Warning: Some graphic content...not for the weak at heart...and if you haven't had a baby yet, you may not want to read this as some of these things people don't tell you so that the earth's population doesn't become jeopardized.
I didn't want to have any expectations for an early arrival for our second child because I assumed that would help time not to drag on if I was "late" again. The problem with this line of thinking is without the thought that the child may be early, we failed to complete preparations for the arrival -- most importantly packing the bags for the hospital. If our delivery were anything like last time, this would not have been a problem because we had made a list and we would have had plenty of time while we were laboring at home. However, true to the advice that almost everyone who has multiple children told me......every labor is different.
New Years Eve in Hawaii is a BIG BIG deal, as is any holiday that boasts fireworks. This year recreational fireworks were supposedly banned. The neighborhood around our building, maybe even all of Oahu, did not get the memo. At one point I got our of bed to see if the fireworks were actually hitting our building. Fortunately Helaina was able to sleep through them but I only got about 5 hours of sleep.
I wasn't completely alarmed when I had my first few contractions at 5:30AM on New Years Day so I stayed in bed until 6 or so. I got up and told Chris that we may be having some labor signs and that I was going to relax on the couch as I find it impossible to sleep if I think I am going into labor. I suggested he rest as he was able to and would need if it were go time. Around 7AM I called Jim and Rochelle Kwasnowski (our Hawaiian family) and left them a voice mail to let them know they may need to pick Bebe and Helaina up as I might be going into labor. Chris and Helaina got up and we all started preparing just in case :o) In the next few minutes my contractions became so overwhelming that I stopped what I was doing and got into the tub which helped immensely. By the time Rochelle called back just 45 min later, I overheard Chris on the phone and yelled from the bathroom for them to come now and quick!!! Chris began franticly getting Helaina and Bebe's bags together. He's got fantastic execution in panic situations.
After the Kwas' picked up the girls, Chris began getting our things together and I drug myself out of the tub. I couldn't believe how strong my contractions were already. I started panicking when I couldn't even get dressed because my contractions were so close and so intense. My labor was twenty-five hours long with Helaina. There was NO WAY I was going to be able to stand what I was feeling at the time for even five or ten more hours. I informed Chris I decided that I wanted an epidural. We had Helaina natural and had planned to do it again so he agreed to support me but I could tell by his tone he had plans to discuss it later. All that discussion became moot anyway since he couldn't even get me to get dressed and down to the car. I was OVERWHELMED to say the least. He was going to tell my midwife to come to the house, which would have ended in an ambulance and I was NOT going to do that. He finally got me dressed in pajama bottoms (I was in too much pain to choose anything else) and bargained with me that to get to the car, we could stop when necessary on our way down to the car -- which we did about 7 times. He ran to get the car from our spot and later I found -- it would not start on the first few turnovers. Once it finally did he came to get me at the door. I wanted to ride facing backwards on the seat, as being on upright on my knees was most comfortable. When I was getting in the car, I thought that I felt the baby pushing down but I dismissed the thought that time - part fear and part disbelief. When the next contraction came while we were driving I investigated the matter and told Chris that I thought I felt the head. So adorable with all his birth training, he asked, "Do you have an overwhelming urge to push?" Again, with fear and confusion, I said I wasn't sure. He called Linda, our midwife (heaven sent guardian angel) to let he know that I may or may not be further along than we thought.
*** By the way, we were breaking a number of traffic violations at this point including, but not limited to: speeding, passenger riding backwards, no seat belt, talking on the phone while driving & indecency as my pants were pulled down around my knees (with a towel “covering” so I was not fully mooning all innocent bystanders-- good thing it was a holiday and there was hardly anyone on the road*****
Linda told him that if my water broke on the way to go directly to ER and let her know, if not, she would meet us in the front of the hospital (a nice big round about drive way where everyone enters and exits from the hospital.) Unbeknownst to us, this had apparently happened already in while I was in the tub at home. Upon arrival to the fortunately-not-that-busy round about, where our midwife was waiting she opened the passenger door. I told her I thought I felt the baby’s head and with the next contraction she confirmed that the baby was in fact crowning. Since we were not sure if I was going to make it to the room or deliver right there in public display, Linda asked if I my PJ bottoms were special or if she could cut them off. Despite my pain and the possibility that I was having a baby any second, I collected myself long enough to slip out of my PJ bottom’s as I had just gotten these cute little red with white stripe candy cane looking things for Christmas from my mother in law and I wanted to hold on to them. :o)
Linda suggested not waiting for a gurney and that we take the wheel chair. I reluctantly agreed as long as I could again ride facing backwards. So get a good laugh, as I am partially naked with a towel over me, facing backwards and screaming like a wild banshee on a wheel chair. Chris helped support my grip and Linda along with some wonderful nurses all ran though the hospital and into an elevator. I feel bad for the sweet unsuspecting family that was waiting on a floor that that the elevator stopped on. They graciously agreed to wait for the next elevator. Once in the room I began pushing straight away and at 9:53am Indigo was born. Just 10 minutes later. No need for epidurals or any other procedure. They even only had time to take one fetal monitor reading which was good. This was all just four and half-hours after my first contraction. WOW. What a ride.
Chris proudly announced that we had a girl. This is great considering we weren’t even close to establishing a boys name yet; though I am suspect one of my favorite names would have trumped because I almost birthed our child in the car. We would have considered “Ru” (we were in our Subaru) as a middle or nickname if she were born in the car.
Despite the chaos of the labor, after she was born, we enjoyed the most peaceful and wonderful time fawning over Indigo. The hospital was gracious to let us have a lot of time with her before they started their typical procedures. This was a new experience for Chris and I as Helaina was quickly whisked away and taken to NICU. Right away we noticed her dark hair that she had quite a bit of. She has really long fingers and skinny long feet. She was crying a bit when she came out but calmed down quickly and settled into us. She had a great latch and I was able to breastfeed right away. She weighed 7lbs 1.8oz and was 18.5 inches long.
We found out that the nurse’s name that helped deliver was Angie. For those of you that don’t know, my mom’s name was Angelina and that is where Indigo’s middle name came from. I can’t tell you that warmth that washed over me at a moment when my cup had already runneth over.
We were only in the hospital for about 30 hours, which was great. The Kwas’ brought Helaina to come meet her new sister. She wanted to hold her right away and embraced her with love. We will hopefully keep you updated with blogs on Indi’s budding personality and Helaina’s new role as a big sister. However, for now it's 9:30 PM and my tired self is going to bed to keep up with our newborn and 2 year old.
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| Our midwife, Linda |
