Olivia's Birth Story

I love this picture I took

Olivia is a little gymnast and starting at 36 weeks she had flipped breech then head down then breech then head down then breech again. A c-section was scheduled for 40 weeks in the event she remained breech but our hope was that she would flip again.  Even my OB didn't want me to have a c-section because she was so small and I had already had a vaginal delivery with Annabelle that he expected delivery wouldn't be hard.  


At my 39 weeks +3 day appointment I was praying she was head down again. I had been having contractions the day before and through the night but they where mild but it still gave me hope my body was going to do what it needed to get her out safe and sound.  
First I was hooked up to the NST and we got the HB high so I wasn't hopeful for her to be flipped at that point. But my Dr. checked me and I had not only made progress to 1.5cm and 50% but he felt a HEAD! He said "I feel a head or she has a really boney butt."  Relief and excitement came across on both my face and Jerry's. We both feared a c-section because of the long recovery time and Jerry's work not offering any time off for paternity leave.

My Dr. sent me over to have an ultrasound and ultrasound confirmed it, she was head down! I said to my Dr. "Can we induce while we can catch her head down?"  "Yes, with your history of BP issues and you having made progress you are definitely inducible."  You see she had plenty of fluid to move and she was projected to be 6 lbs. So she could flip again if given the chance.  because it gave us time to get a good lunch and dinner, shower, and put our 23 month old to bed for my Mom.  Before heading home after the Dr. visit Jerry and I headed to one of our local restaurants that isn't kid friendly for a nice lunch then we drove to our accountants to drop off our tax documents (phew I got those ready in the nick of time).  Then we headed home to spend time with my Mom and Annabelle and to get cleaned up and ready.  These 

I was sent home with a 7pm - 11pm window for a phone call from the hospital for my induction. This was great we got to go eat lunch at a nice restaurant and get ready to go to the hospital.

The night of 39 weeks 3 days

We got the call at 9:30pm to come in. 

11:00pm my Dr. Inserted a foley (sp) bulb to ripen my cervix.  Once the foley bulb is in it isn't that bad but my God it hurt getting it in.  Honestly I don't remember it hurting like that the first time but then again you kind of forget things from one pregnancy to the next. 

still smiling… for now

1:22am the foley bulb actually burst and broke (not really something that happens often). My Dr. checked and I was 4cm and 75% and there was no need to put in another bulb. I was started on a low dose of pitocin for the rest of the night.  But this was both exciting but disappointing because my Dr. had ordered me a light breakfast for the morning but because they started the pitocin before expected my nurse told me I could not have breakfast :-(  But oh well!

8:00am they broke my water for me.  my Dr. commented on how much water I had but this was not a shock to me as we knew already she had lots of fluid.  
My Doula arrived that morning to help me through labor. She encouraged me to change positions every 30 mins. As the PIT was upped so did the strength of the contractions. But they where all in my belly and had peeks and breaks. With Annabelle my contractions were 4 humps with 1 min. breaks so this was nice to have actual contractions that went like I was told contractions would go.  But after hours of labor and now my contractions hurt so bad and where lasting longer. I asked to be checked and I was at 6cm. WHAT! That's it! I had labored for hours and it was now noon and I only progressed 2cm! I gave in and asked for an epidural against what I had hoped to do.  


Epi #1 the anesthesiologist took a while to come in and took a while to get in -  to have the epi FAIL!  He had left the room before making sure it kicked in too. 


I cried through contractions as I was so ready for a break and now I was put through the pain of an epi and nothing.  Now I had to lay on my back because I had this epidural in which made the contractions hurt worse.  My Doula kept trying to get me to open my eyes and to get me to stop crying.  She was good and told me "I know you so wanted relief and I am so sorry but you can do this."


Epi #2 a new anesthesiologist came in, again after a long wait.  Then more pain - FAILED this one my husband actually was allowed to hold me and I fought through contractions while being subjected to that again.  My Doula was allowed to remain in the room.   
Each Time I was told it would take effect in 10 mins then when it didn't the nurse had to page another anesthesiologist and I had to wait. After number 2 my nurse would say I'm so sorry through all of my contractions as I said "OOOOOMMMMMMMM" with my eyes shut so tight and my hand squeezing Jerry's so hard I just about turned his hand purple a few times.  The pain was was intense and I don't think I could even describe it in a way that would allow anyone to understand who hasn't been there before.  The only thing numb was my right thigh.  What good that was going to do for me, right? 


Epi #3 was done by the first anesthesiologist and this time it worked and again my husbanded was allowed to help me through the painful epi process.  As I tried to remain still while I was being pocked in the back with popping sounds from my spine in my head.  Then a ZAP down my left left.  I yelled "Left LEG" and the Dr. said in this case that is probably a good thing.  Because before they could only get my right thigh numb.  This one worked but it took away the pain but not the pressure.  She was already coming down.  


