Proud Mommy and Prouder Daddy... because he also delivered the boy! We are so in love!
Warning: This may be too much for some of you men out there... its a birth story!
Well I am finally holding my precious baby boy in my arms, my right arm actually as I type with my left hand. He is so incredibly perfect! And waiting for his appointed time of arrival was also perfect. God has truly heard all my prayers and given me the desires of my heart. Not at all the way I expected... isn't that just like our Lord! He always gives more than we can ever imagine when we trust and wait on Him. It was a crazy ride and I rode the waves of doubt more than once (you can catch up on previous blogs if you want). In the end, this has been a faith builder for sure. So, after much indecision and waiting....
I woke up at 3 a.m. Wednesday morning to Gracie and Lola screaming as they came to our room. Lola was wet and Gracie was trying to take care of her, in the process of coming to get us Lola scared Gracie who started screaming which scared Lola who also started screaming which woke Matt and I from a deep sleep to a very alert state. Matt took Gracie back to her bed and I changed Lola and let her climb in bed with me. I never went back to sleep. Around 4 I felt a contraction come and go. Nothing interesting. I had contractions almost daily for 4 weeks, usually in the early morning my body would practice for the big day for about an hour, then the contractions would cease. But with ever passing day I began hoping they would continue. On Wednesday I was hoping they would last. I didn't count them or time them, I just waited to see if another would come. I laid awake thinking about everything, how I had been scheduled for an induction the day before and bailed, how Gracie had said Peter would come on Wednesday (the week before), how I was 6 days pass my due date, wondering how much Peter would weigh, wondering if his head was down, thinking about what the outcome might eventually be... at about 5:00 I got up and went to the bathroom and decided to lay back down on Matt's side so I could see the clock. I wasn't sure if the contractions would continue or not.
At 5:06 I had another, 5:16 another, then I fell asleep. I woke up to a contraction and water pouring through my panties onto my thighs and the matress beneath me. Oh yeah! I looked at the clock - 5:27. I began talking softly to Lola Mei asking her to wake up and go get Daddy. She woke up and was a little scared. I told her everything was o.k. Daddy was in Gracie's bed and would she please go get him and tell him to come see Mommy. She did as I asked. I heard Matt talking to her trying to get her to go to bed, so I called out to him. He finally came to the room and I told him my water had broken. I was still in the bed waiting for the next contraction. It came about 10 minutes later. Matt said he would put Lola back to bed - I agreed that was a good idea.
I laid there wondering if Peter's head was engaged? I didn't want to risk cord prolapse. But I knew my water had not been a huge gush, so I figured he was where he was supposed to be. I felt around and after that next contraction had come and gone I decided I would take a quick shower while Matt was putting Lola down. My bag was packed, everything was ready, all I had to do was get dressed and walk out the door, so I figured a shower was a good use of the minutes I had to spare. Little did I know how few those minutes were.
Once in the shower the contractions started coming a little faster and harder, but they weren't lasting long. Matt came in and I told him to call my Doula, Anne, and let her know we were going to the hospital. He looked at me and said we need to hurry. It is almost 6... he was concerned about traffic. I told him to chill it, but I agreed we needed to go!
The contractions just kept coming, I brushed my teeth in the shower and didn't even have time to finish before another came. Arg! Not fun having a contraction with a mouth full of toothpaste! I handed my toothbrush back to Matt and held myself up against the wall of the shower. These contractions were for real! Fast but furious! I hurried to get out of the shower before another came. When I dried myself off I saw the blood. Uh-Oh, bloody show. Things were happening way too fast. I told Matt I thought we better call an ambulance instead of a taxi. I made my way to the toilet to pee and my water continued to leak. We discovered we didn't know the number for EMS, we were trying the China numbers. We called Anne back and Matt got the number. I talked to Anne for a second until another contraction came at which point I couldn't do much more than moan. She said she was coming to our flat! Matt got in touch with EMS. I moaned! I was hovering over the toilet, scared to sit down thinking opening up my pelvis over toilet might not lead to a good outcome. The contractions were coming so fast Matt couldn't keep up with timing them.
