Birthing Leah

Saturday March 1st 2008 6:10 am.

I woke up feeling contractions.  I laid in bed thinking, "Well, we didn't have a leap day baby." I looked over and watched as my husband and son lay sound asleep cuddled in close together.  What a beautiful sight.  Not much longer, my head told me, until I'd be holding my daughter as well.  I didn't realize exactly how soon it was going to be.

Saturday March 1st 2008 6:25 am.

The contractions weren't stopping, so I decided to get up out of bed.  It was starting to hurt pretty bad.  I went to the bathroom and was pretty certain my water hadn't broken.  I started to get the feeling that something big was about to happen.  I waited a little bit longer and when I realized the contractions were coming at pretty regular intervals I figured I better start getting us ready.  I had Leah's bag and Jacob's bag packed and already in the car.  As a procrastinator of the most amazing degree I had yet to pack my own bag.  I started throwing stuff in my bag.  Not really certain what I wanted or needed.

Saturday March 1st 2008 6:50 am.

I woke Adam up and told him that we needed to get ready to go.  We started cleaning house of all things.  I *knew* the next time I came home, I'd be holding my newborn, and I really wanted things more tidy than they were.  He began working on the laundry and picking up the late night toys we had played with all together the night before.  We picked up and tidied for a little bit.  During this time Jacob woke up, desperate for some *mama milk*.  He cried and cried for me, I tried to nurse him, but it didn't take me long to realize my body *couldn't* handle it.  We sat him down in front of the computer with a movie and he woke up way before he as ready to be awake.  He nibbled on some incredibly unhealthy snacks and watched a movie while we continued cleaning up and getting the car packed.

Saturday March 1st 2008 7:27 am.

I called Teri and Ian answered the phone.  He was sound asleep.  The whole family was.  I told him I needed his Mom and when he realized it was me and why I was calling he went into excited mode and got Teri right away.  I told her that we were headed to the hospital and that we'd be dropping Jacob off at her house in an hour.  I wanted to give her some warning time to get ready to take him.  We finished up packing and got in the car.

Saturday March 1st 2008 8:10 am 

We left for the hospital with Jacob *singing* to us from the backseat.  He drifted off to sleep and I started actively timing the contractions.  When I realized they were seriously intense and coming 5 minutes apart, I began doubting our plans to drop him off before we went to the hospital

Saturday March 1st 2008 8:32 am

I called Teri again. Change of plans. Meet us at the hospital, we'll give Jacob to you then.  I didn't know how he would take to being dropped off, and I was in no state for the emotional trauma that was a possibility.  We arrived at the hospital, but I wouldn't go up to L&D until Teri got there, so we walked around a bit and made some phone calls.  I called my aunt and told her I was having a baby.  She responded "Right now?~!??!!" I said "Yeah pretty much"  We both got a chuckle out of that one.  I was able to walk and talk through contractions but only because I was forcing myself to.  It hurt. :(

Saturday March 1st 2008 9:00 am

Teri got to the hopsital and Jacob was still sleeping in the stroller. I *loved* having him to push around because it was helping me stay walking.  It felt good to walk.  We checked in and left Jacob and Teri in the waiting area.  Wes and Ian were on their way to get Jacob. They were going to have a boys day and play.  We are so blessed to have this family in our lives, loving us and our kids as much as they do~!

Adam and I went back to Triage.  When we walked in we overheard another laboring mama being sent home.  "Come back when your water breaks, go walk around the mall or something like that for a while."  Part of me was so afraid they were going to say the same thing to me.  I was *pretty* sure I wasn't going to hear it, because although I'd been stressing ALL week about whether or not I would *know* when I was in active labor, I was certain this was it.

Saturday March 1st 2008 9:15 am

I was admitted to the hospital 5 cm dialated and 90% effaced with contractions 2 minutes apart.  It was only hours with Jacob once I hit 5 cm.  The doctor was rooting for a Leah in my arms by lunch.  We were moved into our Labor/Birthing room.  I seriously lucked out.  We got a suite, with lots of room, quiet, our own bathroom, and a labor/birthing bed.  No moving out of this one.  I was in here till I held my pumpkin.

