Two weeks ago, I was going to my 39.5 week appointment,
frustrated that I was officially pregnant the longest I had ever been. The previous Wednesday at my weekly
appointment, I was feeling patient and didn’t push the issue of getting checked
but now I was feeling antsy to get something going. I met my mom in the parking
lot and she stayed in the van with the kids while I went inside. I saw a
midwife who I used to work with in L&D as a nurse and she was so kind to
offer to check me and strip my membranes without having to ask, which I was
secretly hoping for since that worked with both kids in the past. She said I
was 3cm/ 80% effaced. I was happy with that but knew it didn’t necessarily mean
anything since it was my third child. I went home, stopped at Startbucks to try
the new Pumpkin Cold Foam Cold Brew (important details) and headed home for
lunch and naps for the kids.
I was just relaxing all afternoon, watching When Calls The
Heart and even snuck in a cat nap while the kids napped. Then, at 4:45pm I felt
and heard what I can only describe as a “click” very low down where heard head
was. My first thought was could that be the “pop” some people describe when
their water breaks? But I didn’t feel any leaking so I got out of bed and went
to the bathroom. Still no leaking, so I got up, started walking back to bed and
that’s when I felt the first small gush. In denial, I went back to the
bathroom, and sure enough unless I peed myself, I realized my water may have
broken (in past labors this was never the first thing to happen) I immediately
called Weston and started pacing around our room, my heart racing as the nerves
kicked in. This could really be happening!
With Avery’s labor I was leaking very small amounts first
and once they broke my water the whole way labor kicked in hard and fast. With
Brayden, my water broke on its own in one big gush once I had my epidural right
before he was born so this was all new! Gushes kept coming, and I told Weston
to come home from work right away and call his mom to come over to be with the
kids so we could head into the hospital. I wasn’t having any painful
contractions yet but all I could think about was how fast Avery’s labor went
once my water broke so I was just bracing myself for things to happen quickly.
I knew we needed to get to the hospital ASAP!
Thankfully Weston works literally next door to our house and
his parents live 5 minutes down the road so a little after 5pm his mom was at
our house wishing us well and we were hopping in his truck to make the 30
minute drive to the hospital. I was overcome by all the emotions at once and
thankfully Avery and Brayden were both still sleeping so we could leave without
having to say goodbye. The next time we saw them we’d have another baby! (which
I couldn’t let myself think about too much in the moment because I knew I’d
lose it) So we started the drive to the hospital which is about 10 minutes of
backroads and 15-20minutes of highway normally. It started raining and once we
hit the highway it clicked that we were going to hit rush hour traffic.
Thankfully I still wasn’t having painful contractions but I had headphones in
with worship music playing and my eyes closed while I took deep breaths to calm
my anxiety. I was just praying that things didn’t kick in quickly and that we’d
have time to make it to the hospital.
Sure enough, we found ourselves in stand still rush hour
traffic and Weston kept asking “are you doing okay?” thinking I was in active
labor by the way I was breathing but I was just trying to calm my anxiety about
the reality of what was happening. HA! The cherry on top was Weston’s gas light
beeping as we’re sitting in traffic on the highway in the rain trying to get to
the hospital. We laugh about it now because if you know Weston he is the most
responsible, always prepared kind of person. I’m the one who runs my vehicle to
“E” and he fills up when he’s at half a tank. This was literally the first time
in our 7 years of marriage I had seen his gas this low. OF ALL TIMES. (In his
defense he said even on ‘E’ he still has 30 miles left)
Finally, we got to the hospital after 6pm, it took us OVER
AN HOUR to get there. I walked in as fast as I could thanking Jesus that I
hadn’t delivered this baby in the car or really kicked into labor yet for that
matter. I let out a huge sigh of relief when we finally got into our triage
room and started getting admitted! I decided to not get checked yet because I
wasn’t really uncomfortable, I just wanted my antibiotics to get started asap
for my GBS+. (I was negative with Avery and positive with Brayden so the nurse
in me wanted to be safe and get both doses before delivery if at all possible!)
Harriet, a spunky long time L&D nurse I used to work with was the one who
admitted us in triage and I was soon calm as could be knowing we were right where
we needed to be and seeing familiar faces. I got my first dose of Penicillin,
and baby girl looked happy as could be on the monitor. I was having
contractions every 3 minutes or so but they weren’t super painful yet.
We met our nurse Adrienne, who would be taking care of us in
L&D and walked back to our labor and delivery room around 7:30pm. I was
unsure of what to even do since my water already broke but I wasn’t super
uncomfortable yet. I can’t believe how different each of my labors played out.
