Keller’s Birth Story
We nearly went apple picking. How funny Keller’s birth story would be if we had. The only orchard in the state is two hours away. I abandoned packing waterproof pads after my first pregnancy.
Every day I woke without a baby, I assumed there would be no baby that day. Both my other labors started at midnight and carried on through the day. But this little guy and I would have our own adventure.
(Here’s Cedric birth story if you’re curious!)
It was Labor Day, so we didn’t want to just sit around the house. We decided a trip to Scissortail Park would be fun. The boys played and I took a mile walk through the gardens. Then we all explored together.
When we got home, Cedric had an accident all over the bathroom floor. As I bent to clean it, I added to the mess when, to my surprise, my water broke.
At first, I wasn’t sure if it was wishful thinking or if my dreams had just come true, but it didn’t take more than a minute or two to confirm Keller’s birth story had begun.
Heading to the Hospital
I kept waiting for my contractions to hit like a hammer, but nothing happened. We waited for 6 hours, until 5 pm, and then sent the boys to have a sleepover with their cousins. Joseph and I headed to the hospital to meet our smallest.
When I arrived, they had a test that was supposed to turn a different color if my water had broken. I laughed and said with as much water as I lost it was going to come out looking like a rainbow. When they checked I was dilated 2, but hardly contracting.
I decided ahead of time I wouldn’t ever have an unmedicated birth again. Since I had to be induced I asked to have epidural hooked up at the same time as the Pitocin. I’ve heard laboring on Pitocin is a wild ride!! I’ve had my med-free labor and didn’t enjoy it. I have nothing to prove, so it seemed logical. 😝
They started the Pitocin at two, and they bumped it 2 units every 15 minutes until I was contracting every three minutes. Surprisingly, they only had to bump it to 6 before my body took over.
It was so lovely to know my baby would be in my arms soon, and as a third-time mom I know you should “sleep while you can”. It may be months before you sleep again.
I slept the two hours until they checked me again! (Hurrah for a 5!)
Slept two more hours and they checked again!! (Hurrah a 10!!)
Call in the dr, prep the room, and it is baby time.
Keller Arrives
I’ve never taken long to push (around 20 min and 5 contractions or so) but I’ve also always torn. This time I was determined to take it slow.
When the dr asked me to push, I did two of the tiniest pushes. Then she said to wait.
During that moment of wait, he burst into the world. The doctor said, “Reach down and grab your baby!” But it was so unexpectedly fast that I totally missed my moment. The next thing I knew he was on my chest!!
I was so shocked and overwhelmed, that for the first time after birth I burst into tears. He was here!! The months of waiting over, and the year of loss behind me! He was in my arms.
Sadly, like Keaton (my unmedicated birth) Keller swallowed amniotic fluid and couldn’t breathe. Almost as soon as he was in my arms, they were taking him again. A nurse said, “follow me, daddy.”
As the doctor stitched me up, I watched from across the room as they cleared my baby’s lungs and later I found out gave him oxygen.
When I finally got the weight of his small body back into my arms, I didn’t let him go again for the next 15 hours or so!
Keller’s birth story was my favorite so far! The birth was unbelievably easy, recovery was easy, and he is such a content little man! (Postpartum wrapping was so helpful!) (For new mamas who are struggling spiritually, read this!)
What was your favorite birth experience?
