The Story of Audrey

I love birth stories. 

Each one is SO different.  Every entry into this world is so unique and I have never heard two that are exactly the same.  Much like each child is different, the different ways they are brought into this world amazes me.

I love talking to other woman about birthing stories.  Some woman give you every detail from start to finish while others give you a round about way from beginning to birth.  Giving birth is such a personal thing, yet it's so common and refreshing to share your stories with other woman who have gone through a similar experience.

I have wanted to write down my own birth experiences but continue to put it aside as something I will "get to someday".  Now as I am days (hopefully!) away from my Third birthing experience I figure I should jot down some notes about the other previous Two, before they start to blur together :)

I am adding a lot of details, for my own sake.  But the highlighted bold text is the simpler, shorter version.

Tomorrow I will work on Ellie Lu's birth story, but for today, my precious First Born.

So with no further adieu...

The story of Audrey Lynn:

Due Date:  December 20th

Birth Date:  December 8th....12 days early!

Contractions began around 12pm on December 7th.  They were 45-30minutes apart & I wasn't sure it was true labor, so went about my day.  Re-packed my hospital bag (just in case), and headed for the library (we didn't have Internet at the time) to complete my speeding ticket class online :) Came home and got ready for work at 3pm, like usual.  Contractions slightly increased through the night but I still didn't think much of it because it was a busy night in the ER so I was well distracted, and I also had never been in labor before...so this "cramping" I kept feeling wasn't immediately thought to be labor, in my mind. 

I got off work at 11:30 and headed home for bed. 

(At this point contractions were about 20min apart, but manageable) 

I actually fell asleep.

(could never do that now knowing I was in labor!!)

I woke up at 2am in pain!  Yikes...this WAS labor!!  Contractions were about 15minutes apart.  I labored in bed, changing positions to be more comfortable as contractions came on.  Aaron woke up and I told him what was going on.  He went back to sleep  :)  (He had worked until 1am that night)

I tried dozing, but my mind was too excited/anxious/nervous.

I finally got out of bed when they were about 8-10minutes apart.

I walked into Baby Audrey's awaiting nursery room and realized the floor was covered with about 10 shopping bags full of unwrapped Christmas gifts to family and friends.  In a panic to not leave the house undone, I began wrapping Christmas presents at 4am, in between contractions! :)  Aaron came in and knocked some sense into me saying it didn't matter that nothing was wrapped, asked if we should go to hospital. 

I adamantly said "No!"  There are still things to be done!!  Christmas gifts, laundry, and dishes! Oh dishes!

I headed for the kitchen and began unloading the dishwasher, which seemed very important at the time.

At this point contractions had increased to 6 minutes apart and were getting pretty painful.  I could not talk, and had to completely stop what I was doing to lean over, gripping counter and get through each one. Aaron called the hospital to let them know.  They told him to bring me in, so he went out to warm up the car.  But I remembered all the books saying you are supposed to wait until contractions are 3-4 minutes apart until you go in......so I continued to try and unload the dishwasher.  Which took forever since I kept stopping in pain :)

Okay, 6am and contractions are 4-5 minutes apart...Lets Go!

We got to the hospital and Aaron prayed over me, our baby and the delivery which was about to take place before we walked in.

After all the initial assessments & monitoring it was determined, yes I am in labor.

We were put into a room.  I contracted for awhile in a lot of pain not knowing hot to get comfortable in bed then they suggested I try to relax in the hot tub.  I was about to be helped out of bed when I said, wait! One more! (meaning I was going to wait until this current contraction ended before getting up), so they all waited and as the contraction climaxed all of a sudden I felt a pop inside my tummy and the contraction immediately ended.  My water had broken!  Although I'm pretty sure I said... "I think I just...I think I just wet myself!"  :)

Water broke at around 9:30am.

I got into the hot tub right after and it was soothing for about 3 minutes.

Then I could not handle the pain.  I was mentally unprepared for what was happening to my body.  No books, birthing classes, or other mother's stories could have prepared me for those contractions.  I remember right after my water had broken a nurse leaned in and said quietly, "Okay, the contractions are going to start to get more intense now that your water broke."  AND THEY DID.

The only comfort I had was crying through each contraction.  I would try to take deep breaths as they began then just sob until the pain let off.  I will be honest and admit,

I could not handle it.

