Baker's Birth Story | Part I

Babies are unpredictable.

Babies make their own plans.

And thats just what our baby Baker girl did.  She was ready to make her debut - completely against the 'plan' we had made.

So, lets start from the beginning:)

Friday morning, after meeting our Grayson a few days before on his birthday, we decided to take Parker and Jolie to meet him for the first time.  Of course these two were completely infatuated with him - hugging, kissing, and loving on our new favorite little guy.  

All the pregnant feels came about as I watched my girls interact with him - I absolutely couldn't wait another minute for Baker to make her debut.  I was literally counting down the hours and the minutes until she would be here.  The night after we met him (Wednesday) I started having dreams about Baker and was awake at all hours thinking about how it would be when July 14th finally arrived.  The weekend seemed like it would just drag on and on before Tuesday would come.
After leaving the hospital, we went to lunch and the indoor playground at the mall to let the girls run off some energy before heading home for dinner and a relaxing evening at home.  About 5:30pm, after Parker woke from her nap, I noticed her eyes to be really red - raccoon circles and really puffy, as well as some sticky goop.  She looked miserable.  Jolie had some of the same, but less red and less puffy.  It was after office hours, so I called our pediatrician's nurse helpline because I knew I needed to get whatever this was sorted out before Tuesday came. I needed my baby girls well before I left them for 4 days.  The nurse advised us to take them to Urgent Care..

pink eye (aaack.)

..and Jolie, bless her heart, had a middle ear infection.

The child never once complained about her ear hurting, so who knows how long she had it.

After a quick visit with the doctor, two popsicles and a handful of prescriptions, she sent us on our way with promises that all would be well by the time we were scheduled to have our baby girl just 4 days later.

 After a long and eventful evening, we finally made it home around 8:30pm.  I ate a pear and peanut butter toast while I made dinner for the twins, and almost immediately I felt 'off'.  A few days before that I had eaten a pear while at work and it had upset my stomach, so I was sure that this was the case again.  Blowing off the crampy pains, I fed the girls, bathed them and got them into bed for the night.  Jordan and I sat down to watch a movie around 10pm.  By 11:30pm I had become super uncomfortable- Braxton Hicks were all over the place, and felt much stronger than ever before.  I had just seen Dr. Walsh two days before that, and she had assured me that I was good to go for next week's delivery with no signs of labor - so I just assumed my body was 'getting ready'.  In bed by midnight, I fell asleep without any thought of feeling uncomfortable.

3AM

I woke for what I thought was a need to go to the bathroom, but when I sat down on the toilet, I couldn't pee.  I was having contractions that had become more painful than what I felt at 11:30pm, but tolerable.  Yet- I still couldn't fall asleep.  

So, I started to time them.  Or tried to, anyway.  They were still pretty erratic, but they were definitely happening way more than I had experienced before.

4:30AM

Still awake.  Still in 'pain', I started recollecting all the things I had read about labor.  What was active labor?  I had no idea.  I hadn't ever experienced it before, so I pulled out my phone and sought out advice from Babycenter and WebMD.  They described true contractions as being one that would start at the bottom and work its way up and around your back.  At the time, I was having just pain around my lower abdomen, so no way was I in labor. 

5AM

Still with the most annoying pain ever, I started to think about all the last minute errands that we had planned for that weekend.  I needed to get my nails done- mani and pedi was at the top of my list for Saturday morning.  I needed to finish packing the twins bag for staying with their BB and Papa.  I needed to confirm my dry bar hair appointment for Tuesday morning before arriving at the hospital for my scheduled c-section at noon.

We also still needed a handful of baby items to be fully prepared for Miss Baker's arrival.

Our last date night was scheduled and I was dying for some sushi.  

5:30AM

I decided to get in the shower.  I swore I had read somewhere that a shower could slow or put comfort into false labor pains.  I also thought maybe if I got hydrated I would be able to feel better.  

A bottle of water and a warm shower. That would do the trick, right?

6AM 

I was convinced, I am in labor.  

I got out of the shower and attempted to fix my hair in between crazy contractions that had since performed the way the website I browsed just a couple hours earlier had promised.

From the bottom of my abdomen, up to the top and around my back - and lasting 30 seconds to a minute. 

Pain.  Terrible, TERRIBLE pain.

I was in labor.  Mildly panicking, I finally woke Jordan - 

"Babe..you should probably get up and finished packing your bag.  I am pretty sure I'm in labor."

He sat there for what seemed like forever, blinked a couple times at me, and finally responded:

"What?"

