Cameron and Kyle: Birth Story

Where do I even begin? I guess I'll start with my appointment on Monday, October 29th. I had my appointment, the NST went well, I didn't have contractions on the monitor as usual, and the doctor seemed like I could be having the babies any time. We talked about if I went into labor where I should go (there are two hospitals here, a small community hospital where I wanted to deliver, and a big hospital with the attached children's hospital and NICU). He said I would be fine to go to Franklin Woods (small community hospital) since I was 35+3 that day, and they can handle pretty much anything past 35 weeks.
We also talked about delivery plans and seeing if I would be able to have them vaginally. I was scheduled for an ultrasound on Nov. 1st to check weights and positions, but obviously didn't make it. The doctor thought I could have them at any time, since I was dilated to about a 3 and 70% or so effaced. I asked him how much I needed to be in labor for them to admit me since I was already to a 3, and he said if I was a 4 and having regular contractions, he would admit me. This gave me hope. I was feeling all sorts of finished. My poor body couldn't handle it much longer, and I had made it to 35 weeks, and that was good for me!

I left the appointment feeling OK but not thinking anything was going to happen any time soon. I had taken myself off of bed rest (I wasn't ever REALLY officially put on it, just told to take it easy, don't do too much, etc. and to be safe was staying down as much as possible) the Friday before, when I was exactly 35 weeks. The next day (Tuesday) I was feeling yucky. I had had bouts of feeling gross, crampy, like labor was coming a million times, so I just figured it was one of those days, and it would stop and I would just go about my normal day: sitting in bed, reading blogs, watching shows, etc. and doing a little bit of this and that throughout the day. Well, nothing happened all day so I figured we were in the clear for missing Halloween as a birthday. At about 11 pm on Tuesday the 30th, I started having contractions that felt like real labor. I was laying in bed and counting them, and just figured they'd stop. After an hour I still didn't believe I was in labor. The contractions were about 5-7 minutes apart, but they didn't hurt like I remember contractions hurting with Ellie. It was strange. I woke David up because they still weren't going away, and I figured we should probably do something about it. Once we got up and got a few things together, it seemed like they were dying down and I was having false labor. After another couple hours of debating whether or not to go in, I finally decided to go in to Franklin Woods and get checked out.

We got to the hospital around 3 ish in the morning, and I was feeling fine. I had a few painful contractions here and there, but they were very easy to deal with and I just breathed through them. Once I got checked in and taken back to a triage room, I found out I was about 4 cm dilated and my contractions were real. Woohoo! I was relieved! The doctor on call was one that I really liked, and since he said I just needed to be a 4 and have contractions, I knew I was having babies that day!

 Look! Contractions!

After we were in the room for a while and the nurses talked to the doctor, they decided that I should wait it out for about an hour and see what happens. So we sat there, I continued to have contractions, and when they checked me I hadn't really changed much, but the doctor still hadn't decided what to do with me. Personally I think he was buying himself time, since the shift change happens at 7 a.m. and it was 4:30 at this point. I don't blame him. Tired doctor who had been on call since the day before probably didn't want to deal with another patient, especially a c-section twins patient. ha ha! So he decided that I should have a bolus of IV fluid (an entire 1000mL bag of IV fluid in one hour) and see if my body was just dehydrated and needed fluids. That hour passed, and I was dilated to a 5 when they checked me. I was definitely having the twins on Halloween. Great, I thought. Halloween...the ONE DAY I said I really didn't want to have them. Little stinkers!

So, they changed my IV to a slow drip and I waited longer, and when the shift change happened, the new happy fresh doctor came in and talked to me. He talked to us about the risks/benefits about delivering at Franklin Woods at 35 +5 and told us that one or both babies may or may not have to be transferred to JCMC for the NICU. This was a horrible thought, to be without one or both babies for 2 days while I recovered from a c-section. No way, I thought. I was heartbroken, as I had my mind totally set on the fact that if I made it to 35 weeks, I could have my boys at the lovely hospital I spent 5 days at when I was in pre-term labor just a month before. I knew all the nurses, loved them and wanted to have them be the ones caring for me and my boys! However, I knew that these thoughts were selfish and I needed to put my babies first. So, it was decided that I should be transferred to the medical center just in case one or both babies would need the NICU.

