Birth Story - Zane

Ever since the beginning of my pregnancy, I have jokingly told people my birth plan... To labor at home and get to the hospital just in time to quickly push out a baby. Quick and easy! 

Little did I know...

Sometimes God gives us the desires of our heart without us even realizing it. As I recall Zane’s birth story, I realize that. As I went through it, I didn't see it, and was actually wishing for a different story - but that was Gods plan for the arrival of this little one and I am so thankful for the fast and healthy delivery! 

So…here’s our story….

Sunday Night, April 10, I was starting to feel very restless. It’s hard to explain. But I could not sleep and no position was comfortable - I mean not one single position. I pretty much just suffered through the night but around 6:30am Monday - I could not take it anymore. Everything hurt. So I called the doctor and asked if they could see me at all - just to check to see how far along in the labor process I was. I was able to talk to Dr. Cain, the on-call Doctor. When he asked if I was having contractions, and how far apart - I just started crying on the phone. I told him I could not tell what was what anymore. There were not definite contractions...just one big pain...all the time!

He agreed to let me come to the office and get checked out. He told me to be there at 9am. So I hopped in the shower, got dressed, and decided to finish packing my hospital bag. Just in case. I got Jaxen ready for the day and even lined up a babysitter for just a little bit so Nik could take me to get checked out. And honestly, the entire time I was doing this, I really thought I would be back home that morning laboring, miserable and just waiting for Zane’s arrival. 

At 8am, Jaxen’s speech therapist showed up and Nik ran to work to grab a few things (In his mind, I could possibly be admitted to the hospital - but it would probably take awhile for Zane to come so he wanted to try and get some work done). It was shortly after that, that I realized I might actually be in "active" labor. I was getting to the point where it was hard to even walk or talk. The pain was beginning to get intense. Once Jaxen’s speech session was over and Nik was back home, we all loaded up in the car and dropped Jaxen off at my friend, Kristen’s. It was on the way there that I was thinking I was about to have a baby. I was in so much pain. I could not even put my seatbelt on and every bump in the road had me almost in tears. 

As we dropped Jaxen off, I told Kristen "this has to be it, right?!" because really, I could not imagine anything feeling much worse than I was feeling. It just had to be labor! 

We arrived at the doctor’s office within a few short minutes, right at 9am. Nik had to help me walk in the door and once I walked in the front door my water broke. It was not "gushing" at that point, but more "leaking". Nik ran in, and told the nurses. They told me I still needed to come in, and get checked out. So I did. I remember leaning against the wall, in their waiting room, just moaning through the pain. Serious pain. I remember feeling so embarrassed. I knew there were people in the waiting room and they could totally see me - but I just kept my back to them and stood there until they called me back. Thankfully, they called me back quickly! 

A different doctor was there to check me out (other than the one I talked to on the phone) and when he did I was 5cm dilated and 90% effaced. But when he said 5 cm dilated, my heart sank. When I was laboring with Jaxen it took me hours to go from 5 cm to 9cm and ready to push. So I was thinking I still had hours of this. But this doctor looked at us and said "get to the hospital now". 

So we did. The hospital was maybe a mile down the road (although - one lane, school zones and a few stop lights). And as Nik was pulling into the parking lot I realized I left my paperwork at home. As much pain as I was in, I told Nik to go home and get it. Because I could not imagine filling all that paperwork out again - It took me almost a solid hour to do it! So he drove us home (while I was moaning and crying in the car) and he had us back at the emergency room within probably 15 minutes. Once inside the emergency room, I doubled over, in pain, across the back of the chair I saw. Again, embarrassed, because people were all around. But by that time, I could hardly focus on anything. I remember just motioning to Nik to go tell them I was in labor because I was not leaving that spot. They came with a wheelchair in a matter of seconds, plopped me in and wheeled me to labor and delivery. 

There, I was asked to stand so they could weigh me, and to sign some paperwork. I remember standing in between contractions and laying over their counter during contractions after signing a few papers. I was really losing the ability to focus much at that point. After that, they wheeled me into a room. 

I had to undress and they wanted me to try using the bathroom. I did not understand why they wanted me to try to go potty and I kept telling them that I couldn't. But once I relaxed and tried to go, I did. And then I was laying on a hospital bed, asking for an epidural....

I had told Nik earlier in my pregnancy, that I would probably want an epidural if I would be laboring long... But that if I went in, and was close to pushing that I just wanted to do it - no pain meds. 

