Sure enough, Friday night as I was going to bed I started having the usual cramping, but I didn't think anything of it since it was only days after getting checked at the Doctors. Saturday morning as the pains were still coming, I started to time them every so often. They were very inconsistent from 30 minutes apart to 6 minutes apart, I stayed home the entire day just trying to get rest. I was laying on our bed and it crossed my mind a few times that I should not be lying on my bed in case my water broke. Then I'd disregard the thought convincing myself that it is probably false labor yet again. I fell asleep for a short amount of time and was woken up every so often as I felt pain.
I decided to time between two of the contractions just to see what the distance was. Seven minutes later another contraction came, I still wasn't convinced that it was anything, but these last contractions had some more strength behind them then the one's I had remembered from Bryson's labor. Right in the middle of that contraction I felt a pop and there I was lying on the bed thinking to myself "was that what I think it was..... and I'm on the BED". I yelled to Brady and asked him to get me a towel, when he brought one to me I mentioned that my water broke. We didn't say anything to each other, I think we were both thinking in our minds how to get me up without getting my water everywhere. The second I got on my feet I could feel the water running down my legs and Brady and I quickly made our way to the bathroom. When I say made our way I am sure we may have been shimmy-ing our way there, I wish I could see what that looked like. We even managed to scoot the bath rug from under me and I made it to the toilet.
It crossed my mind that maybe I shouldn't be sitting on the toilet, as I have flash backs of TV episodes of babies being born in the toilet. I also decide to disregard that out of my mind too, besides where else would I go? Brady asked me if we needed to go to the hospital right then and I said yes! I told him where my bag was and that there was a note on top of it with the list of items I needed to grab last second. I've never seen Brady move so fast! If I would've known I would have added a list of things I needed cleaned before I left too! I just always pictured me getting the bag packed when it was time to go.
Luckily my Mom was already in town for Kendyl's delivery, so we were able to leave quickly all while Bryson was taking his nap. I put on a new pair of jeans, I seriously had no idea what to wear when you have your water break, no matter what it is going to get wet. I managed to stay dry as I made it out the door and into the truck. It is about 5 PM at the time. As soon as I sat in the truck is when another round of water came, and of course we take the vehicle that does not have leather seats. I do still have my towel with me so I managed to keep everything dry except myself of course. I have a couple of contractions on the way there and we waddle my wet self up to the delivery floor.
A neighbor of mine is one of the nurses that checks the patients in and lets them into the delivery area and as I see her I make the comment that I am dripping everywhere. She says "that's good", then I see the nurse helping me go into super fast mode. She even comments that she hasn't checked someone in that fast. I am still surprised by that, since I'd think everyone going to that window would need assistance pretty fast, she may have not wanted me to leave puddles everywhere!
We are let into the delivery area and just as I get through the doors I stop walking as another contraction hits. I do not believe Brady notices that I have stopped walking as he heads down the hall to the nurses station carrying the camera, a girlie pink boppy pillow and a pink and green polka dotted bag. I am sure the nurses were wondering why a guy with girlie stuff would be standing in the delivery area without a wife. I can see Brady stopped at the nurses station and after he looks back at me and a nurse pokes her head around the corner to see me just standing there focusing, the nurse asks me if I need help. By that time it was the end of the contraction so I said no and kept walking.
I get settled into my room and get changed into the lovely robe (with more leaking) and start answering the 200 and 1 questions they have for me. Since my Doctor was out of town I asked for her assistant Deborah Flansburg to deliver me. I recall saying to the nurse "the anesthesiologist doesn't happen to be in the next room over is he?", followed by laughing from all of us. I was informed that while they contacted Dr. Flansburg and confirmed that she could deliver me I had to wait to get my epidural. Fine, I remember joking with Brady that I'll take two more contractions then I want my epidural, we both just laughed knowing it would be a little longer than that. This is what my delivery report says about me at the time.
Uterus is somewhat irritable with good contraction about every 5 minutes and then small crampy 30 second contractions in between. An IV was started. She was found to be 3+, 90%, -1 station. She was given fentanyl.
Stop right there, I was actually given only half of the fentanyl because the nurse said I was small, yeah half of the fentanyl did it all right. My head was in the clouds, I should have tried flying while I had the chance, I bet I could have. The drug only worked for about 15 minutes.
Back to the notes: After being here for a little bit, the contractions regulated to about every 3 minutes and the fetal heart tones settled in to about the 140s with improved variability and some accelerations. Epidural was placed at about 1900 hours (7 PM).
