Frederick Duncan West and Sebastian Wilde West! For simplicity I will just send you here for pictures, because hijacking them all would take time and energy I'd rather not spend right now.
Story is long, so feel free to jump toward the middle or the end or whatever! =)
The Story:
Friday, late morning, 37 weeks pregnant, went into the doctor and we talked about my options. Since the specialist had recommended delivery between 37 and 37.5 weeks we realized we were running out of time to let me go into labor myself. We discussed the options, which weren't many and decided to try to induce as safely as possible that evening since she was going to be at the hospital anyway. I was very apprehensive about what was going to happen. The word "pitocin" may have been used and my blood pressure may have been very high.
Paul gave me a beautiful blessing that was, I think, the most specific (and the longest) blessing he's ever given me. I felt much better after this, knew I could have my boys vaginally, and things would all be okay.
We dropped off our older kids at Ella's (God bless her) and went to the hospital to have an NST and AFI before Dr. Kopacz (pronounced "co-patch") arrived. However, it ended up taking a VERY long time to get Frederick to move enough to declare both babies were looking great. Fortunately, during this time I started contracting sporadically and it was at least looking my my body would cooperate if prodded correctly.
It was decided doc would break my water and if that didn't get things going along we would try a low dose of Pitocin. The mention of Pit was what I was so anxious about because it's considered a no-no with VBACs due to an increased risk of uterine rupture.
It started raining on our way to the hospital. Apparently rain brings pregnant women into the hospital in droves. They were so busy I didn't leave triage until 7:30 to get a bed in L&D. By that time I had been stuck twice in unsuccessful IV attempts. This did not make me a happy person. Finally, after I got into my room they sent me a great nurse who got me set up on an IV first try. Then, doc came in--I think around 8:00--and broke my water, happily reporting that I was actually at a 2 now (that morning in the office I was at a 1). Nothing happened for about 10 minutes and I was worried, but then they started coming much quicker at 3-5 minutes apart and getting more intense all the time.
Around 9:30 the anesthesiologist came in and introduced himself. Great guy, good sense of humor, and good at what he does. We talked it over, decided it would be best for me to get an epi sooner rather than later due to the fact that he wasn't currently busy and also to get a catheter in my back just in case we had to do an emergency c-section. I was in quite a bit of pain by then anyway, so they checked me before he stuck me and I was at a 4. Yay!
Got my epi at 9:30. I think the pain meds make me sick because I remember feeling that way with Alexa too at one point. They gave me some Zofran to combat the nausea. For some reason it made me REALLY sleepy. So, I rested, though didn't really sleep, from about 10:00 to 12:30ish or so. I was just starting to feel some really intense pain through the epi around that time and it just got worse in the next 20 minutes. Had a nurse come in insisting she up my drip. Doc said I needed to be checked first. So, at 12:55ish they checked me and declared me a 9! Said they were going to prep the OR, started handing out funny blue jumpsuits (for Mom and Paul) and caps.
I was wheeled into the OR (a precaution due to high risk birth) at about 1:00 AM. Mom and Paul were called in about 15 minutes later after all prepping was done. Then, doc said, "You can push whenever." Baby A, Frederick, was born after one long push at 1:18 (5 lbs. 1 oz.). She broke 2nd water and Baby B, Sebastian, came 2 minutes later, also in one long (a little longer) push at 1:20 (4 lbs. 6 oz.). I rested for a couple minutes, pushed out the placenta, and that was it. It was done. I didn't tear, and everything looked great!
I was in shock at the speed and ease of the whole L&D process, especially the delivery. It was an amazing experience and everyone in the OR with us thought it was a cool experience. The staff here is GREAT and my doc is everything I would ever want for any woman to have for their own OB. It was a beautiful experience.
Hopefully, we'll get to take these little guys home tomorrow. Unfortunately, they wouldn't let our kids in due to cold and flu season. Alexa didn't care as she has no idea what's going on, but Keith was bummed.
So, thank you everyone who's been supportive, and thank you to everyone who said prayers on our behalf. It's been a great journey!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
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Friday, March 5, 2010
Reflated!! (or whatever...)
yeah, i had a great doctor appointment. there's so much good news i'm not sure where to start. i don't want to recount my entire appointment, but i don't want to leave anything out either.
good news: doc spoke to peri (specialist) and discussed delivery date and vbac options. peri was very clear that she doesn't recommend a vbac for me which, of course, i was fully aware of. my doc also wanted to know why she recommends such an early delivery. peri said she's personally never had a problem with lung development by that time with twins--which is, i think, what my doc was most concerned with for obvious reasons--and that's just when she delivers them. doc told me she's willing to let me deliver at 37 weeks if that's what i want, BUT she sees no reason to force me to have a c-section as long as baby A is in correct position for delivery. the assumption is that while there's a 1% risk with a singleton of uterine rupture, it could be higher with twins because there's more pressure on the scar. however, since there are no studies to suggest that that is the case, my doc is willing to still let me try.
oh, and she said i'm at about a 1. not great, but since sunday i was pretty much a zero, i'll take it.
better news: went in to check out the babies on the ultrasound machine. both babies are head down!! yay! i told the doctor that i'd been putting ear phones down there on my belly playing classical music. she thought this was funny and said "i wonder if that helped?" i said "i dunno, but i read it online and figured it was an easy enough thing to try."
