Born May 22nd at 5:22 am (5:22 on 5/22!) via un-medicated VBAC, weighing in at 6 lbs 6 ounces, and measuring 19.25 inches long (38w5d gestational age).
Long Version:
Dear Alexis,
From the moment you were conceived you have surprised us. We got pregnant with you earlier than we planned, but never regretted it for a moment. From the time we first found out about you, your Daddy and I felt that you were obviously meant to be part of our special family. Your father ‘knew’ all along that you would be another girl, and we were both thrilled that ultrasounds confirmed his hunch. We were super-excited to have two special girls – “Daddy’s Princesses” – and can’t wait to watch sisters growing up together.
I had a fairly uneventful pregnancy with you, much like your big sister – in fact, it went even smoother really than when I was pregnant with Mercedes. I had a feeling from the beginning that you might arrive a little bit early, so I was trying hard to prepare everything for your homecoming, which of course, is much more difficult with a two year old running around. We also tried to prep Mercedes as much as possible for what was coming – knowing that her life was changing in a big, irrevocable way.
On Thursday May 19th I had a midwife appointment, where she did an internal and determined I was 1-2 cms dilated and 50% effaced – good signs, but doesn’t really mean anything in the long run. She did a stretch and sweep to try to ‘get things going’ – above all else, we really wanted to avoid going overdue with you, since doctors would try to force an induction or a scheduled repeat c-section given your sister’s birth and my blood clotting disorder. I took a long walk that evening with Mercedes, bounced on my exercise ball and thought positive thoughts of you coming sooner rather than later.
On Saturday May 21st, at about 7 am, I lost a piece of my mucous plug, which was tinged with a little bit of blood (as I wrote in your sister’s birth story – it sounds SO gross, but when you are pregnant someday hopefully, you’ll recognize the excitement this mucous incites!) Nothing else was happening, but I warned your father and your grandparents that this could be it. When the same thing happened before Mercedes’ birth, I ended up having her the next day. Apparently, you followed suit!
When we put Mercedes down for her afternoon nap, your father insisted that we lie down also to try to ‘rest up’ in case I did end up going into labour that weekend. I slept for an hour but then felt restless and got up around 2 pm and left your father and sister to continue sleeping. Around 2:30 I felt my first real contraction. Keeping an eye on the clock, I realized they were coming around every 8-10 minutes – fairly mild, but strong enough that I knew they were the real thing. I called your Bubie and Zaidie and warned them, and they agreed to come to pick up your big sister for a ‘sleepover’ so that we wouldn’t have to worry about her later on.
The contractions continued on sporadically for the rest of the afternoon – coming anywhere from 8 to 15 minutes apart. When they slowed down to more consistently 10-15 minutes apart, your father and I decided to go for a long, somewhat painful, walk to try to get things to pick up. I lost a LOT more mucous and shortly after the contractions did become more intense, and closer together again at 7-10 minutes apart. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing, watching tv, and keeping an eye on the clock. I tried to stay hydrated and rested to gear up for the big event!
Around midnight, things REALLY picked up. I got into a bath and all of a sudden the contractions were much stronger and I really needed to focus to get through them – they were now coming every 5 minutes apart and lasting closer to a minute, so I knew it was the ‘real deal’ and that things were picking up! The midwife arrived at our house around 12:45 and I promptly started throwing up... ahhh, memories... just like your big sister! Apparently all of the eating and drinking I’d been doing to stay hydrated and energized was all now down the toilet, literally!
The midwife, Carolyn, checked me at 12:45 and said I was 3-4 cms dilated. She was very encouraging, but to be honest, I was QUITE disappointed. The contractions already felt as strong and intense as they felt with your sister when I was admitted to the hospital at 6 cms dilated, so to hear that I wasn’t even at that point yet was discouraging. We decided to wait another hour or so until my stomach settled a bit and then head to the hospital. The contractions started getting closer together and even more intense, so we headed out shortly after 2 am and arrived at the hospital around 2:30. I had two contractions in the short car ride over, and had to pause on the way up to labour and delivery 4 or 5 times for strong contractions. Things were definitely picking up and I felt confident that I MUST be dilating.
Around 4:40 am – after very intense, close-together contractions for a few hours – the midwife checked me again. I was feeling tons of pressure and felt SURE that I was getting very close to being fully dilated. She said only 5-6 cms dilated. At this point, I very seriously wavered in my determination to have a medication-free vaginal birth after caesarian (VBAC). How could I have laboured for this long, this strongly, feel this much pressure/desire to push and still be LESS dilated than I was with your sister when her labour stalled? It was disappointing and scary. I vividly recall screaming for drugs and/or a c-section, but your father and the midwife talked me down and said I was doing great and I just needed to breathe through one contraction at a time.
Almost immediately, all hell broke loose. Your heart rate (I was hooked up to the monitors because of the previous c-section) began fluctuating wildly and the midwife called in an OB and nurses to help. They asked me to get back into the bed and lie on my side – which is VERY difficult to do during strong contractions! My water broke and lots of blood came out, and I immediately felt the urge to push. There were medical people everywhere and they were shouting at me NOT TO PUSH, and were checking me every couple of minutes while keeping an eye on your heart rate. They called in an anaesthesiologist to do an emergency epidural because they assumed we’d need forceps or a c-section to get you out asap as your heart rate was dramatically falling with each contraction. They kept checking me internally while I shouted that I needed to push and every time they checked me I could hear them murmuring that I was further dilated.
At 5 am – only 20 minutes after being told I was 5-6 cms, I was now fully dilated, membranes ruptured, and told to push and push fast to get you out or I was being taken to the OR. They threatened me with forceps regardless, and I was terrified. I could see the fear in your father’s eyes also – things were chaotic and loud and scary.
At 5:22 am – only 20 minutes of pushing (and a block freezing – those needles HURT!) and an episiotomy because you were coming fast and furious, out you came!! I felt so relieved to have you out, so proud that I DID IT, so happy to have you here and so overwhelmed at how everything had played out in the last hour.
But the drama wasn’t over yet – I got to hold you for all of three seconds, then you were whisked away to the NICU because you were having some trouble breathing. The disappointment and fear was very intense – after everything I’d been through, I STILL didn’t get to hold my girl right away.
You stayed in the NICU for a few hours for observation, but everything was absolutely fine. By 10 am, you were in our room and breathing fine. You breastfed like a champ – latching perfectly right away – and my milk came in on Tuesday, only two days after you were born! We did have to stay in the hospital an extra night, because, always the drama queen, you had a heart murmur that the paediatrician wanted to run some tests on – being a holiday Monday, we had to wait until Tuesday morning for the tests... which came back all clear – you are perfect and healthy. A beautiful miniature version of your big sister, you are keeping us on our toes, that’s for sure. We’ve been calling you Squeaky or Pipsqueak because of how small and squeaky you are – I just have a feeling you are going to be trouble – our little spitfire.
So despite all of the surprises surrounding you, you are amazing – perfect for our little family and we couldn’t love you any more. Welcome to the world Alexis Scarlett!