Going into this delivery having had one unmedicated birth and one epidural
birth, I decided it all depended how things played out as to what I chose to do
this time. I truly loved both experiences, so if things were fast and furious
(which I was pretty convinced they would be after my water broke) Id go
unmedicated and if I had time, Id get an epidural. So when we got back to the
room I decided to get in the shower and bounce on the birthing ball to see if I
could get my contractions closer and more intense before for sure deciding to
get an epidural.
It was so nice to get settled into our room, relax and just
soak in what was happening, it felt very similar to the beginning of Avery’s
labor, and we actually were in the same room we had her in! My parents stopped
in to say HI and deliver dinner to Weston since he came straight from work, and
while they were there, I had to stop talking to breathe through my contractions
every couple of minutes but it definitely still didn’t feel like anything close
to transition. I had to go back on the monitor around 9:30pm so I decided after
that I would probably ask our nurse to start getting the process started for
the epidural. My biggest fear was if my body wasn’t in true labor when I got it
that things would slow down and I’d need Pitocin or something to help my labor
along and it would take longer, which was what I was trying to avoid. The
midwife Lisa B (who is one of my favorites and I had seen at my 38.5 week
appointment and we joked about making sure I came in to deliver when she was
working) came in at 9pm and checked me. I was 5cm/80%. I was happy with that!
At 9:30pm I went back on the monitor and laying on my side in the bed was
pretty uncomfortable but I was still unsure of if I was “ in labor” enough yet?
(also read in DENIAL)
Just to be safe, I told Adrienne she could call the
anesthesiologist and get things started for the epidural. I really liked how I
could ease Brayden out at the very end and have a lot of control when pushing
to avoid tearing, so that and the way Weston and I could really relax and savor
some calm moments as a couple before delivery were what ultimately swayed me to
go with the epidural again. I was up pacing the room again while we waited for
him and felt my contractions coming closer together and more intense, but I
knew the epidural was on the way. I didn’t have much of a sense of time but the
anesthesiologist was delayed in the OR so by the time he got to the room and I
sat on the bed for the epidural it was 10:30pm. I was suddenly very aware of
all the pressure I felt when sitting down but was still breathing well through
contractions. It didn’t feel like transition or needing to push yet but
something was definitely happening. He placed the epidural and I laid down at
10:48pm. The midwife came back in to check me because of all the pressure I was
feeling and I was 9cm and baby was low! I started to feel relief of my
contractions across my belly but the pressure was getting very intense! I knew
that was normal but with Brayden’s epidural I couldn’t feel much of anything
but a little bit of pressure that helped me know when my contractions were
coming and going. This one was either very different or it just didn’t have
time to kick in. From the hips down, I felt like I was completely unmedicated! The
pressure and stretching was intense, but I was trying to wait it out. The nurse
got me situated and walked out of the room, but I immediately pushed my call
bell because my body was suddenly involuntarily pushing! Everyone came into the
room at once and at 11:01pm it was time to push! I have used a mirror to help
me push with every delivery and as odd as it sounds, I always really enjoy it.
I feel like seeing what is happening helps me focus and push more effectively!
After about 10 minutes of pushing, Leighton Hope Martin was born at 11:12pm on
August 28th!
Looking back over my labor and delivery, as completely
different as it was from my other two experiences, once again I am so thankful
for how smoothly and quickly it went! In a funny way I feel like this time I
got a perfect “in between” delivery of unmedicated and epidural since it only
really took pain away across my belly for the short time I had it! Basically I
feel like I got to skip transition! I’ll take it! Haha My team of nurses and
midwife were incredible and once she was born I reached down and pulled her up
onto my chest for skin to skin. She stayed there for an hour and latched right
away for her first nursing session. That is always my favorite part! She ended
up being my biggest baby at 8lb 10oz and all praises be to Young Living’s
Claraderm spray, I didn’t tear at all again!
I am so thankful for a healthy baby and supportive husband
and just the whole experience in general. I am in awe of the miracle of life
and what our bodies are capable of! Leighton is now 2 weeks old and (knock on
wood) has been my easiest baby yet! She is so happy and laid back. She sleeps
lots and gets hangry pretty fast but once she’s fed she is back to being a happy
girl just like her mama! HA This transition has gone some much smoother than
anticipated which I am so thankful for and we are loving being a family of 5!
Now that this is a book I’ll wrap it up. Thanks for reading if you got this
far! I wanted to have all the details I could remember to look back on.
The End.