A nurse came in to check on me and my poor husband who didn't have a clue how to help his helpless wife who would say things like "Try to rub my shoulders...here comes another one...okay stop touching me (cry..cry..cry)"

The nurse informed us that if I wanted any pain relief that it may take up to an hour to get it, since the anesthesiologists have to be called in from home. 

Two contractions later I told Aaron, okay go tell her to call them in!

Thankfully, the anethesiologist was already in the hospital for surgeries that day.  They got me out of the hot tub and into the bed to wait, and within about 15 minutes of asking came the anesthesiologist who said "We always take care of our own!"  (Meaning he was coming to help me--a fellow hospital employee--first before he went into the surgery) Thank God!  He explained what he was about to do in between my contractions and tears and everything he said I would feel happened precisely when he said it would.  For having a giant needle shoved into your back while having excruciating abdominal pain, it really was a very calming experience being explained everything so well by him!  And just like he said...one strong contraction came...then a milder one...then one I could barely feel....then nothing.  HALLELUIA!  :)

I had my epidural at around 10:30am.

It is indescribable relief.  God bless an epidural.  I applaud woman who don't ever use one this day in age when it is an option for most births, I think that is remarkable.  I feel confident with my decision to have gotten one, and I see nothing "weak" about it, especially after feeling contractions for all the previous hours that lead up to relief.  And...my husband was happier I had one :)

We called our parents and told them what was going on and Aaron's parents were busy and didn't get the message until later but my Mom & Dad immediately came to hospital.  We got to visit a little bit, everyone was excited.  My Dr. came in to check on me and said with my progress she didn't expect our baby to be born until that evening. 

My parents left on some errands.

They began monitoring me and baby and with each contraction our baby's heart rate was decreasing. 

I was too busy enjoying "laboring" with out any pain, sipping broth and eating jello...no big deal..

But Aaron was worried about his baby girl, and kept a close eye on the monitors behind me.

They concluded that the cord must be around her neck in the womb, which was squeezing her tiny neck with each contraction.  Of course I cared, but I was in too much of a happy state that all of this was really happening and that we'd be meeting our baby soon!  Aaron remained calm but I could tell he was very concerned with the numbers which apparently continue to drop, drop drop...

1:45pm, I called my brother, Tom, living in DC to tell him about meeting our baby soon, but not until tonight.  My nurse came in to do another check to see how my progress was, so I said goodbye to my brother and got off the phone.

The nurse checked me and startled me with her reaction saying, "Okay, this baby is coming!"  She even so much as called the nursing desk from the room to tell them to get the Dr in here, she didn't leave since apparently...despite my ability to feel it, the progress had quickly escalated and it was time to push!

It was all quite sudden, especially having just told my brother--what we were told--that we wouldn't be meeting our baby until that evening.  So naturally, I cried.  :)  Stressful excitement!  It was go-time!  I really had to do this.

1:55pm, my Dr came into room and rushed around getting scrubs on as two nurses got what they needed and came to each side of me putting my feet up in stir-ups.  (Hello Ginny!)

I began pushing.  They would look at the monitor and tell me when to push.  Then my Dr. said the head was there, so I got to feel it and (my husband hates this part), they asked if I wanted to use a mirror to watch.  I looked up at Aaron for approval since he'd be looking at it too (which was VERY considerate of me--don't ya think?!).  They got the mirror and I tell ya what, that was the best decision ever.  Now bare with me, I know this is graphic....but. Having an epidural I was told when to push and couldn't tell if I was making any progress.  With the mirror, since I couldn't feel it, I could SEE my progress, which I truly believed helped me push harder. 

20 minutes of pushing later....

Audrey Lynn was born at 2:17 in the afternoon of December 8th, 2007

She was 6lbs, 8oz.  18 1/2 inches long.

She was born very blue with a faint little cry, until they quickly unwrapped the cord that was around her neck several times and once around her shoulder/arm.  Poor little baby!!

Then, much to her Mommy's, and especially her Daddy's relief, she let out a big hearty cry and pinked up.

She was perfect.  Beautiful, healthy, tiny.

Our little firstborn was everything I dreamed of.

A few more stats:

26 hours of labor from first contraction until Birth.

8 hours of what they consider "hard" labor, strong contractions close together.

20 minutes of pushing.

Epidural for 4 hours.

Could not pee on my own after birth...had to have a straight cath which I filled to the brim! :)

First visitors:   Both sets of NEW First Time Grandparents! Gerry & Luanne and Tom & Julie!