"Get up."

By this point Parker and Jolie had woken up, and Jordan and I were moving quickly to get things in order before leaving for the hospital.

The drive to the hospital was quiet and peaceful.. aside from the crying pain I was in and crazy questions I was asking Jordan about those women that do this labor business naturally.  

Rockstars, you are.  All of you.  Seriously.

After arriving at the hospital, the nursing staff worked very quickly.

I was 6 centimeters dilated.  

Baker was ready to come.  Dr. Walsh was on call that weekend, and I had never been so thankful.

With my pain level being at a 15 (on a scale of 1-10, mind you), they were ready to wheel me into the OR for an epidural to make me more comfortable.  I was advancing, and they needed to get everything ready so that when Walsh arrived she was goo to go for bringing baby B into the world.

Obviously in between contractions. 

For whatever reason, I was really frightened.  I don't remember feeling this anxious with the twins' delivery.  I was wheeled into the OR - just like I had been just 2.5 years earlier, and even still it all seemed so foreign to me.  The entire morning was such a blur, and the hours began to run together - I felt like I had no idea what to expect.  My labor and delivery nurse was amazing.  She helped tremendously in calming my nerves while they gave me an epidural and prepared for my c-section.  I don't know how I would have felt if I didn't have someone like her to be there for me while Jordan was standing in the hallway waiting to come in.

Walsh busted through the OR doors and was ready to go - and I was SO ready.  Ready to meet our girl.  I started crying and couldn't stop.  I had been wishing for her arrival for the last several weeks and we were here.  The time was finally here to meet our girl.  During the c-section, Walsh complimented on my lack of scar tissue (which was a big concern of mine.. as I would like to have more babies and scar tissue plays a role in my ability for multiple c-sections).. the small talk made me feel much more at ease.  Everything was so very clear about the entire morning - where as with the twins, I remember being in a bit of a fog throughout the entire experience.

Finally I hear her baby cries.

Walsh pulled her out and unwrapped the cord that was around her next twice - as we had suspected during my sonogram at 37 weeks.

In those same moments I also heard Walsh and the nurses discussing meconium. Baker had already had her first bowel movement in the womb- which is usually a sign of distress.

The pediatric nurse swiftly took to cleaning her up and suctioning her lungs to make sure she had not aspirated.

Zero aspiration of the meconium was confirmed 

and the nurse was able to clear her airway of any sign of inhalation of the amniotic fluid that contained it.  

Ah- I was so thankful.  

Finally.  I got to meet our sweet girl.

Tears were flowing.  Lots of them.  I couldn't believe she was here!

Baby Baker was so alert.  She had her eyes wide open, looking around, staring at her mama and I'll never forget her little tongue going in and out of her mouth.  She was suckling the air, and I cant even describe how adorable it was.

 SO many happy tears.  I was very emotional as I held her in my arms. 

6 pounds, 13 ounces of tiny sweetness. 

After giving Baker the once over just one more time, the nurse gave the go-ahead and sent Jordan and Baker back to recovery to wait on me while I was stitched up.

Directly after leaving the OR, I was wheeled into the recovery room where I got to see uber my proud husband's face and that sweet baby girl again. 

He was a daddy for the second time (well, third to be technical).  I will never forget the swelling tears of pride in his eyes.  

There is something about that proud papa bear moment that makes my love for him overflow.

Skin to Skin happened almost instantly, and within just a few moments of being on my chest, Baker was ready to nurse for the very first time.  

 Just hours new.

Saturday came and went so quickly - and I couldn't wait until my big sister girls were able to meet her.  Jordan and I opted to keep her birth announcement limited to just very close friends and family for a couple days until Parker and Jolie would be able to meet her.  Those girls weren't able come to the hospital until after they had been on antibiotics for a full 24 hours as not to expose Baker to pink eye.

We wanted the most important people in her life to meet her before anyone else got the chance to.

Even though it was completely out of order for how things were supposed to go for delivery day, I wouldn't change it for anything.
..I didn't get my nails done.
..I didn't get my hair done.
..We missed out on our 'last' date night.
..and she was totally four days earlier than we expected.
But really.. I couldn't have thought of a better way to have her enter this world.  Who cares of our best laid plans.  Isn't that how is always works?  You make plans around something like this, and they are totally going to fall through.  Its sort if like and unspoken rule that I was attempting to break.

She completely surprised us on that early Saturday morning, but thats how our Baker Bree rolls.  She had been just one miracle surprise after another from the very beginning - starting with her conception.  

