Caedon's story

At 2:58 pm this afternoon my baby boy will be one week old.  Time to get his birth story down on paper.  Well, at least in words on the computer.  :) 

I went to bed Saturday night and woke up at 1:10 am on Sunday, August 28th with a very odd feeling.  That's when I realized that my water had broken.  I had told Brian the day before that I kinda hoped my water would break because it had never broken on its own before.  This is an example of "be careful what you wish for."  I called my midwife, Tina, and she asked if I was having any contractions.  I said no and she said to go back to bed and try to sleep because when the water breaks early in labor it often means it will be a slower labor.  I tried, but I didn't get much more sleep that night.  By Sunday, late morning, my contractions still hadn't started so I met Tina at the birthing center so she could check me and she gave me some herbs and such to try to get my contractions started.  I spent the rest of the afternoon taking red raspberry capsules, drinking castor oil (that stuff is NASTY, btw) and black and blue cohash.  Can I tell you that being induced with these things is much nastier than being induced medically?  Regardless, none of it worked.  I did briefly have contractions, for about 2 hours, pretty consistently.  But then they just stopped.  Tina told me to go to bed and sleep while I could but that if my labor hadn't gotten started by morning we'd have to discuss a new plan - meaning that I would be headed to the hospital for a medical induction. 

At 7 am Tina called and told me to get things ready and head to the hospital because my water had been broken for 30 hours at that point and the longer it's broken without baby coming, the more chance there is for infection for me and baby.  She called ahead to Baylor Dallas to have them prepare for me to transfer there.  We arrived at the hospital around 9 am, I think, and got settled into a room and they gave me an IV and hooked me up to all the monitors.  I was dilated to a 3.  By 10 am or so I had pitocin working and I started having contractions.  We started noticing that Caedon's heart rate was slowing every time that my contractions would peak and it bothered us.  Obviously it bothered the staff, as well, because they started coming in and asking me to switch positions and trying to figure out if he was laying on his cord, causing the dips in heart rate during contractions.  They also started an amnio infusion - putting liquid back into my uterus to try to cushion the cord and baby.  None of it worked.  They turned off the pitocin around noon.  I continued to contract and his heart rate continued to dip with every one.  The doctor came in around 2 pm and explained that during the hours of contractions I had only dilated about one more centimeter and his heart rate was taking longer to come back up after each dip.  If I had been alot further along in my labor this wouldn't have been as much of a problem because he would have been almost born and the dips wouldn't have affected him as much.  But I still had a long way to go and he could not tolerate hours more of labor.  The safest option was a c-section.  And by this point I'd already given up my hopes for a homebirth, obviously, and all that mattered was getting my sweet Caedon here safely.  I quickly agreed to the c-section and they started making all of the arrangements.

In labor - shortly before deciding to do the c-section.  They had me on oxygen to help with Caedon's oxygen level.

Right before the c-section started.  That blanket over my top half was soooo warm.  It was freezing in the OR and I was shaking because of nerves so it was wonderful when they put the blanket over me.

I was taken to the OR soon after and given the epidural and prepped for surgery.  Before surgery started Tina arrived and was allowed to be in the OR with me and Brian.  Being fully awake during a surgery was such an odd sensation.  I knew they were cutting me open on the other side of the curtain but I couldn't see anything and could feel very little.  Very soon I heard a precious little cry and my boy was here!  He had the cord wrapped tightly around his neck twice, which was causing the cord compression and heart rate dips.  I am so thankful that he was safely delivered!  He is healthy and beautiful and such a wonderful baby!  He was born August 29, 2011 at 2:58 pm.  He was 7 lbs, 6 oz and 20.5 inches long.

New little man - getting cleaned up!

Tina sitting with me while we watched them clean Caedon up.

He's a handsome little boy!

He was never taken out of my sight - they cleaned him up where I was able to see him and then he was swaddled and given to Brian.  He brought him to me and we admired our Caedon while I got stitched up and ready for the recovery room.

Meeting my baby boy - outside of the womb.  :)

Headed to the recovery room with my baby boy

The hospital experience was not bad.  I was treated very well - one of the reasons Tina had me go to Baylor Dallas.  The hospitals around Rockwall are not really fans of the birthing center here and don't tend to be very welcoming of homebirth transfer moms - and would not have allowed Tina to be with me for the delivery.  I can say that I did enjoy having meals show up on a tray for me every day.  I miss that... :) 

Ready to go home from the hospital!

Putting Caedon in his carseat.

We're home!

We came home on Thursday afternoon and while it's been somewhat overwhelming to have three kiddos and deal with my hormones going crazy, along with Brian's restrictions, we're adjusting.  Caedon is a very calm, mellow baby and he's pretty easy.  He's already sleeping wonderfully at night - waking twice to eat and going back to sleep.  And the last two mornings he's woken up around 5:30 am and since it was still 2 hours until time for him to eat again, I've brought him to snuggle with me in bed and we've both gone back to sleep.  It's odd - I've never been able to sleep with one of them in bed with me or even in a separate bed in our room, but he's just not a wiggly baby and he doesn't keep me awake at all.

I am recovering well physically.  Not nearly as quickly as after Melissa's birth, but it's actually been an easier recovery than after Kyler.  Emotionally, I'm a mess!  My hormones are going crazy on top of the mild depression I've been dealing with for the last few months, so I tend to cry very easily.  I've told Brian to keep an eye on me because I'm aware that with this baby I know developing postpartum depression is very possible.  I didn't struggle with it at all with the other two but Caedon's pregnancy and birth have been such a roller coaster ride.

And now I have three VERY different birth stories to share.  Hospital, epidural, vaginal delivery - with a 4th degree tear and blood transfusion - with Kyler, home waterbirth, no tears, perfect textbook delivery with Melissa, and attempted homebirth that turned into a c-section delivery at the hospital with Caedon.  I said I should just be a doctor.  I know it all now.  :)

My three sweet kiddos - I don't know how I got blessed with three such awesome little people!  I love them!

My family of five.  We have our struggles but I am blessed every day to get to see their sweet faces!