Alex's Birth Story.... I have never been so scared!

PhoxySteph · January 2012

Alex's Birth Story

Wow... where to begin.

Alex was my 4th. I have 3 beautiful girls. Kaylee is 11, Maggie
is 8 and Alanea is 7. All three pregnancies were identical. Zero complications and I
LOVED being pregnant.

My husband and I started TTC in August 2010. After 4 miscarriages we were thrilled that our 5th attempt was our take home baby! I was SO excited and happy once I passed my 1st trimester.

Everything about my pregnancy was totally opposite of my girls. I was nauseous for 8 months, I was uncomfortable all the time. I had trouble sleeping, just to name a few of the
discomforts.

I had a birthing plan all ready. All three of my girls were born vaginally so I expected the same with baby #4. This time I wanted to go as far and as long as I could pain meds.free. All three of my labors with my girls were really short. All were under 5 hours. And living 1-2 hours (depending on traffic) from the hospital my Dr wanted to schedule an induction.

I started to have some uncomfortable braxton hicks contractions on Monday November 28th. After going through labor and delivery 3 previous times I wasn't worried at all. On Wednesday November 30th I had just put my girls to bed and my husband (Scott) and I were down stairs watching TV. I had a pretty painful contraction that took my breath away. This was at 9:15 pm. Scott was joking around and said "If you don't stop having contractions you aren't even going to
make it to December" I then replied that I wasn't worried that it was nothing and that everything was fine. At 9:30 pm I felt something really warm leaking out from between my legs. I thought "great! I peed in my pants again" I had a pad on because I had pregnancy bladder LOL. So I told my husband I had to go to the bathroom. When I sat down on the toilet I looked down at the pad and it had bright red blood on it. I then looked in the toilet it was filled with blood!

I FREAKED OUT!!! I yelled for my husband. He went next door to get our neighbors. The wife is a pediatric Dr and the husband is an anesthesiologist. She said I needed to call my Dr right away. The diagnostics nurse said I needed to come in to the hospital ASAP!

WHAT?!?!?! I was not ready for this! I didn't even have my bags packed!! I wasn't due for another 5 weeks! I was SO scared! I knew that the bright red blood was not a good sign. And there was SO much blood! I was in shock!

My neighbor and Scott got a few things together in a bag for me. I had made a list of things I needed to bring so they were using it as a guide.

We were in the car and headed to the hospital by 9:56 pm. (I knew this because Scott was timing my contractions)We were driving 60mph in a 40mph speed zone and went right by a sheriff's car. I had my fingers crossed that we wouldn't get pulled over.... I was wrong. Scott got his license out and was ready by the time the officer came up to the window. My husband then told him " Officer here is my license but my wife is in labor and we are on our way to Northside Atlanta" The officer said " I was just going to let you know that your tag light was out, but that's not a problem... get on down the road!" I called my family to let them know we were on our way to the hospital and I emailed my labor buddy to let her know what was going on as well.

We arrived at the hospital at 10:26 pm. The nurse had already called the hospital and let them know I was coming. A nurse with a wheel chair met us at the hospital door. They wheeled me back to labor and delivery.

They hooked my up to the monitors and it looked as if baby was doing fine. They couldn't understand why I was bleeding so much. My Dr came in and checked me. I was barely 1 CM and still long. She said that my water had broke and they needed to jump start labor. After checking my stomach to see where baby was she asked to have an ultrasound machine brought in. The ultra sound revealed that Alex was still breech. I had no choice. They had to do a Csection... and fast.

They started my epi, and prepared my husband and I for the surgery. By 12:20 I was in the OR room. I was SO scared and in shock!

John Alexander was born at 12:46 am on December 1st 2011. He weighed 6lbs 6.5oz and was 19" long. He was not able to breath on his own and needed surfactant added into his lungs.

The bleeding was from a Placenta abruption. Evidently my Dr said it was a good thing I came in when I did. The blood had formed a clot which had started to bleed again. This set my body into labor mode. Thus my water broke.

I didn't get to see Alex until 2:00 pm the next day! He was hooked up to monitors and was on a cpap machine in the NICU. He looked so tiny!

The nurses were great and prepared us to have Alex in the NICU for the next few weeks. I was so heart broken knowing that I would be going home without him. He surprised everyone though and started getting stronger much quicker than they expected.

They took the staples out from the surgery and I left the hospital on Sunday December the 4th. I was shocked at how small the scar was. It looked like someone took a red ink pen and drew a line right at my bikini line, I was impressed and excited that it wasn't bad at all!

Alex was doing well and eating fantastic! He was even able to breastfeed! He got to come home on the 6th of December. He weighed 5lbs 12oz when he came home. He weighed 6lbs 14oz the next week at his first weigh in with his Dr and grew over an inch! The following week for his weigh in he had gained another pound. He is now up to 8lbs 7oz and 22" long at 5 weeks old! He is doing great and I feel very lucky it all turned out so well!

Lhand11 · January 2012

Wow! What a scary ordeal! I am so happy that everything turned out okay and your son is doing so well! Congrats!

rachel.wenger · January 2012

Congrats on his successful delivery! Glad to hear that you made it through it ok. So scary!!

shotzie · January 2012

Wow, that must've been terrifying! Glad you and baby are okay and he's thriving now! Congrats!

caitie2002 · January 2012

Congratulations! And glad you are both doing well after such a scary delivery!

kcvasquez · January 2012

Thank you for sharing your birth story Phoxy and I am so glad Alex was your take home baby! He is one handsome little man!

PsyDr04 · January 2012

Congratulations! I am so happy to hear that you and Alex are doing ok. A placental abruption is a very serious thing and I'm glad that police officer had the sense to let you zoom on over to the hospital! It's so interesting to read all these different birth stories. I'm sorry you had to go through such a scary ordeal, but it sounds like Alex is quite the trooper. Big Smile

SassyPants150 · January 2012

Thanks for sharing Steph! Alex is a trooper and so is his momma! He is just the perfect addition to your fam!!!

bellablue2 · January 2012

Lurking from April bmb...just wanted to say your son is beautiful! What a scary experience, but i am glad to hear that everything has turned out well!!!!

selenawrites · January 2012

What an amazing story, I'm glad everything turned out ok for you and Alex! Your daughters must be so excited to have a little brother.

pcrock92 · January 2012

Wow! You've been through so much. I'm glad baby is doing well!!

Jess084 · January 2012

Wow! What a whirlwind. Even though it must have been chaotic it seems like you handled all of the pressure well. I am so glad Alex is doing so well!

jen629 · January 2012

how scary momma! glad you are both ok! and I miss you!

michelle_1221 · January 2012

Wow, so glad it's ok now, but how scarey! Small world, I'll also deliver at Northside. You hear great things about them, but seems like they really did do everything right for you.