Admit day at Spectrum Health Butterworth. The same hospital I was born at. I was so antsy that day waiting for 7 pm to come so we could head out the door and be on the road at long last. Our scheduled induction was for 7:30pm.
Doug's Dad and Step-mother came out that afternoon and followed us to the hospital so they would know where to go Tuesday. Doug's Mother was going to catch a flight out of Seattle Tuesday morning.
We live three miles from the hospital so it doesn't exactly take a half hour for us to get there. We arrived a tad early. I never have liked being late to an appointment. :-)
The Helen Devos Children's Hospital opened up earlier this year and had been excited that I would be able to have the boys there. BUT... it was not to be. After all of the planning they did they changed it and did not end up moving the labor and delivery nor the NICU over there. It is still in the Center tower of Butterworth. Needless to say I was quite disappointed when my doctor told me to go through the ER entrance as usual. From what he explained the hospital realized as they were building the children's hospital that they would already be at capacity by the time it opened so some things had to change from the original plan. Crazy huh? Oh well. I am very glad that it was built and they have so many services there to offer.
In spite of being early we had no problems getting in right away. They were ready and waiting for us. The plan was to have an ultrasound to verify the boys were still down. Check! Then they needed to see if I had made any progress on my own. No. So then they went ahead and gave me some Cervidil. It stays in for 12 hours and the hope is that it will soften the cervix. So the long wait began.
I started out in the hospital bed but that didn't last for long. It was way to uncomfortable. You would think that the hospital would get some much more comfortable beds considering the person in them is going to be in so much discomfort. I doubt I was in that bed for a half hour. I had Doug move some furniture around and bring the recliner close to the monitor. This recliner is where I stayed mostly through the night the next day and the next night.
The Cervidil did cause me to have fairly frequent contractions which is good. But since it made me obviously uncomfortable they gave me some Stadol so that I could rest through the night. It made me get the shakes and feel yucky. I had this with the last pregnancy but I thought it was because of the Pitocin. Now that I know it was the Stadol I am making a mental note to never take that again.
May 3rd.
Yay, today is there birthday! Or so I expected. Ha ha, jokes on me.
I was checked for any progress and there was barely any difference. Grrrrr. The doctor decided to go with Pitocin instead of another round of the Cervidil. He hoped that my body would decide to progress on its own. It was a very uncomfortable day. The Pitocin definitely made me have contractions and at one point they had to back down on how much I was getting because they were coming to frequently. I took a couple of showers that day and it helped me to relax. By the evening I was so tired and at my end that I was getting weepy. I didn't feel like I could go on. I was ready to give up.
You all know how much I did not want a c-section but I was really contemplating it. Doug was so wonderful to me. He kept encouraging me and saying how he knew I could do it. He told me how strong I was. I had not progressed much all day and so I was not at a point were I could even get an epidural to alleviate the pain. That evening the Pitocin was turned off and I was able to order some dinner. I was so hungry and grateful to eat. Then I was given another round of the Cervidil as well as some Morphine mixed with something else to help with the pain and make me sleep. The morphine managed to help me make it through the night but I was in tears again the next morning. The discomfort was more than I could stand. Doug kept encouraging me.
Grandpa Doug, Grandma Heidi, Grandma Wanda and Grandpa Mike were there part of the day hanging out with us. We had a nice time visiting but we were all a bit bummed that the boys were not going to come that day. The grandparents left to get some rest and would come back to wait again the next day.
May 4th
They checked me again that morning and there was finally softening and changes happening. I ordered breakfast before they hooked me up to the Pitocin again. I tried taking a shower but it didn't last very long. I hurt so much I couldn't stand or sit in the water. I got out and leaned over the tub feeling very nauseous. But by the time the food arrived I was still feeling so sick to my stomach from the pain that I couldn't eat a bite. At least Doug got to eat it for me so it didn't go to waste.
