WARNING: MY LABOR STORY SPOILER
This time, a year ago, I was into my 20th hour of labor after my induction. The little booger was being so stubborn and didn't want to come out! We were all so excited to see him but I would only dialate to a 3. The nurses kept pushing pitocin but nothing would ever happen. I tried walking, bouncing on one of those big workout balls, lying, sitting, standing....nothing would happen! Then, about 4 hours later (8:00am November 9th 2010) my water broke! Now it wasn't all dramatic like on tv or how my sister-in-law, Rebekah, experienced it. I was actually sitting down to pee and the flood gates opened!! It was so crazy! After we told the nurse my water had broken, she said we were on a time crunch now. The baby absolutely had to be delivered within the next 24 hours. This is for the babys safety for infection control. My anxiety level skyrocked! This meant I could be holding my baby very soon, but it also meant I might have to have a C-section to get him out.
Okay...time for a little back history for those of you that don't know.
When I went for my 20 week checkup and ultra sound the radiology tech told us she was 99.9% sure it was a girl. We couldn't be happier. We were ready to start buying bows and frilly dresses. So we begin to prepare for our Isabella Grace Mathis. We got a pink polka dot carseat and stroller, with a pack-n-play to match. Everything was perfect. We had tons of clothes for her and even had her outfit picked out we would bring her home from the hospital in. We even had maternity pictures taken with Isabella incorporated in. Since we were stationed in Korea at the time, most of the things we bought for her was over the internet. Sadly they didnt have a BabiesRUs or The Children's Place in Korea! So we prepared the best we could for 16 weeks for a precious baby girl. That brings us to our 36 week checkup and ultrasound. As the tech is performing the ultrasound and checking everything out I jokingly say, "Haha, Lets make sure its still a girl!" She gets a puzzled look on her face and says, "ummm....who told you it was a girl?!" I quickly retort with, "YOU DID! For 16 weeks we have been preparing for a girl!" She proceeds to tell me that she doesn't remember telling us that and that she isn't positive if it is a girl or a boy. She says she sees "something" between the legs but isn't sure if its "boy parts" or the umbilical cord. I thought she maybe needed back up so she called in the radiologist for a second opinion. He comes in and doesn't say much he just stares at the screen and moves the wand over the cold jelly on my tummy. I thought he was trying to figure out the sex of the baby but I was wrong. They noticed the umbilical cord was deformed. When a deformation like this happens its called a "two vessel cord." In the umbilical cord there should be 2 arteries and 1 vein. In my baby's umbilical cord there was only one of each. With the lack of the second artery, this meant my baby may not be getting the proper oxygen or nutriton he needs. My first reaction was wondering if I had done something wrong to make this happen and since it had happened is my baby going to be okay?! The doctor told me that it wasn't my fault and that two vessel cords are fairly common. They also told me the baby would be okay but I would have to be induced. Well, I went home and did something incredibly stupid and I'm warning all women that are pregnant now or that plan to become pregnant. I Googled "two vessel cords." I'm telling you. DO NOT GOOGLE ANY OF YOUR SYMPTOMS OR ANYTHING THAT COMES UP IN YOUR PREGNANCY. Its best if you just ask your doctor out right. Google has lots of information, but its mostly worst scenario cases. I started reading that my child could be born with strawberry shaped head, his intestines may be outside of his body when he is born. He could have down syndrome or his kidneys might not work properly after he is born. There was a laundry list of possible things that could be wrong with my baby but the one that got to me the most....he could be born and then not survive the next day. I about lost it. I was on the phone with my parents trying to explain to them, between sobs, what was going on. My dad calmed me down and told me everything would be fine. There is nothing we can do but pray for good health for baby Mathis. As soon as I gave it to God, I instantly felt comforted and didnt worry. I knew He would take care of us.
Back to the labor story...
About 12 hours later I had finally gotten somewhere, I was dialted to an 8. The doc told me everything should start moving rather quickly now and boy did it! Around 10:00pm I was ready to push. She warned me that since I was a first time mom it could take up to 3 hours to push him out. Well....I wasn't having that! Hahaha! He was out a little over an hour later! All 8lbs 14.7 oz and 21.75 inches of him!! When they pulled him out he wasn't breathing and he was limp. I started to have a lot of pain so it was hard for me to focus on him. I remember saying over and over again..."Why isn't he crying? I can't hear him!" They had to bag him to get him to start breathing. And then I heard the greatest sound ever. He cried so loud and I wanted to also!
It is an amazing feeling being a mother. I always knew I wanted to be, but never completely understood how rewarding it is until I became one. It's not always easy, and there are a lot of sleepless nights. But, when I wake up in the morning and walk into Carson's room and see him standing up, smiling with so much love in his eyes, just waiting for me to pick him up it is definitely more that worth it. It is an indescribable feeling to have someone love you uncondionally like that. I am so blessed.
This is the day we got to take him home!
This is Carson with his first birthday present from momma and daddy!
2 comments:
This almost made me cry!
Awe! Pretty soon you will have your own baby story to tell! :0)
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