I am not sure where to begin with all the thoughts mixing up in my head, but I'll do my best to tell the birth story of our second son, Elijah Ryan Whitacre.
As I have said before, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes about three months ago. It has been a trying journey in discipline, attitude and acceptance. One of the major concerns with the condition is the risk of a large baby - aka too large for the mother to deliver. Our OB wanted him out and about by 39 weeks to avoid this situation. At 37 weeks I was 70% effaced, 3cm dilated and the little one was sitting at zero station. By all counts he looked ready to go and the doctor didn't see any reason why he wouldn't come on his own. Then 39 weeks came and went and she started talking about induction. I was adamantly against it and she willingly heard me out and we continued waiting. I went in for a routine appointment on Friday (39 weeks, five days) and we had a "heart to heart" about the risks of waiting too long. We compromised as I agreed to have my membranes stripped to try to get things started on Friday, May 20th at 11am. I was already 5cm at this point. My water had been leaking slowly since noon on Thursday as well.
Contractions and some cramping started at noon. I put Jude down for his nap, took a shower, ate and laid down for a nap myself. Tim came home about 2pm and began getting our final things together for the hospital. After napping, we decided to start walking. With Jude and his tricycle we set out around the block. I was talking and walking through the contractions, but having a hard time telling when they were starting and ending. After the walk, I laid down again and the contractions slowed so we decided to get up and at it again. This time Linda, Tim's sister, was with us and we set out for a longer walk. Every few contractions, I would need to pause and breathe through but nothing that seemed "strong enough" to be doing much from my perspective.
On a random side note, we had Kona with us on the walk and a car drove by with two dogs in it that were barking their heads off at her. One of the dogs actually fell out of the truck window it was barking and leaning so hard. Tim helped the owner calm the dog and get it back in the truck. Maybe we should have known the drama was on the horizon with dogs falling out of trucks around us.
By around 7pm, contractions were continuing, but I was still working through them without much difficulty. At this point I was feeling discouraged and that there wasn't much more I could do to speed things along so I tried to come to terms with the fact that this too would be a long labor.
My mom arrived at about 7:20pm. At 8pm, I was officially discouraged and decided to go to bed. At about 8:35, Tim came in to check on me and I told him to tell my mom and Linda to get some rest. It was going to be a long night. While he was talking with them, everything changed.
My water broke with fury. I don't know how else to put it. It was very painful and sudden. I called to Tim and burst into tears. The tears were a mix of the surprise pain and disappointment that my water had broken and we were definitely headed for the hospital. At this point, things might start to get graphic so if you don't want details I suggest you stop reading. I can be very good at giving too much information.
Tim began talking me off the ledge as I was very upset. He got me off the bed and tried to get my now very wet clothes off and get me on the toilet. Then the contractions started with wild abandon coming one on top of another. I collapsed onto the floor shaking uncontrollably with my teeth chattering really hard. I think I kept saying, "I need to get a grip" and "breathe". Tim began trying to dress me so we could get in the car. I could not fathom getting in a car at this point, but had little to no ability to communicate what I was thinking. After another contraction on the floor I told him I needed to get on the bed to be more comfortable. If you have ever seen our monster bed, you know this is ridiculous. Doesn't matter. We got on the bed and I let out a very primal scream as I felt the unstoppable urge to push. Tim yelled for help and Linda ran in (Linda and my mom had been getting our things into the car and trying to take care of last minute details as quickly as possible). She assured me that I was having a bowel movement and it would all be okay. Yep, I am openly telling you that I pooped on our bed. Welcome to the land of childbirth. This is when Linda called 911. Another contraction hit, I grunted and pushed while digging my nails into Tim's arms and telling him not to leave me. Then I finally get out what I have been thinking for the last minute: "He's here. He's coming." The next thing we know is Eli's head crowns and less than two seconds later the rest of Elijah followed caught by the steady, strong hands of his hero father at 8:55pm. Eli cried out right away to everyone's relief. The 911 operator said she could hear a baby crying in the background.
Thanks to our Bradley class we had reviewed what to do in case of an emergency birth so we worked to make sure Eli's airways were clear and then we laid him on my chest and covered us with blankets. From there Tim spoke reassuringly to me until the paramedics arrived. I was in shock and remained in some state thereof for almost 24 hours. We took a ride to the hospital in an ambulance and were very well taken care of.
Tim, Linda, my mom and everyone did such an amazing job in a very surprising and stressful situation. All I can say is that everything literally changed in a moment's time. We are so thankful that both Eli and I were fine and there were no complications. That is without a doubt due to the grace of God.
To say the least, we have talked about the events of Friday night over and over and over again. Were we missing the signs? What should we have done differently? What the what?!?
Then there have been comical moments remembered like when Linda was frantically looking for something to wrap me in and brought out one of Tim's favorite flannels and I refused to put it on. I was in shock and not answering anyones questions, but I managed to refuse to mess up my husband's jacket - Ha!
I think that might top our list of most exciting Friday nights. What's yours?
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| Jude and I hanging out before our first labor walk. |
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Walking
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Wow, big mama.
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Jude being silly on our walk.
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| Paramedics Team hard a work. |
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| I have decided to shut out the world at this point. |
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| Tim cutting the cord |
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| Even in the back of the ambulance, there is no denying Nani's excitement that her grandson has arrived. |
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| In the hospital hanging with my new man |
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| 7 lbs 9 oz and 20.5 inches long |
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| Cutie Patootie |
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| I heart heat lamps |
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| I heart my Auntie Da |
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| I double heart my goofy Daddy |
