Welcome Reid Daniel Lauffer! You decided to come into the world April 25th, 2012 at 8:18am. You weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces and were 21 inches long. Mommy was more than ready for you to come, as you were 6 days overdue, and even in being so, you were still a pound less and an inch longer than your big brother. Below is your birth story - not to be shown up by your older brother's birth story which included an emergency c-section - you too had your share of excitement.
For all that follow my blog or know me well, I had desires of performing a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) for my second pregnancy. I thought scheduling a c-section date 6 days past my due date would never be touched and that Reid would be born on his own accord. Well, he was born on his own accord, but not the way I had planned. After accepting the fact that c-section might just be in my deck of cards, I began preparing for the scheduled surgery, which was last Wednesday. Well, wouldn't you know it that I began contracting about 6:30pm on Tuesday night. Trying to not get my hopes up, I wasn't sure it was for real and kept putting that caveat on what I was encountering for the next few hours. By about 10 or 11 I realized this was for real and starting shifting back to the mindset that I might be delivering this baby vaginally with things coming together in the 11th hour!
I called my midwife at about midnight and then again around 2:30am (after some serious contractions ranging between 2-4 minutes and passing of the mucus plug) and she too began to get excited for me. Keep in mind we were on a time constraint, as I was due at the hospital in 4 hours for my surgery. I decided at that point to lay down for a little while since I was quite exhausted and knew I had a potentially long labor ahead of me, but realized within a half hour that I had made a mistake. The contractions all but halted and after a quick google search I realized I had stalled labor by that choice. I tried to kick-start them again, but around 5:30 put in another call to my midwife with her confirming that I may be destined for this c-section instead. My one option was to head to the hospital and see if I was dilated enough to have my bag of waters artificially broken to bring back the contractions. Off we went - knowing that one way or another I was having a baby very soon!!
Arriving at the hospital, my emotions got the best of me and I was grateful for Christian's prayer before leaving the car to give me a sense of peace walking in to labor and delivery. God was in control, and regardless of surgery or not, I was so looking forward to meeting the little miracle inside of me. After checking in and being checked, it came back that I was only 2 cm dilated. What?!? I swear, my body just progresses so slow, as both pregnancies I had the fortune of going in to labor on my own but not progresses too quickly. I told Christian after getting checked, that I was okay with the c-section. I was at peace with it and trusted God's sovereignty. I truly chose to believe that I went in to labor on my own, in the 11th hour so to say, for me to feel at peace with the c-section. God knew how badly I desired to not be induced and to allow the baby to come when he was ready, and this was His way of showing me it was time. It was Reid's way of saying, "I'm ready Momma. I'm going to come and meet you today!"
If only that were where the story ended...unfortunately it is barely beginning.
As I was wheeled in to the surgery room I was thinking how different this was from Micah's. I had already had the epidural for Micah's birth and Christian was in there with me shortly after. This time I had to get a spinal block instead of an epidural (supposedly it is a little quicker, goes in just a bit further, and is a bit stronger). This was the most terrifying part for me, and the reason I was desiring in the beginning to go natural through both deliveries (both of which failed, clearly). The first attempt hit a nerve and I had a sharp shooting pain in my crotch and right leg that was like a shock and so painful. I burst in to tears, and the nurse told me I needed to relax because he needed to try again. Right, 'cause that was so easy to do!! I did my best and was given another spinal block, this time avoiding the nerve and apparently done correctly. As I was laid down to continue further surgery prep, I realized I could feel everything that was being done. Not just tugging and pulling, but hot, cold, pinching, etc. And I could move my legs - a telltale sign that something was wrong. Up again for a third poke and attempt at the spinal block numbing my chest down. Down again, only to find the same thing happening, this time including pinching and pricking by the doctor's tools. Scared out of my mind that they were about to cut me open with me not being numb, I stressed the fact that I could feel it all and was then told I needed to go under. NO!!!!! My second biggest fear, narrowly behind the numbing techniques, was being knocked out for the c-section under general anesthesia. Well, face fear one and two, because that was next on the agenda. Sobbing my way through of mask of breathing fumes, I realized Christian would not be able to be with me and neither of us would witness the birth of our son nor be able to cut the umbilical cord. God was in control I kept willing myself to think. God was in control.
What seemed like seconds later (but was actually 1 1/2 hours later) I started coming to and was trying to make sense of my surroundings. Christian said I kept murmuring, "it hurts...it hurts...it hurts..." over and over. You see, I had no numbness in my body and could therefore feel the severity of the pain of my c-section incision, and it did indeed hurt! He said I also kept asking, "is he cute?" and "how much does he weigh?" As I continued to gain awareness, I overheard something about a bottle, to which I murmured "no bottle...no bottle." I was successful in the no bottle, was able to get some pain meds to take the edge slighly off (though my head had begun pounding and was not really getting better) and shortly thereafter transitioned to my recovery room.
Due to the massive headache that lasted about 2 days, it was discovered that I had a spinal headache. This happens when spinal fluid drips from the hole that was created, and is only present when sitting or standing. Because much of my activity was laying down, it wasn't fully diagnosed until Friday when they switched me off my IV of drugs to get be on to pills, so that I could be discharged. As the pain grew, I realized it was indeed a spinal headache...and the only remedy was to do an epidural blood patch to plug the hole. They would draw 20 ml or so of my blood and insert it through an epidural to where the fluid was leaking and allow the blood to clot, therefore stopping the leak. I was terrified. After 2 failed spinal blocks and a third that actually touched a nerve, I was scared to insert yet another needle in my back. The pain was unbearable, however, with me not even being able to stand, and I knew there was no other option if I was going to be able to take care of my toddler and newborn. Thankfully the blood patch worked, and put me in a position to be discharged Friday night.
All in all, Reid's birth couldn't have been farther apart from my desires. It was on the complete opposite spectrum of what I wanted, but as I sit here watching him sleeping so soundly and peacefully, I realize how blessed I am to have him here with us. I am in love with my little family.
Below are pictures from our stay in the hospital, beginning with my last pregnancy picture taken to Reid packed up in a car seat and ready to experience the outside world. Beware that there are a couple of graphic pictures at the beginning due to a nurse taking our camera to help capture Reid's birth since Christian was unable to join me in the surgery room. More posts to come in the near future about our first few days at home, with pictures to accompany of course:)
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Remember... you are supposed to sleep when the baby sleeps!
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