Makayla's Birth Story - Viewer Discretion Is Advised

My due date was soon approaching (November 4, 2009) and I went for my 40 week appointment with my OB on Monday, November 2, 2009. My Doc was leaving the following day to Mexico for 10 days for her daughters third birthday and she assured me that there was NO WAY that I would be having this baby while she was sipping on a margarita! I left the office with a three non-stress tests booked for November 11th, 13th & 14th, an ultrasound for the 13th and an 8:00am induction on the 16th (the day after she would return with a tan). So away I went, huge, disappointed that I would still be pregnant for a few more weeks and happy at the same time because a complete stranger wouldn't be delivering my baby!

By Thursday I was getting really cranky, so big, so sore and so tired. So what do I do, stay up late watching TV! I finally went to bed at 1:30am just to awake at 2:00am with "gas pain". I got up, had a drink, went to the bathroom, went again, and again, and again....All I could think of was what we learnt in our prenatal class "your body will clean itself out". Yet I still didn't believe anything was actually happening. By now this "gas" was really bad, I was pacing up and down the hall, going back to bed, sitting on the toilet, pacing, pacing, pacing....moaning. STILL...I just kept saying that it was only gas. Finally I thought, ok, maybe this could be more. I called my Mom and asked her opinion, while I was telling her about this gas pain, I handed the phone over to Clint so that I could take a moment to "breath". When my Mom heard me in the background she told Clint "this is not gas pain, get her to the hospital".

I had already packed my bag a few days prior, as my due date had now come and gone. So I threw my toothbrush in and walked down our 15 stairs to the front door. When I squatted to sit on the last step to put my shoes on, my water broke! Ok, this is really it! It was now 4:45am. The 10 minute ride to the hospital seemed like an eternity. We pulled up to Emergency and Clint dropped me off so he could go park. I waddled in and was now sitting in admitting, with soaking wet pants while the lady behind the desk seemed to take forever to enter my information into the computer. I got wheeled into a room where I was told to change and give the nurse my underwear so she could test to see if my water had actually broken. NO, I'M LYING! After it tested positive they checked me to see how far dilated I was. Apparently I was only 3cm so they were planning on sending me home because they don't admit until you are 4cm. Give me a break, my water had already broke!



About an hour later the nurse came back and gave me morphine and demerol (which did nothing for the pain) and advised me that I was going to be moved up to a delivery room. I didn't really have a "birth plan", my plan was to go as long as I could before taking an epidural or whatever it was that I needed. After I was transferred to the delivery room I was given laughing gas as the pain was getting quite bad. They hooked me up to oxytocin because the contractions had slowed down and shortly after that I was told that if I wanted an epidural I had to take in now, because the anesthesiologist was really busy that morning. I knew that I was going to end up wanting it because this pain was getting hard to handle. I wasn't going to be a hero, I decided to take it. I was so worried about getting it because of what they showed us in prenatal class, let me tell you it was wonderful!

A few hours later a nurse checked me, I was now 9cm dilated, she said they were going to take a lunch break and after I could have this baby! At this point the epidural was wearing off, so they topped it up and inserted a catheter (I was able to get up and go to the bathroom with the original epidural as it was a low dose). I finally met the Doctor that was going to be delivering my baby, if you recall my OB was chilling on the beach. I was advised that the baby's heart rate dropped to 60 bpm, stayed there for a while and then shot up to 220bpm and the operating room was being prepped for us; then it stabilized around 150bpm. I was told that I could try to have her vaginally, but if the heart rate went wonky again I would be rushed away for a cesarean. The Doctor informed me that the baby was face up, so he reached up and manually turned her. That hurt! I was now ready to push.

After pushing for only a few minutes the Doctor said that I wasn't "stretching" properly and that he had to give me an episiotomy and use forceps; he then went on to explain that the forceps were not going to be used to pull the baby out, but to pry me open. So he did. OUCH! After only 20 minutes of pushing a healthy baby girl was born! Her very proud Daddy was there to cut the cord, and Grandma Vicki was there to take pictures!



On November 6, 2009 Makayla made her appearance weighing in at a whopping 7lbs 1oz and was 19.25in. All the waiting, 9 months of pregnancy and 13 hours of labour and delivery were worth every minute when I got to hold my baby girl!

Due Date....Still No Baby!

