Pretty Abigail 1 week old

Abigail Rose's Birth Story

Baby's Name: Abigail Rose
Sex: F
Date of Birth: 1/20/2014
Original Due Date: 1/10/2014
Weeks Pregnant: 41 + 3
Baby's Weight: 10 lbs 1 oz
Baby's Length: 21 in
Birth Story or link to Birth Story:

Up until 39 weeks, my baby was breech. I really wanted to avoid a cesarean, but my hospital wouldn't perform a version on me because I had a cesarean scar. I found a hospital and a doctor an hour away that would allow and perform one, and it was a wonderful success. The night before my daughter was born, I became very ill with vomiting and diarrhea. I slept pitifully, but I felt well enough to go to my regular OB appointment the next day. My blood pressure had been creeping up the last few weeks and since my blood pressure now reached 140/90, plus also having protein in my urine, my birth plans were about to change. Since I was past my due date by more than a week, a gestational diabetic, a VBACer, and now showing signs of preeclampsia, my doctor had no choice but to schedule a cesarean the next day. I couldn't be induced because my hospital doesn't allow inductions for VBAC's. I was bummed because I have had wonderful, vaginal, unmedicated, natural births for my past five children, but I understood a Cesarean was necessary in this circumstance. I would never opt for a RCS unless there was a good reason, so I was OK with the plan, but I still cried tears of  regret and fear. My husband and I decided to go out for a lunch date to keep our spirits up and to celebrate the upcoming birth of our lovely daughter. Afterward, we went grocery shopping for last minute groceries and miscellaneous items. While shopping, I had a couple strong contractions. I prayed that this was the beginning of true labor. For weeks, I have what is known as prodromal labor: tons of contractions that last for a long while, then go away. It has not been easy. Unlike those prodromal contractions, these felt different and more intense. We decided on our way home from grocery shopping to pick up pizza for the kids. While waiting for our order in the car, I had a couple more contractions. I turned to my husband and said, "I am positive I am in labor!" I tend to labor super fast, so after we got home with the pizza's, we called my OB and told her to meet us at the hospital. I changed my clothes in case my water broke in the car. We arrived at the hospital at 6:30 pm (we live 5 minutes away). I was 6-7 cm and 100%. No cesarean for me! Praise God!! It took the nurses 3 times to get an IV into one of my huge veins. That hurt more than the contractions. Goodness, me! They brought in an ultrasound machine to confirm if my baby was still head down. She was, so no worries for a vaginal birth. I labored easily. I lightheartedly talked and laughed with my husband, the nurses, and resident doctor. When a contraction came, I relaxed my body and calmly moaned through the hard contractions. Twenty minutes later my Dr. showed up. She suggested breaking my water, which meant my baby would come in a few minutes! She broke my water and it had light meconium, but nothing worrisome. I went into the final part of labor immediately. This part in labor is always so intense for me. The sensation of my baby moving down the birth canal and crowning is almost too unbearable. It is not painful, really, but just incredibly overwhelming! I let my body do the pushing and I pushed when I felt like it, too. In two pushes, her head was out. Then, she turned her body, but her shoulders became stuck behind my pelvis. With the help of a nurse and my husband, I pulled my knees way back to open up my pelvis. With the next big push, my Dr. reached both hands into my vagina to move her shoulders past the pelvis. I let out a huge scream while I pushed with all my might and she was out! All ten pounds of her! I only had one little stitch after all that. Praise God for the best perineum recovery! Baby Abigail Rose was born at 7:33 pm, one hour from arriving at the hospital and two hours from that first contraction at the grocery store! 

Turned my breech baby!

Monday, January 6th, was a fantastic day. I started my day cold calling OB's hoping to find a doctor willing and able to flip my baby. I was fortunate. I received a call-back, around 1 pm, from Dr. Hartman. He practices in Grand Rapids at St. Mary's Hospital. He has been an OB for many decades and has a perfect success rate at flipping babies. He wanted to see me as soon as possible. I told I would be there in an hour. I just received a call 30 minutes prior from my OB office. The weather was so bad that they were trying to reschedule patients. I told them I could come in earlier than my original appt (3:45pm) and would be there at 12:45pm, 15 minutes after they called. We were running behind because our cars' battery had died and my husband was outside charging it. Amazingly, if our car was working properly, I would have missed Dr. Hartman's call! After receiving a call from Dr. Hartman, I called my OB office back and rescheduled for the next morning. It worked out for everyone!

The weather had be extremely treacherous for several days. Sub-zero temperatures, tons of snow, and white-out conditions would make our journey very dangerous. I was determined, so we jumped in the car, said a prayer, and headed out. It was a scary drive, but we made it in one piece. Dr. Hartman was a wonderful, sweet man. He did a quick exam, and said he wanted to perform the ECV that night! He said that there was no reason for us to drive home in this weather and he had nothing planned that evening! So, he called over to the hospital and set up our appointment for 7pm.

The hospital staff was very friendly. They hooked me up to the monitors, and we waited a couple hours until Dr. Hartman arrived. The anesthesiologist I met with explained I would have to refrain from eating and drinking just in case I needed an emergency c/s. I was sooo hungry and thirsty, but I figured I could suffer a little. The dehydration and low blood sugar was exasperating my already irritated uterus and I was contracting every five minutes.

When Dr. Hartman arrived, he brought another Ob, a resident Ob, the u/s Dr, and my nurse. A very crowded room! Chris stood to the right of me, next to my head. Dr. Hartman looked at the baby on the u/s, then felt around my belly. He pressed down on my lower ab and found the baby's bottom. Then he placed his other hand on her head and started to push really hard to the right. He was applying so much pressure that his arms were literally shaking. It was very intense pressure. He quickly and steadily moved the baby in 30 seconds! It was incredible! I just focused on relaxing and breathing calmly. He looked at the u/s, and baby was now head down. Success!! He told me it went so well because I stayed so relaxed. it was a team effort. They had me stay on the monitors for an hour afterward.

Abigail's heart rate was spiking at times during the contractions I was having, so they had me lay on my side a few times. They also had me eat a sandwich and receive an IV bag. As soon as the monitoring was complete, the resident Ob checked my cervix, since I had been been contracting the entire time. I was only a 3 cm, so they were comfortable letting us go home.

We spent the night at the Courtyard Marriott instead of driving home in the terrible weather, thanks to our friend who gave us a "friend discount." They had a restaurant in the hotel, so Chris finally got to eat something. It was fun to stay in such a nice place. After eating lots of food, we went to our room and watched TV, ate ice cream in our bed, and enjoyed our alone time.