The Story of Canon's Birth

Lots of things changed since my last posting! I went into a doctor appointment on Tuesday morning at 9:00am before my scheduled c-section. I was supposed to go the the hospital by 10:00 and the c-section was scheduled for 12:00. I was very nervous the day before about the c-section but by Tuesday morning I was excited and ready. I was convinced that a c-section was the best thing on earth. Ha ha. At my doctor appointment my doctor came in and I signed paperwork for the c-section. She then did a quick ultrasound and guess what.....THE BABY WAS HEAD DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. That little stinker was doing flips....saturday down...monday up...tuesday down. The doctor said that she was going to go call the hospital to find out if they could get me in that day for a induction before he decided to turn again. Cirdan and I went home and waited for a call from the hospital. If we didn't hear from them by 11 then I was supposed to call them. Everything was already prepared and my mom was with the kids. We got home and waited....and waited....and waited...and waited....That day turned out to be a very busy baby birth day! They didn't have any rooms opened up. I even knew 2 people who were due around the same time as me and they both went into labor that day.   A nurse told us that someone gave birth in the hallway on a wheelchair....yes, you read that right.  In the hall!  I ended up not going to get induced on Tuesday. The hospital said if anything opened up during the night they would call me, but no call.  I woke up early on Wednesday, took a shower and called the hospital around 7:00. The lady said that they should have a room open and that a couple nurses would be coming in at 11:00AM so she would call me or I should call her back if I don't hear by 11:00. After hearing nothing, I made the call and she said to go ahead and come in. Yay!!! We gathered our stuff and took the kids to my parents house. I was so excited the time was finally here!

We got to the hospital at noon. By 1:00 I was already in the hospital bed with the Sydatek (sp) working its magic. After the doctor put the gel in I was to lay in bed for 2 hours. The contractions really started going. After the 2 hours I asked to get up and walk around. I knew with Jett as soon as I got up and walked things really started to progress. After walking/standing for an hour they checked and I was dilated at a 2. Things were progressing! Since the contractions were going on their own they decided not to give me any pitocin and just see what my body would do. I laid for another couple hours to be monitored then got back up and walked around a bit. They then checked me again at 6:45 and I was still at a 2!  Crap. I was bummed, especially since my contractions were getting so strong and painful. The doctor didn't want me to have an epidural till at least I was at a 3 so they gave me some pain meds in my IV. Those were great, let me tell you. The room started to spin and I had to close my eyes for a good 5 minutes but they helped in a big way! At about 11:30 the doctor decided to break my water even though I was still at a 2. Things were just not progressing. I asked if I could first get an epidural and he said I could. At 11:40 I got an epidural and at 11:55pm was when the doc came in to break my water.  My contractions really started to pick up and my blood pressure was going down so they gave me some turbulent and ephedrine to slow my contractions and increase my blood pressure.  They wanted to ensure that Cannon was relaxed and getting the oxygen and blood he needed.  The contractions being strong needed to be slowed to give him a break.
Since they were slowing down the contractions, things really stopped. At 2:00am (was dilated 4 1/2) they gave me some potocin to get things going again. I was glad that they stopped the contractions when they saw the baby's heart rate go down but it also set me back a couple of hours. When I was induced with Jett his heart rate was really down from the contractions and they ended up having to get him out fast and had to use a vacuum. At 5:30 I was dilated to a 5 1/2-6. That is when things started to pick up. 7:00am I was at an 8 and 7:30 I was at a 9.
The same thing happened with Jett.  Canon and Jett were both came right as shift changes were happening. Jett was born at 8:04 am. Shift changes happen at 7:30, AM and PM. My doctor was on vacation so all night I had another one of the doctors that work at the clinic checking on me. I have heard really good things about about the doctor who took over so I felt like I was in good hands...even though my doctor wasn't with me. Since his shift got done at 7:30 a new doctor was taking over. Her name is Dr. Kristine King. It kind of stressed me out thinking a new doctor was coming in to take over...another one that I had never met. She came in to meet me and then left saying she would be back for the birth.
The nurse was really laid back...almost too much. When I found out I was at a 9 I started freaking out inside. I wanted everyone ready to go. Where was the doc? What if the baby just decided to come out and no one was there? She checked me at 7:30 and I was at a 9 and the nurse told me she would come back at 8:00 to check me again. Why a whole 30 minutes?! Ahhhh! At 8:00 she said I was about ready to push but I wasn't quite ready. Then she changed her mind and told me to push. I did...but not a true strong push. Why would I push when the doc wasn't there?!?! I did a half push (pretending to do a full blown push) and she said she was going to go get the doctor.
This was the most relaxed setting I could have imagined for giving birth. The TV was on. I was laying there watching some program that happened to be about professional photographers taking pictures while women give birth. Ironic...I thought. Between pushes, the doctor, nurse, Cirdan and I were all chit chatting. Just talking like it was nothing and I wasn't about to be giving birth. I had about 5 sets of contractions (3 pushes per contraction) and my little man was entering into the world.
At 8:33am Canon was born. 7 pounds 14 ounces - 19 inches long
Cirdan cut the cord and they took Canon to get cleaned up. I looked over at him and he was absolutely perfect!


Some odd and end things...
The nurse that I had from 7pm to 7am was one of the nicest people I have ever met. She was phenomenal. She made me feel good and special. She helped with things that Cirdan usually helps with. She even held my hand when I was getting an epidural (ha ha) and made sure the whole time that I was comfortable. I was bummed that she wasn't there when Canon was born.


Dr. King was very informative - almost too much information. Ha ha. I didn't need to know what happened to my body during birth...just fix it and let me be on my way. 


The nurse that was there when Canon was born was the same nurse that was in Triage on the Saturday before when they turned the baby. Kinda funny.


Since I thought that they were doing a c-section on Tuesday they told me to wake up at 3:00 am and eat a little bit because it would be the last time to eat until after the baby was born. I continued to not eat much after finding out that I would be induced instead. I had a couple little snacks but that was all. By the time I had Canon on Thursday morning I was starving to death. The popsicles and ice were not cutting it. My first hospital meal was delish!!! French toast...yum.