Wyatt's Birth Story

Seems only fitting to post this tonight as Wyatt turns one week old on the eve of his due date:

(VERY long!  And, most likely TMI, my friends.  Ye be warned!)

His birth story really started about a week before he was born.  When I went in for my weekly visit on August 7th at 37w3d and was told that he was very low, cervix very thin and I was already dilated to 2cm, I was fairly certain that my dream of having him born on 8/10/12 was going to be realized.  I just hoped I could hold out three more days.

That night, I felt contractions regularly at 1.5 hour intervals while watching Downton Abbey with Melissa so I was pretty sure that things were moving in the right direction.  The next day, I had more, some even closer at an hour apart.  August 8th is my dad's birthday so I told myself I would be happy having him born that day too.  I didn't.  The following day was Daniel's birthday (his uncle).  Maybe Wyatt would share a day with him...  Nope.

Friday, August 10th came and I was so excited thinking Today's the day!  Alas, it wasn't meant to be.  I watched as the hours ticked by.  I was cleaning house like a mad woman and doing whatever I could to try to send myself into labor.  I think I got a few contractions as close as 20 minutes apart, but that was it.  By 7:00 in the evening, I knew that was not going to be Wyatt's birth date.  My shortest labor to that point had been nine hours with Timmy and I just didn't see things happening in under four.

It was sad for me.  I honestly did feel like I was overdue at that point, even though I was still a day shy of 38 weeks even.  But it was still a blessing because I was able to go with my mom to take Landon to the Phoenix Children's hospital on Monday to see one of the nation's best dermatologists.  Contractions still only as close together as 15 minutes or so on the ride home.  Far enough apart that I would forget where I started timing.  Sure made the return trip go faster, though.  My mom even walked to Wahgreens with me to drop off the prescriptions.  One contraction each way.  Nothing in the store.

I truly love being pregnant.  Feeling a baby moving inside is one of the most amazing things ever.  In a way it's also sad to me, that, even still, I do get to a point where I'm ready for the baby to move into my arms.  With Landon and Callie, I remember just a few nights thinking I'm ready before they came.  I felt that way with Wyatt for close to two weeks.  He was just so low that I couldn't even put my legs together when I sat down.  My belly was literally on my lap.  And it hurt to stay in any position for very long.  Even half an hour.  My ligaments were so stretched and my belly was starting to ache holding him.  I would try to get all my to-do's for the day done in the morning because I was physically too sore and tired to do them by 10am.

The Induction

Thursday, August 16, I dropped the twins off at preschool and Timmy and I went to visit Dr. Maciulla again.  I couldn't believe I was back.  Nine days after my last visit when I was so sure that labor was imminent.  I was so tired.  He said he didn't even know how I was walking in there.  Me neither.  Wyatt felt even lower than the last time.  My GBS results were back and negative - hooray!  Baby still looked fabulous on the ultrasound and was looking to weigh about seven and a half pounds.  I really didn't want to pass the eight pound mark.  That would be almost two pounds heavier than my biggest!

I think Dr. Maciulla could tell how tired I was.  He asked if I would like some help to try and get things going.  Yes, please.  He told me we could induce on Saturday.  Upon checking, I was 4cm dilated, 90% effaced and baby was at a 0 station.  So he went ahead and stripped my membranes and told me that that should stir something up and to go home and pack my bag.  Or I could just go home, pack my bag and come back.  I could tell the nurses that Dr. Maciulla said it was okay.  I appreciated the offer, but I am very leery of induction.  It's really not encouraged in a VBAC situation.  Not to mention that it seemed like I was ready to go into labor on my own at any minute.

So I scheduled my return visit for one week, praying that we wouldn't make it this time, and headed to the van carrying Timmy and his chicken head.  Alas, no contractions on the way.

I had one major contraction on the way to picking the twins up from preschool.  By far the strongest (and most painful) I had had to that point.  It was encouraging.  We stayed with Nastia and the kids for a while.  She offered me a chair and water and I couldn't refuse.  It was after 10 and I was past the point of trying to have any more energy.  When we finally left, the kids asked where we were going and what we were going to do that afternoon.  It's so hard to tell kids that you just don't want to do anything but go home and take a nap.  I had one more massive contraction on the way home and that was it.  I was able to squeeze in a quick nap with Timmy while the twins played on the computer and watched movies and then we picked up Trevy for the first time at Parent Pick-up.  We were just running a bit slow and they always walk out there right after the bell rings.

