It has been a crazy 3 weeks since our daughter Brielle was born! I know I have been really lacking in the blog post area but it's been an absolute whirl wind and I'm struggling to find a new sense of normal in my life since it has changed so much in the last little while. Today I want to share my birth story with you. I think this may also be a little bit therapeutic for me as I really haven't shared every single detail and I know that some of you might be able to relate!
So to give a little bit of background to my story.. my pregnancy was very low risk, I had absolutely no complications the entire time which I am beyond thankful for. So since I had no complications I had felt like I was somewhat pushed through my doctors appointments, this was especially true for my third trimester in which I was referred to an OB. I was told everything was normal and great every appointment and was never given any information about things I needed to be aware of late in my pregnancy. Good thing I read a ton and researched so much or I would have been totally clueless as this was my first baby! I was never given another ultrasound late in my pregnancy to confirm the position of the baby which was odd since I now know that my OB was not 100% of Brielle's position. With all this being said lets get into the events that took place!
It was May 31st and after going to my OB appointment at 12:00pm that afternoon I was extremely discouraged. I was not dilated at all and wasn't even a slight bit effaced. I was so done being pregnant at this point as I was in so much constant pain from being so big. That night I burst into tears when Luke came home from work and he encouraged me that it was just a little bit longer till we'll have our little girl. So that night going to bed I prayed and laid out my heart out to God, surrendering my discouragement and frustration.
It was about 4 hours later on June 1st at 3:00am I was woken up from what I thought was strong braxton hicks, since I have had so many and had been woken up by them before. As I laid in bed trying to go back to sleep these contractions were coming around 10 min apart and were different from the false labor I had experienced. They were getting stronger and more frequent and by 5:00am I decided to get out of bed and go to the bathroom. After I was done I noticed that I was bleeding, not bloody show but bright red blood. I knew this was not normal and woke Luke up. I called the health line and they told me to go to the emergency right away since that was not the norm! We packed up all of our bags that I had prepared in advance and hopped into the car.
We made the 7 min drive to the hospital and I called both my mom and Luke's mom to let them know that things were for sure happening and I was confident we would have a baby that day! As we parked and were making our way to the emergency doors, with out knowing I dropped my phone and broke the screen... Of all days for this to happen. Haha! So we did all the contacting through Luke's phone that day and he got me a new one that night. Anyway, as we got registered and made our way up to Labor and Delivery my contractions were now about 5 min apart and were lasting around 45 seconds. They put us into an assessment room and checked to see where this small gush of blood was coming from. They just assumed that it was coming from my cervix since they couldn't find a source. I was now dilated to 3cm at this point and it was around 7:30am. They decided to do an ultrasound on my just to make sure everything was alright and if my placenta was not blocking my cervix since I had bled a bit. When the doctor was looking for the head.. I knew something was not right as he wasn't finding the head where it was supposed to be. I started to cry as I knew that she was breech. This was a surprise to all of us as I was told she was head down since my 20 week ultrasound. We were shocked and I knew that I was not going to get the natural delivery I had hoped for.
After a brief moment of tears I knew a c-section would be the safest route for both baby and I. I was not going to risk a vaginal delivery just so I could fulfill my ideal birth. Since she was frank breech, meaning her feet were up by her head, the chases of her getting stuck on the way out was very probable. So after we all knew she was breech at around 9:30am I was scheduled for a c-section for 4:00pm which was tough since I was in labor and contractions were becoming pretty nasty at this point. We called my parents and told them to make their way to Regina ASAP! I was checked one more time and I was now at a 5cm and was seeming to progress very quickly. Since labor was getting more intense I was then scheduled to go into the OR at 11:30am.
I thought to myself, "Woah this is happening so fast!" I couldn't believe that we were going to have our baby so much sooner then I had expected! It was exciting and scary all at the same time but I knew that God had given me the peace and strength to handle this undiagnosed breech delivery.
