Diet Coke to my right, puppy chow to my left----time to get down to business and blog the details of Miles' birth before I forget all of those little (and BIG) things.
Miles birth story is very much like his big brother Harrison's. Apparently I am not good about knowing whether or not I am in labor. Had I not had the cerclage in place it is likely I would have not known until I was almost fully dilated like last time.
It all started the morning of my 35 week appointment. I couldn't sleep the whole night before. My mind was racing and I just couldn't get comfortable and neither could Miles (he eagerly bounced around.). I had aa 8:00 a.m. doctor appointment for the fun Strep B test and my doctor checked me---cervix still less than 1 cm dilated. The only change? Miles was sliding his way down sitting much lower in the pelvis. The last thing the doctor said to me was, "see you in a week." For some reason I was thinking "yes, unless I see you before that."
All Thursday I had braxton hicks, but none had rhythm or pain. I told Doug that evening, "I've had a really wierd day." I started to feel like something might not be quite right.
Friday came and went---no braxton hicks, I was back to feeling like my normal self, I even had a family photo session that evening.
Saturday morning was a return of Thursday, with the exception that the braxton hicks contractions worsened as the morning plugged on, eventually causing pain with the contractions. Doug headed off to work, but before he headed out I said to him, "I think I am having real contractions, but I am not sure." I slipped into the bath tub hoping to find some relief.
I finally decided that I should cancel my morning photo session as a "just in case measure." I texted Doug shortly after and he encouraged me to call the hospital. I texted him back, "I know these contractions are bad enough to go in, I am just trying to get things done around here." Well not more than 5 minutes later I texted him back, "get home soon, we need to go in." In just a matter of minutes my contractions went from mild to moderate to OMG.
My friend Amanda rushed over to watch Harrison. I was gathering the hospital bags (which I finished packing the day before) in between contractions. Before Amanda arrived I honestly didn't know what Harrison was doing all morning---a terrible parenting moment on my be half. I just couldn't put on a mom hat during contractions. Violet (the puppy) chewed up some of Harrison's plastic balls and the wood on the banister and part of the carpet on the stairs---again I just didn't care.
We made it to the ER at about 9:30 that morning (again I am not sure if these are the exact times or not... I went up to labor and delivery to be examined. Even at this time I was wondering if this was true labor or not.
In the exam room I was hooked up to the monitor to guage my contractions. Yep---I was having them alright and they were every 2-5 minutes. A labor and delivery doctor was consulted and he wanted the nurses to give me tribuline to stop the contractions if this wasn't actual labor. The nurse was about to give me a dose, but between my pain level and when I wasn't contracting, the nurse said, "You know what? I am just going to check you now." She said, "You are 5-6 dilated; I don't think this (meaning drugs) is going to stop labor." She checked back with the doctor who came in and said, "Let's get this cerclage out, this guy is not going to wait to be born."
Removing the cerclage was not painful---after all I was already well into active labor. The actual removal of the cerclage was a bit challenging. Once you start to dilate with a cerclage it actually stretches the stitches tighter embedding the stitches further into your cervix. This is why they don't want someone to go into active labor with a cerclage. Essentially what was happening was the stitches were tearing my cervix. Sound painful? Hell yes it was! After several attempts the stitches were removed and the doctor looks up and says, "Now you'll go fast, it won't be long the anesthesiologist is on her way here, your window of time to get an epidural is getting close to closing. I was then moved to labor and delivery.
About 20 minutes later I signed the consent for an epidural. Seriously one of the top 10 decisions I have ever made in my life. Having gone through a natural birth and now an epidural birth...I am wondering why anyone would want to do this naturally? Honestly?
Soon after that I was contracting every 2 minutes consistently. At about 1:30 my cervix was checked again---this time 9, which was about a half hour before my friend/photographer Jenna arrived. Within the next 20 minutes I moved from a 9 to 10 with my bag of water still in place. I had to wait another 20 minutes or so to have the water bag broken as the doctor was in the middle of another delivery. For the small town we live in there was 4 births in 18 hours---labor and delivery was the place to be!
The doctor finally came in to break my water and he said, "This is the only thing preventing this guy from being born." My water bag was broken, clear fluid...but then I looked at the doctor who had that, "there is something wrong look" to his face. I asked, "Did you break my water?" He replied, "Yes." Then there was a pause and he said, "The problem is there is a butt rather than a head." I looked at Doug, my mom and Jenna and we all had that look of disbelief. Up until now, everyone thought he was head down, including my doctor at the 35 week appointment.
Only a few moments went by, but it felt like forever. The doctor said, "I would hate to have you come this far and then have a c-section, lets try a few pushes and see how things go." After a couple of good pushes the doctor called for the forceps just in case and said, "I normally wouldn't do this, but with this little dude not being a term baby, I am going to have you push." A few moments later the doctor said, "well he's definitely a boy!" Doug said, "Now I don't want anyone to say he looks like his dad." The pushing was hard work and at times I thought I was going to pass out---but I just remember telling myself, "you can't, you need to keep going." I fought through the faintness and kept on pushing. The forceps weren't needed, but poor sweet guy got one black and blue bottom from his way out. After 26 minutes of pushing, Miles was out. He didn't cry right away---immediately causing me to panic. I just kept saying, "I want to hear him cry, why isn't he crying?" Harrison came out screeching and this time I didn't hear anything." Miles was handed off to the nurses to be ruffed up and with a little more suctioning he let out his first whimper, which then went into a full fledged cry. This is when all my fears of this pregnancy subsided and I could let out a cry of happiness.