Because I was in "active labor" I had to be transferred by ambulance to the med center. Most exciting thing of my life, really...jk. One of the nurses who was on shift that morning was one that had stayed in my room for almost 3 straight hours when I was having pre-term labor, and we got to know each other super well. I was so bummed I wouldn't have her for delivery/recovery/friendship! However she got to come with me for the transfer, so that was lots of fun! The EMT team came, and apparently they were told they were going to transfer a woman in "active birth". So, when they got there and I was all calm, cool and collected, they didn't know what to think. They thought they'd be dealing with someone ready to push, and it was me...someone who barely felt the contractions. I was laughing, talking and joking the entire time. It was crazy that I was in labor, and having contractions every 2-4 minutes and feeling just dandy! They put all the monitors on me, got me on their little bed thing and strapped me in, and off we went to the ambulance. The EMT who was riding in the back with me and the nurse kept asking me my pain, and honestly it wasn't ever above a 2. It was nothing. Kind of makes me feel gypped that I didn't get to deliver them vaginally and without an epidural. I was past a 5 and feeling great! Totally opposite than my labor experience with Ellie!

Look, here's a picture :)

So, once we got to the hospital, they got me into a room and everyone was waiting for me. The doctor was ready for the c-section, and I was feeling somewhat antsy about what doctor it was, since I didn't know her well. However those feelings went away when a member of our Bishopric came and helped David give me a blessing. He talked about how this particular Dr. delivered one of their children, and I felt much better. The blessing helped me feel more at ease, too even though I was still so nervous for the anesthesia, surgery and recovery and all else that comes with having twins!

After waiting what seemed like an eternity for them to do my blood work, get all my paperwork transferred and get me prepped for the surgery, it was time to go back! It was 10 something, so I had been in labor for about 10-11 hours!! Crazy! I wonder what I had dilated to by that point!?

I was so nervous and excited! David was ready and walked by my side until he had to go to the waiting area. I got to the OR and I was SO NERVOUS! It was silly. I was basically crying because I was nervous about everything. Once David came in everything started going so quickly and before I knew it, I heard a tiny loud cry, and Cameron Alan Grigsby was born, at 11:08 a.m. I immediately started crying tears of joy because he was crying, and that meant he was alive and healthy and here!! I was feeling so overwhelmed and David was just as overwhelmed and excited as I was and minutes later, I felt a big tug and out came Kyle David Grigsby into the world! He wasn't much of a crier at first, but decided to give his lungs a try. More tears flowed and I was so excited they were here!!! Things were busy and everyone was doing their jobs to get the babies checked out! Cameron's apgars were 9 and 9 and Kyle's were 7 and 9. They were doing GREAT!

The nurses were done with Kyle first, and when I saw his tiny perfect face I was in love! He was so tiny and so much fun!! He was awake and aware and I couldn't believe he was all ours! They later brought Cameron over and we took a picture with both our boys and we were so excited!! Not much time had passed, and I was ready to go to recovery. This is where things are a bit blurry. I don't remember if David went with me, or the babies. I think he went with the babies...

 

Kyle left, Cameron right

 

 

Cameron Alan Grigsby

 

  

Kyle David Grigsby

Anyway, they got me to my room and after a while, David came back with a napkin with their weights on it. Cameron weighed a tiny 4 lbs 15 oz and was 18.5" long, and Kyle weighed 5 lb 11 oz and was 19" long! Whoa! 10.5 lbs of baby! No wonder my body was done...

Not a lot of time passed, and they brought my two beautiful babies to me. A lactation consultant came in and helped me get both of them nursing. Cameron knew what to do right off the bat, but Kyle was lazy and wanted to sleep.

The rest of the day is sort of a blur, as I was given benadryl for the itching caused by the pain medication given with my spinal. I was so excited, so exhausted and so glad I was finally done being pregnant.

