Dillon Isaac {Part II}

Welcome back!  If you missed Part I of Dillon's birth story you can catch it here.

Saturday morning, March 2nd, Lenora arrived back at the hospital right around 6 AM.  Right about the same time I started having some contractions again.  They were strong but not necessarily painful and were about 10/15 minutes apart.  We were told to check back in after breakfast, so I walked around for another 20/30 minutes, then at 7 AM we headed to the breakfast buffet.  Right around this time my contractions were getting more painful, but still about 10 minutes apart.  I grabbed some yogurt and granola from the buffet, but when the next contraction came I was too uncomfortable to even sit down.  We quickly finished our breakfast and headed back down to L and D. 

A few minutes later I met my Midwife for the morning, Birgit, and was hooked up to the fetal monitor once again.  The number on the chart wasn't very high, but the contractions were much more painful than any that I had had the day before.  Probably around 7:45/8 AM my Midwife came back in and did an internal check.  I was dilated to a 5.  For some reason hearing that didn't really phase me.  I guess I had figured since my contractions were still 10 minutes apart and I hadn't progressed any the day before, this wasn't really "it".  I've never experienced the "build-up" of contractions with a clear break in between.  But....the next words out of my Midwife's mouth were, "Let's get you into the delivery room."  (I still thought she was a little crazy.)

We moved down the hall to a delivery room and they brought another Midwife Student in to assist (also named Laura).  The plan at this point was to let me labor a little while longer and then the doctor would come in and break my water.  Because Dillon was sitting so low the chance of my water breaking on it's own was slim, but they were confident that once my water broke the rest would go quickly. 

At this point, the talk of an epidural also came into play.  In my last two labors, I never had the option of asking for one.  I was really torn on what I wanted to do.  I was fearful of the pain, but there are so many other reasons I wanted to go natural.  After a few conversations with Birgit she greatly encouraged me to go without and offered some pain meds through my IV if needed.  Birgit was confident that I could handle it and was afraid that if I wanted the epidural it would only prolong the labor since they wouldn't be able to break my water until the epidural kicked in.

Again, I'm completely lost on time here...but the doctor came in to introduce himself and to review "the plan".  At that point, I believe he did an internal exam.  It pushed me over the edge.  I needed some pain relief.  Birgit and Laura quickly got me hooked up on some goods.  While the contractions were still extremely painful, it took off the edge in between and allowed me to relax a little more.  The doctor left and at one point came back ready to break my water, but he ended up having to leave again to help out another woman in labor.

A few contractions later, he was back in and after some very uncomfortable minutes my water was broke.  I'm guessing that was right around 9:30 A.M.  The doctor left and I would say about two/three minutes later I felt the urge to push.  Laura went and called the doctor back in.  I wasn't completely dilated so Birgit had me lay on my left side and sit through two or three contractions to allow the cervix to finish opening.  A few minutes later I was given the go to start pushing.  (The part that I'm most horrible at and generally causes the most fear in regards to labor.)

I would say I struggled through one or two contractions, but then I did my best to focus.  On the next contraction I had Dillon's head halfway out.  He even started crying and we could hear him.  It was strangely cool and definitely a first.  At this point I asked if one more contraction would have his head out.  They said yes, which gave me a great goal.  One contraction later Dillon's head was out!  I felt so relieved (emotionally) having his head out; knowing that it was the hardest part and that soon I would be holding him.  A short break, one more contraction, and Dillon Isaac was born!

10:07 A.M. on March 2, 2013.  8 lbs 3 oz and 21.25 in.

I have to say I felt quite proud of myself.  While I still screamed, "I can't do this!", multiple times, and I still mis-focused, I feel like Dillon's labor was my personal best.  (Not that I care to challenge it anytime soon.)

Germans are big on skin to skin contact right after birth (which I LOVE!), and I was able to hold Dillon for at least 45 minutes before they even took him to weigh or measure him.  I was also able to call Tim at this point and share the news with him.

A few hours later they moved us up to our room.  Lenora had brought the computer back with her that morning, so I was able to Skype with Tim and he was able to see Dillon for a bit.  Lenora had gone home to rest for a bit and then brought the boys up to see us later Saturday afternoon. 

I have to say although it was a long hospital stay, it was a relaxed hospital stay.  No lab workers came in at 4 AM to take my blood.  Minus the 4 PM blood pressure and temperature check, the nurses left me alone.  I'm not sure if was due to the fact I didn't speak German or that this was my 4th kid, but it was kind of nice.  There were no security bracelets strapped to his ankle and I was never even given a wrist band.  I didn't have to chart his pee's or poo's.  (He had his first poo late Saturday night and I had made note of the time in my mind thinking someone would ask me the next day.  Nope.  No one asked.)  I wasn't waken up every two hours to wake Dillon up to feed him.  I even fell asleep with Dillon on my chest and I didn't get scolded for it.  They had a nursery and I was able to send him there for two/three hours in the middle of the night to get some rest and for a few minutes in the morning when I wanted to shower. 

We enjoyed multiple visits from other friends over the next few days and were finally released on Tuesday.  I was elated to be heading home!  Lenora stayed with us till March 12thz.  She flew out that morning and my mom flew in and stayed with us till this morning, March 29th.

Tim finished his school on March 20th and flew back in on March 22nd.

 

(Holding Dillon for the first time.)

In retrospect.....
After having a short labor with Colin and having no pre-labor signs, I was expecting a short labor with Blaine. With Blaine, I started praying for a clear sign of labor. God heard my prayer and my water broke giving me the clear sign that I was praying for. With Dillon, for the longest, I was unsure of what to pray for. Looking back, I realized that I had whispered prayers throughout the day asking for a pre-labor sign. Something that would let me know it was about time so that we could get to the hospital and I wouldn't have to have this baby at home (a genuine fearful thought).  God once again heard my prayer, and the prayers of others who were praying similar, and I was at the hospital A WHOLE DAY early!  I think He's a pretty funny guy sometimes.  haha.  Dillon was quite content in letting Blaine hold the record of fastest labor.  Dillon's was still quick, being active labor from 6-10 AM, for a total of 4 hours!

Although, those last three days were stressful, with lots of ups and downs, and I was in the hospital MUCH longer than I wanted to be...I am pleased with the important parts.  I made it to the hospital, without a ride of chaos, I labored and (eventually) progressed naturally, and I have a healthy new boy.  I was so glad to have Lenora there and I was blessed with great Midwifes, and a great doctor.


Currently.....
Dillon is doing great!  Minus the occasional moments of crankiness (normally due to the soda I gave in and drank), he is such an easy baby.  A refreshing change compared to the difficult baby that Blaine was.  We had some minor feeding issues those first two weeks, but we've worked through it and he's eating like a champ.  He will be 4 weeks old tomorrow and currently weighing in at 10 lbs and 4 oz!  He's put on a pound a week the last two weeks.  Since the day he was born he was holding his head up and that only improves every day.  When he's awake he loves to sit up and to look around.  There are times when he's laying down where he is clearly trying his best to sit up.  I think he'll be rolling over sooner than I'd like.