Welcome Scott! Born January 5, 2013

Birth Story - 37 weeks pregnant
 
I am in the minority of women that have rh negative blood type.  It’s not such of a issue during the first pregnancy, but if the first  baby has positive blood type and some of baby’s blood got mixed with my blood during delivery then my blood would see that blood type as a foreigner and start to produce antibodies against that positive blood.  Which is why I got the rhogam shot within 72 hours after having Kiana and at 28 weeks pregnant, to prevent that.  But after the rhogam shot with this pregnancy my antibody levels kept rising, so the doctors wanted me to get an ultrasound, at 37 weeks pregnant,  with a specialist to make sure baby wasn’t becoming anemic.  

The ultrasound took a while.  First a tech did the ultrasound and then the doctor did it too. The technical/medical part of it I don't understand.  Then the doctor took us into his office to discuss the results.  I still hadn't gotten an indication that they found anything.  The doctor compared both his results and the tech's results (they did a Doppler ultrasound to look at the blood flow in the baby to check for anemia) to a chart and explained (although I really couldn't follow all that he was saying) that baby could be borderline anemic. His results were lower than the tech's.  What concerned him, and with discussing with my doctors prior to my appointment, was that my antibody levels kept going up.  Prior to my rhogam shot at 28 weeks my antibody levels were at 1, then after the rhogam shot they went up to 8, then 3 weeks later 16.  Rhogam is supposed to make the antibody levels go down, not up.  This meant that my negative blood was producing antibodies against baby, although we had no way to know what baby's blood type was at this point but most likely positive since both Tim and Kiana have positive blood.  The antibodies could cause anemia in baby.  The doctor was concerned that if I waited another week or two to go into labor that my antibody levels would continue to go up putting the baby even more at risk.  Severe anemia could cause heart failure and/or require a blood transfusion.

Since I was already full-term the doctor thought it would be best to induce me.  To admit me upstairs right then and have the baby.  He just wanted to be safe.   That's when my head started spinning.  We didn't expect that.  From that point on it was a whirlwind and I felt completely unorganized.   We asked the doctor if we could be alone a minute to talk.  Ultimately it was our decision.  We prayed, we cried, we talked.  I wasn't actually worried about baby.  I was more worried about how long we might have to be there, worried about Kiana, not knowing if our friends or the baby-sitter could watch Kiana for how-ever long.  I just had so many questions spinning around in my head. And the thing was was that we had NO CELL PHONE RECEPTION to make calls before we made a decision.  Everything was just happening so fast.  But in the end we knew it would be best to have the baby then.

We told the doctor that yes, we would go ahead and stay, but that we had to make some phone calls first.  He said I could do that from the labor and delivery unit and they wheeled me upstairs, got me in a room, and in a gown.  The nurse came in and started asking me all of these questions, while Tim was trying to get a hold of our friends who were watching Kiana for the day.  I also wanted to call the babysitter to ask if she would be available to watch Kiana for the weekend if our friends could not.  I also needed to call my mom to see if she could change her airline  ticket  a.s.a.p. to watch Kiana since we had no clue how long we might be in the hospital.   While we were making the calls we kept getting interrupted by the nurse to take vitals, blood, hook me up to the monitors, etc, etc, and then the doctor came in. I finally just said "Stop! Wait! Can we have a minute?! We feel really rushed into this and we need to make some phone calls."  So the doctor left and we were able to make some phone calls.  I was also concerned about Tim getting dinner before we started all of this.  Tim went down to the cafeteria before it closed. After Tim came back the doctor came back in to talk about induction and to check my cervix to see what type of drug they would use for the induction.  I was already 3cm dilated and thinned out and having small contractions. ( I guess those braxten hick contractions I was having on New Years did something.)  The doctor said all I would need was pitocin for the induction.  Before they started me on pitocin he wanted me to eat dinner first.  By this time it was 7pm.

I don't remember what time I was started on pitocin, maybe 9pm.  I opted for no epidural and just to see how it went pain-wise.  There was a pull-out bed in the room for Tim and he fell asleep after a while.  I couldn't sleep because the bed was uncomfortable and I was uncomfortable with the IV in me, my blood pressure being taken every 30 minutes, and monitors around my belly.  Once I started feeling the contractions I then had to pee every 1/2 hr, which I had to wake Tim to do so.  The contractions started getting uncomfortable maybe around 12:30am, but I was still o.k.  I don't know the time frame but I know at a point things started happening pretty fast. I'm guessing maybe after 1am the contractions were closer together and I had to start breathing through them. The nurse checked my cervix and I was still only at 3 cm.  I decided I needed something for the pain.  If I was still only at a 3 then who knows how long it would be.  I considered an epidural but decided to try the painkiller phentenol first.  The nurse said that it would just take the "edge off" and make me dizzy.  I don't know if it really did much.  Within 20 minutes of giving it to me I suddenly felt the need to push and so I called the nurse in and she checked my cervix and I was suddenly dilated to 9 cm.  It was time.  The doctor, the resident, and nurse were there, and the NICU team came in too in case something was wrong with baby.  I had 7 people in my room.  I only pushed a few pushes, definitely not as long as I did with Kiana, until he came out.  At one point the doctor told me to just do half pushes so he didn't come too fast (yeah right lady).

He was born stable and healthy at 2:47am (5-6 hrs after being induced) so the doctor put him right on me.  He didn't cry for long before he latched on and started nursing.  They had him stay on me for an hour before they took to weigh and measure him.  He weighed 7lbs 11oz, and 19.25in long.

