My due date was March 20 but I told people I wouldn't be surprised if we have a St. Pattys Day baby based on the ultrasound date of March 17. But on March 12th I woke up to contractions and stayed home from work and had Robb stay home from work. We even cancelled both parent/teacher conferences for that day because who knew what would happen. But nothing happened except for contractions coming and going. That night I started timing them using an IPhone App that was really cool. Tuesday morning I stayed home from work again and so did Robb. But then we discovered that we had 3 sick kids in the house and I kind of freaked out. I can't bring home a new baby to the house when the kids are sick. So I told the baby to please wait until St. Patty's Day or later to be born, and then the contractions stopped. I was able to go to work Wed through Fri with no hints of labor. Saturday morning, St. Patty's Day, I woke up at 8:00 am to a contraction. I completely ignored it. But then I kind of noticed they were coming maybe a few an hour, but I just didn't pay any attention to them. I made banana bread. I did some laundry. Then around lunch time I noticed Mana had a rash on her trunk in addition to her fever and not wanting to eat. I googled Strep throat and decided she likely had it. I called the on-call pediatrician who called me back and said that I should have just went to urgent care. So Robb decided we should take Keanu also, since he was pretty sick too. We brought them at 2 pm to MedStop and I was having contractions more and more often. The nurse in the urgent care said "I know what you are doing. I just had a baby. We don't do babies here". I had my combs in my pocket and each time a contraction hit, I squeezed the combs.
Mana and Keanu both tested positive for strep throat and we finally left at 3:30 from Med Stop. We decided we'd better grab the zithromax prescriptions on our way home so we wouldn't leave the kids without the antibiotic if we were going to the hospital. It took a while at CVS. It was pouring rain and windy and all around very wierd weather. I was sitting in the van with Anu and Mana and every time a contraction hit I had to really move around and do breathing. I think the kids were really wondering what I was doing, but Mana was so sick looking she didn't even say anything. I called the midwives office from the van because the contractions were getting closer. Robb finally got the antibiotic and we got home at 4:30. I ran straight to the ball where I would sit more comfortably, way better than the van. Finally the midwives called at about 4:40 and asked if I was in labor and I said yes, and she said to meet her at French Hospital. Robb and I grabbed our bags, loaded the van, kissed the kids, wished my mom good luck and headed out into the rain.
We arrived at 5:00 pm at French Hospital. Sandy the midwife was already there, a pleasant surprise. I got the last room they said. They had wanted me to go to Sierra Vista, but Sandy begged to let me come to French. Sandy checked me and I was an 8. They got the antibiotics for me (for Group B Strep) hooked up as fast as they could, but they had to wait for the Clindomyecin to come from the lab so it took a while. I knew that I shouldn't have the baby until I got the antibiotic. So I sat on the bed, just waiting for the drug to run its course. Every time a contraction hit, I had Robb press my lower back and I squeezed the comb. Finally the antibiotics ran through but they legally can't break the water until 4 hours. I said I should probably use the bathroom since I'd been sitting on the bed for 90 minutes without moving. I stood up and a bad contraction hit me that I wasn't ready for in a standing position, so I leaned over the bed and gush, out came the water. Then I felt the pressure to push. Sandy asked me if I wanted to deliver right there on the ground or go onto the bed. I didn't want to think about getting on the bed, but I knew it would be better, so I got back on the bed, and they got all the tools ready for delivery.
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The wonderful birth helper with his Lucky Charm!
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They told me to push when I wanted, so I kind of started pusing a bit and then I felt that crazy rush and his head was out. They told me to slow down and that was hard, but I guess it was the shoulders coming out they didn't want me to tear. Thankfully that didn't last too long, and then he came out. I heard his cry and was so grateful he was born! The placenta had completely detached so I didn't even have to push it out, she just pressed my stomach and out it came. And no bloodclots to remove, either! And no stitches, so I was really happy. It was 6:48 pm when he was born. They just wanted him to nurse for an hour, so they didn't weigh him for an hour, so I was kind of waiting to find that out. His apgars were 10 and 10 because he was so pink. He weighted 7 lbs 15 oz and was 20.5 inches long.
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| Kekoa Iokepa Pakelika Kiaha |
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| Awesome that I had a green tanktop, that was not planned. |
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| Our little Koala, Kekoa |
By the way, French Hospital was filled that night because the rain makes babies come. The change in barometric pressure, they say....
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