♥ My Birth Story: October 9th, 2014.

Countless friends with children have all told me to make sure I write down my birth story while it is still fresh.  October 9th, 2014 was definitely a day I will NEVER forget.

I woke up and got ready for work as per usual, and then headed to my doctor's office for my 38 week check up.  I REALLY wanted to have my baby early because I was just SO ready to be done at work and have a positive change in my environment, and I just couldn't shake the feeling that I would have him sooner than expected.  The previous day we had finally got our stroller, the last thing we needed, and I did lots of laundry, cleaned the house, and got our car fixed.  I even texted my mom that night to let her know that we were completely ready and this baby could come anytime! 

Up until this point, all my doctor appointments had been rather ordinary.  The medical assistant would check my vitals, urine, and weight, which were always normal, and then the doctor would check the baby's heartbeat and measure my uterus and send me on my way.  I was really blessed with a good pregnancy.  I mean, I of course had hard times and dealt with severe sciatica that lasted my second half of pregnancy, but my chiropractor was able to really help me with that, and everything else was pretty manageable.  Overall, I really enjoyed my pregnancy!  Every time I went to the doctor everything looked perfectly normal and healthy, with small exceptions like a urinary tract infection (which I had no idea I even had, no pain or burning or anything) and slightly high blood sugar (though it was still in the normal range).  I feel so blessed that my first pregnancy went so smoothly!

So that morning I went in to my appointment at 8:20 am, and when they checked my blood pressure it was at 144/94 - VERY high for me.  The medical assistant had me lie down on my left side and relax, and my doctor rechecked it when he came in.  It was still very high even after lying down for 15 minutes, so he was pretty concerned that I might have preeclampsia.  He checked my cervix and saw that I was dilated to 1 1/2 cm, and 75% effaced, which was a good sign.  He explained to me that he was going to have me get some blood tests and a fetal non-stress test done at the hospital, and if they were normal he would probably have me be on bed rest for a while (which is basically my worst nightmare), and if there was something to be concerned about they would induce me.  

I headed over to the lab at the Utah Valley Hospital and got my blood tests done, and called my manager at work to let her know that I was either having the baby or being put on bed rest, either way I wouldn't be able to come into work anymore.  I also called Brooks, my mom, and my mother-in-law to fill them in on what was happening.  I got my blood tests, ran home really quick to change and take Sonic out, then went back to the hospital for my fetal non-stress test. 

By this time, my blood test results had come back normal, which was good news.  They hooked me up to a monitor and the entire test took about a half hour while they monitored my baby's heartbeat and my contractions (I started having them regularly once I arrived at the hospital, which my doctor explained could happen after he checked my cervix).  The baby looked great which was a big relief, but my amniotic fluid level was running low.  It was still in the low end of the normal range, but combined with my high blood pressure and the fact that I was already dilated/effaced and having contractions, my doctor decided it was best not to risk it and to go ahead and induce me since my body was clearly getting ready for labor anyways.  

I called Brooks and told him I was going to be admitted and to have him get off work as soon as he could.  Thankfully his manager is really reasonable and let him take off right then.  He stopped by our house, grabbed the packed hospital bags, and then came straight to the hospital.  Cute guy was a bit overwhelmed haha, he was in such a hurry he forgot to change out of his work clothes!  I was admitted at about 12:30 pm, and for an hour or so just laid on the hospital bed answering the nurse's questions and texting family members/coworkers to let them know what was happening.  Brooks' brother was able to take care of Sonic, and both our managers were handling everything at work, so we were feeling really good about the timing of it all.  

My mom and sister came down to be with Brooks and I, and we all settled in for what we thought would be a very long day (the average labor for first time mothers is about 14 hours).  My nurse (who was seriously the cutest, I am so grateful that I had such great nurses!) induced me at 1:30 pm using Cytotec, a pill that was inserted into my cervix (even less pleasant than it sounds) which helps the cervix dilate and get ready for delivery.  After this was done I was allowed to eat one last meal at the hospital, (so naturally I chose a big meal consisting of a burger, sweet potato fries and dessert - haha I was gearing up for the long haul!) and then was hooked up to a monitor that tracked the baby's heartbeat and my contractions.  My contractions really weren't too bad, I was able to talk and relax with relative ease. 