Two cops arrived first. Thankfully, Matt had put my Mavs t-shirt over my head between contractions... that first cop looked a bit shocked to see a foreigner half naked, very pregnant, standing in the bathroom. I was leaning on the counter for support and didn't think I could move. Another contraction came and I moaned... the police were clearly uncomfortable with the situation. Mackie was up now and I could hear her talking, but I can't remember anything she said except to tell us the paramedics were here. They came in and started asking questions. I asked for a glove. I felt for Peter's head and there it was, I guessed I was at a -2 station or less, but one thing I was sure of was that I wasn't going to make it to the hospital. I told Matt he was coming!
Matt wanted me out of the bathroom. Anne arrived sometime during that transition. It must have been 6:30 or so. I have no idea. I waited until the next contraction came and went and scurried to the bed. A paramedic put a lined pad on the bed... I commented that that was nice. I knew I was about to make a mess! I was planning to climb to the head of the bed and squat with my back against some pillows, but I didn't make it. Another contraction caught me on all fours and that is how I remained. The paramedic who could speak some English said he could take us to the hospital and deliver the baby in the ambulance if needed. Uh, no that didn't sound very good to me. I told Matt the baby was coming. He told the audience lined up next to the bed that we were going to have to do it here.
I remembered that I had put clean washcloths in my suitcase and asked Matt to get them. Mackie got some hot water and Anne prepared a washcloth to put on my perineum. I told Matt what to do, but the water wasn't hot enough. More hot water, more washcloths and I felt better about it. I was trying to instruct Matt in the art of protecting the perineum. He was good. I would squeal through a contraction, "Support the perineum!" It is rather funny now, but it was all I could do to get a word out, much less instructions. "Harder, hands flatter, on the sides, more hot water..." I did not want to tear! My doctor had done a sufficient job in scaring me into thinking the worst could happen... tearing, shoulder dysplasia, uterine rupture.... at this point I was only thinking about having to be stitched up later and didn't want any part of that. So I kept screaming through the contractions - and Matt kept doing his job and then the urge to push kept getting stronger and stronger! I have never had that sensation before... it was incredible. Not so strong at the beginning contraction, but Matt said he could see the head crowning. Wow! Then I let the urge guide me and I started pushing. Matt said he could feel Peter's head pushing up against the washcloth.
He moved the washcloth but kept supporting my perineum to keep Peter from just popping out. Another push and Peter was out. I heard Matt say, "Peter, my son!" I am sure he was crying, but I couldn't see him. I heard suctioning..... that was good. That was the only thing the paramedic did throughout the whole delivery. Good job! Now for the shoulders. Now you can guess I was thinking through how to instruct Matt through this part in the case Peter's shoulders got stuck. I waited for the next contraction. It came and I beared down with all I had. Peter was born - no problem, although I was sure I had split myself in two. WOW!
I stayed on all fours, Matt was holding Peter behind me wondering how to get him to me... I told him to pass Peter through my legs, but Matt saw the blood and didn't want to put Peter back under there. I convinced him he had to because Peter was still attached to me. A second later I was holding my baby and sitting back on the bed where I had originally planned to squat. I rubbed Peter off and made sure he was wrapped well in a towel. I began trying to get him to nurse. I knew I needed my uterus to keep contracting so that I could deliver the placenta. I asked for my breast pump. Peter latched on to my right breast and I pumped the left one.
We waited there for 20-30 minutes. Contractions were coming and were hard - really more irritating than the ones leading up to Peter's arrival. I mean here I am with Peter in my arms and I am still having to deal with contractions. The placenta didn't come and Anne mentioned that she could see some blood, so we decided to transport to the hospital. Matt wrapped some receiving blankets in tin foil and put them in the oven, we then wrapped Peter up in the warm blankets and topped with a cozy infant bath towel. Someone helped me get my bathrobe on and then I made it to the wheelchair between contractions. The paramedics wheeled me out and into the ambulance. They had said earlier before Peter's delivery that they would take me to Queen Mary Hospital, but they actually took me to one a little closer. No English name on this one. I'll just call it KWH, because that was the only name I knew it by for the first 12 hours or so. I actually had no idea where I was.
