Lux: Your birth story

Lux: Your birth story

Well my Lux, life is not always as you expect it.

My entire pregnancy with you, I was expecting a non-eventful labor and delivery in a birthing center. Our plan was to labor at home until my contractions were 3-5 mins apart, and then go to the birthing center, you would be born within 4-6 hours of arriving, and we would all go home 4 hours later.

The Sunday before you were born, we were at your grandma and grandpa Gillis’ house for dinner. Your dad told your grandma and grandpa that you were waiting until Wednesday, June 17 to be born, because they were leaving to go to Florida on Wednesday.

Tuesday night, June 16, I was having contractions all throughout the night. I went down stairs to walk around and lay on the couch, because I did not want to wake up your dad.

About 6:00 am on Wednesday, June 17, my water broke. My contractions were still about 10 mins apart. Around 7:00 am, I called the birthing center to let the midwife's know what was going on. They told me to call them back when my contractions were 3-5 mins apart. About an hour later my contractions were 3-5 mins apart. Your dad and I headed to the birthing center.

Once we arrived at the birthing center they checked to see how far dilated I was.  I was only at a 4. Your dad and I decided to go outside, and walk around. It was a very hot day, so we sat in the car, in the shade for awhile, then went back inside where it was cool. At about 10:00 am the midwife checked me again. I was at a 5, and was progressing at a good pace. Your dad and I thought you would be in our arms by 6:00 pm that day or sooner.  

I did a lot of laboring in their tub. Most of the contractions were in my back which did not feel very good.  At about 5:00 pm I was fully dilated and fully effaced. You were there and ready to come out. The contractions kept coming, and the midwife keep feeling your head, letting us know you were right there. It did not make a difference, no matter how many contraction I had you just were not coming out.

Sometime around 10:00 pm, I was no longer able to pee. I would sit on the toilet, knowing I needed to pee, but was unable to go. I expressed to your dad and the midwives that I was unable to pee. No one acted as though that was something to concern about.

While pregnant, I declined to do the GBS testing. If you only do one test while pregnant, you want to do this one. It was a mistake for me not to do this one.

Because I declined to do the GBS testing, they had to treat me as though I was GBS positive. At midnight, when you still had not arrived, they told me they had to put me on antibiotics, because they had to treat me as though I was GBS positive.  

They started the antibiotics around 2:00 am. Around 5:00 am one of the midwives told me that you were there, and ready to come out. I just needed to allow you to come out. She acted as though I was not allowing my body to let you come. She was wrong, there was not anything that I needed to deal with emotionally. I was ready for you to come. I wanted to hold you, and take you home. At 6:00 am, still no Lux. I did not understand why you were not coming to be with us.

The birthing center has a policy that if you have gone more than 24 hours with your water broke, and no baby, they have to transfer you to the hospital. The midwives called Timpanogos hospital to let them know that most likely I would be transferred, they also checked to see who the on call doctor was.

Doctor Clair J Glenn was the on call doctor. He is more pro vaginal birth, which was a good sign. However, he is a doctor, and if you heartbeat dropped at all he would have to deliver you via c-section.

About 10:00 am I no longer had a choice, they needed to transfer me to the hospital. I was so scared, because I thought for sure they would give me a c-section. Your heart was still strong. Both you and I were healthy, you and I kept fighting.

As we arrived at the hospital I noticed that I had a huge bulge in my belly.  Your dad mentioned that he saw it earlier at the birthing center.

Upon arrival at the hospital, they took us straight into the labor room, room 101. The doctor had ordered an epidural (to relax me) and an ultrasound (to see why you were not coming out). As the nurses came in to do the ultrasound, they as well noticed the bulge. The ultrasound revealed that the bulge was my bladder. They needed to drain it immediately.

They drained 2 liters right away, and another liter and a half within the next hour.

Once they drained by bladder, they finished the ultrasound. They revealed that you were not that large of a baby, and the delivery should be normal.

I next received the epidural. I did not enjoy the feeling of it. It felt as though my legs were asleep, and I needed to move to wake the up. While they had me laying there relaxing, your dad called his brother Robert, so that he would have someone to go to lunch with.

While he was gone, there was a time there was no nurses in the room, and I eat your dad's snacks and also had some of his drink. (While at the hospital I was only allowed ice chips. There were flavored, which made it a little better.)

At 12:30 pm they started the pitocin, since my contractions had slowed down. The doctor came in at about 1:00 pm and said that they were going to shut off the epidural. Once I had my feeling back, we would work on pushing you out.

You were no longer in any water, my uterus was shot, I needed to deliver you naturally, in order to get you out vaginally. Your heart was still strong, so we were still avoiding the c-section. (they did have everything ready, because there was still some worry that your heart would drop, and we would need a c-section to get you out.)  

About 3:45 we started pushing. Your dad had one of my legs, a nurse had another leg, and the doctor was up front ready for you. while pushing you out, the doctor got a call to see if I was going to need a c-section. He let them know that we were going to do this.

You finally came out about 4:17 pm on Thursday, June 18. The umbilical cord was a little short, so they were only able to place you on my belly. After your dad cut the cord, they were worried about your breathing, and took you away. They had a warm place just to the side, where they worked on you to get the fluid out of your lungs and stomach.  I was so worried about you, while they were working on you. There was mention of you needing to go to the NICU. You are strong, and I knew you would fight this. My baby girl had fought so much. I knew you were health and strong. No NICU was needed for you.

After about two hours they moved us to another room. The room we were be in until we were discharged. I was still unable to go to the bathroom. They needed to put the catheter back in me.

You were so strong, I was able to keep you with me the whole time, throughout the night. The next day the doctor was impressed that you were that strong. You have amazed everyone since before you were born. I am sure that you will never cease to amaze me. I love you, and always have.

On Friday the doctor allowed me to have the catheter taken out, and I would try to go to the bathroom. Every Time I went to the bathroom they had to do an ultrasound to make sure that I was peeing more than I was leaving in my bladder.  Sometimes I did better than other.

The doctors did not discharge us to go home after the 24 hours. We were not very happy about that. We were ready to check ourselves out. We wanted to go to Del Sol Saturday. We cannot miss a sale. After talking with your dad, we decided that you and I would stay in the hospital, and your dad would go to the Del Sol sale. Your dad bought you bamboo blankets and 3 bamboo outfits. Ashley (the Del Sol Queen) was nice enough to set the baby stuff aside. Your dad was the only one that had the option of buying baby stuff.

We were so excited to be able to take you home on Saturday, June  20.   We are so lucky to have you in our family. You are such a sweet, strong  
girl.