4.06.2020
Alexander :: Pregnancy + Labor Story
I cannot believe that this baby boy is about to turn one and I have yet to publish his birth story. I'm so embarrassed, but at the same time, I'm not because y'all, I have three boys and let me tell you, life is busy around here. What's important is that I'm finally doing it, right? So, here's the rundown of how little Alex came into this world.
How I Found Out + Reaction
I feel like I always say this, but this pregnancy took me by complete surprise. I found out I was pregnant just 5 months after I had Marcus -- yup. You read that right, five months. I cannot tell you how surprised I was when I took the test.
I first suspected I was pregnant when I was on vacation and we were driving home from Disneyland to La Quinta. Well, my husband suspected it. I was getting really car sick and could not keep myself composed for a two-hour drive. I never get car sick, so that was really not like me.
On a late Walmart run, after we arrived in La Quinta, my husband grabbed a pregnancy test and casually mentioned that I should take it because it's a possibility. Ya never know until you know, right?
So, I took it to humor him. He and my siblings were at the door waiting for the results. There was one bold line and one very faint line, so of course, I thought, a false positive. I walked out and told him, I'm probably not pregnant, but there is a faint line that I think I'm seeing. Everyone passed around the test and we couldn't decide if it was positive or negative. We decided that he would go back to Walmart in the morning and get one of those tests that spell it out for you -- not pregnant.
Fast forward to the next morning and test, boom -- pregnant.
We told close family and friends and the reactions were mostly good. Most of everyone we told was excited to hear that we were pregnant, but some family members thought it was too soon and that I needed to lose the baby weight first -- oh well, someone's gotta be that person, right? My husband was thrilled which is the most important reaction to me and I too was pleasantly surprised because even though I wasn't expecting it, I do love babies.
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| At Disneyland; totally unaware that I'm about to have another baby |
The Pregnancy
This pregnancy was rough because I had two other kids both under the age of two who were not letting me rest when I needed to, but other than that pregnancy itself was normal -- no complications or risks; thank you Jesus. I do feel like this pregnancy zoomed by though. I mean, I was pregnant and then I had the baby. Everything else is a hazy blur that I can not remember.
I announced on Instagram at 14 weeks (with the photo above) and then booked an appointment at 15 weeks to find out the gender because I was sooooo hoping for a daughter. Y'all, I went to that appointment and Alex had his legs crossed with the umbilical cord in the middle and they could not see any boy parts. The ultrasound tech told me it's a girl, but to come back in two days just to make sure.
I WAS SO EXCITED TO BE HAVING A GIRL and was already thinking of girl names, planning all the cute mom daughter things we'd do annnnnnnd then I went back to double-check that my joy was not short-lived. Well, I got on the table, she jellied up my belly and started to look. It wasn't long before she broke the silence and said, "well, good thing you came back because it's definitely not a girl." HAHA. I cannot tell you how funny I found that to be because even though I was getting excited about a baby girl, the back of my mind was always like with your luck, it's a boy, just watch.
On the drive home from that appointment, my husband and I talked boy names. Alexander Jude was decided right there and then, no other opinions needed. I was ready to meet that sweet baby boy then and there.
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| late February :: 7 mo. pregnant and exhausted |
Soooooo, the pregnancy went on until March when I started to have trouble walking and running after Marcus, so we sent him to stay at my mom's on the weekends and when my husband had school all day. He was too energetic and too much of a thrill-seeker, so keeping him safe as I was waddling everywhere was really hard.
On April 17th, I went to a routine check-up and was told that I was 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced. I was told that if I suspected anything, to call in and go in because of my last pregnancy with Marcus where my water broke and I had the baby within 2 hours of it breaking. I went home and was excited because Marcus had come early and I was secretly hoping that Alex would too. I was so over being pregnant.
So, on the 20th, I kept noticing that my underwear was wet after changing several times. I called in and the doctor on call told me to come in. I went on in and the nurses on staff told me it was a very busy night thus far. They showed me to my room and then the head nurse came in, told me everyone was busy and that she would be taking care of me. She also mentioned that she hopes the night quiets down from here on out.