Stop again............ just had to stop and have a moment of silence for the blessing of epidurals! The anesthesiologist came in and they had me sit up, right as I did that I felt another gush of a lot of water, except this time I didn't even think that it was my water. My thought was "I am peeing or something", I even said that out loud and the nurse said "it's your water". Oh yeah! So the Anesthesiologist does his thing and I notice Brady to my right watching the whole thing, yeah I couldn't do that. Then it was done, the Doctor said that I'd have relief in 90 seconds. My response "you're my hero!", seriously that is what I said, followed by laughing from everyone in the room yet again. I seriously didn't intend to have such a comical labor and delivery but I guess it turned out that way.
Now it was just wait and wait. Brady got a hold of the remote and there we were watching ESPN again, it was a flash back since we had watched ESPN when we had Bryson too. I seriously do not mind, I am just happy to be pain free! I can't feel my toes or legs but eh, it's over rated either way. I am informed that I can have as much ice chips and popsicles as I'd like, I'm thinking well that's just like a vacation for me isn't it! Then I start to think that ice chips and popsicles are the exact same thing as a shaved ice!! Now that's what I'm talking about, and I convince the nurse that shaved ice's are acceptable. I even have Brady now offering to leave the hospital to go get me one, yeah baby!! But I feel bad to have Brady going all across town while I am about to deliver so I let it slide and settle for a popsicle. So Brady leaves and he comes back with my popsicle and a whole plate full of a turkey sandwich and chips and who knows what else for himself. He comments that they showed him where the Dad's can go to get drinks and food for free. Now is the time that I wish I'd gotten my shaved ice! Just kidding, I wasn't hungry at all I just found it comical that he'd be able to feast with me having to live on frozen water. Now I know that when I grow up, I want to be a DAD!!
Ok, back to the report: After she relaxed (epidural), she made more quick progress contracting about every 2 minutes very firm in strength. She was checked at 7:50 PM and found to be a 6+ and some variable type decelerations noted. After she was catheterized, she was found to be 9 cm and +1 station. Pushing was initiated at 9:13 pm and initially had difficulty pushing. The baby was in a transverse position about a +2 station, variables were noted for a short period of time with every contraction.
Right when I started pushing, I began getting heartburn. Not a big deal right, but then a few pushes later I feel the sensation of needing to take advantage of the pink bowl. Now with every push I am also trying to hold back the sensation of my churning stomach. However with every push the Doctor makes the comment that I am making good progress, I'm doing good etc. So I am thinking well if that's the case, I should be able to be done soon without getting sick. Little did I know that as Brady is hearing the same exact comments that the Doctor is making, in his mind he's thinking "I don't see what progress the Doctor thinks she sees". Finally at 10 PM, I emptied my stomach and she was born literally minutes after. I should of done that from the very beginning.
After she emptied her stomach at 10 PM, she pushed very well after that point and 4 minutes later at 10:09 PM she delivered a viable female infant. The head was delivered easily but then a nuchal arm & shoulder came afterwards. Baby was suctioned with a bulb and then the baby was delivered up to maternal abdomen where the cord was clamped and cut, 3 vessel cord noted. Apgars of 8 and 9 were given. Baby weighs 7 pounds 1 ounce, 18.5 inches long.
The next few minutes seem like a dream to me, I remember bits and pieces as though they were in slow motion but it all passed by so quickly as it was taking place. I remember Kendyl being placed on my chest immediately after she was born. Brady was right by my side as we just starred and smiled and took in all we could from the moment. Brady cut the cord and she was then taken to the baby warmer where she got checked out, got her measurements taken, etc all with Brady standing right by her side. The next thing I know, Brady is sitting on the couch to my left with Kendyl in his arms, staring at her and he has tears in his eyes. I could not join them as I was still being attended to by the Doctor, but I also wouldn't of wanted to. I wouldn't of wanted to change their special moment they were having together. Although we did not take many pictures from within the labor & delivery room, I am grateful to have looked over on the couch when I did. I will always remember the sight of Brady and his little girl.
Uterus is somewhat irritable with good contraction about every 5 minutes and then small crampy 30 second contractions in between. An IV was started. She was found to be 3+, 90%, -1 station. She was given fentanyl.
Stop right there, I was actually given only half of the fentanyl because the nurse said I was small, yeah half of the fentanyl did it all right. My head was in the clouds, I should have tried flying while I had the chance, I bet I could have. The drug only worked for about 15 minutes.
Back to the notes: After being here for a little bit, the contractions regulated to about every 3 minutes and the fetal heart tones settled in to about the 140s with improved variability and some accelerations. Epidural was placed at about 1900 hours (7 PM).