she also wanted to be sure i understood that i have the right to refuse a c-section and they can't make me or it's assault. i knew this, but it's nice to hear that my doc is on my side, fighting for me and helping me fight for myself. in fact, she made sure i have a copy of the consent form i had to sign acknowledging the risks of vbac, but saying i want one anyway so the hospital can't say they "lost it", just in case.
best news: she is so personally invested that she gave me her OWN phone #. she said "i don't give it out to very many people." well, yeah! but she wanted me to know that if i have a doc that is being pushy, trying to make me section or one who i am uncomfortable with i can call her personally and she will come in for me, esp. if it's a night or a weekend. seriously, how much awesomeness is that??
you cannot deny the awesomeness of my OB after all that. it is sooo nice to know that my doctor is 110% behind me and truly has my interests at heart. who wouldn't want a doctor like that? she even said "i'm excited!" and you know what? that makes me excited.
good news: doc spoke to peri (specialist) and discussed delivery date and vbac options. peri was very clear that she doesn't recommend a vbac for me which, of course, i was fully aware of. my doc also wanted to know why she recommends such an early delivery. peri said she's personally never had a problem with lung development by that time with twins--which is, i think, what my doc was most concerned with for obvious reasons--and that's just when she delivers them. doc told me she's willing to let me deliver at 37 weeks if that's what i want, BUT she sees no reason to force me to have a c-section as long as baby A is in correct position for delivery. the assumption is that while there's a 1% risk with a singleton of uterine rupture, it could be higher with twins because there's more pressure on the scar. however, since there are no studies to suggest that that is the case, my doc is willing to still let me try.
oh, and she said i'm at about a 1. not great, but since sunday i was pretty much a zero, i'll take it.
better news: went in to check out the babies on the ultrasound machine. both babies are head down!! yay! i told the doctor that i'd been putting ear phones down there on my belly playing classical music. she thought this was funny and said "i wonder if that helped?" i said "i dunno, but i read it online and figured it was an easy enough thing to try."
she also wanted to be sure i understood that i have the right to refuse a c-section and they can't make me or it's assault. i knew this, but it's nice to hear that my doc is on my side, fighting for me and helping me fight for myself. in fact, she made sure i have a copy of the consent form i had to sign acknowledging the risks of vbac, but saying i want one anyway so the hospital can't say they "lost it", just in case.
best news: she is so personally invested that she gave me her OWN phone #. she said "i don't give it out to very many people." well, yeah! but she wanted me to know that if i have a doc that is being pushy, trying to make me section or one who i am uncomfortable with i can call her personally and she will come in for me, esp. if it's a night or a weekend. seriously, how much awesomeness is that??
you cannot deny the awesomeness of my OB after all that. it is sooo nice to know that my doctor is 110% behind me and truly has my interests at heart. who wouldn't want a doctor like that? she even said "i'm excited!" and you know what? that makes me excited.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Yikes!
we have a very informal preschool going on with a few kids in our ward. as i've been very uncomfortable and tired i've decided not to go anymore. fortunately a friend has been picking keith up and taking him with her son. so, this morning after he left i decided to take alexa for a walk and try to get something going. anything going. on the way back i saw 3 kids, none of which were older than 4, running around, crossing the street and playing. one, a little girl probably 2 1/2 or so, was completely naked.
i looked and looked for an adult, and as i got closer realized for sure, there was no adult out there. now, i know there are parents out there that wouldn't care about this, sadly. however, most parents in their right mind wouldn't let their kids run around alone outside, naked, on a cold day. how did they get out of the house, you ask?
apparently, the window at the front of the house was a bedroom. a child's bedroom. and the window was not only unlocked, but didn't have a screen on it. and that's right, you guessed it; they had opened up their window all the way and jumped out. they're pretty low to the ground (if you've seen the windows on the front of my house, you know).
as i got closer the little boy talked to me. i responded with, "where's your mommy? does your mommy know you're out here?" to which he replied a pretty firm yes, but i knew better. so i told him "you better go inside and tell your mommy you're out here."
fortunately, i saw him go to the window and climb inside, and i assume he did just that because when i was about 3 or 4 houses past, i heard her come out. she didn't sound too happy. and all i could think was, "yikes!"
in retrospect, i suppose i should've just knocked on the door and told her point-blank that her kids were running amok, but that didn't occur to me at the time. at least i got her attention through her crazy son.
i looked and looked for an adult, and as i got closer realized for sure, there was no adult out there. now, i know there are parents out there that wouldn't care about this, sadly. however, most parents in their right mind wouldn't let their kids run around alone outside, naked, on a cold day. how did they get out of the house, you ask?
apparently, the window at the front of the house was a bedroom. a child's bedroom. and the window was not only unlocked, but didn't have a screen on it. and that's right, you guessed it; they had opened up their window all the way and jumped out. they're pretty low to the ground (if you've seen the windows on the front of my house, you know).
as i got closer the little boy talked to me. i responded with, "where's your mommy? does your mommy know you're out here?" to which he replied a pretty firm yes, but i knew better. so i told him "you better go inside and tell your mommy you're out here."
fortunately, i saw him go to the window and climb inside, and i assume he did just that because when i was about 3 or 4 houses past, i heard her come out. she didn't sound too happy. and all i could think was, "yikes!"
in retrospect, i suppose i should've just knocked on the door and told her point-blank that her kids were running amok, but that didn't occur to me at the time. at least i got her attention through her crazy son.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
tuckered out
paul and i took a shower yesterday afternoon and shut the door on the kids. keith was watching tv and apparently alexa was so tuckered out she just dropped. this is quite unusual for her.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
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