My mom called while we were on our way home and I confirmed that Dr. Maciulla had indeed stripped my membranes that morning.  (Apparently she had the same thing done with my oldest brother and it worked for her.  Very encouraging, as you can find comments online where women go into labor within hours and it does nothing for others.)

I was so confident and hopeful that things were going to happen at 3am (as they had twice previously) that I even made sure the kitchen was cleaned up that night.  Not a single dish on the counter or in the sink.  Alas, I only woke up in the night to go to the bathroom and woke up the next morning with membranes still intact.

Labor...

Friday morning, I decided to just go about my regular activities.  James took Trevy to school and then had a few more errands to run, including a 10:30 eye exam at Costco.  Still no contractions to time.  So I decided to keep with my plan of vacuuming out the van and finally getting around to unpacking the new infant car seat to see if we actually could fit five seats in the car.

By 9:30, I was finished with my regular routine, breakfast was cleaned up and the kids and I were dressed so I broke out with the vacuum and the extension cord and set to work.  The morning was hot.  For whatever reason, Landon, Callie and Timmy thought it would be fun to watch a movie in the car while I cleaned.  They gave up that idea pretty quickly.  I started on the passenger side, working my way from the front to the back.  I hadn't realized just how nasty our van was.  There were goldfish in the seat track that had been there for quite a while.  It was such a pain to suck that out, but it looked so much better after I got the stuff out.  It wasn't too long before I felt the first contraction.  9:45.  Hopeful, but they had teased me before.  Then another one came and I decided to look at the clock.  10:15?  Seriously?  It had already been half an hour since the last one?  Another half an hour later.  By the fourth or fifth contraction I started hoping that these were going to lead to something because they were much stronger than any I had felt to that point.  Happy to report that they did slowly start getting closer together.

Around 10:45, I decided to start writing times down and timing the contractions.  The next was over 20 minutes later, so I held off a bit.  I had both benches vacuumed off and the floor on the passenger side and in the back cleaned.  I had most of the front behind the driver's seat cleaned when the vacuum quit on me.  I'm pretty certain we have some blockage in there, but I didn't get a chance to clean it out.  I came in to get some water and cool off and time some contractions, as they definitely felt closer at that point.  11:47.  Another at 11:57.  Ten minutes isn't bad.  Especially followed by another at 12:07.  Very exciting!  And then they picked up.  12:14, 12:21, 12:28 - 7 minutes apart!  Yea!  And then - another one?  So soon?  Yep, 4 minutes apart!  12:32, 12:35 (and that one was definitely more painful), 12:38, 12:42, 12:26, 12:52, 12:56, 12:58, 1:00...  Three to four minutes apart for half an hour - time to call Brie (my doula)!

I called to let her know that I was finally having regular contractions and that they were at four minutes apart and had been for half an hour.  James had come home around 12:30.  He needed to run one more errand so I told him that I was having contractions and that there was a good chance we would be having our baby that day.  He had one hour.  He took the twins with him and Timmy fell asleep in my arms shortly after Brie picked up the phone so I was able to put Timmy down and put the finishing touches on my hospital bag.  Honestly, it was so very nice to be able to walk around doing last minute things between contractions.  Standing helped a lot.  I find that contractions are more painful when I'm sitting.

When James got back at 1:30, I had just finished talking to Brie (she had been helping me time contractions and plan strategy for calling people and deciding when she should come over).  He asked if I was still having the contractions or if they were gone.  Most definitely still there!  And we had just passed the hour mark for them being four minutes apart!

So I called James's mom (1:32pm) and asked if she wanted to do a movie night with the kids.  Well, she would love to, but they were feeding the elders.  How about me begging because I'm in labor?  She said she would finish getting things together for dinner and be over as soon as she could.  I told her that we were planning on waiting until Trevy was out of school before heading to the hospital so she had a little time to play with.