But..... I was now only 5 mins away from my daughter being born. I felt tones of pressure but the sharp pain was gone. My nurse took a break and had another nurse come in because they knew it would be fast. After saying I feel her coming down and my pressure was bad the nurse checked and I was 10cm 100% and her head was right there. 


She called for my original nurse and the Dr. because they knew I would deliver fast. Dr. Barrett rushed in got dressed and everyone worked to take apart the bed. My Dr. had two of us almost ready to pop but I was a second time mom so the bet was I would go first. I pushed 2 times an she was out in 2 mins. When I say I pushed 2 times it was more like one big long push with one breath in between.  


Olivia Grace was born at 2:56pm weighing 6lbs 5oz 20 inches long with a full head of hair. 

The day after

She was placed on my chest and my husband was able to cut the cord and she nursed right away. Her cord had two knots in the same place (double tree knot) ironically Annabelle had 2 knots in her cord too.  Both my Doula and the Dr. said this is very unusual to see and in fact she had never seen a double tree knot.  I have a picture of it but it isn't one I want to post online.   
Olivia is healthy and happy and we are all in love. I was up walking shortly after delivery and I had one stitch. My back hurts from the repeat epidurals and I'm black and blue. I have cramping when nursing but I will take that over a c-section recovery any day. 

This time around is much easier because I don't have a spinal headache. Plus I gained 10 lbs this time making things easier even though I'm still heavy.   3 weeks after i weigh 5 pounds less then i did when i got pregnant .

I took these in the hospital:

We are in love with our little Olivia. :)

My photographer friend Michelle St. John took these and I am so grateful!

My Gymnast - Pregnancy Update 39 weeks

39 Weeks - Yesterday I went in for a regular weekly checkup and NST on Olivia.  She passed her NST with flying colors.  I fully expected the Dr. to tell me I was progressing when he did my cervical check but instead he said I was hardly even a finger tip dilated and he couldn't feel a head at all.  He said "Are you sure she was head down last week?"

"Yes it was confirmed with an ultrasound" I told him.

You see my little Olivia flipped breech at 36 weeks then back to head down at 38 weeks.  Last week she looked pretty low and locked in but she still had a lot of fluid.

The Dr. wanted me to go to ultrasound to see if she was head down and not engaged or if she had flipped breech again.  Sure enough that little stinker had flipped once again to breech and her head was up in my right rib.

Our options:

1) Try to flip her from the outside - NO WAY! I hear this hurts and it isn't always a guarantee they will stay and it could put the baby in distress which would lead to an emergency c-section.

2) Schedule a C-section but still come in on Monday to see if she flipped and if so cancel the C-section.  Also check before the C-section to see if she flipped and if she did decide to either go forward with the C-section or wait for nature.

We went with option #2.  I suppose there would be a third option to just wait and see what position she was in when I went into labor on my own but for me that presents far to many risks.  My baby girl is little and with my first I went from 4cm to 10cm very fast and she came shooting out.  I would rather not risk her life should she still be breech when I go into labor.  Now that's not to say it won't happen between now and Friday (C-section is scheduled for my due date Feb. 7th) but where my first was over due and I am showing no signs of progression I probably won't go into labor before then.

C-Section Feelings:

I have mixed feelings on having a c-section.  On one hand I have had a vaginal delivery with Annabelle and besides the pitocen and the horrible spinal headache everything went smoothly.  The likely hood this one would be pretty is easy because she is small is pretty likely.  My recovery also would be far more manageable.

On the other hand with a c-section I know when it's happening and I know my Mom will be here for 2 weeks after to help.  But the recovery time is far longer and let's face it, it is major surgery.  I hate to be confined to one floor of my house and I am concerned about what happens after my Mom leaves because I will have very little help because Jerry needs to work.

My worst fear is she flips head down on Monday and we cancel the C-section then she flips breech again and I go past my due date and end up with a C-section any ways with far less help because my Mom has to leave on the 22nd.

I'm hoping recovery is not as hard as I am thinking it will be and I pray I do not get an infection.

The Good News:

Olivia is doing great and like I said she is projected to be 6 lbs. at 40 weeks with a full head of hair.  We could see her hair on the ultrasound and she had this big halo around her.

I have also only gained 10 pounds!  I am very very proud of myself because even though I am still very much overweight I am not as bad off as I could be after Olivia is born.  I attribute this to Annabelle keeping me busy and wanting to eat my food and to my continued use of my Wellbutrin from the second trimester on.

I have had some blood pressure issues during this pregnancy but they seem to correct themselves and then pop up just slightly at my last appointment.

Well my next post will probably be to introduce Olivia!  I will leave you with a picture.

This was taken at my baby shower (I'm second from the left).  These are all my pregnant friends.

Say a prayer for me that all goes well!