Rory's Birth Story

This picture had nothing to do with Rory's story, other than this is what Sam did one morning before Rory was born. We talked about how babies are fed, and she saw her Aunt Janna feed MacKenzie...so she was practicing herself.Rory's first bath. Sam has really been trying to help out...when she feels like it.

This really helped with some gas pain she was having. Fell right asleep!

4 days past due and I was done. I told the doctor to put a fork in me...SERIOUSLY! I went in on Friday the 27th with really no signs of labor. I got hooked up to all the monitors to track my contractions (non-existent mind you), and the baby. The plan was to see if I could go into labor on my own with this one. For background, I was induced with Samantha due to low amniotic fluid (which probably was a load of crap...but that is another story). The induction failed with Sam. I had contractions like crazy, but I did not dilate beyond 3 cm. After being in the hospital for 48 hours, my water breaking on its own 24 hours in, Sam's heart-rate dropped and they had to do an emergency c-section. SOOOOOO....I was hoping to do a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) with this pregnancy. My doctor was totally supportive and at Kaiser Sunset they have a 75 percent success rate with VBAC's. As the baby was being monitored, her heart rate got really high and she was moving like crazy, but then she stopped moving abruptly and her heart rate dropped to the point where they could not find it. It slowly raised back up to a normal level, but it made me and the doctor's worried. The doctor's said that if it happened again, VBAC is very risky. Sure enough, an hour later, it happened again. DANG! We went over our options, and we had a lot going against us for the VBAC: no dilation, the baby being at a station of negative 3 (meaning she had not descended at all!), a previous unsuccessful induction, being past my due date and to top it off having her heart rate drop twice! The chances of success we had were 50/50. Not high enough for Jason and I. We wanted to try for a VBAC ....IF....I went into labor on my own. I was not interested in a repeat of what happened the first time. So, we decided on a c-section, and I felt immediate relief. Jason and I both prayed about our decision, and we both felt like we should not try for a VBAC. Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed, but I felt at peace with it. So, off we went to the O.R.
Everything went very smoothly. Jason was able to see my spinal anesthesia go in through the window from the hallway (the operating doctor made him sit down as soon as he realized what Jason was watching because dad's aren't allowed to watch that part---dad's have actually died from passing out and going into heart failure). He said it was pretty crazy because the anesthesiologist left a huge needle sticking out of my back while she walked away to get something from the other side of the room! ANYWAY, the doctor's did a great job, and Rory was born at 8:38pm, weighing in at 7 lbs. 12.5 oz, at 19.69 inches long. She did end up having her cord wrapped around her neck twice, which could explain the heart rate problem. And, it was a great thing that we did a c-section because of this.
My recovery is going much better with this one than the first time. I think it is due to the fact that I did not have to endure labor before surgery. I skipped the labor part and when right to surgery. The only thing I did not prefer is that I got a spinal this time. I liked that it was a "thicker" anesthesia, but I could not get out of bed for 18 hours! Argh! THAT was annoying. Other than that, my nurses and doctors were amazing, and the new hospital was very nice.
Rory is doing well. She eats like mad, but is not a great sleeper. Or, I should say, she sleeps great when she is being held, but is a horrible bassinet sleeper. I've tried the baby seat, car seat, swaddling, not swaddling...she inevitably wakes up soon after being put down. Since Sam is such a horrible eater, I did pray that I would get a great eater this time around, but I neglected to pray for a great sleeper too!!!
I'm off of maternity leave until January 26th, and will not think about going back to work until January 25th! I'm loving being at home with my girls, and have loved having my mom around to help. She leaves tomorrow, and that will no doubt, be a sad day for us all. If I could loan her out to all my friends having babies, I would. She is such a HUGE help and support!!!