I was debating on whether or not to call my mom and tell her that I was in labor when my phone started ringing (1:42pm) and it was her!  I just hate having lots of people on pins and needles waiting for baby to make his appearance, but since she called, I told her that I was indeed in labor.  But no, we weren't at the hospital.  I was having great contractions, every four minutes, but no need to rush over there.

I called Bridgette about half an hour later (2:23pm) to see if she might be free to hang out with the kids until her mom got there, as I was initially planning on heading to the hospital around 3:00, once Trevy was home from school.  She said she could do that, but it would take her a little while to get here.  (Little did I know that she was out with Yvonne then and couldn't just run over.)  Again, no problem.  We still had time before I was planning on leaving.

Brie came in around 2:30.  We were still picking up the living room and trying to get things ready for people to come over to help with the kids.  I had all my bags lined up by the door ready to go.

At first, I didn't know what to have Brie help me with.  I was breathing through the contractions just fine so we finally opened the box with the new car seat.  Apparently they come fully assembled these days.  I remember having to lace straps and the canopy back in 2006.  No matter.  So we then watched the kids hide in and demolish the box.  We weren't planning on returning it anyway.

I received the call from the Phoenix Children's Hospital (2:36pm) letting me know that Landon's labs had come back as expected.  All counts were good with a couple being elevated, but expected to be such.  So we were clear to start the methotrexate.  Too bad the compounding pharmacy didn't have it ready.  Not that it mattered at that point because there was no way I was going to make it over to pick it up!

James's mom called right after (2:38pm) to let me know she was on her way.  (It's about an hour's drive to Tucson from St. David.)  Still perfect, we weren't going to leave until James got back from picking Trevy up.  I was actually right in the middle of telling him that she needed to be picked up and that he could just get her at Parent Pick-up, as he was going to be late now as well.

I remember still being seated on the couch at that point.  Mostly just talking to Brie.  Daniel had stopped by and was playing with the kids in the box.  Bridgette arrived not long after and just in time.  By about 3:15, the contractions were my entire focus.  It was so nice to have her entertaining and distracting the kids.  I went into the kitchen with Brie and she tossed out multiple suggestions to try to help alleviate some of the labor pains.  I find that breathing deeply, as opposed to panting, just comes naturally to me and seems to work the best for me.  However, putting one foot up on a chair and just rocking back and forth brought some good relief.  When I would rock forward, the pain was almost gone, then it would come back as I moved backward, then I would move forward and the pain would leave again.  We worked through several contractions that way, sometimes with her squeezing my hips to help detract from the discomfort.  Drinking lots and lots of water.  (Thank goodness our possessed ice maker had picked that week to work.)

As had been the case for almost two weeks prior to that point, the standing became tiring after a good half hour or so of laboring in the kitchen and we moved back to the living room.  I tried a couple of contractions just leaning over on my hands on the couch.  That worked.  At one point, Bridgette said something (wish I could remember what it was) that made me laugh mid-contraction.  It was awesome!  Nothing like a great distraction to take your mind off the pain.

Then I tried sitting.  Also okay, maybe a bit more uncomfortable.  Brie suggested trying to put my feet up and see if that helped any.  No sooner had I put my feet up then a contraction came on.  It was a strong one, piggy-backed by another.  That was the only time the contractions actually brought me to tears and, sadly, the moment James's mom walked in.  Nope, we're fine.

I stood up after that and had another contraction almost instantly.  It was around 4pm at that time.  We had lasted over an hour longer than I had planned, but the contractions were most definitely feeling stronger and, perhaps, even a bit closer together.  Time to head to the hospital!

...and Delivery!

James had everything in the van at first but I guess I killed the battery trying to clean the darn thing because it wouldn't start.  So he literally threw everything into the Honda and we were off!  For some reason, he chose to head south.  Wouldn't you know it - contraction right as we were going over the speed bump.  Ouch!  Not a good combination.  Wish I had commented earlier - I always go the other way round, which puts the hospital on the right side of the road.  With no speed bumps on the way!  I only had one other good one on the way there and then another as I was headed to the front door.  Brie had gone ahead so that she could park and meet me at the front.  James dropped me off and I headed in with Brie.  I lucked out that there was a woman there working as a transport.  She had just dropped someone off at the van and was heading back inside.  She offered me a ride in the wheelchair.  I declined at first.  And then when she said she was headed that way anyway, I decided I would be an idiot to turn her down again, as I would then have to get to the 8th floor on my own.

