The Birth Story of Kennedy Isabella
Announcing
Kennedy Isabella
Remising upon the beloved perspectives of motherhood, time dwindled softly within the distance; suspend. Each second crept; each clock devoured my being. Scheduled to have a medical induction due to persistent and worsening health troubles that would no longer allow me to carry my precious coffee bean the world around me evolved around seven meager days. As a new mother I was surprised as to how arduous my final week was progressing in comparison to a fleeting initial trimester; the second, of course, a bit slower. My terminal illness had taken a toll in the month of January. Coming close to losing my life and my child at the beginning of the month I was ordered to mandated bedrest until delivery or induction; flat bedrest.
Discovering a positive escape the Internet provided an educational allowance, one that this first-time mother needed; despite completing a variety of classes relating to maternal engineering. I was overjoyed to have millions of articles at my fingertips. Relishing in the value of provisional education I found myself taking notes on topics I had never considered; some topics controversial, most mundane. My husband jokingly laughed as he kept asking “how my thesis was coming”, his eyes reflected his own excitement. Following the same passage I kept open conversations on Twitter so to expand my assistance, appreciating the advice of those with a stout grip of motherhood. I was addicted to acquiring education under each overturned rock.
On January 30, 2011 I awoke to a thickened cervical discharge, an indication of forthcoming birth, looking into my notes and “fact binder” provided by my medical physician I felt as if my body was a mere let down to reality. Cervical discharge I read is the prefix of ‘some’ childbirth; however, the event could begin a week following and in some women two or more. Some women even lost this plug, twice. I was excessively saddened and frustrated as this was my first “labor-like” indication my body reflected. Up until this point I had an on again off again marital affair with Sir Braxton Hicks my second and early third trimester and a not so friendly fellowship with Round Ligament Pain my late first and early second. Such discharge was a huge deal, happiness; however not consistent with each trip into the ladies room. . Likewise, I never even visually saw a tinge of blood; perhaps some pink, never red, mostly clear. My little coffee bean had *not* moved, I only felt her during the instructed “kick counts”; it felt so soft, she was barely there. This was completely *abnormal* as my little girl was clearly an inspiring acrobat who seemed to never ceased moving. She has a obsessive relationship with my bladder for months on end, day and night and had just begin to develop a relationship of substance with my ribs, lungs, and diaphragm.
At 7pm I was engaging in conversation on Twitter; with instant messages coming in to inquire about my health from my sister, friends around the world, and others. My husband and mother were both calling to check my status, as he phoned her to explain; I kept thinking he must have called others too. My husband was a proud man. On a three way phone conversation I got them up to speed not missing the chance at ascertaining assistance when I needed it more than ever. The tightening of my belly only worsened and within twenty minutes was followed by the same frustrating period-like pain. I highly feared being the last to know about my own labor. This was my biggest laboring fear; every woman has at least one. Something happened that I don’t understand, I was not afraid; restrained, subtle, and calm. I knew what I had to do next, my passage was paved in my mind; tackle step one and move to two – one down the line. I phoned Charlie, who was about three miles at the end of our road working and told him he was going to be a father; he must have dropped the phone. I nearly didn’t have time to turn around until he was coming in the door. It was he that needed the calming I attribute to maternal insist.
He phoned the doctor as I used technology to record each contraction, the duration, and the time between; Bump.com. I had failed to research contraction counters, Twitter also made a great resource to detail track too. My doctor informed Charlie he would be on stand-by and that his requirement was five-minutes between each active contraction with a minute or more of intensity. This didn’t please him, it didn’t please me; I attempted not to get upset but inside I cursed under my breath quite seriously. After the fifth contraction it felt as if someone flipped my switch, I was in true back labor; no longer did the basic period cramps of the beginning remain but misery surrounded. I begin to bleed which was colored an electrifying bright red. I tried to eat for fuel but nearly blacked out as my blood monitor cuff denoted my pressure was dangerous high during this journey. It was at this time the doctor gave orders to immediately come to the birthing unit. It took not even two minutes and longer to get from the garage into the hospital and up to labor and delivery at the fourth floor birthing unit.
The blood pressure cuff I was using was inaccurate my pressure was actually low; my family was getting to the unit at this discovery. They could have easily sent me home but the doctor argued to keep me due to my high risk pregnancy, terminal illness, and chronic misery. I was sickened to hear administration claim the desire for money and fear of not being properly paid. A Pitocin drip was started at a low flow as another contraction, now 14 minutes apart and up to a minute, occurred normally without the drug. I was told to walk around the unit to stimulate labor and speed things along we Charlie and I took in the entire unit, four times; we made a little pit stop. I felt the need to go urinate as we headed back to my room, Charlie kept voicing not to wobble; I’m pregnant of course I wobble – also in labor. I came out of the stall and immediately my water broke; a trickle turned into a ravishing rapids but safely not a sudden gush. I knew I had not peed myself, or so I thought. He ran to the nursing station where the doctor was and informed of the updated information. Leaving me due to his excitement but returned quick to help me to my room; where I told my family. Anne came in the room and set on the bed where she informed us that she was upping the drop of Pitocin, which may make my arm very cold, she also explained my contractions were going to start coming quicker since my fluid broke and they were jump starting with Pitocin; in essence she said things wouldn’t progress how they were. I just hoped the back laboring ceased.
The birthing tub was filled and ready and I wanted to try the tub since I denied pain management for the contractions. The nurses helped me take off the gown and step in, nude. The water helped a great deal as I had read and I was glad to have got the option as only one tub existed and normally it would have to be booked with the assistance of a doula. Sadly, we could not afford a doula. The doctor had came in to explain my contractions would need to be very strong to naturally allow my body in a push free delivery to deliver the baby; since I was against the suction and forceps. He was paged out just as the misery of the first upped Pitocin contraction lead me to scream; Charlie attempted to support I pulled away. I screamed to where the water echoed. Anne, the nurse, stayed with me and walked me though giving me a epidural option; she said they would get much more intense. Back to back I had another contraction and Anne assured me the Pitocin was working, and a third much like the prior two. The doctor returned and suggested I look into the epidural option or I could have Demerol. I maintained my desire to birth naturally without drugs and felt the birth plan was being taken very seriously; I had to be checked vaginally. This was the third vaginal check due to my option to minimize the violation. The doctor asked me to move to the bed unless I wanted a water birth where the water would have to be cleaned; water birthing wasn’t an option and I took Charlies help to the bed, both nieces (wide eyed and questioning their millionth question) joined on either side.
He asked as to how much I thought I could push without the rectum damaging itself and I didn’t know. I asked if I could try to have a normal birth and he said he wanted to give such birth to me; I was crying as I felt abnormal in a great deal of ways. I pushed twice and the little princess was into this world, 1:11am 1/31/11. She came out without a tear or whine. They said she had swallowed a merconium (sp) and had to be suctioned (she had a bowel movement in the birth canal and swallowed some of her poop). After she sounded as if she was a newborn kitten, no louder; I waited what seemed like forever to have her put into my arms because not only did they clean her of goo but had to clean her of poo. Both Apgars were scored at a 10, a perfect A+ student! She looked at me with huge eyes and I puddled in tears; fearful I would harm her by not holding her right my mother helped me to hold her my first time. My baby 7 pounds 7.5 ounces and 18 inches in length was the gift hand delivered from the Lord without a single ailment or issue. Birth was not even a memory when she was in my arms, while I realize it hurt I cannot tell you how birth felt. It’s a true glory. .
Our Kennedy Isabella
Jan. 31, 2011
Time: 1:11am
7 pounds 7.5 ounces
18 inches long