Part II .. our hospital stay, meeting her pseudo womb-mate bestie and future husband, and our first day home ..  to be continued.

Parker + Jolie's Birth Story

December 6th, 2012

I woke up that morning and remember feeling somewhat excited, somewhat scared, and a little on edge with nerves.  The last morning I would be pregnant with Parker and Jolie in my (huge, mind you..) belly.  I didn't sleep at all the night before- partly because I was terribly uncomfortable, partly because I could in no way breathe like a normal human being- my throat burned with dryness and I wanted nothing but a gallon of water to drink- but my doctor's voice rang in my head "nothing to eat or drink after midnight".  But, if I'm being honest here, I couldn't sleep because I knew that this time tomorrow, my whole world would have changed.  I would be a mommy.

Finally it was time to 'wake-up'.  Finally.  I curled my hair, put on makeup, and finished putting my hospital bag together.  After going through the checklist of necessities for mom, dad, and babies- we stopped to take one last picture.

37 Weeks, 1 Day

We arrived at my OB office at 9:30am before directing me over to labor and delivery.  The plan was that she would be sending me with 'complaints' of labor pains all night and requiring a non-scheduled c-section that afternoon.  (It all has something to do with insurance coverage and scheduling a c-section prior to 39 weeks- even though I am carrying twins!  A lot of stuff I didn't understand)

I trust Dr. Walsh and she has tons of experience- so we went along with her plan.  She 'checked' me and came to realize I was actually in labor.  "I  am??"  Yep, 3 cm dilated.

I had been having lots of contractions over the past week- but still being on Procardia to control pre-term labor, they were less than alarming and had almost became normal to me.

So, we went over to L&D with actual complaints of labor, and they brought me straight back to what would be my recovery room and hooked me up with plans for a c-section at 1pm.  At this point it was about 11am.  Jordan's parents were with us for support, and we patiently waited our turn for an OR while watching Everybody Loves Raymond and Law and Order: SVU.

Tons of people came in and out informing me their part in the surgery to come- respiratory therapist (for the girls), NICU nurses, my nurses, anesthesiologists, and finally- Dr. Walsh.

It was time- time to go!

  

At that moment I became terribly scared. I remember Dr. Walsh grabbing me- one hand on my face and the other interlocking my hand- ensuring me that everything is going to be just fine.  She could clearly tell the look on my face and tears in my eyes were induced by pure fear.  

I was wheeled in the operating room all alone- Jordan was in his 'bunny suit' sitting outside the OR waiting until after my epidural had been placed before being allowed in with me to hold my hand.  I say alone- there were about 15 people in the room with me.  4 nurses (2 per baby), 2 respiratory therapists, 2 anesthesiologists, 2 NICU nurses (1 for each baby), Dr. Walsh, and another doctor to assist was there, too.  

The anesthesiologists proceeded to explain the practice of placing the epidural (for the third time) and in what felt like seconds it was over.  

Me: "That's it?"

Walsh: "What do you mean, 'that's it'??"  

Me: "That was easy. Hardly hurt at all."

Anesthesiologist #1: "If only all our patients were like you" 

On the table I went-  legs and upper body completely numb.  The nurse gave me a warm blanket and a tube of hot air to hold- I assume this was to prevent the 'shakes' everyone talked about that comes along with the epidural.  I never got those.  Instead- my blood pressure crashed.

3 times.  

Each time I woke up feeling like I was going to hurl (I never did.) finally pulling off the warm blanket. All I wanted was to be cold.  I was sweating, for crying out loud.  Finally I was stabilized and felt normal- well, as much as I could feel normal, but still be in a fog.  

So- surgery began.  The only feeling I remember was the feeling as if an elephant was sitting on my chest.  SO much pressure- but Jordan ensured me all was just fine.  I don't know what I would have done without him right there in my ear- whispering encouragements and repeating over and over his love for me and how proud he was of me. (There is nothing like hearing those things from the love of your life.  Nothing.)

Finally I hear cries.  Baby Jolie was out and did she have some screaming lungs on her.  I could see the warming station she was placed on and I was so concerned because I just wanted to hear something from someone- anything.  How she was?  Was she okay?  How much did she weigh?  How is her color?  

2 minutes later Parker was out, screaming like her sister.. with her cord wrapped around her neck twice.  Nothing of concern as Walsh easily slipped it from around her neck, but it would have been a problem if I would have tried to labor these girls rather than do a c-section.  Blessing number one.