I hadn't been on that part of the 8th floor since Timmy was moved to the Diamond Children's Center back in May of 2010.  They converted the old MOP unit to a nice waiting room and made the old NICU the new MOP area.  It's so much nicer!

We had a nice chat with the transporter.  Her name is Sarah and she recently moved from back East as well.  She's loving the warmth of the southwest.  She's only been here about 6 months or so.  So she's endured the hottest part of the year!  Apparently she used to work in a vascular unit because she commented on how nice my veins are. Truly I get that a lot.  I think all of my siblings do as well.  We inherited highly prominent veins.  Which makes it very shocking if anyone misses.  We had a fun little chat for a few minutes and then she had to head back downstairs.  We were behind another woman, due that day, and I felt a little guilty having a couple of contractions in her presence while, I believe, she was hoping that things would get going.

James met us there and ended up filling out as much of the paperwork as possible as the contractions became closer together again once I was out of the wheelchair.  The MOP room was fun in a way because it was like seeing friends I hadn't seen in a long time.  Diana Taylor was the one who checked me in.  She checked me in for plenty of NSTs back in 2010 as well.  I recognized the nurse who went back with me but couldn't place her name.

So many contractions from that point on.  Every time someone would ask me something or needed me to do something, I would have to make them wait.

In an ironic and bittersweet twist of fate, the bed to which I was taken to be admitted was right in the spot Timmy spent his last month in the NICU - Bed #2.  I didn't get any pictures of that, but I did ask James to take final pictures of my big Wyatt belly.

 (I know what you're thinking - Is that some tricep definition there?  Why yes!  Yes it is!)

Honestly, it's a little different laboring while laying down.  I usually end up drawing my legs up, closing my eyes and just breathing until the squeezing passes.  At that point, there was no talking through the contractions.  I was definitely in hard labor.  I couldn't remember the name of the nurse who came in.  I definitely remembered her and she said I looked familiar too.  I gave her the brief "in for daily NSTs for PPROM two years ago".  Her name is Tracy.  I asked her if she could say I was at least at 6cm when she checked me and she said she would do me one better - I was at 7cm, 90% effaced and Wyatt was at a 0 station.  We were so close!  Definitely going to be having a baby soon.  I've always gone in at 4cm with ruptured membranes so this was all very exciting!

We were then taken to labor room #10 by Marian.  (Yep, another nurse from the Timmy days.  She was one of my favorites.)  She also said I looked familiar, but she remembered me being more pale the last time.  Could have been that I delivered in the spring and I spent this whole summer out in the pool.  I knew she wasn't just making it up when she said she remembered me reading classics.  Yep.  I finished Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities that summer, among others.  It was so nice to have her.  Fun to have someone I felt like I "knew" right there working with me.

We arrived in the delivery room around 5:00.  The anesthesiologist had already been notified that we were interested in the epidural.  (Still mostly because I fear being put under should the need arise for an emergency c-section.)  The resident came in shortly after we got settled.  He told me that he would place the epidural but also gave me the option of a central block, as it would take effect faster.  It sounded to me like I would lose all feeling, including the very sensation of the contractions so I double-checked just to make sure - yes, if I went with the second option, it would numb everything from the waist down.  Not the route I wanted to go.  I prefer having the epidural in place with a low enough dosage just to take the edge off the pain of the contractions but leaving me with enough feeling that I knew when I was having one.  I also asked if he would go one spot above normal, as that was what I was told I should request after having the epidural redone with both the twins and Timmy.  He did.  And then he waited with us for a good 15-30 minutes to make sure that the epidural took bilaterally.  It was hard to say.  I'm pretty sure my right side took the medication better than the left.  The edge was off the contractions, so I was thinking we were good to go.  And go he did.

