First may I please introduce you to the most precious baby boy in the world (I know I'm biased): Noah Clinton Irving Zelman born September 25, 2011 at 6:35am weighing in at 5 lbs 13 oz and 19 1/2 inches long. Might I add that he was 6 weeks early.
Let's start at the beginning a very good place to start (Sound of Music reference in case you didn't know...and yes I was singing it just now as I typed that!).On Saturday September 24th Matt and I woke up early for our birthing class at the hospital and received a lot of valuable information. We felt very prepared for Noah and at that point we were pretty much just waiting for him to finish "baking" and decide to join us in the world. We went to bed early Saturday because we planned to get up very early on Sunday because Matt was running a 10K so Baby Z and I were planning to support Daddy. That afternoon I planned to wash his newborn clothes and start getting prepped for any last minute things we might need to start thinking about doing.
Sunday, September 25th:
Being as large as I am turning over in a HUGE production for me. It requires me to get on my other side, move my large body pillow to that side, then get my belly and legs situated around my pillow so that I'm comfortable. After I had gotten settled and was about to drift back off to sleep I felt a little trickle....things just seeping out is normal during pregnancy sometimes it might be a little bit of pee and sometimes it might just be some discharge/mucus. But this time if felt different it felt like it feels when you start your period unexpectedly. So I jumped up and went to the bathroom. This was the scariest moment of my entire life and I really have no idea how I was able to get myself together and keep so calm. I think my Mommy instincts kicked in. My underwear were completely covered in bright red blood and since I sat down the toilet was completely filled. I calmly called to Matt that we (everything is we since we got pregnant it refers to me, Baby Z and Matt cause even though he isn't carrying our child he is just as much a part of everything as I am) were bleeding. Matt was so calm too he was fabulous. I managed to grab a new pair of underwear and get myself dressed. The worst part in this entire situation is that I had not yet purchased pads...it was on my list of To Dos since we still had plenty of time before his due date arrived. So I felt like that little girl in school that forgot she was about to start so had to wad up toilet paper and stuff it in her underwear until she could find a friend to lend her something, but in my case it was just get to the hospital. I told Matt about the situation and he smartly grabbed a towel so we wouldn't make a mess in Helga. Matt was so white, I knew he was as scared as I was. On our way to the emergency room I called the emergency line for my OB and they did as expected and told me to go to the ER and they would call ahead so that they would be expecting me. Matt is holding my hand and I am squeezing it for dear life praying that everything would be okay with our little boy when I started to feel him move again. That was a huge relief to both of us. With him moving we knew that whatever was wrong at least he was still okay. I waddled into the ER, half because of my pregnant walk and half because I had a wad of tp being used as a pad. We calmly got registered and taken up to the Labor & Delivery floor where they were expecting us. We were then taken to triage and I had to be put into a gown. The bed they put me on was covered in what our family refers to as pee pads. They looked exactly like the pads my mom puts down for the dog when we leave him at home for an extended period of time. With everything going on I'm quietly laughing in my head that first I waddle in with a wad of tp and now I'm sitting on dog pads! Once I am settled down on the bed I get strapped into a fetal monitor and we hear his strong heart beat and the remaining anxiety dissipates for us. We are at the hospital and his heart rate is at 140, whatever reason for the bleeding at least he is still doing okay. They then hook me up to another monitor and I discover that apparently I've been having contractions and had NO CLUE! We are talking about some major contractions a minute or two apart and I am oblivious. The nurse goes isn't that contraction bothering you, and I go "what?" she responds with "your stomach has harden you are having one right now." "Oh I thought that was braxton hicks because I don't feel any pain" Most likely I had been in preterm labor all week, when I first started feeling some pressure I just thought it was normal because he had moved a little lower and back pain that was a little more intense but again I just thought it was from where he was sitting. The irony of this situation, me the biggest hypochondriac in the world not realizing that I had a real issue, but all my non-issues are made into diseases or symptoms of a problem. We had to answer a lot of question and provide a lot of detailed information. I was told that we would then be going to get an ultra sound but they wanted to get an IV in me first. At this point we didn't have any information on what happened or why I was bleeding, but I just had this odd sense of calm. I think it's because 1. It felt completely surreal. 2. Mommy gear kicked in and I kept it together for my little boy to keep him from getting stressed. The nurse tried to stick me in my left hand, blew my vein. Tried to stick me in my right wrist, blew my vein. Another nurse came in tried to stick me in my right hand, blew my vein. Tried to stick me in my left wrist blew my vein. At this point another nurse come to tell me that I would not be moving to ultra sound that most likely what had happened is that my placenta was punctured or I had a placenta abrasion. She asked a lot of question: car accident? No trauma to your stomach? No smoking? No Cocaine? No Apparently all of these can cause the placenta to abrupt, but also there are just random situations where you have done everything right and it just happens. By this point my OB had shown up after she had finished a c-section. She checked me and apparently I was a few centimeters dilated. She explained that I had a placenta abrasion, that is just sometimes happens but the good news is I'm at least 34 weeks. She told me she had one recently where the Mama was only 28 weeks along but there was no reason for hers either. Dr. Donald then explained that I would be having an emergency c-section, that I would be getting prepped, matt would be prepped and I would be getting a spinal. The anesthesiologist came in and talked me through the process of getting a spinal and asked me a lot of questions about allergies. Other than my bad stick experiences I have no negative comments to say about any of the staff. They were amazing, the best nurses and doctors I could ask for. The anesthesiologist then was the one that put in my IV which went into the crook of my left arm. I also had blood drawn out of my right arm twice while this was going on.
