Makena's Birth Story

My husband and I had been trying to conceive for approximately 2 months. I surprised him by giving him the test for Christmas. We were so excited! When I was 9 weeks, I had my first ultrasound and we found out we were having just a single birth.

At 11 weeks, I had been spotting so I had another ultrasound. Just fine again.

At 20 weeks, we found out we were having a girl. We couldn't be happier. Even though my husband wanted a boy, we were happy.

At week 28, I had to go and have another ultrasound because they hadn't found the kidneys. But they were fine. Visible and not too large or too small. That afternoon of the ultrasound I had been having ALOT of cramping and was starting to turn into Braxton-Hicks contractions. I called the doctor and she seemed concerned. So I went ahead and made an appointment. She checked me and I as dilated to a two. I was put on the monitor there in the office, since the contractions didn't seem to be doing anything she sent me home to rest a little. I had a 1 1//2 year old at the time, so that was very hard. Mom stayed with me a few days and I did all right.

Around 30 weeks, I failed my gestational diabetes test. I found out that I had diabetes and that I was to be on a very strict diet yet still eat a lot of little meals a day. I stayed very dizzy and shaky.

Around week 32, the chaos began. I started having Braxton-Hicks contractions again because by this time I thought it was ok to continue normal activities. I was pregnant during the summer so this included play dates to the local park and everything. This particular morning I got up feeling terrible… nauseated, dizzy and not wanting to move. My doctor was out of town and another doctor was on duty. The contractions, according to my calculations, were running every 10 min-8 min-6min until they were coming every 3 minutes. I called the doctor on call and he said to go straight to labor and delivery. When I got there they put me on the monitor and within 10 minutes they were poking me with needles and trying to get an IV going. The next thing I knew I was so dizzy and everything was two or three. I couldn't see straight or really even be awake. I was in so much pain. Eventually they stopped the contractions. I didn't realize it but they were hitting on top of each other and it wasn't just my imagination. I stayed for three days and was not allowed out of bed. I wasn’t allowed to eat anything but jello and sprite or water. I got so sick; I didn't even want to see that bowl of chicken broth.

I was on bed rest until week 36, which then if I had the baby it wouldn't matter. I had had some steroid shots and the baby, according to an ultrasound, weighed 6 pounds already.

At week 36, I was off all meds and everything. I had no contractions... no pain, no more trips to the hospital. NOTHING! Very upset every day for a week. I kept thinking that my water had broken, but it hadn't.

At week 37, I get to the doctor's office that morning and she asked me when the baby had moved last and at that second I realized it hadn't moved all day. I then got very pale and scared. She said she would just check me and if I were in labor she would go ahead and send me to L&D. I was dilated to a 5 with no contractions and no pain. Felt great as a matter of fact. I got very nervous to think of it and I got my grandmother to watch my son and we drove to the hospital! I got there around 12:30 and they said, first thing an enema.... I thought it would be worse than it was, but it wasn't that bad. Then they started me on an IV and things started to roll. I didn't do anything for hours until about 2:30 I had a contraction. More of a Braxton-Hicks, but I hadn't had those in weeks so I hardly noticed it. I just noticed the nurse ran in and said, “You are officially in labor girl!” We all laughed at her comment and I noticed that the contractions started to get harder and harder. Not really painful but harder. They checked me about 30 min later and I was dilated to a 6. They told me that this was my only chance for an epidural, so I took it.

At 5 o’clock they checked me and I was dilated to an 8 and things were going pretty slow. They decided to hold off with any Pitocin until the doctor got off her shift to see how I progressed. At 6 o’clock she walked in and said, “Let's have a baby!” She checked me I was a 10, my water still intact. She broke it and asked if I felt like pushing. I did and I pushed a few times. Didn't do anything. She asked the girls to do a perinial massage and then get started. She kept saying it was going to be huge, but only 2 weeks ago it was only 6 pounds. So I wasn't worried.

I pushed 4 times and they told me to stop. They called the doctor back in and she said, “Ok, here it is!” They held the mirror so I could watch and within a few more pushes her head was out and completely covered in black. I felt like pushing more so I began to push and her shoulders were stuck. I tried to see in the mirror but the nurse took it away. I had tore and she didn't want me to see. It was very painful. I had an epidural and I still felt it. Her shoulders come out after another push or two and they yelled that meconium present as soon as she came out. They handed her to me with her whimpering a little. They let me hold her and kiss her for a minute until they said they had to clean out her belly.

They took her and weighed her, she was 8 lb and 6 oz. Almost 3 weeks early. They cleaned out her stomach 8 times before the liquid was clear. None had gotten to her lungs so we were doing good. We got to go home after 3 days and no complications. She is my little angel. She slept through the night the very first night. From 10-4 and within 3 days she was doing 10-hour nights.

Makena Brooklyn is now 7 months old and we are expecting our next. I hope it was as easy as she was.