Birth Story

Monday, Jan. 25

Go off contraction meds

Thursday, Jan. 28

Lower back pain slowly returns.  I put on a smiling face and go about my day.  I go out to dinner with my family, but I'm pretty miserable. I hardly sleep that night.

Friday, Jan. 29
Back pain slightly intensifies.  I try to wrap things up at work "just in case" I don't make it back on Monday.  I run a few errands with my mom and Rachelle... in which I regret later that night.  I don't sleep again.

Saturday, Jan. 30

I try to sleep-in (after a rough night).  My lower back is still killing me.  I attend my Ludwig family shower and slowly the pain gets worse.  Later that night, Chase and I decide to run to the store and pick up a few groceries and hospital treats "just in case."  At the store, I stopped several times to rest on a chair or bench.   I jump in the bathtub as soon as we get home, around 9:00 pm.  As I'm sitting there, relaxing through the pain, I hear a POP (literally, sounded like a balloon popping under water).  I feel a gush of fluid and notice a clear stream leaking from me.  I sit there a minute trying to conceptualize what just happened.  Did I imagine that sound?  Did my water just break?  Really?  The contractions start coming... I knew then it was go time.  I yelled to Chase.  He came running upstairs and frantically started packing last-minute items in our hospital bags.  I sat in the tub, breathing through a few contractions and trying to remain calm.  As we were ready to leave, Chase and I looked at each other one last time and realized our lives would be changed forever. As we drove to the hospital, the pain was getting a little worse.  We were quickly admitted into the hospital and settled into our room around 9:45 pm.  They hooked me up to my monitors and started asking questions.  They first checked me around 10:00 pm and I was at 7cm!  Within 45 minutes, I was at 9cm.  The pain was pretty intense.  I tried different positions and breathing techniques.  I started throwing up and shaking uncontrollably.  I just couldn't gain control of my body.  At that point, I knew it would be best to get an epidural.  I asked for a "light" epidural... that way I could still feel most of the delivery, but some of the pain would be diminished.  They hurried and gave me the epidural.  Immediately after, they checked me again and said it was time to push.  I couldn't believe it... everything was happening so fast!  So I started pushing around 11:30 pm.  After about 20 minutes of pushing, the doctor's face started looking a little concerned.  He went on to explain that every time I pushed, the baby's heart rate drastically dropped.  I pushed a few more times.  His heart rate still dropped.  He used the vacuum.  It still didn't help.  The doctor looked at me with a very concerned face and said, "I'm not liking the look of this.  We are probably looking at caesarian as our only option.  We don't want to risk the baby's health."  My eyes watered up.  Those are the words you never want to hear in the middle of delivery.  I was exhausted, but determined.  His little head was crowned.  He was so close.  I said a million prayers (so did our family waiting outside the room) and told the doctor to give me one more chance. 

Sunday, Jan. 31
After two mighty last pushes, Tatum made his big (and loud) debut at 12:30 am!  I was instantly relieved of back pain and my once-stretched stomach was a ease.  I looked at my baby boy and couldn't believe he was finally here. Chase was such a proud and protective dad.  He just held him for hours.  Later that morning, the nurses brought Tatum to me for a feeding.  It was as I was holding him, examining him, cuddling him that I cried tears of joy and pure love.  He was mine.  I was a mother to this beautiful boy.  I felt the greatest love.  He was worth it all!