Baby number three has arrived!
I can’t believe it’s been 8 weeks already! Gosh times flies when you’re home with two under two, haha.
Well, I’m so happy to finally share Amara’s birth story with you, cuz it’s a crazy one. She arrived at 7:20 AM on Friday, February 26th via SURPRISE C-SECTION.
The appointment prior to her birth, she was head down, but also face up (just like her brother before her). My doctor told me she was not concerned yet, as Amara still had some time to get adjusted on her own before delivery. I opted to get my membranes swept in hopes of triggering labor. Two days later, the contractions started.
Around 4:30 PM on Thursday I started timing contractions. I was so excited because I just knew Amara was going to come early and this time around the membrane sweeping worked the first time (with Trey I had to be swept twice). I had text my husband, my sister and “the moms” to let them know what was happening. I was going to have a baby! But after about four hours of my contractions averaging 30 seconds long and 7 minutes apart, they stopped…
I was so confused. False labor?
To say I was disappointed was an understatement. I was also very confused. I Googled “false labor” because I had never experienced it before. My sister also shared that she had gone through it before and it was pretty common actually. So that night I went to bed disappointed.
At 2:30 AM on Friday, I woke with very strong contractions. Before waking my husband, I decided to time them first with the help of CONTRACTIONS app. They were already averaging 1 minute long and 7 minutes apart, and by 3:45 AM they were 1 minute long but closer to 2-4 minutes apart. My app screamed that it was time to head to the hospital.
We arrived around 4:45 AM and the intake nurses could tell right away that I was in active labor, so we skipped the formal intake process and they wheeled me straight to the closest room that was available to get checked out. I was 7-8 centimeters dilated already!
Unfortunately my doctor was not on call, so her associate was called. However, we knew that my doctor had a note on my chart that she wanted to be called when I was admitted, so my husband asked the nurse if they called my doctor yet – they said no. This was likely because they assumed I would be delivering before she would even arrive. I’m so thankful for my husband who told the nurses to go ahead and call her anyway.
Give me drugs!
I asked multiple times for pain meds, and after what felt like being brushed off and ignored for forever, was finally told that if I was about to deliver a baby it was too late for IV pain meds because it would negatively affect the baby at that point. They added that I couldn’t get an epidural yet as they needed my lab results back first before they could call anesthesiology, so they thought it would be better to just break my water and deliver naturally because of how far along I was already.
I hesitated to deliver naturally, as I was in so much pain, and to be honest I was scared! I could tell my hesitation frustrated the nurse and I’m pretty sure I saw her roll her eyes at me, which didn’t help the situation.
It didn’t sound like I had much of a choice at that point, and although I was told my doctor was in her car and on her way, they also said I would probably deliver before she arrived. The doctor on call advised we break my water and push Amara out, she was ready. So that’s what we tried to do.
When the contractions came, I pushed. It hurt so bad! They told me to “push through the pain”. Easier said than done! Amara hadn’t come yet by the time my doctor arrived. She immediately requested an ultrasound machine so she could check the position of Amara, and at the same time asked about an epidural and ordered that to come through so I could get some relief.
I love my doctor!
After the ultrasound, my doctor explained that Amara was still face up, but what was more concerning was that she was also brow facing. It’s rare and an extremely unsafe position for the baby to be vaginally delivered. She tried to change Amara’s position herself, but Amara was not cooperative. At that point, my doctor explained she didn’t want to try to move her again and cause her distress, and the safest way for her to be delivered, would be via c-section.
I looked at my husband and it felt as though time stopped. I felt immediate fear and sadness. At the same time, I felt thankful that my doctor arrived and ordered the ultrasound when she did! What would have happened if I was to have kept pushing? Although a cesarean delivery was not the plan, I trusted my doctor’s advice and started mentally preparing myself for surgery.
They gave Junior a pair of scrubs to change into. I was moved to a bed on wheels to be transferred to surgery. And we were on our way.
The Long Trip to Surgery
My husband held my hand as they wheeled me down the hallway. I felt like I was in a movie. A horror movie. I was terrified. When we arrived just outside the surgery room, we were told Junior needed to wait in the hallway until everything was setup, for sanitation purposes, then they would bring him in so he could sit by my head.
I could feel tears falling down my face as we entered surgery. The room was so bright and it was full of doctors and nurses rushing around getting the area prepped. I felt so scared and alone in that moment. Every negative outcome played through my mind, I was so terrified, I just started praying. “God I don’t want to die. I want to meet my baby girl. Please let her be ok.” Nothing felt right, everything felt off. I was nauseas and light headed. I felt a cold liquid in my throat. I was shivering so badly and I couldn’t calm myself down.
One thing I’m thankful for was the anesthesiologists. Although I was so out of it, I remember them being so nice, very attentive and they communicated with me very well. As I was sharing how I felt about being nauseas, lightheaded, having shivery shakes, feeling cold fluid in my throat, needing to throw up, etc. they reassured me everything I was experiencing was normal and that everything was going to be ok. I did have to throw up at one point and one of them was there ready with a suction tube so I could spit it out. Seems like they were prepared for it all.
Most of the surgery felt like a blur, mostly because I was battling negatives thoughts and scenarios while dealing with all the crazy physical sickness at the same time. I just kept praying that my baby would be delivered safely and that we’d both be healthy and well afterwards.
And at 7:20 AM, less than 3 hours after arriving to the hospital, Amara was born.
My family is now complete
We knew after Amara our family would be complete. But I can definitively say that I do not want to be pregnant and give birth ever again. Trey’s delivery was rough and Amara’s was terrifying, so I can confidently say I’m done having kids ha ha
I thank God for my doctor and for the outcome of Amara’s delivery: a healthy, happy baby girl. Born at 6 lbs 11 oz, she’s my smallest, but boy can she handle her own! She’s a big eater and has an even bigger cry! She’s never had that soft baby cry. When she wants something (food, diaper, sleep, etc.) she goes from quiet to yelling at the top of her lungs, there’s no in between. I can already tell she’s going to be a little boss.
Welcome to the family lil mama, love you!