The good news was that I was progressed enough that I could get the epidural and it couldn't come soon enough. Time to move out of the recliner and into the bed. The anesthesiologist came in and I knew from prior experience that this was going to be really hard for me. You have to lean forward during a contraction and not move while he inserts the needle. OMG! I kept counting and telling myself just a few more minutes and then the pain will be gone. Only a few more minutes....
Finally finished. The soft tingling in my toes started and worked its way up my legs. Oh man, that feels so much better. Finally some relief. And laying in the uncomfortable bed wasn't so uncomfortable any more...because I couldn't feel it. :-)
I don't remember much of the rest of the day because I slept through most of it. I know that my doctor came in a couple of times but I had no sense of time. Then my doctor walked in and started getting equipment out and ready which woke me from one of my snoozes. I asked him if it was time to start pushing and to my happiness he nodded and said yes I was ready. They rolled me over to my back and got me ready. The grandpas left the room. My mom and Doug were going to be there with me and I had invited Heidi to stay if she wanted to. I think this made her a little excited. Okay okay, maybe a lot excited. I'm glad I could make this day special for her.
I couldn't feel any of the contractions so I had to rely solely on the doctors and nurses. When they said push I pushed. Three pushes later out popped William. Wow! That was quite unexpected on my part. I was expecting a little more time pushing the first one out. I thought that would be the long part of pushing, to get the first one out.
They layed him on my stomach but he couldn't come up too close to me because he had a short umbilical cord. Time of birth was 4:20pm. Doug cut the cord while I admired the top of my little ones head. He had such dark hair. Not much, but it was dark like Arawynn's was. I pulled William up closer to me so I could see his face. He was so tiny. Such tiny features. Petite might be a better explanation. He was gorgeous. I held him for a few minutes until it was time to start pushing again. I handed William over to a nurse so she could clean him up.
Push. Push. Push. Take a break and wait for the next contraction. Push. Push. Push. Second break. Push. Push. Push. Another break. Push. Push. Push. He's almost there, just keep pushing if you can. Push. Push. And there he was. Again they laid my baby on my stomach. Time of birth 4:39pm. Nineteen minutes after his brother. The first thing I can see is the top of his head and noticed that his hair was lighter than William. And he was white. Almost blue actually. I was concerned that the cord was around his neck but it had not been. After the cord was cut I pulled him up close so I could see his face. He looks so much like Doug. He had such big lips. His face was so much more round than William. He was already wanting to nurse as his mouth went through the sucking motions. I handed him off to a nurse to get him cleaned up.
William was handed back to me all cleaned up, wrapped up and wearing a hospital hat. They wrote a big A on the front of his hat. He was so precious. I admired his little face more and we talked for a bit. I eventually let his Papa hold him. Doug brought William over to Levi and showed him his brother while Levi was getting cleaned up. Then I guess he went out into the hall to show the Grandpas their grandson. I found out later that my dad had been waiting by the door and listening for their cries when they were born. He was beside himself with anticipation.
At some point I tried nursing and I was able to hold Levi after he was all cleaned up. But it's all a blur and I don't really remember much. I was just so happy and exhausted. I wanted to hold my babies and admire them but I wanted to have a nap too. It was a good day.
Happy birthday my precious boys!
You all know how much I did not want a c-section but I was really contemplating it. Doug was so wonderful to me. He kept encouraging me and saying how he knew I could do it. He told me how strong I was. I had not progressed much all day and so I was not at a point were I could even get an epidural to alleviate the pain. That evening the Pitocin was turned off and I was able to order some dinner. I was so hungry and grateful to eat. Then I was given another round of the Cervidil as well as some Morphine mixed with something else to help with the pain and make me sleep. The morphine managed to help me make it through the night but I was in tears again the next morning. The discomfort was more than I could stand. Doug kept encouraging me.
Grandpa Doug, Grandma Heidi, Grandma Wanda and Grandpa Mike were there part of the day hanging out with us. We had a nice time visiting but we were all a bit bummed that the boys were not going to come that day. The grandparents left to get some rest and would come back to wait again the next day.
