Lil Miss’ Birth Story – Life as Leels

I am late in posting this, but things have been crazy adjusting to a house with three children!

Lil Miss was scheduled to be born via scheduled c-section on Wednesday, February 27th at 9am. (Buddy, child #2, was born via c-section and since I tend to have bad luck, I opted for a scheduled c-section rather than risk a v-bac.)

We had our plans all worked out. The two big kids would spend Tuesday night at Grandma and Papa’s house so that hubby and I could get to the hospital by 7am for pre-op stuff. Lil Miss would be born via c-section shortly after 9am, grandma would already be at the hospital with the big kids to see the new baby, I would be discharged probably Friday morning/afternoon and the kids would spend the night at their Aunt’s house so we could adjust to our first night home with the new baby. It was all worked out.

Except Lil Miss had other plans!

Friday night (the 22nd) I didn’t go to sleep until late. I had been having a rough time sleeping anyway between the pain, discomfort, and just plain inability to sleep.

By the time I did fall asleep, I kept waking (subconsciously I think) with discomfort and pressure in my nether regions. I was half in a dream so I wasn’t really conscious of the situation. I kept telling myself to get up and go to the bathroom, but I kept pushing it aside.

Hubby got up at his usual 3:45am to get ready for work and head out the door (he starts work at 5am so he is usually out the door by 4:30am). Again, I told myself to get up and use the bathroom, but again, I pushed it aside.

Finally at 4:37am, I decided to become conscious of everything. I reached down and realized that I was wet.

I stood up and the gush of fluid that would not stop clearly indicated my water had broke.

This had never happened to me before!

Buggy was induced and I don’t even recall them ever breaking my water. With Buddy, I forcefully broke my water while sitting on a laboring stool. This water breaking on it’s own was quite the experience – and quite scary as well.

Fortunately, when I got out of bed, I had a good idea what was going on so I grabbed my cell phone and made my way to the toilet.

I attempted to call hubby several times to inform him he needed to return home, but my phone would not call out! No joke. I tried like three times – all the while freaking out because I knew labor was coming and that I needed to go to the hospital, but my darn phone would not call out!

I finally decided that I would have to make a move for it. I got myself semi-cleaned up and wobbled my way out to my office situated in the dining room. Fortunately, I had my work cell phone with me because I had worked from home Friday and had intended on working from home Monday before going to the office for my final day Tuesday.

With my work cell phone, I was able to call hubby and give him the news. Unfortunately, he was just about to work, but assured me he was turning around and heading back my way.

I went into the room and grabbed items that I thought I would need and threw them in a bag. (Yes, I know, I’m fired. I still hadn’t packed a hospital bag!)

I tried calling my mother in law to come sit with the big kids who were still sleeping, but again, my phone would not call out. So again, back out to my office to use my work cell phone. Fortunately, hubby had already called her so she was getting ready to head my way as well.

My contractions hurt, but nothing that was unbearable and they were only 30 minutes apart, roughly.

Upon getting to the hospital, the contractions were still the same, I was taken to triage and the fun began. We had to wait as we had arrived close to shift change, but fortunately for me, not only was my OB coming onto shift, but the entire crew would be fresh for the morning.

By 8am, I was in the operating room ready for my c-section. My care staff was fantastic! I couldn’t ask for a better team to do my surgery. They were all fresh for the morning, happy, cheery, dancing and laughing – we all had a good time and I could not be more thankful to Dr. Feel Good (the anesthesiologist) and the other male nurse/doctor (not quite sure of his name or role) that were there because they calmed my anxiety from the start which was really great!

Lil Miss was born at 8:43am, weighing 8 pounds, 7 ounces (a complete shock to us as we were anticipating another 10 pound baby – Buddy, baby #2, was 9 pounds 15 ounces and we were told this entire pregnancy that she was going to be a big baby). She measured in at a short 20 1/2 inches – a good inch and a quarter shorter than her siblings at their birth.

During the c-section, they cut her head. I was later informed that the scar tissue was thick and that while cutting into the uterus, the placenta was cut as well. There was a lot of blood and they ended up cutting her head in the process. Fortunately, it wasn’t deep and all that is left is a little purple scar that will be covered by her hair.

Both she and I were healthy aside from some issues we each had to deal with (more on that later), but we were released Monday the 25th to come home!

Lil Miss at 9 days old.