Resident Mama: Ode to the Early Days

While my Mom was here, I cleaned out the pictures on her camera that we've had since the girls were born (we - or I - lost our camera the weekend before they were born) and it was surreal looking back on the pictures of this time last year. I don't think I ever posted a detailed birth story, so in honor of that day, a little over a year ago - here it goes:

What an amazing day - I went to my 8:30 am regular doctors appointment where I had weekly monitoring. My blood pressure was at 150 something over 108 and I had protein in my urine. I was showing some contractions and was dilated to 2 cm. We decided to induce to avoid those bad things that come along with pre-eclampsia vs. one week of bedrest. She thought they'd be born sometime the next morning. out I was in labor anyways. I called Josh, my mom and mother-in-law to let them know today was the day. I went home and packed a bag (yep, with twins, at 36 weeks, 6 days, I had not packed a hospital bag...) and headed to the hospital.

We arrived at the hospital around 10:30 and they were expecting us. They got us in a room and me in a gown. Next they got me hooked up to the monitors, which was challenging to get both babies to stay on a monitor. The nurse was a little skeptical about the induction, until she checked me and discovered I was fully effaced, and at 3 cm with contractions. The resident did an ultrasound at the bedside and mentioned that at least one of the babies was measuring small - under 5 pounds. This was unexpected since they were suppose to be at 5 pounds 2 weeks earlier at an ultrasound. Before they started the pitocin, they thought it was better to get the epidural in case anything happened and I needed a C-section. By this point Glenda, John and my sister-in-law Karen had made it to the hospital. Matilda was in the A position and Madelynn was in an "L", if she were to flip, they'd do a C-section.

I received the epidural around 2 pm. I had a few issues with the babies heart beats dropping, and they laid me back and provided oxygen. They eventually bounced back. At 2:30 they went to check me and I was dilated to 4 cm. At this point, they started the pitocin and broke my water. Labor progressed, non-eventfully for a while. It was nice having everyone around to pass the time. With the epidural, I could feel a pinching with the contractions, but not too bad.

Around 6 pm, I was almost to 10 cm, but change of shift happened, so I knew it'd be awhile. I could feel the contractions getting bigger, but the epidural kept the pain down. We met our new resident who was awesome. They explained everything and rolled me down to the operating room just in case. They also turned down the epidural for some reason a little before this point and I wasn't sure if I would make it. Fortunately, once on the table, they kicked it back up! Whew.

After 45 minutes of pushing, Matilda Belle arrived at 8:29 pm! She did not cry, so they cut the cord and took her to another room. Fortunately, she started crying in the hallway and didn't need any oxygen. Madelynn progressed down, head first! They had to move her hand from on top of her head, but she was born in just a couple pushes, 7 minutes later. What a good baby. She came out crying! My friend told me I'd miss that belly, and with all the pain of pregnancy I didn't beleive her. Of course as soon as they were born, I missed it!!!!! I still miss it. Then you have the placenta delivered, and they rolled me back to my L&D room where everyone was. A few minutes later, the team brought the babies in!!! We all got to hold them and look at them! It was the best part ever. Unfortunately they had to take them down to the NICU....