Camden's Birth Story

Ok, so I've procrastinated too long and I need to get this birth story down before I forget details. So I went into the hospital to have her Monday night, but the weekend leading up to Monday was awful. I was 38 weeks and dying. I was so miserable I couldn't take it anymore. So much so that my sister in law Jayme offered to call her OB nurse friend to come over to break my water and I seriously debated it. I made it through the weekend and found myself at my doctor's appt on Monday morning bawling my eyes out because my c-section was still a week away. She offered me this advice upon my hysterics, 'ok, so you are dilated to a 1 and 70% effaced, I am on call tonight and will be at the hospital. So go home walk a ton, have some sex, walk some more and if you are still having contractions and they are getting worse come back and if you have progressed even the tiniest amount I will admit you and deliver Camden. ' She then told me since I was 38 weeks that if I didn't go into labor we could schedule an amniocentesis for the next day and if the baby's lungs were mature I could deliver Wednesday regardless of being in labor. I was stoked.

So I went home and walked and walked and walked. I didn't sit down the entire day. It was HOT and I was lapping The Preserve (our community we live in), I was taking my stairs 2 at a time and doing lunges at the same time. By the time Sydney's soccer practice started I was definitely feeling more contractions so while she practiced I strapped on my ipod and running shoes and lapped her field time after time. By the end of her practice I knew something was happening. We called my mother in law to come be with the kids, I showered, got the kids bathed and ready for bed and headed to the hospital around 8:00pm Monday night.

My doctor had told me when I got there to not let anyone else check me but to ask and wait for her. So I did, she checked me and I was almost 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced. She looked at me and said 'We're having a baby tonight.' I was overcome at that point. She said she had another c-section before mine and it might be a couple hours. We chatted with the nurses, got me prepped and then waited a bit. I walked into the operating room a little after midnight ready to meet Miss Camden. I chatted some more with the nurses in the OR and the anesthesiologist(who I loved, by the way)They got me prepped and on the table. And for any who haven't had a c-section it' s a bit humbling because you are stark naked laying on this table with your arms stretched out to each side with a curtain up at your face. Monitors and tubes everywhere, oxygen in my nose and beeping noises to let me know I'm alive. Then Nick gets to come in right as they are about to cut me open to sit at my head with me. There is immense tugging and pressure, so much so you're not sure you will be able to breathe and right when you think you can't take it anymore, you hear this perfect cry and she's magically here.

Nick was able to take a few shots as they are pulling her out and then he follows her to the warmers as they clean her up. Her cry was perfect. I'm bawling and I can't move my arms to wipe tears so the sweet anesthesiologist wiped them for me. And then Nick brought her over to me, I still don't have use of my arms so he just pressed her sweet face to mine and she and I had a little conversation. I told her how perfect she was, and how long I had waited to kiss her. I told her she was mine always and how much I was in love with her. She had been crying when Nick brought her over and as soon as he pressed her to me and I talked to her she stopped. She KNEW my voice of this I'm certain. And she didn't cry again until he moved her away from me.

Nick went with Camden to recovery and I remained in the OR as they cleaned me up and stitched me up. My doctor told me whoever had performed my other 2 c-sections had done a wonderful job and my incisions were perfect and she didn't see any reason why I couldn't have one more if I wanted. (which we do) By the time I was rolled into recovery, about 45 min later, I was extremely groggy from the meds and things, but they gave me Camden to hold anyway with help and I was able to immediately nurse her which was wonderful. I didn't get to do that with Nico and Sophie. We were moved into our room around 4:00am and once settled Nick decided to head home to relieve his mom and take care of the other kids. Leaving me alone with the baby. She and I chatted and cried and cried and chatted. And I was given lots of pain meds. I admit it was difficult without Nick there. And I wish he would have stayed. We spent the next couple days recouping and getting to know each other and we came home Thursday night. She did have jaundice, so we spent the next week going back and forth having her blood drawn but with time it did come down.

My mom came the next week, when Camden was actually supposed to come and I'm so glad I was home and got to spend that time with her and not in the hospital. She organized my life and saved me during that week since Nick was at work. And when she left she took Sydney and Nico with her for a special 2 1/2 week trip to Virginia. My babies never come as I planned it but every birth has been so wonderful. We love our sweet baby Camden and I can't imagine my life without her.

So there is my story finally.