 

Cameron left, Kyle right

 Cameron left, Kyle right

 Kyle

 Cameron

 Cameron left, Kyle right

Mommy & Kyle

While their arrival wasn't exactly how I wanted it to be, all that matters is that my boys got here safely! We love them so much and while we're having a lot of long late nights and frustrations with colic (Cameron's super colicky) we are so grateful to be blessed with our two perfect boys! Things are going well at home, and I will update about the first few weeks soon-ish (if I magically find the time, and if I'm not too sleepy!).

Our baby girl!

Warning: I hope you're ready for one novel of a post...because this is definitely it!

On New Year's Eve, we planned to go to my brother's house for dinner and some festive fun. Before we went, we ended up going to the hospital because I thought I might be leaking amniotic fluid. After talking with admitting, they decided it was best to just get it checked out just in case. After being in the room for quite a while and having the fluid checked and being monitored for a while they decided that it wasn't amniotic fluid and I was free to go. At that point and time, I was having contractions like every 10-15 minutes and they weren't very bad.

After the hospital, we were off to my brother's house. We got there around 7:30 ish and had some delicious salmon and potatoes for dinner. After dinner we decided to play a game of Clue The Office. I was having contractions consistently the whole time we were playing the game and they were anywhere from 7-10 minutes apart. I was hoping things were starting to finally happen, because I REALLY didn't want to go over my due date.

After we finished the game of clue (which I really suck at, btw), we started to watch Star Wars (I really don't remember which one...I'm not really into Star Wars. :P). We weren't super far into the movie when I started to have some pretty strong contractions that were about 3 minutes apart. I started to think that our little one was really going to come and a wave of nervousness/excitement blew over me. I went upstairs to get a drink and could hardly stand through the contractions. David shortly followed me upstairs and I told him that they were starting to get strong and close. We decided that we should at least get to my grandma's house since it was just a few blocks from the hospital. We got to my grandma's at about 11:30-11:45ish and all I cared about was trying to make it through the contractions.

I decided to lie down because it was more comfortable, but soon things were getting hard to handle. At about 1:30ish we decided it was time to go to the hospital since things just seemed to get more and more intense. When we got there, they checked me and disappointment set in when they said I was only a 2 1/2! Are you kidding me?? You're telling me these contractions aren't doing ANYTHING!? I was pretty sad and downright exhausted by that point. After they monitored me for a while they decided I was in early labor and sent me home since I would be much more comfortable there. Since I was still planning on doing things unmedicated, they told me that a lot of people choose to have a shot of morphine and phenergan to help them sleep though the contractions and wake up rested dilated to a 4 or 5. Well seeing as I am not one for needles, I said I didn't want the shot and would just try to sleep through things on my own. We went back to my grandma's and amazingly I was able to get some rest. It was about 3 when we got back to her house and I was able to sleep until 6:30ish without having any pain from contractions.

After I got up, I ate some breakfast and decided to take a shower. The contractions were about 5 minutes apart, and I was pretty sure they were going to stop. To keep busy, David, grandma and I all watched the Rose Parade. I started to get REALLY uncomfortable and I knew that I couldn't handle things anymore. I even told David that I couldn't do it without medication. I didn't want to go to the hospital yet, because I feared they would just send me back home! I didn't want to go through that again, so I decided to just sit and move around until I really couldn't stand it any longer. Around 10:15 a.m., I wasn't able to laugh or joke about things anymore, which was a sign to us that we should get going to the hospital. So, for the 3rd time in less than 24 hours, we headed to the hospital in hopes that this was the real deal, and we'd have a baby soon!

When we got to the hospital it was the same old thing, checking in and going to the claustrophobic little room to get monitored and checked. I was ready to hear that I hadn't made ANY progress so I wouldn't get disappointed, but to my surprise, I had dilated to a 4. They all knew I would be back soon since I had come in early that morning having early labor. After getting an IV line in my wrist and a bit of a wait, they were able to get me a room and officially admit me. That was around 11:07 ish. I was a very very happy camper because the midwife on call was the one I happened to see the most during the pregnancy and I really really like her.

Once we got into our room, I was very relieved because I knew that it couldn't be too much longer until we had our sweet baby girl!

