I know it's been a long time, when here I was, all excited to get back in to blogging regularly. Anybody else have that "Busiest Time of Year" feeling, though? I mean, I'm having fun! But I am certainly lacking in the "time" department.
One thing that I've done with the other two kids, and that I've been wanting to do with Rachel, is to share the story of their birth days. We celebrated Rachel's first birthday this past weekend, and it was incredible to reminisce about how she came in to the world, and how much has happened since then!
When we accepted the position that David now has in October, we did so on one condition: we would not be moving until after I had delivered Rachel. I was 7 months along, and after having the best-doctor-ever deliver my other two, I just couldn't fathom finding a new OB just weeks before delivery. So all along, David and I knew that once the baby was born, our lives would become very, very hectic.
I had never been induced before, but given the circumstances - we would be moving on December 28th, plus my doctor was not going to be on call much around my due date (Dec. 17)- we decided at the last minute that induction was going to be the best route this time. Dr. Wenzel gave us the info sheets and said to call in around 6:30 on Friday morning, December 14th, and that we could be admitted as early as 8:00. We got to work finding a friend to watch the older kids and preparing ourselves for delivering a baby just three days after we decided to go ahead and induce. Friday morning came and we called as planned.
They said that I was going to have to wait, as others were in line before me, and a few ladies had gone into labor in the night. This had happened before, when I was wanting to be induced with Julia and actually ended up going into labor on my own. They put me off for hours and by the time they let me in, she came very quickly. But this time, there was no sign of labor ... I just wanted to have the baby before life got too crazy! Labor and Delivery told me, essentially, "Don't call us; we'll call you." Excellent. Dr. Wenzel was very understanding of my apprehension and actually called me personally twice throughout the day to discuss the situation.
And what do you think David and I did all day? We packed. And packed, and packed, and packed! It was mentally and emotionally and physically exhausting. Finally, around 4:00 that afternoon, I received a phone call saying to make my way in around 5:30. I was so thankful - I felt terrible for the fact that my friend had had Samuel and Julia all day long, and our parents were just on hold, waiting to hear that we were going in. I got to the hospital around 5:30 and the ladies told me to sit in the waiting room. I couldn't believe it! She said they had gotten several more ladies in labor and that I would just have to wait for a bed.
I think we sat in the waiting room for at least a half an hour, and it was very sad because we watched the news all day. The Sandy Hook shooting had taken place earlier in the day, so of course, that was all over the networks. I eventually decided that they had forgotten about me, and went to the front desk. Dr. Wenzel was miraculously the one sitting at the desk, and I explained to her that our parents would be arriving and I would appreciate at least being in a prep room rather than sitting in the waiting room when they got there. She led me back immediately and broke my water. With my other two, once she broke my water, I immediately dilated to a six, and then to a ten, and was pushing within a very short amount of time.
This time, that didn't happen. I was at a four when I got there, and after pitocin and a couple of hours of pain, I was still at a four. How frustrating! I asked for my "usual" - a half dose of Nubain. They told me it had been recalled. I remember asking, "so you mean, it's all or nothing??" and they said that was precisely what they meant. I really didn't want an epidural, and though Dr. Wenzel wasn't pushy, she recommended it. I held out until around 10:00 that night. We were struggling some with the baby having an irregular and often very low heartbeat, and my blood pressure dipped into the low 40s several times.
I was still very hopeful to deliver soon, and really believed that I had dilated enough that it would be anytime. But when Dr. Wenzel checked, I was still only at four. She said that I was likely unable to relax enough to be able to dilate, and once again recommended the epidural. Even though I'd given birth twice before, they were completely natural (minus that half dose!), and I had never felt the intensity of pain I had that night. They had to dial back my Pitocin because of it. My parents and my mother-in-law came to visit, and I so badly wanted to have some time to talk with them, but the pain was so bad that I couldn't even breathe through contractions. I decided that the time had come for an epidural.
I remember really shaking terribly through that epidural and being so nervous that I wasn't being still enough. I don't know how the poor anesthesiologist got the needle in the right spot! But he did, and he was excellent. They were right ... the epidural really helped me to relax. I mean, REALLY! I was on cloud nine! And I was dilating at last.
But then, Dr. Wenzel changed her mode. Before, she had been in and out of our room, chit-chatting about life and food and babies, and suddenly there was an urgency about her. She only allowed my visitors to come in for about a minute at a time, and she constantly monitored me. The baby's heart rate was apparently very close to being dangerously low, as was my blood pressure.
I realized that they were at least somewhat preparing to do an emergency c-section. They were doing one on the lady next door, and made it very apparent that they were considering coming into my room first. It made me a little nervous, but probably not as much as it should have. I believe God gave me the peace, though, that everything would be fine. I was worried about my baby, and wanted to lay on my right side so that I could watch her heart monitor on the screen. But every time I went to my right side, we reached the dangerous numbers much more quickly. Time ticked on, and I fully felt the effects of my epidural. So nice!
I had no idea what to look for as far as when to push, but a felt a tiny bit of pressure once, then a second time, and I pushed the call button. When Dr. Wenzel came in, the baby was already crowning. (oops!) I actually had to wake David up for the birth, which I thought was hilarious since the other two times I was yelling at him so much about who knows what, there was no chance of him napping!
Rachel Elizabeth was delivered at 1:35 am on Saturday, December 15th. She was just beautiful, and my smallest baby by over a pound, weighing just 7 lb 4 oz. I was enamored instantly. Dr. Wenzel had to do a shot of adrenaline in order for my blood pressure to normalize, and recovery from an epidural is a bit harder I thought, but otherwise, I felt great the whole time we were in the hospital.
Our hospital experience was awesome, and we saw it almost as our little retreat before the big move. We didn't have many visitors, but that was definitely ordained by God. We needed the time, the peace and quiet, and the stability of the hospital routine for those three days.
I am so thankful once again as I look back at the third labor and delivery experience. Though there were scary points, and it definitely didn't go according to my personal plan, I can see how God's hand was so obviously controlling each moment. I have nothing but wonderful memories of the entire time, and I think I will always hold it as a special time in my heart, because it was the last bit of time we had in our "old" life. We moved when Rachel was exactly two weeks old. I cherish that time we had in our familiar hospital, with familiar doctors and nurses who are dear to our hearts.
And now, a full year later, I thank God for my sweet, energetic, LOUD little Rachel Baby!
