Her Story
After my late term miscarriage my pregnancy was watched very closely. I had ultrasounds every visit. I saw a specialist in Spokane often. They were not taking any chances. There was only conspiracy what happened when I miscarried because I birthed 3 wonderful children to 39 weeks. Liam was my earliest at 38 weeks 6 days induction for low fluid.
I was scared and anxious my entire pregnancy. Once Parker started to move i would daily make her move on purpose for my own benefit. It helped me. I continued counseling and doctor visits. Nothing was said concerning up until 34 ish weeks. I went into my routine appointment and they told me my blood pressure wasn't where it needs to be. They checked it a couple times and finally got a reading they didnt hate and that they'd keep an eye on it.
at my 36 week apt they checked dilation (1cm) & my blood pressure again a couple times and it was extremely high. I was put on medication but when I went to take it... Its almost like I had an allergic reaction to it. It made me extremely cold and shaking, my lips swelled and my arms were itchy. My doctor told me to stop taking it and that we'd check my blood pressure again at my next appointment and come up with a game plan. If it didnt go down...I'd most likely have to be induced. Which i did not want. I already have tiny babies as it is at 39 weeks. Just thinking about all that at 36 weeks was hard.
On February 19th.... the entire day i was having a hard time walking. It hurt every step from the pressure. almost like my crotch was bruised (tmi) and random contractions here and there.
February 20th I was EXACTLY 37 weeks. I went into my apt leaving Liam right next to sleeping Joey with his tablet (i let joey know he was there) and went with just a granola bar. It was a 9am apt.
(girls were at school)
I get to my apt. Do an ultrasound and check fluid levels. She said it was on the lower side but not low enough to be worried.
Went back to the room. Checked my blood pressure (it was high) put me on the monitor for a stress test to check babies heart rate along with contractions. once I was on the monitor it was like the contractions decided to be closer together and more consistent. I had been feeling them before but not like that. Or maybe I just go on my daily stuff and get distracted by them.
The doctor comes in and notices how often they are. And that my blood pressure was high.. He decided to check dilation (least favorite thing) I was 3 cm. (no wonder i was in pain the day before)
He told me to go straight to the hospital. I kept telling him Im not ready. He was very strict on me not going home first. I can make my calls, but i go straight to the hospital.
I did as I was told.
Called Joey a couple times because I left him sleeping. Called my mom. called my friend stephanie. Told them all. I needed all hands on deck to help me get ready haha. I didnt even pack a hospital bag. I didnt even take Parkers carseat out of the box.
I packed her a bag. I got her bed ready. Thank goodness.
My friend stephanie went up stairs (she lives in the apartment under us) and she grabbed the carseat. Helped Joey grab things for my bag.
My mom contacted my siblings to find a place for Liam.
Everyone was wonderful. It was SO HARD for me to go to the hospital and sit there and not help. Im used to running the show.
Joey took liam to get food and brought him to my sisters house.
I was in the main room getting checked to pretty much see if i was in full labor. Which seemed like a waste. I got the dreaded IV. I was hooked onto the monitor. The contractions were painful. They checked my blood. they checked my urine and saw I did show protein in it.. which means my kidneys were angry as well as high blood pressure.
They put something in my IV for my blood pressure to make it semi-normal. As normal as it could get.
I got moved into the main delivery room. Got situated with my new nurse. She called the Epidural guy and my doctor for the game plan.
My doctor came first. I really wanted an epidural before he decided to break my water. but well... he didnt listen. he did it anyway. checked. I was 4cm.
Epidural guy came in and gave me the good stuff. It didnt want to work right away (red hair runs in my family haha)
The nurse kept shifting me to get the stuff to work everywhere. finally it worked enough.
Joey decided to show up once the epidural guy was there.
My mom showed up after.
I was pretty hangry at this point. I only had a granola bar the entire time.
My mom left to get the girls from school and handed them off with my dad. checked and I was 7cm.
Joey left to get him and my mom a jimmy johns sandwich. (eyeroll) haha. (hangry labor person over here)
By then I had been checked and it was a 9. Luckily Joey showed up just in time.
He was eating his sandwich and i told the nurse I need to push. She called my doctor and the other nurses. Checked to see if we could do a trial push. ... nope. She was in fact right there.
I wanted to push this entire time it was like everyone was coming in to slow.
Finally, nurse on one leg. Joey on the other leg. My mom was by me. one contraction. 3 pushes.. she was out.
Held her on my chest while they cleaned her up. Joey cut the cord. and I just held her for an hour. Nobody took her to weigh her. to do anything. Skin to skin for an hour. and she immediately latched on to nurse. It was a fast, wonderful birth.
She was born at 5:22pm 5lbs 6oz. 18.5in. 3 weeks early. 2.20.2020
The birth was fairly easy. Not a ton of pain. it was after where things took a turn.
I was bleeding ALOT. they couldnt stop it. I couldnt go to the bathroom no matter how hard I tried. They were convinced my bladder was full and it not being emptied was making it so my uterus wasnt contracting normally and i was just loosing and loosing alot of blood. I went completely pale.
i was nursing Parker and handed her over because i wasnt feeling well.
They put another catheter in (because they took the other one out when my epidural was done) to force my bladder to empty. Getting that in wasnt pleasant without the epidural haha.
They gave me a shot in the arm (which they told me they rarely do because of how strong it is) but it stops the bleeding. It worked to good. I was in the bathroom with an upset stomach out of both ends (sorry tmi again) I felt so weak. I was crying because I just felt so overwhelmed. Joey was holding my hand because he felt helpless and could tell I was in a ton of pain. & kept trying to comfort me.
They gave me a drug to counteract the shot that upset my stomach. They gave me pain meds. And they monitored me. Those nurses are wonderful. They took care of me quick. and dealt with alot of blood mess.
I was definitely blessed with some pretty great nurses. & a husband that stayed with me and by me thru the horrible icky stuff and bringing me fresh ice water.
Parker was early but she was super healthy. They were worried about jaundice for a bit and almost needed to be admitted again once we left. But she is thriving. She is fully breast feeding and a champ. She is the sweetest little baby. Hardly cries. wakes up every 2-3 hours at night.
The first night was ROUGH. but the 2nd & 3rd night was much better.
I am still on medication for my high blood pressure and even bough myself a blood pressure checker thingy.
Our kids absolutely adore her and want to hold her often. They are AMAZING helpers. Liam will get me practically anything and cry if his sister throws the diaper away and he didnt get to. He even helped me change a poopy diaper today.
My Grandmas maiden name was Park. That is where Parker comes from. Plus we thought it was adorable for a girl name.
and of course JOY is for how much happiness she brings us after a hard time with my miscarriage with nathaniel
We sure do love her.
Thanks for reading
