Tristans Birth Story- Little Rewind...

So, I haven't had a chance to share Tristans Birth Story- so here it goes!


I was 34 weeks pregnant on Friday, October 31st, and went to my normal OB check. This was a milestone in my pregnancy that I had been counting down to because of the high risk of pre-term delivery as a result of my cervical cancer many years ago. At 32 weeks, I had the betamethazone shots to assist in developing the baby's lungs, so my whole pregnancy we were just praying we would make it to 34 weeks!
So on Friday I was dialated to 3- which I had been dialated for several weeks, so we werent' alarmed by that. and I was 50% effaced. My Dr. felt that things were holding steady and she thought we would make it another week or 2. SO home I went and we took Delaney Trick Or Treating, Which made me feel like I wanted to die! The Dr. doubled my contraction meds that I had been on for 9 week and wanted me to take them more frequently.

Saturday I went to a CaBi party just to get out of the house. There was no way I could wipe the grump off my face- I was just done. THe thought of being pregnant another week sounded like torture to me! I was in so much pain and discomfort. But I knew it was in the baby's best interest to hang out for awhile.

Sunday morning I woke up and just felt nervous. I never got out of my PJ's or had any motivation at all. I just kept panincking. I barely said a word to Mike or Delaney all day. At about 2 I called my friend Megan who is a L&D nurse and asked her what to do. I was so afraid of being shipped out to a bigger city. But I couldn't get the thoughts out of my head that I was going to deliver in my office at work on Monday. I just couldn't go to work without someone telling me "You're not having this baby tomorrow"
SO I called the Dr. on call and she told me to come into the hospital and get monitored. I want to say we got there about 4ish. The monitors showed I was having pretty strong contractions. My cervix was still a good 3. So they decided to give me a stronger contraction med which was Tributaline shot. It was AWFUL! Its what I picture heroin being like. It was supposed to last a few days, but exactly 1 hour later, the contractions picked up again. So another shot- and now I was dialated to 4! Exactly an hour later- contractions back again..3rd shot of Trib and now I was dialated to 5. I was getting really frustrated. The meds were making me feel terrible and it wasn't stopping the cervix from dialating. Nothing was going to stop that. So At this point the Dr. came in and talked to me. She basically said that our hospital doesn't want to deliver 34 week babies. She wanted me to be on Magnesium Sulfate... and possibly agree to be shipped to Spokane where they had a NiCu. At this point I asked if I had a choice... She said yes. So this was my explanation to her: which several people disagreed with.
1- I was NOT going to take the Mag Sulf because it was still not going to stop the contractions and it would just make the baby really lethargic at birth, and he wouldn't do as well as he normally would and they would ship him out by himself.
2.- I was NOT going to be shipped out. Mothers instict told me the baby was perfect...I wanted to chance it. I didn't want to be un-neccisarily stuck 3 hours away from home for a week just for observation, and I wanted my Dr. to deliver the baby.
3.- From this point on (8:00pm Sunday night) I was refusing all efforts to stop labor.

So- They called in a pediatrician and respiratory therapist to come talk to me about all the complications that could arise...the ped told me I wouldn't be able to see the baby- he would be wisked away..yada yada...They told me he probably weighed 4 1/2 to 5 lbs. I just kept telling everyone sorry if they thought I was crazy- but I knew everything was going to be ok. Mike at this point was completely scared and not talking at all...he had barely said 2 words to me all day.
They asked if I wanted pain meds and I told them no...I was going to give Tristan every fighting chance...
So they gave me a pill to make me sleep (which didn't work) and they figured I would deliver somewhere around 1 in the morning.

WRONG
8:00 am they came in and woke us up. They checked my cervix and I was still @5. WTH?
But a few moments later the contractions, which had died over night, picked up again. Dr. Lapier came in and asked me if I was sure I was ready for this... I said yes.
She said she would come back at lunch time and break my water if it hadn't already. They had all the specialist standing by,
At 1:00 she came back, I was only dialated to 5-6. again WTH?
We were sitting around joking about me text messaging constantly and there she stood with the hook, I started laughing so hard, that I broke my water myself...It was quite comical given the fact there was like 20 people in the room.
the Dr. said she would come back and check me in 3 hours! I said YEAH RIGHT...
about 15 minutes later- we were laughing about Delaney telling us she spilled Grandmas Beer on her shirt (it was Root Beer)
All the sudden the pain set it! I think the look on my face said it all, and the nurse told Dr. Lapier she better check me again before she left...
Sure enough I was dialated to 9! Here we go!
by 2:00 I was complete and in a sh%#tload of pain! I had an epidural but I had the anesthisiologist put it real low just so I didn't feel the baby come out~ OOps!
I had to WAIT to push while waiting for all the specialist to get there! I remember seeing Mike standing clear over by the door- He was SOOO nervous! Neither one of us knew what was about to happen. I had, along with all the medical staff, my mom, my sister, my friend Megan, & Mike's mom in the room with me.
At about 2:17 I got to start pushing, and at 2:32 my little boy was born...and what did I hear? about 4 people say "He's not small"
However- at this point, they did put T on my stomach, but something happened that I won't soon forget- I CRIED so hard I couldn't open my eyes. I don't even know how to explain it. The emotion that came over me all the sudden. I just bawled and bawled. I was afraid to open my eyes. It was like- This is the moment of truth- Is the baby ok?? I think every single person in that room was bawling, I could hear them, even tho I couldn't see.. Even my nurse who had been with me the day before too- was sobbing.. It was truly a bittersweet moment! And A relief to everyone- Not just myself.

HE WAS PERFECT

About 15 minutes later the pediatrician called down from the nursery- Tristan weighed 6 lbs! and was 19" long and was COMPLETELY breathing on his own! He was in Great condition! I couldn't wait to go see him! It was a true miracle. Everyone was shocked!

I know in my heart my Dad was in the room with me and he kept us safe. I could feel him, and he was the voice inside me, saying everything was going to be ok! There was no way he was going to let anything happen to Tristan and me!

My mother being in the room was something unexpected. She hasn't played a huge role in my life for a long time- we've had our differences. But I think this experience was possibly a turning point. It was amazing and frightening for her to see me give birth... its something she will always remember, and in the end it did mean alot to me for her to be there... to play a part in Tristan's life.

Tristan is 3 weeks old today- weighing in at only 5.9 - he wants to stay my tiny man forever! Which is fine with me, because he is THRIVING.. He was only kept in the hospital for 4 days for observation and treatment of jaundice. He is so sweet and just a perfect baby...