Brennan is two weeks old today. It has flown by. Isn't that always what happens? If you want the condensed version of the story....
She was nine days late, I had contractions, she was born. The end.
If you like birth stories, and mostly so I can remember what happened, here is the long version.......
I didn't even know I was pregnant until I was already probably six weeks along. There was the usual sign that you are not pregnant mid-December and so when I started feeling tired and nauseous after Christmas, I thought I must be pregnant or something was definately wrong with me.
But, that would mean that I was only about two weeks along, and I've never felt terrible at only two weeks along before.
Pregnancy was confirmed, and at what I thought was about nine weeks at the beginning of February, I started heavy bleeding. That has never happened with any of my pregnancies befere and so I immediately thought the worst- I was losing the baby. I've never miscarried before. I called my doctor's office and they told me to go on to the ER since it was so early in the pregnancy. The ER couldn't tell me anything, but they did bloodwork and the results that came back said that I was still pregnant because my hormone levels were so high. I had an already scheduled appointment with the doctor for the following week, so I would have to wait until then for some clear answers. But, I was told to get some blood work done again the next day. The bleeding had largely decreased by that evening and had mostly stopped by the next day, until we went to the store and I pushed the cart around. It picked up a little then, so I didn't know what was going on. I had started walking on the treadmill the day before the bleeding started so I wondered if that is what caused it, especially after going to the store. But, regardless, for the next week I didn't do anything.
Well, my appointment that next week was only a "new patient" appointment where I filld out paperwork and got my free formula sample. I didn't get to see the doctor, but the nurse said that my hormone count was still high on the bloodwork results.
So, another week until the appointment where I would actually see the doctor.
Two weeks of not knowing what the bleeding was from. Ugh.
The next week I saw the doctor, and he did an ultrasound. The baby was fine (Thank God!) and the bleeding was from a membrane next to the uterus. Sometimes that happens, he said, for no reason especially in older moms with many babies. I also found out I was not 9 weeks along, but 14 weeks! He also said there were no activity restrictions, so I started back on the treadmill.
I continued to bleed a very little bit for the next 4 weeks, and then it stopped.
At 21 weeks we had a level 2 ultrasound which showed that the membrane had healed and all was well.
The rest of the pregnancy was fairly uneventful-thankfully, and I actually felt very good for the entire second trimester. I continued to walk about 4 or 5 miles a week on the treadmill with some extra leg and arm weights.
Until....
I went in for my 33 week appointment and my doctor told me he couldn't deliver me because the hospital had changed their policy, and were no longer allowing VBAC deliveries.
So, thankfully, I found one of the last doctors in Tulsa whose insurance will allow for VBAC delivery and at almost 35 weeks he agreed to take me on as a patient. So, not only would I have a new doctor, I would also be delivering at a different hospital.
Life can never just be dull, can it?
I was due with Brennan on Thursday, August 23rd, but that day came and went like I knew it would. Ten for ten on being late. Around Tuesday August 28th, I started having harder contractions-Braxton Hicks-but they were only every 20 minutes or longer apart. Finally, on Friday morning the 31st, they were not getting any closer together, so I knew I wasn't having my 3rd August baby.
I guess when you are number ten you have to do something to make a name for yourself. She's the only September baby.
But, later that evening, maybe 7 or 8, I noticed the contractions were definately stronger and closer together, around the 12-15 minute range. I went on to bed around ten, but they were by that point around ten minutes apart. Around 1 or 1:30, they were still ten minutes apart. David asked me if I was ready to go to the hospital. I told him not yet, so he laid down in the living room to get some rest. Just a little bit later he heard me moaning quite loudly and knew we were going to be leaving soon. My contractions had suddenly jumped to about 5 or less minutes apart. "Just when I decided to lay down", he joked.
We are only about four miles from the hospital, so by the time we got there, found the correct entrance, parked, walked to the door, realized it wasn't the correct entrance, David runs back to the van, drives over picks me up and drops me off at the actual correct entrance, then parks and runs back to get me, then we head up to Labor and Delivery with me walking so slowly and stopping every two minutes for a contraction, probably 45 minutes or so had gone by. But, you know, time is so blurry when you are in PAIN.
We arrived in Labor and Delivery, and after I got changed the nurse wanted to check my progress. When she found out I was 9 centimeters and a zero station, they rushed to get my doctor there. Another nurse put in the IV which took sticking me in three different places and on both arms. I did not want to lay down, so the nurse just put the monitors on me sitting on the side of the bed. Then they realized her heart rate was dropping and not recovering well. On went the oxygen mask and I had to lie on my left side. The labor and delivery nurse was super nice and used to be a L and D nurse at the same hospital in South Carolina where I delivered four of my other children. Always a small world!
Anyway, then doctor had arrived and it was time to push. But by this time, I was so done. I just didn't have anything left. I really only pushed about 5 minutes, but it seemed like the biggest task I've ever had to accomplish in my life. I resolved to just give up. What about this was a good idea? Why didn't I just come on in and get the epidural?
But, finally I stopped the crazy thinking and got the job done. Brennan was born at 3:09 am after we had been in Labor and Delivery for about TWENTY minutes.
Now, I usually like to wait til the last minute, so I can labor at home and not be tied down, which will happen once you get to the hospital. Brittany was basically freaking out that my contractions were two minutes apart when we were leaving the house. I really didn't intend to wait til the VERY last minute, but you know, it really worked out well. And, her apgars were 8 and 10.
And, she was only 7 pounds and 11 ounces! The "no-eating sugar" thing worked! But, good grief, that's all she weighed at NINE days late, I could've eaten a Krispy Kreme once in a while.
On, Saturday I was tired, but I actually felt really good. The baby's doctor wanted us to await until Monday morning to go home since she had just a little bit of jaundice.
By Sunday evenig I was texting David to come pick me up! I missed everyone and I wanted to go home so badly. I've never been that home sick before. This really has been quite an emotionally diffcult pregnancy for me, probably due to some other extenuating circumstances, but still. I really wanted to leave.
But, I waited til Monday morning and was feeling a bit better. I think part of it was my "conflict of interest" with the nursery nurses. I have co-slept in the hospital with all of my newborns and this lady told me not to do that. Well, I am not one to be told what to do. I understand her concern and probably some mothers should not do that, but I have never had such pushy baby nurses.
Brennan is doing great. She lost weight down to 7 pounds 7 ounces, but she had gained it all back plus one ounce at two days out from the hospital. She is a low maintenance baby (I was praying for that after having Travis!) who sleeps a lot and loves to be held.
With Bailey
With Thomas
With Tristan
With Bethany
With Brooke
With Timothy
With Tyler
With Brittany
With Daddy
"She's coming home with us?"