May 4th
They checked me again that morning and there was finally softening and changes happening. I ordered breakfast before they hooked me up to the Pitocin again. I tried taking a shower but it didn't last very long. I hurt so much I couldn't stand or sit in the water. I got out and leaned over the tub feeling very nauseous. But by the time the food arrived I was still feeling so sick to my stomach from the pain that I couldn't eat a bite. At least Doug got to eat it for me so it didn't go to waste.
The good news was that I was progressed enough that I could get the epidural and it couldn't come soon enough. Time to move out of the recliner and into the bed. The anesthesiologist came in and I knew from prior experience that this was going to be really hard for me. You have to lean forward during a contraction and not move while he inserts the needle. OMG! I kept counting and telling myself just a few more minutes and then the pain will be gone. Only a few more minutes....
Finally finished. The soft tingling in my toes started and worked its way up my legs. Oh man, that feels so much better. Finally some relief. And laying in the uncomfortable bed wasn't so uncomfortable any more...because I couldn't feel it. :-)
I don't remember much of the rest of the day because I slept through most of it. I know that my doctor came in a couple of times but I had no sense of time. Then my doctor walked in and started getting equipment out and ready which woke me from one of my snoozes. I asked him if it was time to start pushing and to my happiness he nodded and said yes I was ready. They rolled me over to my back and got me ready. The grandpas left the room. My mom and Doug were going to be there with me and I had invited Heidi to stay if she wanted to. I think this made her a little excited. Okay okay, maybe a lot excited. I'm glad I could make this day special for her.
I couldn't feel any of the contractions so I had to rely solely on the doctors and nurses. When they said push I pushed. Three pushes later out popped William. Wow! That was quite unexpected on my part. I was expecting a little more time pushing the first one out. I thought that would be the long part of pushing, to get the first one out.
They layed him on my stomach but he couldn't come up too close to me because he had a short umbilical cord. Time of birth was 4:20pm. Doug cut the cord while I admired the top of my little ones head. He had such dark hair. Not much, but it was dark like Arawynn's was. I pulled William up closer to me so I could see his face. He was so tiny. Such tiny features. Petite might be a better explanation. He was gorgeous. I held him for a few minutes until it was time to start pushing again. I handed William over to a nurse so she could clean him up.
Push. Push. Push. Take a break and wait for the next contraction. Push. Push. Push. Second break. Push. Push. Push. Another break. Push. Push. Push. He's almost there, just keep pushing if you can. Push. Push. And there he was. Again they laid my baby on my stomach. Time of birth 4:39pm. Nineteen minutes after his brother. The first thing I can see is the top of his head and noticed that his hair was lighter than William. And he was white. Almost blue actually. I was concerned that the cord was around his neck but it had not been. After the cord was cut I pulled him up close so I could see his face. He looks so much like Doug. He had such big lips. His face was so much more round than William. He was already wanting to nurse as his mouth went through the sucking motions. I handed him off to a nurse to get him cleaned up.
William was handed back to me all cleaned up, wrapped up and wearing a hospital hat. They wrote a big A on the front of his hat. He was so precious. I admired his little face more and we talked for a bit. I eventually let his Papa hold him. Doug brought William over to Levi and showed him his brother while Levi was getting cleaned up. Then I guess he went out into the hall to show the Grandpas their grandson. I found out later that my dad had been waiting by the door and listening for their cries when they were born. He was beside himself with anticipation.
holding William
At some point I tried nursing and I was able to hold Levi after he was all cleaned up. But it's all a blur and I don't really remember much. I was just so happy and exhausted. I wanted to hold my babies and admire them but I wanted to have a nap too. It was a good day.
Levi
Happy birthday my precious boys!
Levi Gregory Lang
William Robert Lang
Those are gorgeous little boys! Blessings on the days ahead. You will be one busy Mama, but how worthwhile it will all be.
ReplyDeleteLove it! Thank you for sharing their story! They are beautiful. You and Doug are amazing parents. I think of you often and especially will be thinking of you this week, as I know it will be bitter-sweet. In my thoughts and prayers.
ReplyDeleteHeart hugs,
Jenni, Eric, Joshua and Alizabeth Black