 At around 3:00 pm, my doctor came in and explained that they were going to try something else to induce me to help speed up the process.  He described it as a balloon catheter that he would insert into my cervix with a speculum, which would help me dilate much quicker.  THIS WAS PROBABLY THE LEAST PLEASANT EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE.  My uterus kept retracting when he was literally inside of me trying this, and they were having issues with the lamp that he was using to see with, so it took much longer than it should have.  It was SO incredibly uncomfortable and I was having some very strong contractions during, so I just closed my eyes and focused on breathing deeply while Brooks stood helplessly to my side trying to comfort me.  Once they finally were able to insert it correctly, my doctor apologized and said I was a champ and handled it MUCH better than most women, which made me feel a bit better haha.  He explained that I would probably need pitocin, a medication that would help my body contract, something they use often when inducing.  He left and my nurse continued to monitor me and my contractions.

(Quick side note about my doctor - before I even got pregnant, I did a LOT of research into finding a really good OB/GYN that I would feel comfortable with delivering my baby.  I read tons of reviews, and when I found my doctor online, I just felt so much peace about it, like he was the right one.  I know it sounds silly, but it was actually a very strong confirmation for me, and for some reason I just felt like I needed an especially good doctor.  He is such a nice guy, and never makes me feel uncomfortable.  He has been practicing for about 30 years so he definitely knows what he's doing, and just always puts me at ease.  This will seem more relevant after I explain my delivery haha)

At this point, I started having VERY strong contractions that were extremely painful.  They were coming in about every 2 minutes and lasting for a minute, and so my nurse grabbed the anesthesiologist to give me an epidural.  He gave me the epidural, and showed me the button I could press that would administer more medicine, but even with that I could still feel my contractions and they were still painful enough that I had to breathe deeply to get through them.  My nurse decided after 20 minutes or so that I needed a stronger dose, so she grabbed the anesthesiologist again and this time he REALLY gave it to me haha, my legs were completely numb!  

It was about 5:00 pm at this point, and I could finally relax.  I had posted a picture on Instagram saying that I was in labor, and so I had everyone and their mother texting me asking how I was doing and what was going on haha.  I was just enjoying myself talking to my family and answering my friends' questions, when my nurse came in looking uneasy.  She said the good news is that I wouldn't need pitocin because my body was going crazy with contractions all on it's own, but that bad news was that since my contractions were coming in SO fast and SO hard, it was putting my baby under stress.  She explained that if his heartbeat didn't improve I would need an emergency C-section.  At this point, my heart sank.  I REALLY didn't want to go that route, especially since C-section recoveries are much harder/longer and often times you can't hold your baby right after delivery, something that I had been looking forward to my entire pregnancy.  The nurse gave me an oxygen mask and told me to breathe deeply so that we could hopefully get the baby to relax.  The nurse left the room and I asked Brooks to give me a priesthood blessing.  He gave me a beautiful blessing, which I of course cried during, and in the blessing he said something that really stood out to me.  He said to trust my doctor/nurses during my delivery.  I felt much better after the blessing, and the baby's heartbeat began to normalize again!  We were all so relieved, and I felt relaxed again thinking I would have a normal delivery.

At around 7:45 pm my friend Cami came to the hospital to take pictures for me (I really wanted to have this special occasion documented) and my dad came and brought me flowers.  We were all laughing and talking, and my dad turned on the BYU football game and was watching it with Brooks.  At around 8:20-8:30ish, I noticed my monitor that was hooked up to the baby's heartbeat was beeping, and looking at the graph I could tell that his heartbeat was dropping... rapidly.  All of the sudden about 5 nurses rushed in the room.  They flipped me over to my other side to see if the heartbeat would go back up, and were messing with all the cords I was attached to.  It was all happening so fast that my dad and Brooks didn't even realize what was happening (typical boys and their sports haha).  When the nurses saw that the heartbeat wasn't improving they turned me onto my hands and knees, told me to breathe deeply into the oxygen mask, and began running down the hall with me.  My mom literally had to push Brooks to tell him to go with me (he was kinda in shock).  

