McKenna's BIRTH Story: Part 3

I really don’t have a lot of details from during this time because it all seemed like a blur.  Momma-to-be all hooked up:

My Mom, Dad, and Gramma K were able to come in to the Labor and Delivery room and make themselves at home while I struggled through the pain of contractions.

 

Even they said it didn’t seem like I was in much pain. But the stronger the contractions got the quieter I got and the more irritable I got… and I know it’s their job, but I don’t understand why the nurses have to ask questions during contractions. Can’t it wait 1-1.5 minutes?  

 

As contractions got closer and closer together I had a tough decision to make about whether to get an epidural.  While the nurses said an epidural can be given at any time up until 9 centimeters even, there’s no guarantee that an anesthesiologist will be ready and available to give you one at that moment.  That AND you can go from 4 centimeters to 10 in a matter of moments.  With these facts, Kevin and I had the quiet discussion.  It was really less of a discussion and more of him reading the look in my eyes.  He gave me the approval I needed to hear, “why don’t we go ahead and get it done.” I felt relief with his approval for some reason.  Last pictures of me before becoming a Mom:

 

With this, they checked my progress again, 7 centimeters accompanied with another comment about how low baby’s head was, and the call was put in for the anesthesiologist. Luckily we decided this when we did because the anesthesiologist had actually been called in on an emergency room procedure so I had to wait about 20-30 minutes or so before he was able to make it to my room.  This was a bit terrifying, I had made the decision to get one and what if the baby came before I got one??

 

By the time he got to the room, I was soo happy we made the decision to get one, even if I was petrified about the pain of the actual epidural. The contractions had gotten BAD. My family had to leave, and I was prepped for The NEEDLE.  Honestly, I didn’t even look at it. I don’t know if Kevin watched or not either.  I’ve heard they usually time placing it in between contractions because you are more likely to move. Well this guy didn’t do that. Contraction and Epidural simultaneously.  I actually think it helped distract me.  I was so focused on the contraction and squeezing Kevin’s hands to death that the Epidural just felt like the pinch of a blood draw.  It was swift and much less of an issue than I anticipated.

 

After the fam came back in, I was able to somewhat indulge in conversation (once the meds were adjusted accordingly that is…. I was actually still feeling pretty painful contractions when I first received the epidural…. That was fixed ;-).

 

So as I can remember, the timeframe between getting the epidural and the pushing phase was relatively short. But then again, your perception of time is greatly skewed while you’re in labor. I remember the sun going down through our window and that’s around the time **it got serious.  It was rather calm though. The nurse checked my cervix and goes, “yup, 10 centimeters, it’s time to start pushing. Family it’s time for you to step out.” It was time to pack away my “focal point” which was a picture of the Chiefs, though it hadn’t been used much.  It was time to turn off the Pandora station we had playing (which I believe was “Someone Like You” by Van Morrison… one of my favorite stations).  So the room was very quiet as they prepped for the pushing process.

 

I was a little disappointed, Kevin and I were hoping HE would coach me through the pushing, but the delivery nurse dubbed him the Mississippi counter. And while most of the day feels like a blur, the active pushing part still feels like dream, like it wasn’t real.  The bright interrogation-type light and staring faces felt like a movie (though not as dramatic, I HATED the silence!). Kevin was responsible for one leg, one of the nurses the other, and we got down to business.

 

As Kevin was directed to start counting, I grabbed my knees and pushed the best I could, but honestly had no clue…  I couldn’t feel what was going on down there except just a TON of pressure. Apparently my contractions started spacing out again, so any progress I made during one sequence of pushing was lost before the next.  I was given oxygen between contractions to help me recover for the next sequence. Eventually the Doc decided to assist the Baby out.  Kevin likely can recall more of this, I was rather surprised he elected to look “down there” through much of the delivery, and even tells people it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. I was offered a mirror and adamantly refused.

 

After about 30 minutes of active pushing, our baby girl arrived.  Kevin said at first she wasn’t breathing and needed a little bit of encouragement.  But to hear that first cry was the most amazing experience. WE MADE IT. I SURVIVED AND our baby girl was finally here! She was immediately plopped on my chest and I just couldn’t believe I was holding our little human being in my arms. It was her. She was ours.

 

McKenna Elyse was born at 10:31PM on February 1^st, 2014. She was 7 pounds, 6 ounces and 20 inches of perfection. She had a full head of dark hair and big feet.

 

While I was being "re-assembled" (and everything else that goes on down there that’s irrelevant to My BABY!), I just observed and took in all of McKenna. I watched as Kevin watched her get her measurements taken. He was smitten.

I was looking at my family, the 2 loves of my life: my husband and my baby. The calmness and serenity in this moment of my life was one that I will carry with me forever.

 

Looking back there are a few things I wish I had more control over, and a few things I would have done differently.  But overall I had an incredible birthing experience. We were on our way to the hospital around 3PM and our baby girl graced us with her presence at 10:30. I was able to give birth to a healthy and beautiful baby girl that we were dreaming about for almost 10 months… and our entire lives.