Because my placenta didn't come out when I had Kiana and I hemorrhaged, after Scott was born I kept asking the doctor if my placenta had come out yet.  I had informed every doctor and nurse that had come into my room that night about my placenta not coming out when I gave birth with Kiana because I wanted them to be prepared and not wait too long.  But with Scott it came out.  My recovery was a lot quicker and easier than it was with Kiana.  I didn't need an episiotomy and didn't tear, and I didn't lose too much blood or require a blood transfusion, as I did with Kiana.

We were told that we probably wouldn't get to go home until Monday. Scott was stable and was able to stay in my room the entire time. Later that day they took blood from him to check for anemia, etc.  Everything was normal.  And his jaundice levels were very low.  Early Sunday morning we were told that we would be able to go home that afternoon.

Everything worked out and we are so thankful and feel so blessed.  

Plan?

My mom asked me a couple of months ago what my plan was after Baby was born, in terms of caring for him, going back to work, etc.,  My response: I have no clue! and I don’t even want to think about it or try to figure it out because the thought of it creates too much anxiety.  I just have peace and am putting my total trust in God that it will all work out, and am praying a lot.  He has a plan.  I have no plan.  I had no plan or clue how it would work out when I had Kiana either, but it did.  With Kiana I had the support and help of a church body and also found wonderful people who were willing to come into my home to assist me while my husband was at work.  This time around I don’t have the support of a church, and I don’t think I want to go through the headache of finding reliable people to come into my home, nor do I have the money.  Yet, I’m going to need help... I think.  

You would think that because this is my second I might have this figured out a little more, but I don’t.  I have no clue how I’m going to care for an infant.  I wasn’t able to care for Kiana on my own until she was 7 months, once she was able to crawl which thankfully was at an early age of 5 months.  

I also do not believe in putting my baby in full-time child care for someone else to care for. Even now I only work part-time and have Kiana in part-time childcare because I think it is important for me to be home with her. I could not be the mom I want to be in terms of time and energy if I worked 40 hours a week.   But even if I wanted to have my baby in childcare, I couldn’t because I can not get a baby in and out of the car until they are able to walk.  

It’s in God’s hands.  He has a perfect plan.  And my mom with be here for at least the first 6 weeks.  I am thankful for that.

32 weeks

This pregnancy up until now has been pretty easy.  But I am 32 weeks pregnant and am now officially uncomfortable.  Baby’s head is now sitting on my pelvis and causing a lot of pain.   Doctor says it is all normal at this point in the pregnancy.  Some evenings, after I have been sitting or standing for awhile, when I get up I can barely walk.  I now spend a lot of time laying on the couch when I am home.  I am using a walker around the house in the evenings I am in a lot of pain, that’s only about 2-3 times a week.  I just have to make sure I don’t do too much during the day (not something that comes easily to me) so I stay somewhat comfortable.  Shopping trips are short (one store) and only if I haven’t done too much beforehand at home.  My husband has been great around the house and Kiana is very patient and a great helper as well.

All Christmas shopping is being done online  and I will not be doing any holiday baking this year.

It's a....

BOY!!! 

We found out a couple of weeks ago that we are having a boy.  I am excited to have both a girl and a boy... but I must admit, part of me is a little nervous.  I have experience with a girl.  Aren't boys slower at developing, more active, and more likely to get hurt?  I just hope it's not too much for me to handle.  But, I'm sure I'll adjust and learn as I go, as I did with Kiana.  (Even if this baby was another girl they might have been, and probably would have been, totally different anyway.)

Balance

Now that I have a little pregnant belly I’ve found that lately I have had better balance.  I found this to be true when I was pregnant with Kiana too, that I had better balance the bigger my belly got, as if it “grounded” me.  The extra weight could be giving me better stability.

But, since I have developed this recent mental anxiety toward walking (within the past year or so) I’ve noticed that having a small showing pregnant belly gives me a sense of confidence and I don't think of my anxiety, thus improving my walking.  I’m proud of my belly.  I want to show it off. (I felt the same way when pregnant with Kiana.)  I want people to see that yes, I am disabled, and yes, I am pregnant too.  It’s that same feeling of confidence one gets when they get a new haircut or a cute new outfit. That feeling that you’re a new person and could walk confidently through a crowd of people staring at you.  

Maybe soon I’ll be able to ditch my cane.  Today I took it with me but didn't use it at all.  I was just holding it and it never even touched the ground.  It probably looked kind-of silly.

Blood draws

With my cerebral palsy I have extra movements.  This is particularly a problem when having blood drawn.  Blood draws don’t bother me, and when you’re pregnant you get blood drawn often.  My uncontrollable extra movement gets worse when I’m nervous or when I am supposed to be still.  I am fine until they get that needle close to me, then I just start moving which makes it difficult for the person drawing my blood and painful for me.  I can’t help it.  So I have to have a second person gently hold my hand, I have to look away, take deep breaths, and count out loud to get my mind off of trying to be still.  This works for me, but the poor ladies drawing my blood  think I’m going going to pass out, which is not true at all.

Oh, also when pregnant you have to pee in a  cup every single doctor’s visit, something I am not able to do.  I don’t have the stability in my hands to hold a cup of anything without spilling it.  This was embarrassing the first office visit I had while pregnant with Kiana, not only did I have to explain to the nurse why I needed a urine hat, but they didn’t have one, so my sweet husband had to assist me with that one.  After that they had a hat.  And with my current doctor all of the nurses now know I need a urine hat so thankfully I no longer need to ask or explain. 

Making cookies

Yesterday Kiana and I made cookies together.  I was trying to get the eggs out of the refrigerator carefully when Kiana said, "here mama, let me help you. Because it's easier for me."  I was a little wary about letting my 2 year old get the eggs out from a higher shelf, but yes my dear, it is easier for you.  She stood up on the ledge of the fridge, reached up and took one egg out at a time.  Thank you Kiana.  She was so proud of herself for being "so tall" and helping out.