Baby Rachel

Thursday, October 8, 2015 was a very special day for our family.

I went in for my 39-week appointment and started having contractions on the way to the hospital (where the doctor's office is). They weren't strong, but they were pretty regular. I had been having quite a few regular contractions over the preceding week, just not very strong.

I will admit I was very ready to have my baby in my arms. My belly was getting sore from being stretched out and I was so big that it was hard to do much of anything.

The doctor was blessedly on time for my 11:15 appointment. He did a quick ultrasound and everything looked great. He didn't even bother measuring baby, just said, "She is what she is." Which would have bothered me, but I was pretty sure something was going to happen that day. (I had even brought my bag and the car seat.) The hormones were so strong that I just wanted to cry. I didn't want to be induced but I was so ready to have that sweet baby in my arms already. (Truly, I love being pregnant, but, at that point, I could honestly tell myself I was ready to be done.) I think Dr. Maciulla could tell that I was miserable and on the verge of tears, so he called over to L&D to see if they had any openings. I was just over 4cm dilated and had been 70% effaced the previous week. So I was well on my way. Just needed some stronger contractions.

I have a fear of induction. I never want to force babies to come before they are ready. But I really felt that she was. So I agreed to labor augmentation, since I was already having contractions on my own. I asked if we could break my water and see if that would send me into labor on my own. He agreed, with the stipulation that we try pitocin first to make sure my body would respond because once your water is broken, you can't just sit around waiting for labor to happen. Agreed.

I made the necessary phone calls while waiting for a delivery room - James, Mom, Anna (my friend who was watching the other kids). Still feeling contractions, still wanting to burst into tears for no real reason.

James got there just as the nurse came to take me to the room. (1:00pm) She took my weight and blood pressure. I found it a little eerie that my weight was 66.6kg.

Mary Jo was awesome getting us all set up. I had previously discussed with Dr. Maciulla that I wanted to try to deliver without an epidural. He was all on board, although he STRONGLY encouraged it if baby stayed breech, as she had been for the majority of the pregnancy. She was breech from the time she could find a position until around 33 weeks. And then she flipped to vertex. For two weeks. When I went in for my 36 week visit, she was back to breech. That was a little scary. And kind of cool at the same time. I've never had a vaginal breech delivery. Could be a neat experience, but could definitely incur problems that might not be present with a vertex presentation. So I encouraged her to flip and she did! 37 weeks and vertex! She never flipped again, although that fear remained there because her head never engaged. Not until I was dilated to about 8cm even!

The view from L&D Room #3.

Once the slightest hint of pitocin hit my blood stream, the contractions came much stronger and more frequent - about 3 minutes apart! But they were tolerable.

(Why no epidural? With Wyatt, my water didn't break and I labored at home for 5 hours until the contractions started coming almost on top of each other and got pretty intense to the point I was pretty sure we were close to having the baby and I was really not wanting a home birth! 7cm at the hospital, epidural for about an hour and then no epidural action right when it was time to push. So I basically delivered Wyatt without an epidural and I wished I hadn't even bothered. Really, I have had the epidurals with the last three deliveries just in case my c-section scar were to rupture. I do NOT want to have to be put under if I have to have an emergency c-section.)

The last of the big belly before my water was broken

Definitely easier to breathe with less amniotic fluid.
You can see that she was still pretty high.
Little ball in my belly...

\

At 2:00, Dr. Maciulla came in and they broke my water. After he left, I asked Mary Jo if we could shut off the pitocin. Sure! 

Water broken, but doing fine!

I was at 6cm around 3:00 and was still at 6cm about an hour and a half later. I could tell that the contractions had decreased in frequency and strength. I agreed to have the pitocin turned back on, but told Martha, our actual nurse, that I didn't want it increased, that the lowest dose had been doing the job. Sure enough, it did the job again and she never adjusted the setting.

By 5:30, things were getting pretty intense. I had James squeeze my hips to help detract from the fire that would come on with every contraction. An hour later, things were seriously intense and I was rethinking my decision not to have an epidural.

So grateful to have had Martha as our nurse! She was awesome! She would help me change positions to help me dilate faster. She brought in a peanut birthing ball at 6:30. At that point, I was 8cm and in serious pain with each contraction, which seemed to never end. The contractions were coming hard and heavy. One would just finish and another would start. There was no recovery break in between anymore. I wanted to cry when she told me I was at 8cm. I had been dilating about 1 cm every hour or so. Pretty sure I wasn't going to last 2 more hours! But, and I again sing her praises, she worked with me and I went from 8-10cm in about 20 minutes! When she told us around 5:30 she was hoping we could get this baby out before shift change, I was seriously doubtful. I just don't usually dilate that fast. 

It was the most incredible thing getting to announce when baby was "there". I felt her move into position. Dr. Maciulla had stopped by with the resident around 6:30 and they were waiting right outside. I thought he was kidding when he told the resident, "See that face? She's close." Yes, it was that intense.

Once the urge to push came, there was no stopping. No waiting for another contraction, no waiting for someone to break the bed down. But, thank goodness for the right people at the right time because Rachel had the cord wrapped around her neck. I know they wanted me not to push at that point, and I did my best, but I think they had to hold her in position while they unwound the cord and got things ready for the rest of her body to follow.

I don't think I had been able to open my eyes for about half an hour but, once I felt her come out, I couldn't wait to see her! James got to cut the cord and then I saw a little messy white butterball being carried over to the cleaning table. I was so sure she was over 8 pounds! She had measured 7 lbs 9 oz by ultrasound the week before, but boy was I in for a surprise!

I thought I would feel instant relief once she was out, but that was not the case. The contractions continued hard and heavy until the placenta was out as well. And then I had the pleasure of waiting while another resident got to learn to place sutures in my 1st degree tear. I really think that's one other benefit of not having an epidural - you don't push harder than you have to and, therefore, don't injure yourself more than necessary.

Here she is in all her newness:

Baby Rachel Lurie Brimhall. Born at 6:51pm weighing 7 lbs 7 oz and 19.25 inches long.

I would request Martha every time if I could!
She knew I could do it! So glad she didn't put in the request for an epidural when I doubted myself. Also so happy that Rachel arrived before shift change at 7pm!

Rachel had swallowed a lot of amniotic fluid and stopped breathing right after they got her to the warming table. James watched Dr. Maciulla suck a lot of fluid out and they got her breathing pretty quickly. So very relieved she made it through labor and delivery! Her initial apgars were 5 and 9 and her little purple hands took a while to pink up.

She took to nursing really well. She still needs a little assistance with latching, but she sure loves to nurse! Again, grateful for tender mercies. I think if she was my first, there would have been tears on both our parts. However, since one of us has some experience in this department, I have been able to help her and it has been the sweetest thing to again see the sweet little face of a newborn receiving her nourishment from me. It's truly a sacred experience to be able to breastfeed. I have even had moments when I just want her to wake up and want to nurse again. :)

Such a special day to have this new little angel join our family!