Stop again............ just had to stop and have a moment of silence for the blessing of epidurals! The anesthesiologist came in and they had me sit up, right as I did that I felt another gush of a lot of water, except this time I didn't even think that it was my water. My thought was "I am peeing or something", I even said that out loud and the nurse said "it's your water". Oh yeah! So the Anesthesiologist does his thing and I notice Brady to my right watching the whole thing, yeah I couldn't do that. Then it was done, the Doctor said that I'd have relief in 90 seconds. My response "you're my hero!", seriously that is what I said, followed by laughing from everyone in the room yet again. I seriously didn't intend to have such a comical labor and delivery but I guess it turned out that way.
Now it was just wait and wait. Brady got a hold of the remote and there we were watching ESPN again, it was a flash back since we had watched ESPN when we had Bryson too. I seriously do not mind, I am just happy to be pain free! I can't feel my toes or legs but eh, it's over rated either way. I am informed that I can have as much ice chips and popsicles as I'd like, I'm thinking well that's just like a vacation for me isn't it! Then I start to think that ice chips and popsicles are the exact same thing as a shaved ice!! Now that's what I'm talking about, and I convince the nurse that shaved ice's are acceptable. I even have Brady now offering to leave the hospital to go get me one, yeah baby!! But I feel bad to have Brady going all across town while I am about to deliver so I let it slide and settle for a popsicle. So Brady leaves and he comes back with my popsicle and a whole plate full of a turkey sandwich and chips and who knows what else for himself. He comments that they showed him where the Dad's can go to get drinks and food for free. Now is the time that I wish I'd gotten my shaved ice! Just kidding, I wasn't hungry at all I just found it comical that he'd be able to feast with me having to live on frozen water. Now I know that when I grow up, I want to be a DAD!!
Ok, back to the report: After she relaxed (epidural), she made more quick progress contracting about every 2 minutes very firm in strength. She was checked at 7:50 PM and found to be a 6+ and some variable type decelerations noted. After she was catheterized, she was found to be 9 cm and +1 station. Pushing was initiated at 9:13 pm and initially had difficulty pushing. The baby was in a transverse position about a +2 station, variables were noted for a short period of time with every contraction.
Right when I started pushing, I began getting heartburn. Not a big deal right, but then a few pushes later I feel the sensation of needing to take advantage of the pink bowl. Now with every push I am also trying to hold back the sensation of my churning stomach. However with every push the Doctor makes the comment that I am making good progress, I'm doing good etc. So I am thinking well if that's the case, I should be able to be done soon without getting sick. Little did I know that as Brady is hearing the same exact comments that the Doctor is making, in his mind he's thinking "I don't see what progress the Doctor thinks she sees". Finally at 10 PM, I emptied my stomach and she was born literally minutes after. I should of done that from the very beginning.
After she emptied her stomach at 10 PM, she pushed very well after that point and 4 minutes later at 10:09 PM she delivered a viable female infant. The head was delivered easily but then a nuchal arm & shoulder came afterwards. Baby was suctioned with a bulb and then the baby was delivered up to maternal abdomen where the cord was clamped and cut, 3 vessel cord noted. Apgars of 8 and 9 were given. Baby weighs 7 pounds 1 ounce, 18.5 inches long.
The next few minutes seem like a dream to me, I remember bits and pieces as though they were in slow motion but it all passed by so quickly as it was taking place. I remember Kendyl being placed on my chest immediately after she was born. Brady was right by my side as we just starred and smiled and took in all we could from the moment. Brady cut the cord and she was then taken to the baby warmer where she got checked out, got her measurements taken, etc all with Brady standing right by her side. The next thing I know, Brady is sitting on the couch to my left with Kendyl in his arms, staring at her and he has tears in his eyes. I could not join them as I was still being attended to by the Doctor, but I also wouldn't of wanted to. I wouldn't of wanted to change their special moment they were having together. Although we did not take many pictures from within the labor & delivery room, I am grateful to have looked over on the couch when I did. I will always remember the sight of Brady and his little girl.
Bryson is doing exceptionally well with the arrival of Kendyl. He came to the hospital the next morning and knew exactly who she was. He is such a great little helper and as soon as he thinks that Kendyl needs a diaper change he will bring a diaper and tell me to wait while he gets a wipe!
Three weeks have already past and the days have been filled with a lot of cuddles, hugs, picture taking and definitely a lot of sleeping on Kendyl's part. It seems like the hours in a day have lengthened, I feel like I have more time now to spend with Bryson. To talk and play with him yet still be able to spend a lot of time holding and starring at Kendyl. All of the bonds in our family have definitely become stronger. I am not sure how they could have, they seemed strong before but some how they have and for that I am grateful. We are without a doubt blessed and I am so thankful for the blessing of my little family!
