Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Michael Christopher has arrived!

Tuesday August 17th just before 2am I woke up because I felt a little off. I went to get out of bed and my water broke. I called my midwife and let her know that my water broke, but I wasn't having contractions. She said to call her back when I started having contractions. We hung up. I decided to wait to call my IM as nothing was happening and there was no use in her losing sleep. I figured I would call when I started having regular contractions.

I tried to rest, but was a bit uncomfortable. I was having some contractions but they weren't regular. They were fluctuating between 3 and 5 minutes. I probably should have called my midwife, but I felt that because she has three kids she shouldn't be called out of bed until they were regular...boy did I learn something about that logic!

At this point I was sitting at my computer playing games. I realized the contractions were much stronger and taking my breath away. I got up and walked from my desk to the bedroom to wake my hubby and then to call my midwife. I had a contraction on the walk into the bedroom, and another when I got in there. They were two minutes apart and lasting about two minutes. I called my midwife (who, BTW, lives an hour and a half way). She told me she would call her assistant (who only lived 30 minutes away) and let her know that it was time to head over. Because of issues with my bank card, my birth kit hadn't been ordered yet, so Alisa, the assistant midwife stopped by her birth center to pick up one of her kits for me. This was at 4 am.

As soon as I got off the phone with my midwife, I called my IM. She said she would book the first flight she could and would be there in ASAP! Hubby fielded a call from Sam, my midwife, who told him to keep me in bed on my side until she got there. I told him I had to pee first. I had a contraction walking into the bathroom. Hubby had run and grabbed the sheets to make the bed so I could labor there if I wanted. While in the bathroom I had another painful contraction. I got down on all fours because I couldn't stand and I was afraid if I sat on the toilet I would start pushing. Hubby had already told me I wasn't allowed to push. Well, while I was on all fours, I had another contraction and felt the urge to push. Between contractions I didn't have to push, but during them, I wanted to so bad. Instead, I tried to breath.

It was at this point, while in the bathroom on all fours, that hubby looked in from making the bed and realized what was going on. Now I blame on the TLC birth stories and such that I watch for educating this man on different birth positions...either way, he told me to get up because I wasn't allowed to do anything that would progress labor before one of the midwives got there. He got me out of the bathroom and into bed. I laid on my left side and tried to breath. He pushed on my back and talked me through each contraction telling me to blow. Between contractions, he ran to the dryer to warm towels and prepared the bedroom. The entire time he was on the phone with Sam telling her what was going on.

Sam kept telling me I was doing great. I felt like I was losing control. My body went on autopilot and no matter how hard I tried, it did what nature taught it to do on instinct. With each contraction I would blow and pant and squeeze my husband's hand...and with each contraction my body would slowly start pushing him further out. I could feel him move out, and then as the contraction ended he slid back up inside. Sam kept saying I was doing great. Kenny was giving her moment by moment updates. He kept trying to get me to breath...and I kept trying to hold him in until someone arrived.

Have you ever seen the movie Rat Race? You know when the family is in the car and the girl says she has to use the bathroom. The tells her to hold it, and she says she's "prarie dogging." Well, I told Kenny I was prarie dogging and he kind of laughed...until the next contraction. He immediately told Sam the baby's head was poking out. About 1/4 of it was showing. She asked what color it was. He told her flesh colored. I said that he was moving between contractions, which is a good sign and I remembered this from my midwifery books. I had another contraction and didn't think I could wait another minute. That was when Alisa came walking in!

Because of my history of postpartum bleeding she drew up a shot of Pitocin, had me roll onto my back and with one breath (literally, I breathed through and barely pushed) Michael's head was out. Sam came running in, and with that last push (I actually got to push on that one!) his body was out. I couldn't believe I had managed to keep him until the midwives arrived. It was 504am.

I got to cut Michael's umbilical cord. I didn't bleed at all. I delivered the placenta and was doing great. Alisa and Sam held Michael while Kenny ran and got coffee and breakfast. I started to feel a little off and got a shot of Pitocin to slow the bleeding that had started.

