7/22/16

Zarah's Birth Story

Wow.  It has been over a month since this little bundle of joy joined our family:
We sure do love our new addition.  She weighed in at 8 lbs 3 oz and was 19 and a half inches long.  She is doing so well and is growing so much.  I constantly am reminding myself to hold her a bit longer and stare at her face to remember exactly how it was in each moment.  It seems like she already has changed so much.

Well, here is the story.  I had planned on going all natural this time(just like I had with E-Man too), but I quickly was reminded that I am not always the one in control in life.  At my last appointment with my midwife group, they were a bit concerned about the fluid levels around baby Z.  So, I was instructed to go have an ultrasound on Memorial Day, which I did.  The numbers were lower but not quite in the worry category, so they sent me home and wanted to check again the next morning.

My mom flew in that night and we picked her up and then enjoyed wings at our favorite place with a few friends.  The next morning, Mom and I headed for the hospital.  I felt in limbo because, who knew what was going to happen?  I also kinda had an inkling that the numbers were going to continue to go lower.  With E, that happened as well.  What is up with my babies losing their liquid the last week?

So, the news was that baby Z was going to have to come via C-Section.  My favorite midwife, Claudia, was on call that day and she is just the sweetest. She gave me a hug and we discussed why this was the best option because we were most concerned with baby's wellness.  It wasn't my favorite news.  I had been ready for my natural birth.  Now, that is something that will never happen.  See, once you have two, you have to always have them.

So, again, Mom and I ventured back home.  We had a few hours to prepare for getting to the hospital and finding a place for E to be while we had the baby and the first night.  It really worked out well to have my Mom here, because she was able to stay with E the first night and then Reuben joined them the other few nights I was at the hospital.

We had to be at the hospital at about 4:30 for all the prep.  Both our babies would be born at American Fork Hospital, just a few blocks away from the American Fork Temple where Reuben and I were married a few years before.

We checked in, got all the IVs ready and waited for go time.  The C-section was scheduled for 6:30 and time flew.  Before I knew it, Claudia was again with us.  And she wanted to talk.  It was 6:15, by the way.  She said something along these lines:  "Before we head in, Alice, did you know you are actually having some pretty regular contractions?"  I was not aware actually.  Nice, no?  "So, what do you think?  We actually could try to get you moving along and try a vaginal birth.  Should we check to see how progressed you are?"

My mind was in a thousand different places.  I could have the birth I had hoped for, but I had also been prepared all day to have a C-section.  So, we checked.  I was at about a one.  I looked at Claudia and thanked her for fighting for my cause.  If that number had been a five, I might have been more convinced to try it.  But a one?  I could be in labor for 18 hours and still end up with the emergency C.  It was 15 minutes before go time with surgery, too.  I was disappointed not to have experienced a natural birth, but things happen the way they do for a reason and in the moments that Claudia was talking about another option and checking my progress, I just didn't feel right about it all.  Who knows if it would have been horrible or not, but I chose what I chose.

Earlier, I had mentioned to Claudia that I wanted a different experience than I had had with E's delivery.  I hated my first C-Section, mainly because he was born and then I only got to kiss his face and didn't see him for a good hour after birth.  I wanted skin to skin contact ASAP.  Claudia told me that lots of things had changed since E was born and that I could have baby Z as quick as a little assessment.

At 6:51 p.m. on June 1st, Baby Z entered this world.  She was taken to the corner of the operating room and after a tense moment of not crying, there she was, screaming.  I was in tears and so excited to meet her. I had to keep telling myself that she would be with me soon and that Reub was with her because mama bear mode set in and I wanted my baby NOW!

Reub brought her to me a few minutes later and I was in heaven for the next several hours.  That baby did not leave me until about one in the morning when Reub got to wash her hair in the sink, in my room.  They even did the bath part with the nurse in my bed on a towel.  Things really had changed since E was born.  The hospital was very focused on making sure mom and baby had as much time skin to skin and together as possible.  They even encourage moms to have babies in their room and only babies being medically tested, or taken care of were in the nursery.

I was in the hospital from Wednesday June 1st through Sunday June 5th.



This may not have been the way I had planned for this birth, but I have a healthy little miracle at home with me now, and that is all that matters!