When I realized that our little boy would be here in a matter of hours (minutes techincally once I was set and ready for the C-section) a million thoughts, feelings and emotions were running through my head.
- Excitement-I was extremely excited to meet our little guy, both Matt and I are emotionally ready and so happy to have him in our lives. Not once did either of us fret over the fact that he would be early. We are both prepared and ready to take on our new role as parents.
- Fear-We were not prepared for a c-section. The irony that we had just completed our birthing class not even 24 hours and now all of it meant nothing. Yes we touched on c-section, but honestly neither Matt or myself actually took in any of that information...why would we? He had been healthy and my pregnancy had been going smoothly we were set and prepped for a natural birth.
- Anxiety-I need to be in control. This change shook me to my core. This is not how I wanted to bring him into the world. This is not how I wanted him to be born. This is not how I wanted to start my maternity leave. I know it sounds rediculous but I was running through a list in my head to calm myself down over what I would need to do to make me feel more comfortable (**cough**in control**cough**). This is the only time I think Matt and I were on opposite pages. I confessed about my anxiety over work...he gave me that look that i know and love and just said "seriously?" Immediately I realized how stupid this all was that I just needed to let it all go....give up my control...give it to God.
At this point Matt and I had a little talk and I cried a little. The first time that I had lost it since we got to the hospital, we both confessed how scared we were but how we had kept it together and remained calm for the other. We both confessed how scared we were, but this is where I have the best husband in the entire world. He has been the best and biggest support system that I could ever ask for and I would not have been able to remain calm and get through this entire ordeal without him. He constantly offered me encouragement and reassurances. He told me how proud he was of me for remaining calm and keeping it together for so long. I truly believe Mommy mode kicked in and I was able to stay calm and be okay for my little boy.
I then walked from triage down the hall to the OR that I would have my c-section in. Before I left they had already started to prep Matt and he was the cutest soon to be Daddy I had ever seen. He had a white jump suit on and blue booties on his feet and had his blue hat ready to be put on. I think this was the hardest part of the entire day. When they took me into be prepped Matt had to stay out in the hallway, so I was alone for my spinal. However, the nurses and staff were AMAZING. I didn't get scared or upset not one time. They talked to me and helped me to remain calm. The spinal was actually less painful and easier than getting my tramp stamp back in the day! I told the doctor and he just laughed at me. I immediately started to feel the affects. they helped me get laid out on the table and I was put on tons of monitors and such. I had two contraptions put on my legs that looked and felt like a blood pressure cuff but they went from my ankles to my knees and were to prevent blood clots and keep my blood circulated. I also later found out later that I was given a catheter as well. A pulse monitor was put on my finger and a blood pressure cuff permanently on my right arm that monitoring and took my pressure at timed intervals. They then prepped my belly and put up the sheet separating my head from the rest of my body. At this point one of the nurses brought Matt in and he was put in a chair right at my head. The whole procedure and process went quickly. I can honestly say it was the weirdest sensation of my life. I could feel the pressure and tugging and pulling...and I could feel when the baby was taken out before I even heard him cry. Immediately all the pressure was removed off my back. When they took the baby they worked on him right in my view so that Matt and I were able to watch the entire time. He scored 8 on his first apgar and 9 on the second which is AMAZING period but even better considering he was 6 weeks early. Everyone was really excited and positive about his weight considering he was so early its a very solid weight. My OB later told me if I had gone full term I would have been looking at 9-10 pound of baby...I knew I was growing a little porker in there! ;) Once they had finished doing his tests and cleaning him up they swaddled him and brought him right to me. I was able to touch his fat little cheeks and kiss him. Then I got to see Matt hold him for the first time. Hands down the best moment of my life is seeing the two of them together. I cried and cried. I was beyond happy. Matt then got to go with our boy to the NICU. Once they got me all fixed up I was taken to a recovery room.
The rest of the story of Noah Zelman will continue later :) Please stay tuned!
No comments:
Post a Comment