Today is my due date, yet we don't have our baby girl. I had an OB appointment two days ago and I was still only 1cm dilated. I have been like this for about two and a half weeks. My tummy has really changed the last few days; before it was almost rock hard, now it is soft and squishy...the Doctor said not to worry about it, that the baby has probably just dropped down. It feels so weird though. So my OB leaves tomorrow for 10 days to Mexico, I really hope Makayla doesn't decide to come while she is away, it would really suck having a new Doctor I have never met delivery my baby. My OB honestly doesn't think I will be having the baby before she gets back. I am actually scheduled for non-stress tests on the 11th, 13th & 14th, an ultrasound on the 13th and induction for 8am on the 16th. It seems as though this "mucous plug" they often refer to keeps falling out...how many times can it fall out? Well my OB said that your body will keep producing it and it will continue to fall out if your baby isn't ready to come out....

39 Weeks - How Much Longer....

Yesterday I lost my mucous plug; this makes me a little excited because it is the first step to early labour!! I know we could still be looking at 3 weeks (maximum), but it could be within a few days! I have had period like cramps for a few days, and I've been spotting since the 27th (I had an internal and was 1cm dilated). Hmmm...what else is new? I applied for EI today, so hopefully I did it properly. Not much else has changed...I feel huge....

38 Weeks - A Very Busy Week!

My friend Anne-Marie has come to stay with me for a week from Quebec City! She arrived on October 16th and will be here until the 25th! It is really nice having her around, as I am getting really sore, it is hard to even move around, I am so ready for this baby to arrive!! This weekend on the 18th my baby shower was held by my BFF Nicky. Nicky and I are both pregnant, and due within two weeks of each other!

Here are some pictures from the shower, it was a wonderful day filled with great people, great games and too many gifts!! :)

I can't even begin to tell you how overwhelmed I am with everyone's generosity! This baby is one VERY spoiled little girl and she isn't even here yet! It took me two hours to open gifts! The same day Clint had his Diaper Poker Party so he brought home lots of diapers! Here are a few pictures of Makayla's room; now we will just wait for her! The first picture is her room filled with all the gifts after being brought home....

Makayla's dresser filled right up!

Well, that's about if for this week! Let me just say that I am so thankful to have such wonderful family and friends, and also that Anne-Marie was here to help me go through everything, get it washed and put away! Oh yeah, I had an OB appointment yesterday. I have now gained 42lbs, my cervix is still closed and hard...back to waiting for baby!

37 Weeks

Quick update - I went to the OB yesterday and told her that I have been feeling less movement the last few days so she sent me directly over to the hospital to have a non-stress test. The results came back as normal, thank god!! She will do another internal next week...

So of course once I have a little scare of no movement, it does a complete turn around...I was having contractions last night so I timed them but they were very irregular - 5, 3, 4, 5, 3, 2, 4, 2 minutes apart. My tummy was moving all over the place; I am thinking that I should probably start packing my bag though just in case!

36 Weeks

Weight gain is now at 38lbs!! I had an OB appointment on the 5th and she did an internal, apparently I am fully closed and hard, no baby! She did a strep B test and we also talked about the results of the ultrasound. Baby was measuring 35 weeks 3 days, and weighs 5lbs 12oz! The OB did say that baby is head down but her feet are up above her head so we will wait to see if she continues to turn and prep herself for delivery...

Today was my last day at work...finally!!! Yesterday they held a lunch pizza party for me and had a huge gift basket full of goodies! It was really nice!

4 Weeks to go!! Woo Hoo...it can't come fast enough!

35 Weeks - Nesting

I have now gained 34lbs, and her heart rate is 150bpm. The OB said that she would wait to see what the ultrasound said, then she will do an interal next week to check on my cervix.

A few days later I went for the ultrasound and it seems as though baby has turned and is now head down, but her legs are straight up and her feet are above her head. They are a little concerned and may have to send me for another one in a few weeks.

I have been on a bit of a cleaning spree, must be nesting kicking in. I decided that for some reason that I need to go through our linen/storage closet and take everything, jeesh...what a job! I also set up the playpen and put it in our room beside our bed, as that is where we plan on having her for the first while.

I decided to start taking these stupid calcium pills again, the leg cramps are worse than ever, so I will just suffer with the constipation I guess...I don't know which is the lesser of two evils! Oh well...there really is no winning here.