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First off, if you’re reading to find out the baby’s name, I give you permission to skip to the end of the post. The rest that follows is how he raced into the world painfully and just in time for my doctor to deliver 🙂
I rolled my big belly over to the clock: 3:32 am. My eyes were wide open, and I was patiently waiting to feel anything. Any twinge that might indicate baby is coming. Nothing. I was three days post due date. It was early on a Friday morning. I decided to pray. My obgyn, who’s delivered all my babies, my sister’s babies, and his dad delivered my sisters and I, was heading out of town later that day. He NEVER goes out of town. I wanted him to be there, but I didn’t want to induce the baby. So, I prayed for God to send the baby, fearfully asking for him to come. I have a hard time asking God for things sometimes because He has a plan right? But, I was tired, big and ready to meet this guy.
The morning started off as usual, the two boys were jumping around, I buttered toast, poured sippy cups and changed diapers. Then, I noticed a delivery truck outside and remebered our new furniture was coming! Yay! I let the guys in and wrangled the boys away. As I’m directing traffic, I feel that familiar gush most of you don’t want me to describe.
Excusing myself to the bathroom, I realized my water broke. Yes! I nonchalantly return to directing traffic and orchestrating furniture placement and attempting to keep the boys from jumping on everything.
Slowly, little contractions started coming, but it was nothing more than I’ve experienced for weeks, so I didn’t rush just yet. My last delivery with Jack was a total of about 3.5 hours, so I’m starting to contemplate when I should go to the hospital. I finally announce the news to the family around 10 am, so we can all make a plan. I wanted to wait for a bit and see if contractions would get worse. I got in the shower, made sure I had what I needed, and we devised our game plan.
My mom came to take me and get checked into the hospital. The boys and Dadda went to get their older, half-brother early from school to babysit. The way contractions were sporadic and tolerable, it seemed we had time.
Checking into the hospital was the usual. They verified my water broke, I was texting and keeping everyone updated with a smile. It was about 11:30 am when I felt some stronger contractions. I tried timing them, but they werent regular, so I felt like I wasnt very far into labor. They came to check me, and I was 5cm dilated already. In the past, once I start getting around a 5, things go fast.
They got me checked into a Birthing room, and blood drawn for the epidural. I started not feeling so happy and not liking the contractions. In a matter of 10 minutes I was almost crying. “Um, when she does that, the baby is coming!” My mom said to the nurse while pointing at me.
“Hi, we have some blood work for the epidural in the lab…we need that back like stat,” I heard my fabulous nurse, Becky, on the phone. She hung up and looked at the machines. The baby’s heart started dropping.
“Katie, you might not like this, but we need you to try laying on your side. Baby isn’t happy right now.”
I turned over to my left side. The heart rate climbed back up. “Okay, baby is much happier now. You’re going to have to stay here,” she explained.
Okay, I thought. It didn’t really matter if I was on the floor, I wanted the baby to be okay.
My doctor is no where at this point, but there was a really nice lady who had come and introduced herself, letting me know she’d be delivering if he wasn’t able to make it.
“Whatever, where’s the anasetheologist? He’s the guy I want right now,” I believe I said that out loud, but not totally sure.
Finally, he walked in.
Nurse Becky said, “I have a fairly unreasonable request. The baby wasn’t happy, and we need her to lay on her side. Can you give it to her laying down?”
He said okay. Not quite protocal, but necessary. Meanwhile, my mom was asked to leave the room. She notified everyone I was getting the epidural. She wasn’t aware of what was happening in the room.
In the room, Becky, the anasetheologist and I are the only ones. My eyes are closed, as I work through intense contractions. He goes to give me the meds, and there’s electricity/pain going down my back. Crap, that’s not good. I told him. He does whatever he’s supposed to do, and there’s some pain for a while til they tell me it’s appropriately placed and in. Yay!
It doesn’t work. Pain isn’t stopping and now I feel the baby almost coming out. Luckily, when I opened my eyes, there was my doctor! He’d snuck in, and he was there ready for the baby. I was not.
Meanwhile, my mom is still outside the room. They told her they’d come get her when the epidural was done. She can hear me still screaming. What is going on? She had no idea the baby was almost here.
They attempt to give me another epidural, but it’s too late, so they give me a quick shot of epidural, hoping it will reach me in time to help. (Apparently, they can shoot some of the meds into your spine, which will last a couple hours, rather than having the continuous numbing of the epidural.)
My mom finally peaks her head in, and my doctor is telling the nurse, “She’s gonna have to do this on her own,” then he’s telling me I need to push the baby out. Nope. I am NOT numb. I will not.
“No, I cant,” I told him, as I’m turning over to my back.
“Katie, yes you can. You’ve got to.” We were half-yelling at each other. Me frantic, and him doing is best coaching voice. I had no choice.
Luckily, as I started pushing, the epidural worked enough to soothe the contractions, but that was it. My mom ran to one side, the nurse was on the other, and I literally grabbed them by their arms, pulling on them as I pushed and screamed. I yelled at my doctor, “STOP!!”
I thought I could tell him to stop delivering the baby. It was too painful, but I was out of control. Three intense, screaming-hot-and-searing pain contractions later, the baby was out, crying and on my chest. This was a matter of about 40 minutes from when I got to that room. I could barely comprehend the pain and joy that whizzed through me.
David Monte St Johns was born October 21st at 1:10 pm. He raced into the world as an answer to my prayers that morning. His dad didn’t quite make his entrance, but he arrived just minutes after. The numbness of the epidural worked fabulous after David showed up, but I was honestly in pain for such a short amount of time, it feels like it was a dream. My little David was my quickest delivery, and so far my easiest baby. I am thankful my doctor made it just in time. He was in surgery, then supposed to head to the airport after. He was able to fit me in, just minutes before he had to leave for the airport. I’m one happy and blessed mama.