At around 11:30am I was taken to the OR and we waited until the anesthesiologist could come and give me my spinal. I think this was the part I was most nervous about as I've heard this was very painful. Once she arrived, she had a student with her which made me even more nervous haha! They put some freezing in before so I wouldn't feel the spinal needle going in. At the time they were putting the needle I had my last nasty contraction that I would feel. The student actually poked me about 3 times but I didn't feel it at all which I am so thankful! It was not bad at all. Once my spinal was in the laid me down and a drape was placed in front of me and Luke so we couldn't see. My legs felt like there was an elephant laying onto of them as I could kind of feel people touching me and prepping me for surgery. It was such a weird feeling. Once the operation began I felt a lot of tugging and pulling especially right before Brielle was born which was a bit intense but again was painless, just uncomfortable. I just told Luke to keep me distracted and to just talk to me about anything as my body was really being moved around. Shortly after the intense tugging began they told Luke to stand up and see our baby being born! He actually got to see Brielle being born still inside her amniotic sack! Such a wild thing! Once they broke the sack and cut her cord she took her first breath and was brought around the curtain for me to see. She was born at 12:46pm on June 1st, 2016.
I was so taken aback about her size, and her chubby cheeks I didn't think our baby was going to be that big. She was so beautiful and I instantly started to cry, it was one of the best moments of my life.
Luke was taken over to the table where they weighed her and measured her and she was 8lbs 6oz! I couldn't believe it! And I was so worried about her size the entire pregnancy.. I really had nothing to worry about! Once they were done cleaning her off they took her to me and placed her on my chest as me and Luke got to have that first moment with her. Something I will never forget. When they were finishing up with me, they took Luke to our recovery room with Brielle and had him do skin to skin with her. I was soon rolled into the room where I then got a chanse to do skin to skin and bond with her. We tried breastfeeding for the first time and it was so neat to see her try instantly. So special.
After we were in the recovery room for an hour I was wheeled into our room in the Mother Baby ward where we spent the next 2 days. Both new grandparents arrived and Brielle was so alert right from when she was born, looking around and everyone and already showing her personality.
All in all Brielle's birth was not what I was expecting at all but I wouldn't change it for the world! God knew that if I had found out she was breech earlier I would have been a mess, unrelaxed and so anxious. God plan is always perfect and we couldn't be more happy to welcome this gift into our lives.
So to give a little bit of background to my story.. my pregnancy was very low risk, I had absolutely no complications the entire time which I am beyond thankful for. So since I had no complications I had felt like I was somewhat pushed through my doctors appointments, this was especially true for my third trimester in which I was referred to an OB. I was told everything was normal and great every appointment and was never given any information about things I needed to be aware of late in my pregnancy. Good thing I read a ton and researched so much or I would have been totally clueless as this was my first baby! I was never given another ultrasound late in my pregnancy to confirm the position of the baby which was odd since I now know that my OB was not 100% of Brielle's position. With all this being said lets get into the events that took place!
It was May 31st and after going to my OB appointment at 12:00pm that afternoon I was extremely discouraged. I was not dilated at all and wasn't even a slight bit effaced. I was so done being pregnant at this point as I was in so much constant pain from being so big. That night I burst into tears when Luke came home from work and he encouraged me that it was just a little bit longer till we'll have our little girl. So that night going to bed I prayed and laid out my heart out to God, surrendering my discouragement and frustration.
It was about 4 hours later on June 1st at 3:00am I was woken up from what I thought was strong braxton hicks, since I have had so many and had been woken up by them before. As I laid in bed trying to go back to sleep these contractions were coming around 10 min apart and were different from the false labor I had experienced. They were getting stronger and more frequent and by 5:00am I decided to get out of bed and go to the bathroom. After I was done I noticed that I was bleeding, not bloody show but bright red blood. I knew this was not normal and woke Luke up. I called the health line and they told me to go to the emergency right away since that was not the norm! We packed up all of our bags that I had prepared in advance and hopped into the car.
