Baby Charlie's Birth Story

Baby Charlie's Birth Story

Charles (Charlie) Bodhi Grieser
8 lbs 6 oz, 21 inches, 14 in head and chest

Born 6:42 am at Henry County Hospital via Family Centered Cesarean by Dr. H

One of the more important aspects of Charlie's birth plan was that I wanted to go into spontaneous labor prior to my planned cesarean. 40 weeks passed by and I had very little signs that labor was coming. On Monday May 4^th, I had an ultrasound done to make sure it was safe to continue the pregnancy. I knew everything was fine but Dr. H needed the reassurance. Fluid levels were good, but he wasn't active enough during the ultrasound because it was during his usual nap time so Wednesday I had to go in for an NST, which we passed no problem. My OB was not going to be on call the upcoming weekend, and instead the OB that had done my first traumatic cesarean was, so I had quite a bit of anxiety leading up to that weekend, and was hanging onto hope that labor would wait until the next week.

On Thursday evening May 7^th , the evening before I was 41 weeks, I began having some regular pains right before bed close to 10 pm. The pains were in my lower back and pelvis, but I didn't feel them wrapping into my belly. I had had these pains on previous nights and they would come and go for about an hour and then disappear, so I wasn't thinking much of it, but after a half hour, I realized I had maybe about 6 or 7, meaning they were probably five minutes apart. I was curious and began timing them. At this point, they were starting to bother me a little more and after a few contractions I realized they were actually only 2-3 minutes apart and lasting over 30 seconds. I thought this was odd because it was progressing way too quick compared to my first labor and figured it was just false labor again and it would shortly end. I continued timing them, as my husband and I passed some time watching TV in bed. I kept telling my husband this wasn't it, mostly out of fear with hope of post-poning having the inevitable surgery for a little bit longer. The contractions were not stopping, getting more uncomfortable and was starting to hurt with cramping in my lower belly too. At about 11 pm, I lost my mucus plug and had bloody show. This was when I realized I was in actual labor. I sat in my bathroom and began to cry. I had been having a hard time dealing with my anxiety about my upcoming cesarean and dreading it the entire pregnancy, so now that labor started, it meant it was just hours away. My husband comforted me and calmed me, reminding he was going to be there to take care of me... and that my OB was on call! Perfect timing!

It was nearing midnight at this point, and the plan was always to wait till early morning to go to the hospital if I went into labor in the middle of the night. I told CJ to go to bed, and I stayed up to labor on my own, just like with my first. However, this labor was polar opposite to my first labor. Contractions were consistently 2-3 minutes apart. At 1 am, I could no longer lie in bed, so I got up and went downstairs to finish packing our bags. Yes, at 41 weeks pregnant, we still had not packed our bags. (I was convinced this baby was going to take its time arriving just like big sister, and expected baby to stay comfy until sometime next week.) I realized we hadn't washed the newborn diapers yet either, so I began cleaning and doing laundry in between contractions as well. At about 2:30, contractions were very strong, and still 2-3 minutes apart, but were now lasting almost a minute long at times. I realized if I wanted to wait till morning, I should probably quit cleaning and lay down to calm down the contractions. I went upstairs and layed down. It was really painful now to lay. Three contractions later, I felt a hard pop; my water had broken! I got back out of bed to labor on the toilet until my waters were finished. Contractions got very strong at this point. I was having a very hard time breathing through them and I was having a hard time staying relaxed. I found my self tensing up, crying or vocalizing through them. I tried swaying my hips, bouncing, hands and knees, but nothing was helping me cope with the pain. It was about 3 am when I realized I needed help and probably wouldn't make it a few more hours by myself, so I woke CJ up and he began packing his bags. I remember telling him, “these feel like pitocin contractions!”

I called the hospital to let them know I would be in shortly. It actually took him a little while to finish packing up his and Maybellee's things, but we dropped big sister off at Grandpa and Grandma's sometime after 4pm and were at the hospital a little before 5 am. Contractions did slow down to 2-5 minutes apart at this point, but were still very painful, especially since once I was to the hospital they needed me on the monitors for an hour before the cesarean, which meant I was stuck in the bed. My sister arrived very soon after I was admitted, and surgery preparations started moving very quick.

The anesthesiologist arrived and began telling me what I should expect. She explained that I would go back alone for the placement of the spinal. I asked if CJ could come back with me, and she said no, and I began to panic. My first cesarean left me with some trauma, and when she said CJ wasn't coming back with me, I began to have the irrational thought that I would not get any of my wishes respected again and I wouldn't get a family centered cesarean. The anesthesiologist had walked away with her answer, and I was crying and I couldn't breathe, and CJ and Tessa was trying to calm me down. A few nice nurses also tried helping comfort and calm me, but I just remember wanting to jump up and run out of there and feeling embarassed that they all were watching me have a panic attack. The anesthesiologist came back and Tessa talked to her, and got her to finally agree to let CJ go back with me. Thank God for my sister being there to advocate for me. I was able to start calming down. Then Dr. H arrived sometime during this and had checked me. I was 2 cms. At first when I heard that I felt a sense of panic of “what if this time my body was dilating!?”, but then quickly realized this labor was so fast and tense I should have been a lot more dilated. It wasn't much longer after this they began moving me to the OR. CJ was able to stand nearby to hold my foot which kept me calm for the spinal placement. I remember telling the nurses I was scared and they were really nice and comforting.

Next thing I knew my sister was there and surgery was starting. In my birth plan I had requested to have the drapes lowered and for baby to be held up for me to see after delivery. The anesthesiologist retrieved a mirror for me and asked if I would like her to hold it so I could see, which was above and beyond what I had expected. I actually got to watch the entire delivery. I saw them pull baby's head out and suction baby's mouth, then Dr. H reached in more and pulled baby out by the arm pits and held baby up. The gender was a surprise and Daddy got to announce, “It's a boy!” They delayed the cord clamping for two minutes, and then baby immediately was put on my chest! He was only on my chest for a minute or two before I started to become really nauseous. Daddy held him for the remaining of the surgery while I spent a great of deal of it hanging my head over a bucket. I remember that I kept wanting to apologize. I had made such a big deal about wanting to hold my baby immediately after birth, and I was so sick I couldn't. The nurses were fantastic and made sure I never vomited on myself, unlike my previous cesarean where I was ignored when I told them I was nauseous. Even though I didn't get to hold baby but for a minute, daddy and baby stayed right next to me the entire time. Simply not being separated from them and not being alone in surgery made the world of a difference in comparison to my first traumatic cesarean. The surgery didn't seem to last long at all and I was back in my room for recovery. I was still dealing with nausea and low blood pressure, but I was finally holding my baby and he got his first nursing.

My recovery in the hospital went fantastic. They had a lactation consultant there to help us get started with breastfeeding. The nurses were very great about making sure my pain level was okay. They got me up and out of bed within 8 hours after surgery, and even respected my wishes to have the catheter removed early. All the staff were very respectful of our choices and wishes for the birth and newborn care, no one even attempted to retract our newborn son's foreskin during checks, and all were very helpful and kind. In the end, I got everything I wanted: respectful prenatal care with limited Doppler, spontaneous labor, delayed cord clamping, family centered cesarean, and a great recovery. I couldn't have had a better experience there and truly appreciate the Henry County Hospital for providing me and my family with a great birth experience.