Thursday - April 7, 2011
Thursday started as a "normal" day on bed rest. I did my typical routine, a bowl of cereal and Good Morning America, morning nap, shop for baby things online, lunch, read, afternoon nap, shower, and then begin to cook dinner before Matt came home. I did notice throughout the day that I was having more contractions but they were not consistent. I kept taking my medicine regularly and I was not too concerned.
That night, after dinner, the contractions picked up and were every 5 to 8 minutes. I took medicine and a bath to slow then down. Eventually, I decided to try and sleep the contractions off. I expected them to stop once I woke up, just like every other time. The problem was that the contractions were painful and I was not able to fall asleep very well. I was able to sleep some but was awake at least every hour with a painful contraction.
I was very hesitant to go to the hospital since I had been so many times and they had given me a stronger version of the same medicine I was taking and sent me back home. Finally, at 5:30a.m. I had had enough and called Labor and Delivery. I spoke with a nurse that we had on a previous visit to the hospital and she suggested that I come in to be checked since I had had contractions all night. She said that, "It could be baby day!" We began to panic because I was exactly 35 weeks and we wanted them to wait another 2 weeks.
So Matt sent a few e-mails for work, I took a shower, we grabbed our bags, took a belly picture just in case it was "the day" and headed to the hospital.
We decided not to call any of our family since it was so early and we fully expected to be given medicine and sent home.
Friday - April 8, 2011
We arrived at the hospital at about 6:00a.m. and were hooked up to all the monitors. The girls heart beats were great and my contractions were still consistent and painful. The nurse checked me and I was dilated to 3cm and 90% effaced. She called the doctor and he started the medicine to stop contractions, like the many times before. At this point we really thought that we would be home by lunch. Matt called work to tell them that he would more than likely be in the office that afternoon.
I was given the first round of shots. Once it started to work my heart rate increased to 210. It was very scary feeling my heart race and feeling like I couldn't catch my breath. The doctor stopped that round of medicine and started me on another type in hopes that it would safely stop my contractions. We still thought that we would spend the day in the hospital getting the contractions to stop then we would go home on bed rest.
By mid morning the contractions had spaced out but they were still painful. I had my last round of medicine around lunch. The contractions were still spaced out but I was beginning to have really bad back pain. The doctor came in and checked me, still about 3cm and 90% effaced. He said that he wanted to monitor me for a few hours to see if the contractions would stay spaced out and he would come and check me in the afternoon to see if I had changed any. If I had not changed that we were able to go home, if I had changed I was going to have a c-section. Since I had not changed any that morning we still expected to go home.
By the afternoon my back pain was constant and very painful (later we found out this was back labor!). The contractions began to become more regular as the afternoon went on. The doctor came back in and checked me. I had changed to 6cm and was 90% effaced. He told us that we would be having a c-section as soon as the operating room opened up. Matt and I began to panic! All of the uncertainties set in...Will the girls be breathing?? Will they need to be in the NICU?? Will they need to be on a ventilator?? Plus the fear of surgery and recovery. Our family wasn't even there yet!
Within 2 hours (and lots of painful contractions later) we were prepped and suited up for delivery.
Our doctor came in and led us in a prayer and were off to the operating room. Once in the room I quickly realized that I was alone and sitting on the operating table surrounded by big lights, machines, "tools", and nurses waiting for my epidural. I watched the nurse count out all of the different size scalpels, needles, gauze pads, and other instruments. At that moment I was scared...scared for my girls and scared of the surgery. I had a wonderful anesthesiologist that calmly talked me through the process of the epidural and a wonderful nurse that held my hand through it all. Once they were finished I heard Matt's voice and knew that he would help me get through the surgery.
I had always told Matt that he could choose which baby was given which name. As he sat next to me he told me that the first baby would be Payton Rebecca since she was the "clam one". And the second baby would be McKinley Ryan since she was breech and more active.
Finally they were ready for the doctor.
Once he came in I knew that we were about to see our girls and become parents. Within minutes I felt a lot of pulling and then saw our first little girl, Payton, being lifted over the blue curtain. They quickly took her to the station labeled Baby A and we heard that first tiny cry.
Payton Rebecca
April 8, 2011
4:39 p.m.
4 pounds 9 ounces
17 1/4 inches long
After more pulling we saw our second litte girl, McKinley, lifted over the blue curtain. She was taken to the station labeled Baby B. It took her a little longer to cry her first cry.
McKinley Ryan
April 8, 2011
4:41 p.m.
4 pounds
17 inches long
Each girl had a team of NICU nurses. Matt reported to me that they were beautiful, breathing, and doing great.
After they were clean and stable we got to see them before they were taken to the NICU.
Payton
McKinley
I hope that I can always remember seeing them each being lifted over the curtain and the sound of their first cry. It is such an amazing thing to see them and to hear their cry. At that moment I knew that they were going to be fine and no matter what they were our little girls.
I spent an hour in recovery and then was taken to see the girls. They both were on oxygen, iv for fluids, monitors to watch their heart and their breathing. They were doing great, breathing on their own.
Payton
McKinley
They are both so amazing and we are so lucky to have the privilege to be their parents. I am so excited about the journey that we will be taking with our girls. We are so blessed!
