I can't believe it has been 2 months already that Gage Alton has been out in our world.
Looking just like his siblings.
Gage decided to come into the world with a little bit of drama. It started around 25 weeks into pregnancy, his heart rate was low (110's). We were hooked up to the NST for monitoring ever appt. until 38 w. and 5 d. when we were sent to the hospital for extensive monitoring because his heart rate had dropped below the 110's, which was concerning. After a couple hours in the Hospital, my OB decided everything looked fine with peaks into the 150's. They decided to "strip my membranes" (a most uncomfortable experience) and send me home. Stephen and I had spent a lot more time in prayer for this baby, with all of the extra monitoring he seemed to be requiring and I believe that God was giving me a peace and reassuring me that everything would be fine despite the troubles.Which I was grateful for since what was to come next was the scariest thing I have experienced.
I started hard labor around 6:15pm on Wednesday, November 6, 39 weeks exactly. We left for the hospital at 7:30, arriving a little after 8:00. I was still in good spirits at this point. I was feeling movement, breathing through every contraction, (even though back labor started with the first contraction) anxious to start the IV fluids and start counting down to my glorious epidural. After being hooked up to the monitor, I was told to lay on my side, propped up slightly because that was the only position where the baby's heart rate stayed at a good rate (still low). Horribly uncomfortable but only an hour or so and then I will be able to have an epidural.... but that time came and went and no epidural. Turns out that the anesthesiologist was stuck in the OR. Around 10:30, the nurse decides to check me before giving me a shot of pain medication, but accidentally broke my water, which means no pain medication..... ugh. The OB came in about that time, followed shortly after by the anesthesiologist, but she felt it was too dangerous to have an epidural at this point because the baby's heart rate was too low. Now I am crying, terrified after hearing my sister-in-law's horror story of pushing without an epidural. I am trying to convince them that I am not a "natural" person, I am pro epidural. Steve looks terrified (poor guy), this was a much different experience than our last two births. I begged the OB to let me push if she wouldn't let me have drugs. She looked skeptical, but said I could try. She had no gown on, was not prepared to deliver but two pushes and there was a head. Then chaos. A nurse screaming into the radio next to my ear for someone to get in there immediately, another nurse yelling at me to not push, stop now. Then telling me to push again a second later. He was born. I heard the nurse say "he's here". Not knowing what the gender of the baby was I was soooooo excited to hear "he". I looked at Stephen for confirmation that it was a boy and he looked terrified. He did say yes but in such a sad way. I asked if everything was OK and he said they were working on it. Not even a second after he said that, I hear a cry. Praise God, a healthy boy, born with a chord wrapped TIGHTLY around his neck. This was the reason his heart rate had been so low through pregnancy. My OB, took her gloves off to save our baby, praise God for her ability to act quickly. Gage was born at 10:45, so a lot happened in a matter of minutes, making this by far, my least favorite labor and delivery. I am happy to report that the pushing part was exactly the same with and without the epidural in my experience. Whew! It didn't take more than 5 minutes after it was over for me to forget and be fully ready to do it all again!
"For you created my inmost being: you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
Psalm 139:13-14
I wanted to share this beautiful thought about what becoming a mother does to our bodies from another blog. I 100% agree! Babies Ruin Bodies So thankful that I get to be a mom. That my body was created in a way that I can carry and protect this little person until he is ready to make his debut into the world. Even with the stretch marks and extra weight to work off....worth it!