They rushed me to the O.R. and we were met by some additional nurses and a doctor I had never met before.  None of them were explaining anything to me, and were all extremely panicked.  At this point, I was literally shaking uncontrollably.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that it took ALL of my might to focus on breathing deeply and to not cry.  I was on the verge of hysterics, but I knew that if I started crying I wouldn't be able to control my breathing, so I just closed my eyes and focused on breathing and began praying harder than I ever have before.  There was so much running through my mind, so much panic and stress, but I tried to focus on my previous blessing telling me to trust my doctor and nurses and not interrupt them with questions. Meanwhile, in the other room, my family all held hands and began praying.  My mom started calling everyone in her family and in Brooks' family telling them they needed to pray NOW and hard.  I am still so overwhelmed by the love and power of prayer that our families showed me, and to this day I still get emotional whenever I am reminded that my grandma was literally on her knees pleading with the Lord that my baby and I would be okay.

 They lied me on my back and this other doctor started prepping for an emergency C-section, when my regular doctor saved the day by coming into the room and stopping him.  He took a chance and checked my cervix one more time, and saw that I was suddenly dilated to a 10, and that my baby's heartbeat was miraculously beginning to improve.  He made a quick decision to go ahead with a vaginal delivery with the help of forceps.  The nurse had Brooks stand right next to me, and I just concentrated on my doctor and did exactly what he told me to do.  I was still shaking uncontrollably at this point, something that I was later told was probably a combination of my adrenaline, epidural and stress.  The doctor was working faster than you could even believe, and when there wasn't a scalpel nearby he literally had to grab a pair of scissors and give me an emergency episiotomy.  As soon as he was finished he grabbed the forceps and told me to start pushing. I pushed a whopping 6 times, having to stop a couple of times so he could use the forceps, and then during my final push at 8:59 pm a nurse yelled out "Look at all that blonde hair!!" as the doctor pulled him out, and I immediately broke down and started bawling.  My doctor immediately began stitching me up, while Brooks followed the nurse in the other room and I watched through the glass as they cleaned up my perfect baby. After a minute or two Brooks came in holding him, and even through his mask I could tell he was smiling so big. (Brooks had to wear a surgical mask and gown in order to be in the room with me) He placed him on my chest, and I just laid there crying, SO happy that he was here safe. Throughout my pregnancy I was so timid about the name Daxton, but as soon as I saw him it just fit him and I knew that was his name.

After holding him in the O.R. with Brooks for a few minutes while my doctor finished stitching me up and explaining that his heartbeat had dropped because my placenta had detached prematurely, (and also informing me that I had a third degree laceration from the delivery...it's about as awful as it sounds), the nurses wheeled us back to the delivery room to see my family. As soon as I saw my mom I started crying again (haha I was clearly traumatized) and they all took turns holding him and admiring him. 

The hospital was so great, and it was so much fun to have so many nurses, doctors, and even the cleaning crew peek in and take a look at the blonde baby that everyone was talking about! Dax is perfectly healthy and these last two weeks have been blissful, (minus the recovery, which I will save for another post later) and I can honestly say I've never felt so happy and content with my life. It's like nothing else has mattered up until this point. I truly feel like I was supposed to be a mom, and I couldn't love my boy more.  Breastfeeding has become my favorite thing in the world, and I just stare and cuddle him all day long.  I have never felt so much gratitude in my entire life, and am just so incredibly grateful that he arrived here safely and healthy.  I am SO grateful for everyone who prayed for us and made this little miracle possible, and I'm so thankful that I was able to deliver him naturally without having to go through surgery. 

I love being a mom so so much!  Can't wait to spend the rest of my life taking care of this boy.

Xoxo