BIRTH STORY

9-17-12 8pm -First hard contraction labored at home for 5.5 hours. (39w0d) 3 minutes apart with a bloody show!

 9-18-12 -1:30am (39w1d) Contractions 1-3 mins apart. Still 2cm dilated and 75 % effaced....No change from last Thursday's OB visit!  :-(

3:30 - Still 2cm dilated and 75% effaced ...but heavier bloody show... Nurse willing to wait two more hours for a sign of progress!  :-)

 5:30-no change. SENT HOME with consistent contractions 1-3 minutes apart   :-(

6:30-7:30- Daddy went to bed thinking he might go to work half a day, but I wasn't convinced that it was false labor again like the previous two times were. Caitlin and I tried to rest downstairs.  The whole time I listened to Caitlin moan with contractions the more concerned I got. If she wasn't progressing at the hospital with this kind of pain how were we going to know when she was progressing?  I certainly couldn't check her!  Finally around 7:20 I told Caitlin that I was taking a shower and taking her to the OB's office for him to help her. Just before I got into the shower, I heard Caitlin yelling for me......

7:30- Her water broke !  She felt a pop like a balloon burst. She told me she thought her water broke. I looked at her pants and saw a small wet spot and confirmed her thoughts while yelling for Joey to wake up. When Caitlin got off the couch she felt a gush. I ran to the kitchen and got a dish towel for her to put between her legs and helped her to the bathroom. Thank goodness she was wearing one of those hospital pads for the bloody show or there would have been a mess to clean up!!! 

8:15- 4cm   100% effaced. Nubane was given to take the edge off the contractions until the epidural could be started. 

9:20-Low platelet blood count due to her blood disorder (MTHFR) and baby aspirin therapy (even with the clotting normal test results)  so no epidural was allowed.  By this time she was 6cm , 0 station.  I'll never forget Caitlin's reaction when the anesthesiologist told her the news of no epidural with the worst case scenario of being put to sleep with a c-section. .... Caitlin said, " You're kidding right?" when he said no..... Her whole mindset shifted to a determined focus to birth this baby naturally.  The room was quiet with Caitlin shhhhh ing our side conversations. 

10:20- 6.5 cm , +1 station, resting in between contractions but pain meds (Nubian) wore off.... She wasn't allowed to have anymore this far into labor because it could affect the baby. 

11:00- Caitlin felt more pressure in her bottom but no progress from the last check.  She was bleeding but nurse thought it was  the cervix's  vessels bursting and not to worry since she was not gushing blood....rather it was a slow drip. .... She  kept an eye on the bleeding. 

11:25-  7-8 cm, +1. 

11:55- 9 cm, +1, with the  urge to push. 

By 12:10-  10 cm! SHOWTIME! Each one of us had a job to do. Joe had one leg, I  had the other leg and counted, and Vickie helped to support her back and shoulders and helped with the counting. Caitlin was allowed to have the birthing mirror, which helped to keep her focused.  The only time she was vocal was when she had to push.  During the pushes, she was centered and strong! At one time she even paused to touch the baby's head when she crowned.  No screaming, yelling, or cussing.... Even when experiencing the ring of fire from crowning!  Before the head came out I noticed the OB talking in code to his nurses..... Before I knew it, a nurse replaced me and one replaced Joey .... The nurses were on top of Caitlin's belly pushing down while the doctor pulled and twisted the baby out....her shoulder was caught under the  pubic bone!  As the baby came out so did a gush of blood.  Gracyn did not cry for about 15 seconds  and they were the longest 15 seconds of our lives!    The OB worked on Caitlin while the nurses worked on the baby... But at one time the nurses left the baby in the isolet to work on Caitlin who was losing a lot of blood. The OB thought it was from internal tears and scraping and not a hemorrhage (By the way, Caitlin did not tear externally)  ... Whew!  Once the bleeding was under control, the nurses took all of Gracyn's stats:

Born on 9-18-12 @ 1:48pm

9.4 lbs.

21.6" long

Apgar's 9/9 

It was an honor to be part of this beautiful birthing experience.  Mommy and Daddy were a perfect birthing team!  I am sooooo proud of my daughter for focusing and staying in control... And of Joe for the great partner he was during this experience.  They are going to be GREAT parents!!!!

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