All I could think about at that point was the doctor telling me I was 5 cm dilated. So I wanted an epidural to get me to 10cm! The nurses kept telling me it was ordered and as soon as they could get me in the sysyem and get an IV in me, I would get one. In my mind, they were taking their sweet time to make this happen. I was in the worst pain of my life. What was actually happening, is that my veins were moving and they could not get an IV in me. I was in complete labor, with contractions coming fast and strong. I remember closing my eyes (basically from the time at the doctor’s office in the hallway) and not opening them. At all. I could not focus on anything and keeping my eyes closed apparently helped. So I had no idea when they finally got the IV in me, but they did, after multiple attempts. I also had no idea they put a blood pressure cuff on my right arm, but they did. 

At one point, I asked Nik what was wrong with my arm... It hurt and was numb and I didn’t understand stand why my arm was hurting! He sweetly told me they were taking my blood pressure. I might have been being a bit dramatic (Nik’s words). Haha. 

And I think it was right after that, that I asked the question... "Am I supposed to be pushing?" The nurse asked "do you need to push?" My reply: I don't know! And then there was a lot of hustle and bustle happening and they were frantically trying to get a doctor in to check me. 

The doc finally arrived (he was in the middle of a c-secion) to check me and quickly asked to be gloved and gowned - that I was at 9cm and pushing! I again asked for an epidural (I don’t think I actually understood what was happening) and Nik finally told me (what he knew to be true all along) that there was no time for an epidural - that the baby was coming now! 

Once the doc gave me the ok to push - I remember trying to push, but all that was happening was that I was screaming from the pain. Literally screaming! During my screams, I hollered out "golly gee". And the nurse and Nik both laughed at my choice of words. The nurse even commented on how polite I was! I guess those are not the words you normally hear from someone pushing out a 9 pound baby! Haha. 

So basically I was screaming my head off and could not focus long enough to push. I remember feeling like I was going to pass out and that was because I was not breathing. I kept telling them I didn't know how to breath (again, a little dramatic). Finally Nik got in my face (at which point I guess I put him in a headlock) and he told me to stop screaming and push!!! Finally something in me clicked... And I thought - the faster I quit screaming and the faster I push, the faster this is over. So I did. And Zane’s head came out! And I almost kicked my doctor in the process and made the nurse feel like she was holding down a wild animal. She later commented on how strong I was, and how hard it was to keep me still. And during that time, I bent the IV that was in my hand (and later on had major bruising all over my hand from the many attempts and bending the needle). But just two more pushes and baby Zane was out. At 10:16am, on Monday morning. It all happened so very fast!

I did tear - but just a first degree tear. The tear was not near as bad as it was with Jaxen.

Once Zane was out, the doctor asked Nik the size of our last baby. Nik told him 7 pounds and 7 ounces. The doctor chuckled and told Nik that this kid was at least a 9 pounder! Nik was able to cut the umbilical cord and I was able to have skin-to-skin time with Zane (I did not get that chance with Jaxen) so that was super special for me. After a bit, they took Zane to weigh him and get him all cleaned up.

And a few other stories from my labor and delivery…

In between contractions Nik later told me that I asked about our car - and I told Nik he needed to go move it! (He had parked in front of the emergency entrance, and just left our car there.) It is funny to me that I was concerned about our car!

Apparently a nurse had to calm down a first time mom who was laboring down the hall from us. She heard me screaming and I guess I was making her pretty nervous. The nurse told me that she had to keep telling her that it was a mom birthing a very large baby with no pain meds…but that she would be fine!

And when we were walking from my labor room to the post partum room - we ran into a lady who recognized me from the doctor’s office that morning (I guess she was in the waiting room) and was shocked to see I was carrying a baby! All she kept saying was “that was fast”!

The nurse who was with me during delivery kept telling me how awesome I was and how great I was that I was able to deliver so quickly and that I should feel like superwoman. I kept thinking about how everyone said I was so strong and brave and I just knew I did not feel that way at all! Giving birth is no joke. And any woman who goes through it is just as strong and brave with or without pain meds and with 3 pushes or 30. I have been through both. And yes, I am proud of myself. But it was hard!

There are so many things to be thankful for… I’m so glad Nik was there. He was awesome, and I was reminded of how thankful I am that he is my husband and the father of my children. I’m am glad delivery happened quickly, but more than that - I am thankful for no complications and a healthy baby boy. The nurses who attended to us were amazing. And the love and support from our church family and friends was just incredible and overwhelming (in a good way).

So that’s Zane’s birth story! And as funny as it may be…I’m thankful for the funny moments and memories that came from this experience.

And now I am looking forward to watching this sweet baby grow and how he already (at three weeks old) fits so perfectly into our family!