Monday morning at 2am I woke up from a contraction. They were immediately 5-7 minutes apart but not very intense. Stronger than the Braxton Hicks I was occasionally having but for being that close together, not very strong. So I took a shower, made sure my labor bag was organized and together, and just kind of walked for a bit. Around 3:15-3:30 contractions started getting a little more intense and about 2 1/2-4 minutes apart. Still not as strong as I felt they should be for being that close, but I called my midwife and then went to wake up Joseph.
Waking up Joseph when he is in a deep sleep is always a highlight for me. He always gets so angry and it is perfect opportunity for me to mess with him. Since contractions weren’t super strong, I have to admit I probably didn’t look or sound like a woman in labor, so poor Joseph was really confused when I told him he needed to get up and get ready. I did tell him he could take his time though because I did think we had at least a few more hours before she was born. While Joseph packed the car up and we waited for someone to come sit at our house, contractions started getting a little more intense and I started feeling slight pressure. Though I still thought we had awhile. Some nausea came with a few contractions and I took some Zofran just in case and told Joseph to bring a bucket as precaution since we had a 45 minute drive.
Around 4:20am we left for Lincoln and headed to the birth center. The entire car ride was quiet as the contractions came and went. They were strong but again, I thought they would get stronger still. I did throw up a few times in the car so very thankful we thought to bring something! We did just buy our mini van after all :) as we got closer to Lincoln, the pressure got a little stronger and I knew the baby would be born soon, but I was thinking in the next couple hours. I didn’t tell Joseph the progression of my contractions or pressure though. I didn’t want him to panic while driving I guess :)
We pulled up to the birth center around 5:20am and head to the exam room for a quick cervical check. I was 9cm dilated so my midwife called the nurse to come in as well. My midwife left to go turn the tub on in the birthing suite down the hall while Joseph tried slowly helping me make my way to the suite. But as soon as I tried to stand up from the exam table, another contraction came and I couldn’t help but push. Joseph panicked a bit and we both yelled for my midwife to come back in. There was maybe a 30 second break and then another contraction as my midwife came running back into the room. The pressure was still too intense even between contractions for me to move. I remember apologizing to Joseph and Latrice (my midwife) because they were both trying so hard to get me to the birthing room! However, on the 3rd contraction, Brighton Zoey West was born at 5:31am on the exam table/footstool. She came very quick in 3 pushes and was perfect.
I got back on the exam table and immediately got a shot of Pitocin as the bleeding had already started just seconds after birth. About 6 minutes later the placenta was delivered and I was actually able to walk to the birthing suite to get cleaned up and lay down in the bed. The Pitocin really helped at the beginning as I don’t think I would’ve been able to walk without getting lightheaded without it.
As I got situated on the bed to recover and bond with our sweet baby, blood clots started pouring out with and without every push of my abdomen. I was still hopeful that the Pitocin would do its job and I would stop hemorrhaging soon. My nurse and midwife at the center were fantastic and tried their hardest with IV fluids, meds, and even waiting until the last resort on giving me the med that makes me shake uncontrollably, though I did have to get everything they had at the center even before the next adventure started.
Luckily since I’ve passed out every other time I’ve given birth (and a few times in Uganda), I know what to look out for and have about 20 seconds to alert those around me. I felt a lot of blood clots come and then about 5-10 minutes later I told Joseph to go get the midwife because I was going to pass out. He was holding Brighton so as he tried to juggle her and quickly get help, I felt myself fading. I always though that when I passed out it just looked like a classic faint, like my batteries just died and I shut down. That’s what it always feels like to me. But later Joseph told me it is pretty scary to witness and a different experience for other people. I was only out for a few seconds, because there wasn’t too much of a lull in conversations that I picked up on. Whenever I pass out, my mind is still fully there and alert but my body has completely shut down. I can’t move and can’t open my eyes and can’t talk. The most I can do is shake my head to answer questions.
