Lyla Rose Puckett born January 26th, 2019 at 12:26am. Weighing in at 7lbs 1 oz and 19 inches long of absolute perfectness!
*warning expect a long and probably TMI post on how we brought this sweet girl into the world. I am wiring this post for you but more for me because I never want to forget the best and hardest day of my life!
Lyla's original due date was February 3rd, 219 but she was born at 38 weeks and 6 days, a week and a day early.
On Thursday January 24th I woke up at 8am on the couch and was cleaning up my pillows when all of a sudden liquid came gushing from down there. I ran to the bathroom thinking I was peeing myself (weird things in pregnancy!) but turns out it was my mucus plug and a bunch of liquid discharge. Calling to Stephen scared of what was happening he said, "babe your water has broken!" Really? Okay, well I don't need to rush to the hospital (everything was clear, no color!) I feel fine lets just walk Sofia to school and see if contractions start and if not I'll call the hospital. Retuning home just before 9am from our walk no contractions but I still called the hospital and they wanted me to come in and be checked out.
Turns out the test came back negative and my water had not yet broken but to keep an eye on it because it could happen shortly. I was instructed if I had another gush of water to call back and talk to a nurse at that time. We came home and I was exhausted so I slept most of the day, then took a shower just before 5pm. I started bouncing on the exercise ball having family time playing with the dogs, Sofia and Stephen at about 5:45 I got off the ball to get Levi's tennis ball and FLUSH, another huge gush of water. I ran so fast to the bathroom. Everything was clear so I didn't think much of it. Waiting for a contraction.... nothing happened. I was texting back and forth with my good friend Justine who is a labor and delivery nurse, she said she thinks that could have been my water and if I experience another gush I should probably call the hospital again. A 10:30, another big gush of water. I am now filling a pad every hour, so I called the hospital and they had me come in to be examined. We headed in at 11:00pm, the nurse confirmed my water had broken however the doctor on call said to send me home and see if my body would kick into labor on its own and to come back at 8:00am the next day regardless. I was keeping in contact with Justine and a good family friend Keri, who is a midwife, consistantly at this time. They both confirmed that you have about 24 hours from when your water breaks until the risk of infection goes too high. So listen to the doctors!
We arrived at the hospital around 9am on Friday January 25th. The doctor on call came in and through the exam confirmed yes, my membranes were broken and we are now 14-15 hours into our timeline of 24. This was not what I wanted to hear, my body was having small contractions but nothing I could track or really notice. They read me my list of options, I could leave and come back in a couple of hours but since my body had not done anything on its own for 14 hours the probability of it going into labor on its own was low. It was better to start the induction process during day time hours rather than at night when resources are less. Talking it over with Stephen we agreed we would stay and begin induction through oxytocin. NOT what I ever wanted or planned, I didn't want any interventions but this quickly became out of my hands and my baby's health was more important to me than what I had "planned".
We got set up in a room and at 11am started the induction. I wanted to start very small and see if my body would kick in on its own, so level 1 it was. I was strapped to an IV and two monitors around my belly. One to track baby's heart beat and one to monitor the contractions. The wireless monitors weren't working well so I literally had to lay in bed or stand next to it. Also, not what I wanted having a nurse sit in our room 24/7 and being confined to a bed or standing right next to a bed... that is not how I imagined labor to go, how would I mentally prepare being so uncomfortable starting off? We went up 2 levels every 30 minutes to see how my body would respond however nothing was happening. The monitor was saying I was contracting every 2 minutes for 60-75 seconds, my stomach was so tight the nurse kept asking are you feeling these, they seem to be strong? Yes I was feeling them but it felt like period cramps. She looked at both Stephen and I and said, "you have a higher pain tolerance than you think! Most women are struggling at this point asking for pain medication." I was laughing, carrying on a conversation, watching the movie Twister on the iPad. Look at me go, kicking labors ass! Since we were at level 20 (the highest they will go) of oxytocin the nurse decided to check how dilated I was at 4pm. We are now 5 hours into induction and when she checked me I was 2cm dilated. WHAT? I was 2 cm on Tuesday at my doctors appointment, I haven't made any progress?
At the point I was so emotional. What was going on? My body is not responding to this intervention that I didn't want in the first place but because of circumstances had to have. All I kept thinking was THIS is how these horror stories start, something is not right. I asked if I could take the monitors off and go for a walk. The nurse allowed me for 30 minutes, so Stephen and I walked the hospital together. We returned at 5pm and spoke with the nurse who had spoken to the doctor who seemed to be just as confused as I was. Why was this not working? It was shift change for the doctors at 5 so I had to wait for the next doctor to come in and get caught up to date on the situation. At 6pm, she called for a bedside ultrasound to make sure baby was okay and was in fact head down and didn't change positions at some point. The OBGYN was coming in to see me when she could but the nurse suggested Stephen and I discuss c-section and what we would like to happen if one was needed. No I didn't want one, but yes if it was the safest option I would take it. Stephen would stay with babe and no one was to hold her but him until I came back. Emotions were running at an all time high at this point!
