2 inches away from mine (that's all I could see of his face) talking me through everything. He was just wonderful! Once Justin came in, it was a matter of minutes for us to meet Marshall. The doctor and my anesthesiologist friend talked us through every step of what was happening. I remember hearing several scissor snipping noises when they weren't talking us through anything and I was wondering what was going on. But then, we heard this scratchy little crying noise! It was our son! I could never begin to do that feeling any justice by typing words to describe it. They showed us the baby really quickly then whisked him away to the room next door to get cleaned up and measured. When they called Justin back to be there for that, he was up and moving so fast that he nearly kicked over the chair he was sitting on! After what seemed like an eternity, he came back with our baby! Unbelievable, indescribable feeling!
Come to find out, it is a really good thing that we didn't try much longer to have a vaginal birth. Marshall was not directly down into my pelvis, he was a little crooked and getting caught, so that's why I wasn't dilating.... he just couldn't get down there. Also, he was "sunny side up" - he was face up instead of down. And the scariest thing of all - the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck 4 times - that's what all the snipping was all about. The moral of this story is - birth plan, shmirth plan - it's nice to have your desires in the back of your mind, but it's important to go in knowing that the medical staff is going to recommend what they view to be the best possible course of action for you and your child.
I can't wait to read all of your stories! You are in for an amazing treat. It's hard work being pregnant and waiting to meet your child... even harder work going through labor... and then the first weeks of their lives are even harder with lack of sleep and worrying if you're doing everything right. But it's all so worth it when they have an exam and the pediatrician tells you that they are healthy and growing well.
PS - the staff at Rex is great and very helpful. Use the nursery if you can, even if it's for just a 30 minute nap.. YOU WILL NEED IT!!!! :)
Best wishes!!
Justin, Jessica & Marshall
