Birth Story of Brendan James

Brendan James
September 7, 1999 at 12:43 pm
7lbs. 6 oz.
19 3/4 inches

When the pregnancy test showed positive, I could hardly believe my eyes! What a wonderful surprise! So much for birth control! My pregnancy with you was a breeze. I was just tired. No throwing up, no pre term labor nothing! We even were in the stressful process of buying our first home. And let's just say that everything that could go wrong did. Our one week of living with your grandparents turned into 3 months! We moved into our house just 5 weeks before you were born. Your due date was Oct. 2, but I knew you were big and coming early! I jokingly said Sept. 9th would be a fun date to have you! You know 9/9/99! After all your sister was born 11/11/97. We even had a class scheduled for 9/9/99. Another class we'd miss!

On Sept. 6th at about 3 P.M. I was sitting on the floor pulling up the carpet tacks and the staples from the pad. I felt pressure and thought maybe you were finally in the right position. Five hours later the pressure was more intense and I called my ob's partner. He said he'd never had a patient with a "pressure" labor, but go ahead and go to the hospital as we lived over a toll bridge and it was Labor Day! Not a good evening to battle traffic. It took us about an hour to get to a grocery store near the hospital. The pressure had gotten less intense and I thought walking would help. I was almost paranoid with the other deliveries, but I was feeling calm and peaceful this time.

When we checked in at the hospital, I was given a large grand birthing suite and told I would be moved to a private room after the baby was born. I was dilated to just 2 cm so I had to walk the halls. An hour later I was dilated to 5 cm. I was excited, but 3 hours later I was still at 5 cm. You'd think I'd be used to my labors stalling, but I wasn't. I still didn't feel any pain just pressure. Because I was only 35 weeks I was given antibiotics by IV for "just in case" hospital policy. Turned out my we really needed them! I had tested positive to group b strep. I'd never been tested before and this bothered me, but at least it was caught in time.

At 6 A.M. on the 7th, I was still only dilated to 5 cm. Contractions were 40 minutes apart and still just pressure. By 9 A.M. my ob came in to check me and said he was starting to worry about you and he broke my water to kick in the contractions. The water gushed and gushed. I never knew one could have so much water! The water made a big puddle on the floor under the bed! But, an hour later I hadn't even had one contraction. I wanted to cry. I started doing a morning aerobics and scared the nurse! The water was gushing down my legs and she had to get a towel to catch the water! I just wanted to do something! My ob ordered some pitocin. My nurse suggested a shower, because she didn't want me doing anymore aerobics!

The contractions finally kicked in, but still no pain. Wow! I wondered if this was the way it was suppose to be! How perfect a labor this was! At 11:30 the pressure hit hard all at once. It was getting overwhelming. The nurse told me to get on my knees and put my arms over the back of the bed. This didn't help and my hubby was in the bathroom. Some labor coach he's turned out to be! I was mad! I started crying because the pressure was overwhelming and since there still wasn't pain, I was confused. Later I found out it was the pitocin that was causing it to be overwhelming. The nurse offered a shot for the pain. I had some at 11:45 am. That didn't help and the nurse offered an epidural. She had checked me at 11:30 and she could stretch me to 6 cm While the anesthesiologist was getting the epidural ready I was crying, because I had to poop and I'd never felt that way before. It was really your head starting to crown! The epidural was in and my ob was called from his office across the street. First time I'd ever felt the urge to push! I was floating in and out from that stupid shot. I'll never have a shot again. They promised it would wear off in a couple of hours, but it really took six hours to stop that fogging fading in and out feeling.

My nurse started breaking down the bed and wanted to put my feet up in some big stirrups looking things. I got stubborn and refused. I didn't mind sitting up on the bed, but my feet up, I wasn't going to do. I'm very flexible and put my feet on the bed near my buttocks to push. I was able to look in a mirror and when it was adjusted just right and the nurse showed me the muscles to use to push (I was sort of out of it from that shot!) I pushed your head out and there was room to spare! I was excited at that point! You had a smaller head than the others! Something I forgot to ask for last time. I like my babies in the 7 lb. range with a head under 14 inches. At 12:43 P.M. you were born! I guess practice makes perfect! No pain, just a lot of pressure. That's the way it's suppose to be! You weighed 7lbs. 6 oz. and were 19 3/4 inches long.

You're considered a preemie at 35 weeks. We had lot's of specialists in the room when you were born. My ob put you on my tummy and I saw you were a big boy. While my ob was delivering the placenta the specialists checked you over. You'd been hiding on the ultrasound so we didn't know you were going to be a boy. Your apgar scores were 9 & 9. Pretty healthy for a preemie! I was really bleeding heavily and the Dr. order another IV started fast and more pitocin. I was loosing a lot of blood, and just as an afterthought my ob reached back up to the cervix and removed a handful of clots. This probably saved my life! Then sewed up the tear your shoulders gave me. Finally everyone left us alone for a few minutes.

We just couldn't get the breast feeding to work and then it was time for you to go to the nursery. Daddy went with you. The nurses were to busy to help with the breast feeding so in the nursery your blood sugar crashed and the nurse feed you some formula. I was very angry and upset. Even our pediatricians orders are to just give some glucose water. Most nurses just get the mom and start the breast feeding to see if that helps, but not this time. I never wanted to let you go back into the nursery, but your body temperature kept dropping and you needed to be under the warming light twice. After that things went better and I finally got a lactation specialist to help you latch on. Amazing after 5 breast fed babies I still needed help! Really proves how each baby is different in their abilities and needs!

I had been up and active soon after your birth and I felt great. I wasn't passing clots so I was recovering faster. We worked on the breast feeding and you struggled, but we were able to get you fed. It still took about two weeks before you latched on correctly the first time. Our pediatrician kept reminding me that you were a preemie and things would take longer. So on Sept. 9th instead of giving birth to you, I took you home!

Knowing that next time I'd have a birth plan signed by not only my ob but our pediatrician also! I know your labor was easier, because I had found two great books to read that I give credit for helping me feel calm and stressed during your birth. The first was by Grant and the second by Dr. and Martha Sears. I learned more reading those two books than any childbirth prep. class. (I've been to quite a few!) I also learned that you just happened to be in the correct position and that was why the labor was pain free.