I was never seen by the doctor and after the nurse tested for amniotic fluid, I was dismissed and quickly sent me home because the test did not show my water had broken. I was furious because I was having contractions every eight to six minutes, but the nurse insisted that I was fine and told me to drink lots of water. She told me I probably peed myself and I was instructed not call / come back unless my contractions were less than 5 minutes apart.
Wellllllllllll, the next four days were literal torture. I was contracting 6 to 4 minutes a majority of the day, but would have a gap of 10 minutes in between, so I didn't call in. I sat, sometimes crying from the pain, but waited for the next doctor's appointment because I'm that patient that does not like to bother medical staff.
Labor + Birth
My next OBGYN appointment was 4 days after my hospital visit and my sister tells me that I seemed completely out of it. Probably because I was. I was starting to feel like my back was going to break with every step that I took. Anyway, I arrived at the office for my afternoon appointment, had the baby's heartbeat checked and then told my doctor what had happened on Saturday. Because I was 34 weeks (1 day shy of 35 weeks), she said that she would check to see if my water was actually broken.
She went to check and could not find the amniotic fluid sac and mentioned that it was unusually wet down there. I was now 5 cm dilated and my contractions were consistent on her monitor. She told me she was sending me straight to the hospital and told me that I was having this baby today.
Excited, I went down to my car, got in and drove myself to the hospital -- luckily my husband was having his nursing school clinical in the same hospital, so we met in the parking lot and then onward to the maternity ward.
I checked in, they hooked me up to the machines and my husband decided he wanted to drive Marcus and Felix to my mom's. I told him to stay because they were fine with my sister, but he insisted on going. The nurse said that it could be a while, so he left and I was alone in a room waiting for my doctor.
While chatting with my nurse, I had mentioned that my babies tend to come fast, so we both decided that it would be best to get my epidural before they place the Pitocin in my system. My contractions were consistent, so we got the epidural, and shortly after the Pitocin went in. Fifteen minutes in, the Pitocin made the baby's heart drop a bit, so the nurse stopped it and said they'd wait a bit more before starting up again. They called my doctor and told her to come soon because my contractions were speeding up on the machine.
Literally five minutes after I had the Pitocin stopped, I felt pressure, so I told the nurse. She lifted the blanket to see Alex crowning. She rushed out of the room, rushed back in with 4 other nurses accompanying her starting to get the room ready for delivery and my doctor flew in like a rushing bullet.
The nurse's hand was stopping Alex from popping out and all I heard was "don't push, don't move, don't laugh, this baby is coming and we aren't ready!" The doctor grabbed some gloves and her gown, popped down and said, "okay, push" and with that one-half push, my little baby boy was earthside at 6:09 pm April 24, 2019, weighing 6 pounds 7 ounces.
And right as baby boy popped out into the doctor's hands, in waltz my husband asking, "wait, did I miss it." They placed the baby on my chest after my husband cut the cord and all the nurses marveled at how quick everything went. Several of them joked that I should have more babies because that was a breeze.
Alexander was quick to latch, his blood sugar levels quickly stabilized, and he passed all his screening with soaring colors. We spent two days in the hospital and then off we went to meet his brothers and start life as a family of five.
Thinking Back
I wish I would have written this blog post earlier. Haha, but really all jokes aside, one thing I wish I did differently was to advocate for myself when that nurse sent me away. I was at home in active labor for four days and had all my water been depleted, both my baby and I could have suffered from a life-threatening infection. Worst case scenario, we both could have died.
My water sac was slowly leaking and I knew I wasn't crazy, but I also trusted that the medical staff was doing their job. That nurse clearly didn't want another patient and I saw her again when I went in to give birth -- to which she rolled her eyes and avoided my room my entire stay.
At this hospital, the head nurse is supposed to check in on you each morning and she never did come to see me even though she was on the floor. My husband said she greeted him nicely on the second day, but that's probably because I didn't rat her out to her supervisor. Whatever her reasoning was, I hope that she treats patients better.
Anywaaaaaay, life with Alex is amazing, I can't tell you how much joy this baby boy has brought to our little family. We are fully enjoying our sweet chunk of a many, so happy that he's healthy and thriving along with the rest of us.