After about 20 more minutes of frequent contractions, my midwife came in and checked me again. She said since I wasn't making a ton of quick progress, she thought it would be best to break my water. That was a weird feeling, but it sure got things going. It made things hurt much worse, but I'm very glad I had them do it!

As things kept going, they kept getting harder and harder and I was struggling more and more with each contraction. Keep in mind our sweet baby girl decided to be posterior, so I was having TONS of back labor! They checked me a little while after that and I had progressed to a 5 (I think? At this point I wasn't really paying much attention to where I was at, rather I just was trying to get through each contraction one at a time.) and things were getting even harder! Who knew!? ;) The midwife had me change positions frequently to help things move along, and it worked really well.

Not long after that, I was starting to have a REALLY hard time with each contraction and I started to think I couldn't do it. David was so sweet and so supportive the entire time and told me I could do it and it's something I had wanted to do badly. When they checked me again, I was at a 6 and I was hurting more than I could even imagine possible!

The midwife had me change positions yet again, and I was having a really hard time with the contractions. She asked me if I wanted some kind of pain medication and I asked her what was available. She said I had 2 choices. I could have Fentanyl through my IV, and that would at least take the edge off things for about an hour, through the hardest part--transitioning, or, I could have an epidural. I couldn't make a decision before the next contraction hit, and I was in tears with the pain! The nurse and midwife left the room because another girl was delivering and they needed the midwife! (Talk about horrible timing!) While they were both gone, I told David I just wanted an epidural because I was done with the pain, but he told me no. I'm glad he did though, because it was worth it in the end! After the nurse came back I told them I wanted the Fentanyl and they said they'd just have to wait on approval to give it to me.

A few more contractions came and went and I knew that things were just going to get harder and harder as time wore on. I don't know what time it was when they finally gave me the drug, but I was sure glad the time had come. It made me kinda loopy at first, but after that initial stage it was great. Things still hurt a lot, but I was able to make it through the transitioning stage. I was sure glad that nobody cared that I was screaming/moaning and using any outlet to get through the contractions! It helped a ton--more than any breathing exercise could have!

It was time to change positions yet again and I was dilated to probably and 8 or so. David really should edit this story because I'm sure he has a better recollection of how things went! A couple contractions later, I was at a 9 and it was getting really really hard not to push! I changed positions again and after one or two more contractions, I had just about dilated to a 10! It was such a relief to hear that! The midwife had to take off for a bit of a break and while she was gone, the nurse had me push through one contraction to get me the rest of the way dilated.

The pushing stage had FINALLY come, and boy I tell you...it was such a relieving thing! Instead of just trying to get through a contraction, I could actually do SOMETHING with it! I loved it and they said most of the people going natural love it because it is a relief to them. A little over halfway into pushing, I was getting tired and began to wonder if it would ever end! Things kept going well, and they said she was just about past my pelvic bone. Before that, I would push and it was kind of like I hadn't done anything because it wasn't getting me anywhere. The midwife had me change positions a little again and she was finally crowning. She asked if I wanted a mirror to watch, and I said, "No, that's gross." haha! She also asked me if I wanted to touch her head and I gave the same answer. hah! I asked them how much longer it would be and both the nurse and midwife said it would probably be around 15-20 minutes more. I looked a the clock and noticed that it was around 3:35 and I just wasn't having the 15-20 minutes more. After that, I had lots more motivation to use as much energy as possible to get this baby here! I totally proved them wrong and after two contractions, she was here!

They put her on my belly and I couldn't even think! I had a baby and it was SOOOO weird! I couldn't believe that she was mine and that I had just given birth to a perfect baby girl! She wasn't crying when they took her from me to weigh her but she did cry when they gave her a shot! She weighed exactly 7lbs and was 19.5 inches long.

Ellie RaNay Grigsby
Born 1/1/11 3:42 p.m.
7lbs 0oz, 19.5 inches long

Very happy & proud daddy.

Her best friend and my enemy--her hand in her mouth! :)

Wide awake with big, beautiful eyes!

Our first family picture.

We sure love our little sweet pea! She's brought an indescribable joy into our lives that makes life so sweet. We already can't imagine life without her!