The residents came in next.  (I really tried to make a mental note of the time that everything took place, but I really can hardly remember the order everything happened for some reason.  It wasn't much better even the night it all happened.)  If I'm remembering even remotely accurately, it was around 5:20 at that point.  Hadn't seen Dr. Maciulla yet, but they were there to break my water and see if we could have the baby soon.  I was honestly in shock that everyone was talking about seeing the baby so soon.  Usually I get to the hospital at 4cm and then it takes several hours to get anywhere near delivery.  Not this time.

Dr. Sperry broke the membranes while Dr. Bouska watched.  Everyone seemed a bit surprised at the amount of amniotic fluid that came out.  A perfect amount.  Dr. Maciulla always said it looked great on ultrasound, no sign of too much fluid or too little this time around.  I had read Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose with the kids the night before and I had to tell Marian and Brie that all I could think was the first line: "Up at Lake Winna Bango, the far northern shore, lived a great herd of moose, about sixty or more..."  Apparently it's one of Dr. Suess's lesser known classics, but dearly loved in our home, and I felt I had just created Lake Winna Bango.

We were then left to wait out the contractions and dilating.  Marian told me we needed to deliver by 7pm so she could be there.  I tried, I really did.  She never checked me, but when Dr. Sperry came back in and checked, I was still only at 7cm.  It was at least 6:40 at this point and I knew there was no way I would be ready to push by 7:00.  I just don't dilate that fast!  In fact, I was a little disappointed that we hadn't made any progress.

I truly forget at what point Dr. Maciulla first came in.  He just made his appearance, commented that I was a "little late" - he had been expecting me the night before - and left the residents to their thing.  This was also about the time that the tech came in to prep for taking care of baby.  It's always exciting to get to that point when you know you'll be seeing your baby soon.  This is a particularly relieving point as a VBAC as well because there is a really good chance that, if the scar hasn't ripped open by that point, it isn't going to.

Our new nurse, Julie, came on at 7pm.  She was wonderful!  She told us later that Marian had told her that she had a "really nice couple" that she should take.  Apparently Marian has used that line before to talk her into taking certain people, but she told us that we really were a pleasure to work with.  So was she.  She was so efficient and so much fun.  Just very light-hearted, but also very thorough.

Julie checked my cervix at one point and Dr. Sperry checked not too long after.  Still not quite fully dilated.  Everyone who checked commented on how squishy my cervix was.  That they could push it aside without any effort.  It just kept coming back in position.

I don't recall feeling nauseated during the transition phase this time as I did with Timmy and the twins.  I even commented to Julie and Brie about it and they both agreed that you don't always feel sick with every pregnancy.  But I was starting to feel the contractions a bit and told Julie that, although I wasn't feeling sick, I was definitely feeling like I needed to go to the bathroom.  (Which doesn't work after you have an epidural and an IV in place.)  So she drained my bladder and agreed.  Apparently that should have been done when my water was broken.  She said that my full bladder could very well be what was keeping me from delivering the baby.  Pretty sure she was right because very shortly after, the entourage came in.

This was the first time I have ever had the bed taken apart for a delivery in a delivery room.  It was kind of surreal.  Like one of those, oh, you really do do this, kind of moments.  They sure do!

James was right beside me on my left, Brie at my right shoulder.  Julie was standing next to James.  Dr. Bouska was standing next to her.  Dr. Sperry got the front row seat and actually got to deliver Wyatt.  Dr. Maciulla was between her and Brie and directing the entire event.

By this point, I was starting to feel some pain with the contractions.  I briefly thought of mentioning it, but decided it wasn't worth it at this point.  Epidurals tend to cause me more pain than any other part of delivery.  Not to mention that I don't think there was any time to do anything about it.

Before the doctors had come in, Julie asked me to give a trial push.  I was nearly flat on my back at that time and couldn't push at all.  She sat the bed up a bit and that made a world of difference.  Bless those nurses who can think to try something else instead of just getting upset that I'm not doing what I should be.

I think the first good push with an audience brought Wyatt almost to crowning.  The hardest part for me was trying to hold onto my legs and push at the same time, all while trying to ignore the pain of the contractions.  I couldn't pull on my legs while my body just wanted to uncurl away from the tightening.