At 6:30pm the OBGYN came in, ultrasound looked great, she couldn't tell the direction baby's head was looking but she was in fact head down. The OB suggested that she check my membranes again, when my water broke initially baby could have fallen and trapped a bubble or sac of water which is causing the hold up. By this time it is 7pm, the OB did another check and sweep to break the membranes and all of a sudden the pain went from 1 to 100 instantly! I almost ripped Stephens hand off, I couldn't believe what was happening to my body. There was in fact a small sac full of air which was holding up the process. All I wanted at this point was to get in the bath tub, but of course I am hooked to monitors. My birth plan said to NOT offer pain medication only IF I asked for it. I begged and pleated to be unhooked so I could go to the bathroom and get in the bath. She allowed. I got in the bath and was trying to cope with this intense pain, 8 hours of oxytocin running on full had hit my body at once. Stephen came into the bathroom and said "babe the anesthesiaoligist is in the room next to us, are you sure you dont want an epidural? You are so strong, you will still be just as strong if you take it" I replied with "yes, please. I want one!" I labored in the bath for some time but the nurse kept making me get up to dry me off to check baby's heart beat every minute or two. I decided I would just get out, this wasn't helping! I moved back to the bed and waited for the anesthesiaoligist to come to my room. It seemed like it took forever but in reality he came in just about 8pm.
This nice man came in and read me the risk and liability to the epidural. Again, NOTHING had gone to plan, my idea of no interventions was out the door hours ago, it had been one after another after another since we started this process. I looked at him for a minute double thinking my request.... yes, I am okay with the risks please proceed. I was so exhausted and my body was in such shock I couldn't bring myself to the positive mind set I needed to stay unmedicated. I was given the epidural at 8:45pm and it fully kicked in just after 9. The delivery doctor waited to do the check until the epidural was in full effect, just two hours ago I was at 3 cm and now I was at 8cm. I was able to relax and she suggested I try and sleep if possible, the nurse would check me at 11:30, she would be back at 1:30 and was estimating a baby somewhere around 2 or 3 am. Stephen had Eric Church playing softly in the background, the lights were low, and I was able to close my eyes for 40 minutes.
At 11:15pm the nurse wanted me to try and walk to the bathroom to empty my bladder, I wasn't strong enough so she did a check and..... baby's head was half out! Yes, did you read that, baby's head was crowning. I had mentioned I felt pressure and my stomach felt different but with the epidural I didn't know exactly what was happening. The nurse ran to get the doctor who was in a deep sleep because she came in rubbing her eyes trying to wake up. They set up for labor, emptied my bladder for me and said, okay it's go time! I stared at them with big eyes.... go time? Like we are going to push? She replied with "whenever you are ready!". My mindset had changed at this point, I was now SO SO ready to meet my baby. Let's get this going! I would do anything to see her, how hard do I push because lets get this right! I started pushing at 11:47pm and our sweet baby girl was welcomed to the world at 12:26am on January 26th. Which happens to be my half birthday. She was the best half birthday present I could every of imagined or hopped for! The tear poured from my eyes as they handed her to me.
This story was not one I thought I would ever write. I was hoping for a natural delivery, laboring in the comfort of my own home and not having any interventions. Turns out childbirth is something you have ZERO control over and one that should never be judged. I wouldn't change anything I did in the process because all of it was the best for our baby girl. Once my water had broken everything was out of my hands, how could I live with myself if I didn't listen to the medical professionals and some infection had gotten to her? I couldn't. So I did what I had too in the moment and was lucky enough to have had no major issues. There are some traumatizing moments for me, some flash backs I keep having of the pain and anxiety of the earlier part of the day but nothing I won't get over. I am so so lucky and best of all it was 100% worth it because Lyla Rose is here happy and healthy!
I wanted to get this story up sooner rather than later because I wanted to remember every moment. Eric Church will always be my favorite artist (Lyla's too!), oxytocin is a fear, my husband is my biggest cheerleader and my nurse Valerie was the most nurturing mother figure who I will always remember her soft voice counting to 10.
We are home and recovering nicely, we are totally in love and all the sleepless nights and day are worth every single second because she is here. After waiting all this time, my baby is home.
4 comments:
Aw, so amazing. You rocked it, mama. <3 Welcome to the world, sweet Lyla Rose!
And you're totally right... You'll be soooo thankful you wrote out all of these little details because as much as you think it's a day you'll never forget, they do seem to fade over time.
Oh what a wonderful story I was really moved as I read it
Welcome to the world sweet girl! My daughter's birth story is almost identical to this. It is not at all how I wanted it to go but at the end of the day a precious little one was brought into the world. I am so happy for you all.
Congrats!!!
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