Thursday started as a "normal" day on bed rest. I did my typical routine, a bowl of cereal and Good Morning America, morning nap, shop for baby things online, lunch, read, afternoon nap, shower, and then begin to cook dinner before Matt came home. I did notice throughout the day that I was having more contractions but they were not consistent. I kept taking my medicine regularly and I was not too concerned.
That night, after dinner, the contractions picked up and were every 5 to 8 minutes. I took medicine and a bath to slow then down. Eventually, I decided to try and sleep the contractions off. I expected them to stop once I woke up, just like every other time. The problem was that the contractions were painful and I was not able to fall asleep very well. I was able to sleep some but was awake at least every hour with a painful contraction.
I was very hesitant to go to the hospital since I had been so many times and they had given me a stronger version of the same medicine I was taking and sent me back home. Finally, at 5:30a.m. I had had enough and called Labor and Delivery. I spoke with a nurse that we had on a previous visit to the hospital and she suggested that I come in to be checked since I had had contractions all night. She said that, "It could be baby day!" We began to panic because I was exactly 35 weeks and we wanted them to wait another 2 weeks.
So Matt sent a few e-mails for work, I took a shower, we grabbed our bags, took a belly picture just in case it was "the day" and headed to the hospital.
We decided not to call any of our family since it was so early and we fully expected to be given medicine and sent home.
Friday - April 8, 2011
We arrived at the hospital at about 6:00a.m. and were hooked up to all the monitors. The girls heart beats were great and my contractions were still consistent and painful. The nurse checked me and I was dilated to 3cm and 90% effaced. She called the doctor and he started the medicine to stop contractions, like the many times before. At this point we really thought that we would be home by lunch. Matt called work to tell them that he would more than likely be in the office that afternoon.
I was given the first round of shots. Once it started to work my heart rate increased to 210. It was very scary feeling my heart race and feeling like I couldn't catch my breath. The doctor stopped that round of medicine and started me on another type in hopes that it would safely stop my contractions. We still thought that we would spend the day in the hospital getting the contractions to stop then we would go home on bed rest.
By mid morning the contractions had spaced out but they were still painful. I had my last round of medicine around lunch. The contractions were still spaced out but I was beginning to have really bad back pain. The doctor came in and checked me, still about 3cm and 90% effaced. He said that he wanted to monitor me for a few hours to see if the contractions would stay spaced out and he would come and check me in the afternoon to see if I had changed any. If I had not changed that we were able to go home, if I had changed I was going to have a c-section. Since I had not changed any that morning we still expected to go home.
By the afternoon my back pain was constant and very painful (later we found out this was back labor!). The contractions began to become more regular as the afternoon went on. The doctor came back in and checked me. I had changed to 6cm and was 90% effaced. He told us that we would be having a c-section as soon as the operating room opened up. Matt and I began to panic! All of the uncertainties set in...Will the girls be breathing?? Will they need to be in the NICU?? Will they need to be on a ventilator?? Plus the fear of surgery and recovery. Our family wasn't even there yet!
Within 2 hours (and lots of painful contractions later) we were prepped and suited up for delivery.
Our doctor came in and led us in a prayer and were off to the operating room. Once in the room I quickly realized that I was alone and sitting on the operating table surrounded by big lights, machines, "tools", and nurses waiting for my epidural. I watched the nurse count out all of the different size scalpels, needles, gauze pads, and other instruments. At that moment I was scared...scared for my girls and scared of the surgery. I had a wonderful anesthesiologist that calmly talked me through the process of the epidural and a wonderful nurse that held my hand through it all. Once they were finished I heard Matt's voice and knew that he would help me get through the surgery.
I had always told Matt that he could choose which baby was given which name. As he sat next to me he told me that the first baby would be Payton Rebecca since she was the "clam one". And the second baby would be McKinley Ryan since she was breech and more active.
Finally they were ready for the doctor.
Once he came in I knew that we were about to see our girls and become parents. Within minutes I felt a lot of pulling and then saw our first little girl, Payton, being lifted over the blue curtain. They quickly took her to the station labeled Baby A and we heard that first tiny cry.
Payton Rebecca
April 8, 2011
4:39 p.m.
4 pounds 9 ounces
17 1/4 inches long
After more pulling we saw our second litte girl, McKinley, lifted over the blue curtain. She was taken to the station labeled Baby B. It took her a little longer to cry her first cry.
McKinley Ryan
April 8, 2011
4:41 p.m.
4 pounds
17 inches long
Each girl had a team of NICU nurses. Matt reported to me that they were beautiful, breathing, and doing great.
After they were clean and stable we got to see them before they were taken to the NICU.
Payton
McKinley
I hope that I can always remember seeing them each being lifted over the curtain and the sound of their first cry. It is such an amazing thing to see them and to hear their cry. At that moment I knew that they were going to be fine and no matter what they were our little girls.
I spent an hour in recovery and then was taken to see the girls. They both were on oxygen, iv for fluids, monitors to watch their heart and their breathing. They were doing great, breathing on their own.
Payton
McKinley
They are both so amazing and we are so lucky to have the privilege to be their parents. I am so excited about the journey that we will be taking with our girls. We are so blessed!