I passed out around 8:20-8:30am so other midwives were now in the office to help. They called for an ambulance transfer and soon 3 firemen showed up. They ran some on-site tests and I was feeling good enough to sit up a little bit and was able to converse well. Joseph pointed it out first later, but having 3 attractive firemen seeing you at your worst is always a little awkward 😳 soon after the ambulance and EMTs showed up and moved me to the stretcher. It was my first time on a stretcher and first time in an ambulance as the patient so that was a new experience for me.
When I got to the hospital and into a room, that’s when the emergency rush happened. Joseph was still at the birth center with Brighton to finish up her testing since we didn’t get that done yet. Since she was healthy, we decided not to admit her to the hospital as a patient with me. I’m glad Joseph wasn’t with me at this time though. It was pretty intense and scary for all that went on.
When I got into the room, nurses were all around. A few of them started a second IV in my other hand so I had one IV in each hand. Other nurses asked me some questions, Some more inserted a catheter, and some more nurses and the OB put me in stirrups and the OB said she was going to check my cervix. I was not expecting her to practically rip open my body from the outside. She said there was a piece of the placenta still attached inside me. One nurse gave me pain meds through the IV and said I may feel sleepy. I thought they were giving me anesthesia for an emergency procedure or something. However, I didn’t feel sleepy and I’m not sure what good it did. Whatever the OB did to extract the placenta was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. As it felt like something was ripping my body in part from the outside, I also felt her digging around inside my body, all the way up to my ribs. Never have I cried from pain before. Tears, yes, but I have a pretty high pain tolerance. But this, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It made me actually cry. I passed out from the pain and one of the nurses waved some fragrance in front of my nose to wake me up. I remained unable to move, talk, or open my eyes again for awhile after that experience. Luckily though, the OB was able to remove it all. She told me later that if not, they would’ve rushed me into surgery for a D&C which could’ve ended up as a hysterectomy if it was bad enough. So thank you Jesus, that I wasn’t rushed into surgery without Joseph being there or even knowing what was going on.
After all of that experience, my energy levels slowly came back and by the time Joseph arrived with Brighton, I was able to speak and move again. When I arrived at the hospital my iron levels were at 10.2 (anemic is below 10). But since I hemorrhaged and lost so much blood over the course of about 4 hours, I was on watch for a blood transfusion.
At 3pm I got blood drawn again and my iron levels were at 8.6. Below 7 and I would need a transfusion. So I was finally able to move upstairs since I didn’t need a transfusion!
The maternity recovery rooms at St. Elizabeth’s are pretty great. I had a queen hospital bed so Joseph was able to sleep on an actual bed and not on the horrible hospital pull out couches. If I was able to get up and not be lightheaded or pass out, I could get the catheter removed. The first couple times I got up I was lightheaded but I was able to get the catheter removed by around 10pm.
On Tuesday, my blood was drawn at 6:30am and my iron levels dropped again to 7.4 but my midwife still gave me the choice to go home if I wanted to. Throughout the day I hardly had any pain, and I didn’t get too dizzy or lightheaded while showering, so was able to be discharged around 2pm!
While in the hospital, Brighton did great. She slept a lot the first day and didn’t want to wake up to nurse, but around midnight she nursed for about 4 hours straight to make up for it. At her one day follow up appointment at the birth center on Tuesday, Joseph said she did great. I was still at the hospital so he took her. Her jaundice levels were good and she only lost 6 ounces!
She is having trouble latching, since she sucks on her tongue and refuses to put it down, so we are still working on that. Even though I’ve had to pump for the past 4 days instead of nurse, I do have 40 ounces in the freezer already! So a bright side to her latch issues at least.
Trenton is absolutely in love with his baby sister and always wants to hold her and smother her with hugs. He refuses to kiss her though and says it’s disgusting :) Tucker is interested occasionally in his baby sister but cares more about his puppy than anything
A friend brought this beautiful blanket by today, just in time for Brighton's one week photo!