That's when things get a bit more fuzzy for me. I know that I had a slow trickling bleed that was well maintained by my midwives. I got two shots of Pitocin and then a Methargine. I lost enough blood to make me going into shock...but just less than enough to need to be transported and have a transfusion and all that crap. I'm so glad I had Sam there to help me maintain my composure. I trust her fully, so when she told me I wasn't going to die, I just needed to relax and drink some more, I believed her. (Although there was a moment when I was on my back, getting oxygen and it sounded like I was underwater and I couldn't focus that I wondered...)

When T, my IM arrived, I was so proud to hand her her son. I had already said my goodbyes...it was time for her to say hello. I gave her a hug and she admired her little man. He immediately showed her what has become my favorite thing about him...he clasps his hands together across his chest, interlocking his fingers, as though he were praying. It's only appropriate considering his name. Michael means "who is like God" and Christopher means "Christ-like." Maybe all those prayers I said all those months ago while being sick on the floor in the bathroom had more influence on him than I thought.

I'm healing well. Kenny is following the midwife's orders to a T. I'm not allowed to do much of anything today. Tonight I can take a car ride. We're going to ride to Sonic for slushes. If I'm lucky tomorrow I'll get to go to my youngest's Meet the Teacher night at school. It will be a little walking around, but I think it'll be good for me to get out.

I'm still not sure what this journey was supposed to teach me, but I'm sure I'll figure it out. Either way, this chapter in my life is coming to an end. I'm excited to see what the next chapter brings!

11 comments:

Caidy and Gavin's Mommy said...

Yay!!! I can't believe you could wait so long! I had something similar happen when my little man was born and I remember the nurse putting her hand over my hoo-ha saying Wait! The Dr is getting ready... breath don't push yet. I was like ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Ha ha!

What a great birth story! :D

AnGèLe said...

YAY! Congratulations hun! You are amazing! What a quick birth! Wow! Take care of yourself !Get pampered! You deserve it!

Jennifer R. Fardink said...

It sounds much like your last birth story!! You sure are a quick birther! And so very strong. I am very proud of you. You give the best kinds of gifts that are more precious than gold.

Hugs to you. I know it isn't easy. But the rewards can be seen in the pictures. Kenny did get one again right?

( work with Alisa at the birth center. I didn't know that she was going to be at your birth.)

Surrogate Mom said...

Yeah, Kenny got a picture of me handing T her son. She arrived around 2pm or so.

Sam was my midwife, but she had Alisa as her assistant because we all kinda knew I was going to go quick again. You'll have to Alisa for her POV of the birth. She was awesome! I don't think she or Sam expected to only be there 30 seconds or 1 1/2 minutes before I was done, lol!

Donielle said...

Your story is such an inspiration. I hope you don't mind contacting me this way, I didn't know how else to do it :\

I'm looking into becoming a surrogate mother... but I wanted to talk to someone who has already done it to gain some more knowledge. Pretty much all the sites say the same things... but not many share the surrogates experience. I found your blog through Google... I've read some posts, but mostly I'd like to know how you were effected afterwards, when you gave Little Mike to his IM. If you have some time and wouldn't mind, please email me at navy.wife678@ymail.com. Thanks, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you :)

The Hui-Wee Family! said...

Congrat and best wishes!
Vic

Ellen said...

Hi,

I am a PhD Student in Paris, France and do a research on surrogate mothers. I was wondering if you might be interested to participate in my study? it would imply me sending you through email several questionnaires (3) and a consent form. It would be anonymous. I already have met with several surros but the more the better for the research. Let me know if you'd would be interested in that. I can answer all your questions too.

Take care !

Ellen Lorenceau
PhD student
Université Paris Ouest
elorenceau@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!! I loved reading your blog. I'm considering surrogacy so it was really nice to read about your experiences.

Did you find Patches?

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!! I loved reading your blog. I'm considering surrogacy so it was really nice to read about your experiences.

Did you find Patches?

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!! I loved reading your blog. I'm considering surrogacy so it was really nice to read about your experiences.

Did you find Patches?

Surrogate Mom said...

PeasantGirl, we did find Patches! She had run about 8 blocks south of us and had found a wonderful woman who took her in, gave her a bath and then put up flyers as I was putting up flyers! We ran into each other and realized that she was posting the same puppy I was.

Thank you all!