The next few hours kinda blurred together.  We discussed our birthplan in pretty good detail with Jennifer, the most amazing nurse we have ever had.  She was great.  She questioned a few of our things and made suggestions.  She then went and discussed the birthplan with the doctor and came back, admitted she wasn't right about a few things and that the doctor would abide by our wishes.  

It was really neat to sit and talk and laugh with Adam and Teri.  We told jokes, and laughed.  (well after my blood pressure was cleared for me to laugh...I came in with some out of sight blood pressure, but laying down and relaxing with my wonderful husband and Teri it returned to normal range and stayed there the rest of the time)

Somewhere around lunch time Adam and Teri took turns running down and getting some food.  Adam brought his back and after me telling him it was the most disgusting smell I can remember Teri decided to eat downstairs. 

While Teri was eating I began to question my decision to have an unmedicated birth.  I was in pain.  A lot of pain.  I wanted it to all go away.  Adam and Teri both had been trying to convince me to get the IV pain meds and I finally agreed.  BUT...The nurse came back and started telling me what would happen after she gave me the meds. I wouldn't be allowed to get up any longer.  I would have to use a bedpan and stay in the bed.  Right then and there I started faltering.  I didn't want to be confined to the bed.  Adam knew that and realized that I wasn't going to take the meds.  But the nurse continued.  The IV meds cross the placenta.  *IF* Leah was born within an hour of me getting the meds she would still have the narcotics in her system and would need counter medication to reverse the effects.  ARE YOU STINKING KIDDING ME?!?!  Drug my baby and then drug her again because I drugged her.  I didn't think so.  Adam realized as soon as the nurse started telling me that it was futile.  There would be no medication.  I was going to do this one way or another...without that. 

Saturday March 1st 2008 1 pm

We were all back in the room again and I swear it felt like I only had seconds to breathe between contractions.  I was hurting so bad.  After an hour of hurting, being checked off and on, we called the nurses and said "Umm you better get in here...we are having a baby. now!"

Saturday March 1st 2008 2 pm

Doctor Mason and Jennifer came running in after hearing me screaming. They checked me out and started giving me instructions.  Jennifer was afraid I was not going to listen to what she was telling me I needed to do.  I kept trying to tell her I heard what she was saying, but I couldn't get any words out.  I just wanted to push.  NOW.

Saturday March 1st 2008 2:10 pm

They broke my water. Ironic after having my water break at 29 weeks with Jacob that with Leah we would need to break it.  

Saturday March 1st 2008 2:18 pm

Leah Karlin Schindler was born.  The umbilical cord, according to the birth plan was not to be cut until it had stopped pulsing.  The baby was to be placed on mama's chest immediately.  When that didn't happen we knew something wasn't *right* 

The first sign that something was wrong was when Dr Mason said "cut the cord NOW"  We had just gone over when and why we wanted to wait.  The second sign was the eerie absence of Leah's cries.  I didn't realize completely what was happening/had happened until hours later, but she was born an ashen shade of blue, which is apparent in the first pictures we have of her.  She wasn't breathing and the cord was wrapped tightly around her neck twice.  Jennifer pushed the code button and everyone and their mother came running into our room.  I knew what that felt like.  Same thing happened with Jacob.  NICU doctors, nurses, so many people came rushing in.  The started taking care of her, and I laid there stunned repeating "I need my baby!" Her first cries came what seemed like an eternity later but in reality was not even minutes. 

Saturday March 1st 2008 2:25 pm

I held and nursed my Leah for the very first time.  She hadn't been weighed or measured or anything yet.  She was where she belonged, in my arms.  The last 7 minutes were the longest 7 minutes ever.  It felt like an eternity.  I hadn't expected it this time.  

Saturday March 1st 2008 3:20 pm

Leah met her big brother for the very first time.  It was heart-warming.  "I hold it!" is his new phrase.  We hear it often and as long as he is sitting on his bottom with Mama's or Dadi's help he is allowed to hold her.  He adores his "tsister"