You get a brief rest between contractions and then you're back in charge.  I like to let everyone know when the next one is starting so no one gets taken by surprise.  Wyatt's head came out with the next push and that's when I got a clear understanding of the "ring of fire".  I will admit I let out an "aaahhh!" of pain on that one, but that's all the screaming I'll claim.  I was ready to rest on that one, but no one was about to let me.  I started to lean back and I remember hearing Dr. Maciulla especially telling me, no, keep going!  Once Wyatt's shoulders were out, Dr. Sperry passed baby to Julie and she wiped as much mess off as she could as fast as she could and had baby on my chest in seconds.  The rest of the world disappeared.

Yes, he was a mess, but he was mine!  He was so perfect!  And his entire pregnancy and delivery were perfect.  I had just had the perfect text book baby!

Dr. Maciulla was the one who suctioned his mouth and nose, which was the first feature I really noticed,
well, maybe second to the swirls of short dark hair on top of his head.  His nose was almost completely flat.  Happy to say that it popped right out into the cutest, most kissable little button nose by the next morning.  Apparently a week squished low in mommy's pelvis doesn't make for a very pointy nose.

I forget whether the suctioning came first or the cutting of the cord, but James finally got to cut one.  He wasn't even asked, Dr. Maciulla just handed him the scissors, clamped the cord and showed him where to cut.










While he was suctioning, Dr. Maciulla told me that there would most likely be some indentations and bruising for a little while.  Apparently Wyatt had had the cord wrapped around his neck.  Thank heaven for little extra blessings.  I know plenty of women who have ended up with c-sections for that reason and hypoxic babies.  Wyatt was distinctly purple at first, which won him an apgars of 7 to start, but he pinked right into an 8 at five minutes.

I had a small laceration that, Dr. Sperry told me, looked like a small scar that had torn open.  I had a small first degree tear with the twins as well so I'm sure it was in the same spot.  Dr. Maciulla showed Dr. Sperry how to check to make sure that my cesarean scar was still fully intact.  I honestly don't remember anyone checking that before.  Maybe the other residents who delivered the twins and Timmy were further along in their training and had delivered VBAC babies before.  Who knows.  But the good news is that my scar was, indeed, still completely intact.

Dr. Bouska was given the privilege of suturing the tear.  Honestly, once baby's out, I start wanting my privacy back and the whole suturing business seems interminable.  Maybe it was the scream or maybe it was just the caution of experience, but I was very grateful to Dr. Maciulla for suggesting the residents "test" the area before they started the suturing.  They merely poked it with a needle and, oh, yes, I could very much feel it.  There was not a shred of numbness left anywhere at that point.  No need for the epidural, they just injected some lidocaine and proceeded.

Julie had asked me when she came on shift if I wanted to have the baby given to me as soon as he was born or after he was cleaned up?  Was I planning on breastfeeding and did I want to do that as soon as possible?  I could have cried; I've never been given those options before.  Absolutely, I wanted to hold the baby the minute he was out and, yes, I wanted to try to breastfeed him as soon as I could.  We had wanted to with the twins but never got the privacy.

Once the suture business was finished and the bed reassembled, the doctors all left.  We chatted briefly with Brie, but there really wasn't much else for her to do.  It was quite nice to have her there for the labor and delivery.  She was very hands-on - even french braided my hair for me.  The only thing that didn't quite work for me was having her tell me to envision the contractions hugging my baby and bringing him closer to me.  I think because they were so strong and painful that all I could think was that the contractions were squeezing my baby and hurting him because they were sure hurting me!

Julie stepped out for a bit after that and I was given the chance to try to get Wyatt to latch on.  You never would have guessed he was only minutes old.  He nursed for a good 40 minutes straight!  Perfection, I tell you!

Dr. Bouska came back in for stats but no one had any for him.

James started texting right away.  I figured I would wait for weight and length, but did end up calling my mom to let her know Wyatt was here.  I promised to call when we had numbers.  I, too, was eager to know, but even more just wanted to cherish the first magic moments of holding my newborn in my arms.

Our tech had been called into a c-section so we had to wait for him to come back anyway.  He returned about an hour after Wyatt had been born and we were given the stats.

And Wyatt was wiped down, diapered and given erythromycin.

Wyatt Andrew Brimhall

Born August 17, 2012 weighing 7 pounds 12 ounces.  20.75 inches long.