Finally I hear that both girls were healthy.  Their one minute APGAR scores were a 9 for both (ten is best).  Meaning they were breathing just fine with a good strong cry, with great color, good heart rates and strong reflexes.  Blessing number 2.

Daddy cutting Jolie's cord               

Daddy cutting Parker's cord.  

Time for the moment of truth- the girls' weights.  Jolie was first weighing in at 2049 grams.  I was informed that the cut off for required NICU due to weight was 2000 grams.  Blessing number 3.  

Finally it was time to meet my girls.

Meeting Miss Parker Jane.  Both Jordan and I were in tears.  All I/we could do was cry.

Finally getting to 'hold' my sweet babies. (Parker on the right, Jolie on the left)

Of the hundreds of pictures we took that day and during our stay at the hospital and even now since we have been home, this is my most favorite picture.  Jordan was crying through a prayer- so thankful everyone was okay.

I cannot believe how alert these babies were!

As Dr. Walsh was closing me back up I hear her say 'there is no way you could have labored these girls.  Your hips did not spread at all (like a normal pregnant woman's would) and your pelvis is tiny- it looks like a funnel run over by a car..'  Blessing number 4. 

Jordan took the girls back to my recovery room while they finished with me in the OR. Here he is with my mini-me.  Parker is almost a spitting image of myself when I was a baby. I plan to do a post on the similarities of the girls with pictures of me and Jordan.  Jolie is Jordan's mini-me.

4 people make up this new family
(almost) 3 hours of waiting
2 very proud parents
1 glorious God to make all this happen

Night number one.  I was SO exhausted, but couldn't bring myself to sleep a wink.

Our little Jolie is such a fighter.  At just four and a half pounds at birth, she kept up with her (bigger) sister and rocked it through feedings and acting like a 'normal' baby.

There were 3 sets of twins born on that day.  Ours were the smallest of all- and the only set that did not make a stay in the NICU.  Blessing number 5.

Daddy and his Jolie Polie

During the next couple days, I was in pretty bad shape.  The epidural made me so sick on Thursday night (like- throw up sick..) and then came the pain.  Bed rest for 3+ months did me no good at all for recovery.  I had lost so much muscle mass and strength that the c-section pain brought me to tears on multiple occasions- ok, it brought me to tears always. Friday was the worst day- and finally Saturday I started feeling like a normal person again.

Even though I was in terrible pain post-op, I still wouldn't go back and change a thing.  I prayed and thought long and hard about having a c-section.  Both girls were in the correct head-down position to be able to labor through, but Jordan and I made the decision to go ahead with the surgery simply because of Jolie's small size.  Walsh had a small concern for her ability to go through labor without causing too much stress on her- and I would ultimately end up in the OR anyway.  As you can see- there were multiple factors that called for a c-section delivery that we had no clue of (Parker's cord and my very small birth canal).   Dr. Walsh walked out of the OR and kissed me on the forehead before she left- thanking me for making that decision to go with a c-section.  
  
Jordan was (and still is!) a rockstar of a husband through all of it.  Caring for me, never leaving my side for one minute- helping me move around when needed, ordering my food, getting me ice chips, and doing everything for the girls.  I didn't change a diaper until we got home from the hospital 5 days later.

..and watching his love for these girls.. like something I'll never forget.    

We have twins!!

Along with the usual feet stamping, we requested for the girls footprints be stamped in their Daddy's Bible.

Finally it was time to go home.  Neither one of us were ready for it.  

My precious little miracles.  

Jolie Polie fitting so snuggly in her carseat.  It was SO cold on the day we left, so we made sure to bundle them up well.

Parker still so tiny at just 5 and a half pounds fit a little better than her sister, but had to work to make her fit snug, too.

We had an AMAZING experience during our stay- every single nurse and doctor made it so pleasant and were very helpful.  Blessing number 6.

I actually cried on the way home because it was time to leave.  So much build-up to this day- Delivery Day- and then it came and went so quickly.  It took a good cry (at 4am) out of the both of us to finally be okay with the fact that we were home and without all those wonderful people. 

So- there you have it. My day was quite a blur- but I do remember all the key parts and will never forget. I couldn't stop admiring my two precious daughters.  I couldn't believe that they were mine- and that I carried them for 37 weeks (and still can't!).  There was a couple times I didn't know if I would make it that far- but I did.  I couldn't stop (and continue to) thanking God for these incredible, healthy, sweet baby girls that turned our family from 2 to 4. 

And most of all- even in pain, sickness, and wee hours of the morning- I couldn't stop smiling.

They are mine.  They are ours.  They are His.  

Blessing number 7.