Miles Nelson Kelley was born October 13, 2012 at 2:26 pm at 35 weeks. He weighed in at a healthy 6 lbs 4 oz and was 18.5 inches long. After a pediatrician examination, the doctor said, "I couldn't ask anything better for a 35 weeker, he's doing fantastic."
The doctor said, "you can officially call him a butt head now." The rest of this experience? Amazing. He was handed over to me and placed on my chest. This was the day I had dreamed off, fantasized about since Harrisons' premature birth. I said to the doctor, "I wanted this to be different." He asked, "Was it?" I said, "yes, this is way it's supposed to be, we had to wait two months to bring our son home last time. Jenna was there to capture those very first birth moments behind her camera lens. Something else I hoped and dreamed I would get.
I don't know how many compliments I got for how good of a pusher I was. At one point during pushing the nurse asked," Do you work out?" My reply---"A few years ago before I had a baby." I think our labor and delivery was the talk of day. I had nurses and aides come in a say, "wow, I heard you were an awesome pusher." One nurse said, "there is no way I could have done what you just did."
One of things that I remember most from the day is just being exhausted. I was exhausted before I rolled out of bed that morning. I think I must have said this more than two dozen times during the delivery, "I am so tired, I don't think I can do this." I don't remember ever being so tired that day--even before I had to start pushing. It was like I ran a marathon before I even ran it.
Soon after Miles' arrival he was greeted by his paternal grandparents and additional friends and family. He was already a popular guy.
We spent two nights at the hospital. By the start of the third day I was ready to come home. It wasn't that the staff wasn't fantastic and the food was horrible, I just wanted to be in my own bed. Monday morning the doctor made his rounds and said, "I am guessing you want to go home today?" UM, YES! Next Miles' doctor made his rounds and cleared Miles to be discharged. Originally he was going to be circumcised before discharge, but it was determined it would be best if we waited until he was closer to term size before the circumcism was done. I was more than OK with this, I was apprehensive about bringing him home with that being just done. With him still being premature and just an overall sense of concern with bringing home a baby that didn't have to be transported to the NICU. I kept telling the nurses, "I am waiting for some alarm to go off or something or look up for a monitor to tell me if my baby is breathing or not.
The two days in the hospital were busy, but restful. Miles didn't nurse as often as the text books say he should, but he stilled pulled his own weight, gaining 1 oz over night and being discharged from the hospital at 5 lbs 15 oz. There is always a typical weight loss after delivery so long as he didn't lose more than 10% of his body weight.
We had a lot of visitors---I feel a bit neglectful for not snapping a photo of everyone that came. I honestly didn't pick up the camera to take a shot until late Sunday afternoon. Does that surprise you? It surprised me. In fact in those first two days the camera snapped only 78 times and that's a combination of the shots that both Doug and I took. I probably took less than half of them. This is the moment where the photographer got to step out in front of the camera.
Remember how much I talked up that epidural?
I am dilated to a 9 here, contracting every 1-2 minutes.
These guys were the first ones to meet Miles:
Two of my very best friends, Amanda & Jenna.
Love this candid Grandma love.
Grandpa!
Miles wrapped in flannel on flannel.
Grandpa & Grandma McKee
On Sunday afternoon Miles met his BIG BROTHER Harrison
Loving this next hilarious out-take
Harrison said, "Momma, this is my rocket ship chair, blast off."
The photos give way to the initial meet and greet of Miles. I was worried how Harrison's reaction would be the hospital, he was all smiles. I met him at the door to our room and I was greeted with a "MOMMA" and a little boy bear hug. Saying goodbye for the evening caused me to be an emotional wreck. Harrison said, "Momma come, we go home." I said, "Momma has to stay here." I asked for a kiss and got received a nice smooch followed by a "Bye Momma." This is when I closed the door to the room, tears streamed down my face to and I felt like I chose one child over another. I wrote to my friend that evening and she responded in saying, "I remember that feeling, it's like you are mourning, losing your only child." This is exactly how I felt at that moment. What we did for Harrison is give him a sibling, the best gift we could ever give him. I can't imagine growing up without having my 3 older brothers.
Late Monday morning we were discharged from the hospital. We could have stayed longer, given Miles prematurity, but we were ready to go home.
The night before discharge we played musical rooms. We had to give up the nice labor and delivery room for a smaller room down the hall. We lost our private shower and the room size was 1/3 the size of the previous room and worst than that, Miles and I spent the night alone as Doug needed to go home and care for Harrison. Before Doug headed home for the night we played some competitive games of tic-tac toe and hang man.
As part the third and final part of the birth plan---I had my first alcoholic drink, Malibu and Diet Coke.
Don't judge me.
I just love this sweet face.
This Bee is ready for take off! Next stop?
HOME.
Thank you to our family and friends and even strangers with the well wishes and the support you have given us. We are truly blessed to be a family of four.
Miles is 5 days old today. He had his visit to his doctor yesterday for a weight and billiruben check. We go back tomorrow for another blood draw and weight check. Hopefully I will get an update up for those appointments as well as home life updates before Miles turns 5!
I plan to attempt his first newborn session tomorrow afternoon. I also need to get caught up with taking those "everyday" shots. I have only taken a handful of photos on the i-phone since we got home, I haven't even busted on the big gun yet on him.
Excuse me as I abruptly end this entry---It's time for a snuggle.