We made the 7 min drive to the hospital and I called both my mom and Luke's mom to let them know that things were for sure happening and I was confident we would have a baby that day! As we parked and were making our way to the emergency doors, with out knowing I dropped my phone and broke the screen... Of all days for this to happen. Haha! So we did all the contacting through Luke's phone that day and he got me a new one that night. Anyway, as we got registered and made our way up to Labor and Delivery my contractions were now about 5 min apart and were lasting around 45 seconds. They put us into an assessment room and checked to see where this small gush of blood was coming from. They just assumed that it was coming from my cervix since they couldn't find a source. I was now dilated to 3cm at this point and it was around 7:30am. They decided to do an ultrasound on my just to make sure everything was alright and if my placenta was not blocking my cervix since I had bled a bit. When the doctor was looking for the head.. I knew something was not right as he wasn't finding the head where it was supposed to be. I started to cry as I knew that she was breech. This was a surprise to all of us as I was told she was head down since my 20 week ultrasound. We were shocked and I knew that I was not going to get the natural delivery I had hoped for.
After a brief moment of tears I knew a c-section would be the safest route for both baby and I. I was not going to risk a vaginal delivery just so I could fulfill my ideal birth. Since she was frank breech, meaning her feet were up by her head, the chases of her getting stuck on the way out was very probable. So after we all knew she was breech at around 9:30am I was scheduled for a c-section for 4:00pm which was tough since I was in labor and contractions were becoming pretty nasty at this point. We called my parents and told them to make their way to Regina ASAP! I was checked one more time and I was now at a 5cm and was seeming to progress very quickly. Since labor was getting more intense I was then scheduled to go into the OR at 11:30am.
I thought to myself, "Woah this is happening so fast!" I couldn't believe that we were going to have our baby so much sooner then I had expected! It was exciting and scary all at the same time but I knew that God had given me the peace and strength to handle this undiagnosed breech delivery.
At around 11:30am I was taken to the OR and we waited until the anesthesiologist could come and give me my spinal. I think this was the part I was most nervous about as I've heard this was very painful. Once she arrived, she had a student with her which made me even more nervous haha! They put some freezing in before so I wouldn't feel the spinal needle going in. At the time they were putting the needle I had my last nasty contraction that I would feel. The student actually poked me about 3 times but I didn't feel it at all which I am so thankful! It was not bad at all. Once my spinal was in the laid me down and a drape was placed in front of me and Luke so we couldn't see. My legs felt like there was an elephant laying onto of them as I could kind of feel people touching me and prepping me for surgery. It was such a weird feeling. Once the operation began I felt a lot of tugging and pulling especially right before Brielle was born which was a bit intense but again was painless, just uncomfortable. I just told Luke to keep me distracted and to just talk to me about anything as my body was really being moved around. Shortly after the intense tugging began they told Luke to stand up and see our baby being born! He actually got to see Brielle being born still inside her amniotic sack! Such a wild thing! Once they broke the sack and cut her cord she took her first breath and was brought around the curtain for me to see. She was born at 12:46pm on June 1st, 2016.
I was so taken aback about her size, and her chubby cheeks I didn't think our baby was going to be that big. She was so beautiful and I instantly started to cry, it was one of the best moments of my life.
Luke was taken over to the table where they weighed her and measured her and she was 8lbs 6oz! I couldn't believe it! And I was so worried about her size the entire pregnancy.. I really had nothing to worry about! Once they were done cleaning her off they took her to me and placed her on my chest as me and Luke got to have that first moment with her. Something I will never forget. When they were finishing up with me, they took Luke to our recovery room with Brielle and had him do skin to skin with her. I was soon rolled into the room where I then got a chanse to do skin to skin and bond with her. We tried breastfeeding for the first time and it was so neat to see her try instantly. So special.
After we were in the recovery room for an hour I was wheeled into our room in the Mother Baby ward where we spent the next 2 days. Both new grandparents arrived and Brielle was so alert right from when she was born, looking around and everyone and already showing her personality.
All in all Brielle's birth was not what I was expecting at all but I wouldn't change it for the world! God knew that if I had found out she was breech earlier I would have been a mess, unrelaxed and so anxious. God plan is always perfect and we couldn't be more happy to welcome this gift into our lives.
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