Parker's Birth Story

When I was pregnant with PK I was obsessed with reading birth stories.  I wanted to know what to expect, what could go wrong, anything and everything.  Basically, every birth story is different.  And true to form, ours was also different.  I sat down and wrote this within the first couple months Parker was born.  I still go back and read it once in awhile but have never posted it.  I thought since we are preparing for birth #2 and have Parker's birthday today, today would be a good day to post.  

This is my birth story; so for the easily queasy this might be TMI.    

Kris and I used to talk about the day quite frequently. 

His main thoughts are that:

A)it was a really long day and he thought I was pushing forever

B)scared when PK’s heart rate dropped and they were moving me all around trying to get him off of the umbilical cord

C)completely amazing little boy

My main thoughts are that:

A)I don’t think I truly grasped for a couple days/weeks how scared I should have been that day and all the things that could have been wrong

B)the day was a complete blur to me; what was hours seems like minutes

C)we are truly blessed

So without further ado… …

It all started on Thursday night.  A friend had told me that a surefire sign that baby is on the way will be a burst of energy to get things done.  I chuckled to myself that night as I was brushing my teeth that I would have to tell her my burst of energy had come a bit early.  I had sorted through baby clothes and put into piles of similar size to get washed up, painted my fingers and toes and taken a nap.  After being exhausted for 34 weeks I was finally feeling like I was ready to tackle some projects. 

That night before we went to bed Kris asked once again if I had my bags ready for the hospital.  I told him that it was on my list for that weekend. 

At 3:50 AM I woke up with a weird feeling like I had to go to the bathroom but wasn’t quite sure.  I’d been waking up in the middle of the night for months to go to the bathroom already but this was a different feeling.  I barely made it down the hall and to the bathroom before I felt liquid down my leg.  Sat down and had quite a gush of liquid.  I noticed I had lost my mucus plug but still wasn’t sure whether it was my water that had broke.  I went back to bed and started googling on my phone if you would lose liquid with loss of mucus plug.  Lots of responses said that it’s normal to lose some and it doesn’t necessarily mean you are in labor.  I laid there for awhile longer before feeling the same need to rush off to the bathroom.  Again didn’t make it down the hall.  Decided to wait there for awhile.

I went downstairs around five because I didn’t want to wake Kris up and I was kind of nervous about what was going on.  I was hesitant to call the doctor’s emergency line because I knew I already had an appointment at eleven that day; if I could hold out that long.  I ended up calling the hospital and they told me that I needed to get down to the maternity center to get checked out. 

When I went up and woke up Kris he jumped out of bed and was immediately rushing around talking about how he couldn’t find his pants (reason why I waited to wake him, he’s high strung…).  I was trying to remain calm and couldn’t decide whether I needed to get stuff around to take.  Decided against it because they had told us at our tour that usually couples come in a few times before they are actually officially in labor and get sent home. 

We started our trip downtown not talking much.  I think we were both off in our own little worlds and too scared to talk.  When we got to the maternity center they asked for our papers (that we hadn’t yet filled out) and checked us into a small room where they do all of the checking in and decide if you get to stay and be checked into a birthing suite.  The nurses also seemed skeptical that my water had actually broken and did not believe me (probably because we were so calm and had no idea). 

The nurse did a test and told us that my water had officially broken and we were set to deliver in the next 24 hours.  I looked at Kris and told him he had a dentist appointment that day and I had a doctor’s appointment.  It was Friday June 10^th; 5 weeks prior to my official due date; today didn’t exactly work for me…

We got settled into the birthing suite a little after seven.  I had talked to my mom about five that morning and she was immediately worked up; so I sat down to text her that baby was on his way.  She and my dad were already in the parking garage. 

The doctors got everything running on me and checked that I wasn’t dilated at all.  So around nine they started me on Pitocin.  Kris and I went for a walk around the halls trying to get the baby to work his way down.  The contractions started coming pretty hard where I’d have to stop and lean on the wall.  We made our way back to the room and I started resting in a chair.  All the sudden our room was swarmed with nurses and they were adjusting my body in every which direction.  The baby’s heart rate had dropped and they needed him to move off of the umbilical cord.  I was having such hard contractions by this point that I let them move me how they needed to.  The nurse then recommended that I get an epidural if I was ready because my body needed to calm down to help with his heart rate.  I was ready!  Luckily the anesthesiologist wasn’t far away and was there within a half an hour.  Since I have scoliosis in my back with the first attempt they only got the left side of my body numb.  The second attempt was successful.  Kris had stayed in the room while they were doing the epidural; when I turned back around to lay down his mask was still over his face and it was pretty white.  He didn’t move or say much for a while.    

The rest of the afternoon I was able to rest as people took turns in the room with me.  During the afternoon we had the doctor and nurses explaining to us that this would be a high risk delivery and NICU staff would be in the room ready if needed. 

By five the nurse said I was fully dilated and the baby had worked his way down the birth canal by himself!  The doctor was notified and around 5:30 I started pushing.  It took awhile for me to focus on how to push and where to push since the epidural had me so numb.  I laugh when I feel awkward and I would burst out laughing at the end of a contraction.  Kris was getting irritated and the nurses kept telling me to focus.  We finally turned on Lazer so I had something to listen to.  I remember that it was a back to back weekend (they play two songs from the same artist in a row).  There were some Nickelback songs playing and I wanted them to call in and request Disturbed for me (no one did…).  Once I was able to focus on the music the pushing and contractions went a lot smoother.  Right away they told me there was lots of dark hair. 

Around 6:15 the baby was ready!  The doctor and NICU staff were called.  The room filled with about 25 people in a matter of minutes. 

Once the doctor came in I started pushing, the doctor stopped me half way to suck out the baby’s mouth and nose.  The doctor yelled at me to open my eyes.  For the first time that day I was truly scared; due to his cone head all I could see was the very top of his head and it looked like he was going to be the smallest thing.  I finished delivering and Parker Kristopher was born at 6:23 PM.  He was 5lbs 4oz and was absolutely perfect. 

Parker came out screaming so that was a huge relief where the main concern was of his lungs not being developed.  The NICU nurses swept him away over to the corner to run all of the tests on him.  Once they determined that he was doing well we were told our families could come in and take a look at him (they had been spying at the main doors for the past two or three hours).  It was like a paparazzi team came in.  Everyone was trying their best to get a look at the little guy. 

When they brought him to me he was wide awake checking everything out.  His nose was so smashed; poor guy.  We tried feeding him and he wouldn’t take anything.  They told us at nine that night that they would try again and if he wouldn’t take anything he would be transferred to NICU. 

Parker ended up getting transferred to NICU that night and we spent the next nine days there where he learned to eat.  He got to come home on Father’s Day.