Working through a contraction after Peter's birth...
Paramedics wheeling me out of the bedroom. I was all smiles.In the ER... NOTE: this is where my dream birth ends and my Chinese hospital experience begins....
In the ER, I was put on an examining table. Peter was still attached via the placenta and also to my breast. I was in bliss. Then they wanted to cut the cord. Matt had gone to register me and pay the $100 fee, but I figured he had had enough excitement so I agreed to let them cut the cord. Peter was still nursing, but they wanted to check him out. I let them take him... Anne kept a close watch. Matt returned and held my hand. They gave me a shot of pitocin and tried to give me a port for any possible need of an IV... they failed. The pitocin made the contractions stronger. They kept telling me not to push? I felt the urge several times. I was tired. I finally asked for a shot or something for pain.... I mean the contractions were horrible and I could have cared less about having a natural delivery for my placenta. I just wanted this part over with so I could get back to my baby.
They finally sent me upstairs to labor and delivery where they informed Matt he couldn't go in because there were other women in there having babies. I thought... "Here we go!" In the delivery room they wanted me on the bed. I could not make myself move over and finally some nurse began pushing me off the gurney onto the bed. Not fun. They left me alone for a while waiting to see if the placenta would come. I looked at the clock. It was after 8:30. I knew it has been a long time. Then she appeared, the nurse who wanted to punch me in the gut and apply traction. I instinctively grabbed her hand when she started to push on my uterus. It hurt! I asked for pain meds again. "No. No. No meds. You need to deliver the placenta." THis was about the extent of her English. Thankfully they could understand Mandarin so I started explaining that the nurse in the ER said I could have pain meds in L&D, still "no, no, no" then they sent another nurse. She said they had to help me deliver the placenta. OK - fine, but give me something for pain first. Finally they gave me shot of something like 2 seconds before the punch and pull. I felt a hand go inside me and then they announced it was finished. I got fussed at for not being cooperative. I explained I was trying to be, but they were hurting me. A nice nurse rubbed my arm and tried to comfort me. Then they started cleaning me up to see if I needed any stitches.... I was sure I was going to have another excruiating experience. But after a few seconds... nothing. No lacerations!!! Thank you to my wonderful husband!!! The placenta was intact.
Then they tried to give me another IV so they could give me a drip of pitocin so that my uterus would contract and prevent bleeding. Couldn't find a vein. I explained maybe I should drink some water, hadn't had any since the night before. They gave me a T. of water, yes, a tablespoon. I asked for more. I finally got the equivalent of about half a cup. The nice nurse stabbed me a few times unsuccessfully and then waited awhile. I guess the water helped, I had a little more and then she was able to find a vein. I got my drip and then they moved me to a room. They asked me to go nurse Peter which i was glad to do. He pulled out my IV - thankfully the drip was finished.
Everything seemed good, now we just needed to figure out what was next. We realized we were not in the best hospital or in the best situation. But Peter was born! He was healthy! I was healthy! We were all smiles and praising the Lord! The rest of the hospital prison experience is for another blog. We can't begin to say how meaningful this experience has been for us. I didn't plan it this way, but I wouldn't change it... except maybe I would have taken a taxi to Adventist instead of letting the ambulance take me to the public hospital.
Thank you Lord, for you are good! All good gifts come from you. I am humbled at how perfect Peter's birth was in spite of all the worrying done by doctors. We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made. Some trust in scalpels and meds, but we trusted in the Lord our God. To God be all the glory. We could not have done anything without Him overseeing our every move.
Our miracle! Peter James born February 16, 2011 at 6:49 a.m. 9 lbs 3 oz.
