ORILLIA’S BIRTH STORY
We knew that I was going to be induced. This was due to the blood clot in my lungs that was diagnosed around 9 weeks along. Things needed to be timed for when I took my last injection of blood thinners to when I would need to go back on them. We didn’t know what route would be taken for the induction as it depended on where my body was at and what was happening at that time.
We finished packing Sunday morning. We had been told to expect a call Sunday morning. That didn’t happen. We actually went out, got lunch, called in to see what was going on. Told I should hear in a couple of hours. Called again, and was told it was perfect timing they were just looking at my file. I answered a bunch of questions and was asked if we could come in for 2 pm. Apparently, the family birthing unit was at capacity and was on diversion. Despite my being number one on the list, big bold letters saying do not bump, things were busy there so we had to wait. It was stressful waiting for a call and called my anxiety to run high.
By the time we got there and I went into triage to be monitored and admitted, we realized I had contractions happening on their own. Around 6 pm I was taken to my own room where monitoring continued. What about my hubby during all this? He got a bracelet to wear too and was identified as connected to me and a visitor. He was able to leave and come back to the maternity area. So he went and got stuff from the car once we had a room and also got some dinner at one point for us because we were both hungry.
It wasn’t until later in the evening that things got more interesting and my induction would actually start. The original game plan was to go on oxytocin and have a foley bulb used for the induction. After a check though, I wasn’t dilated and it was decided this wasn’t the best way to go. Instead, I had an IV placed and had cervidil used to try and ready my body for labour. I do wish that leading up to the induction that I had asked more questions. While I knew the basics, I wish I knew more. What to expect. How painful things may get. That sort of thing. I went in with a mindset of having to go with the flow. That the doctors would decide what route was best.
My body and baby did not like the cervidil! I was connected to monitors for myself and the baby. The Baby’s heart rate kept dropping. I had an amazing nurse who stayed by my side her whole shift monitoring baby and me. She was on it for everything. Making sure I was comfortable by recommending laughing gas and encouraging me to let her know if I needed something more to handle the pain. The laughing gas was actually really nice and helpful this time. I noticed a difference with it. Plus my super chatty side came out again with it. Definitely gave me something to focus on through the contractions and pain.
My nurse was also quick to say that the cervidil needed to be removed. Out it came and the baby started to do better again. No more crazy heart rate dips My contractions thankfully didn’t die down, they continued to progress after it was removed. We had hoped maybe the baby would arrive on Sept. 20, 2020, but the baby had other plans. Plus my body wasn’t progressing fast enough for that. But the early hours of the morning on Sept. 21 I needed more pain relief. I was checked to see how dilated I was, only 3 ish cms, but with the intensity of the pain my nurse encouraged me that if I felt I wanted or needed an epidural that now may be a good time.
At some point, before the epidural, my water broke. The pain intensified and I was thankful the anesthesiologist was coming to do the epidural. The first try didn’t work and I had some spinal fluid come out. The second attempt worked. The anesthesiologist was with me for over an hour to make sure it was placed correctly. We still had a ways to go during labour, but this took the edge off.
Sadly my nurse who was with me all night shift ended. It was also now breakfast time and Jason decided to go grab himself some coffee and food as I wasn’t far along still. It had been a long night and they don’t provide food for the dads. I can remember at one point a tray of breakfast coming in for me and the nurse taking it and putting it on the shelf. It wasn’t brought to me because things had intensified. I was checked to see if I had progressed at all. I was only 5cm. Within minutes things were stepping up in pain and the nurse checked me again. I was dilated fully at 10cm.
*Place freak out here because Jason wasn’t there!*
The nurse and I were both going “Do we need to call him?” Thankfully, he had a gut feeling and was back quickly with a breakfast wrap and coffee in hand that he had to put down right away. As he entered the room h saw the frenzy happening. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if he hadn’t made it back in time. Just the thought of him possibly missing the birth brings tears to my eyes still.
They were looking for a doctor to come in, but all the doctors were in the OR. It was a bit of a scramble. Thankfully someone was found, as they had been telling me not to push while searching. Yeah… Not happening. I proceeded to yell out in pain back at them that I needed to push now. Little Orie was delivered very quickly with a little push and one big push. That big push caused a second-degree tear, but she was out. All that pain was forgotten and gone as she was placed on my chest. She was our first baby still covered in vernix. We didn’t know what the baby was just yet. We had gone through the whole pregnancy making sure the medical staff knew that we were not finding out.
The nurse asked Jason “What do you have Daddy?. He got to say that we have another little girl. I will always remember that moment. The tears started to flow. Another little girl. Our little girl. She was on my chest for a bit as they cleaned her up, delivered the placenta, stitched me up. Jason cut the cord, which he has done with each of the girls. Orie’s deliver may have been slow to start and ended in a bit of a whirlwind.
We stayed at the hospital for three days in total. It was sad not having our older girls get to come to the hospital to meet their new sister. Thanks, Covid. We did do a Facetime call with them, my parents and my sisters so that they could see her once everything settled down. The girls were so excited to ask if they had a brother or sister, I could hardly get the words out as tears started again.
Our girls were part of her name. Early on they said that if we had another girl she needed a vowel name like them and a nickname ending in ie like them. Challenge accepted kiddos as we tried to find girl names we liked starting with a vowel. With several friends having had little ones recently several names also got crossed off the list. One family dinner, I brought up my Mom’s hometown and that quickly moved to the top of the list. Her middle name is one all of the girls in our family share. Then we stuck with a J name for her second middle name with Jason deciding on Joy. Our older girls both have J middle names too.
Jason is officially the last man standing in our little family. He was right in knowing that he would be a Dad of girls. All of us are overflowing with love for the newest addition to our family. We’re adjusting to being a family of five. Which takes time as we find new routines and make sure everyone has their buckets filled and knows they are loved. We’re two weeks out since Orie’s arrival and I’m starting to feel more like myself, still taking it easy though. We give thanks every day for all of our girls… we also pray for much-needed sleep!
She is so precious! Congratulations!
It sounds like your delivery was rather painful and stressful, but I’m so happy to hear that she came quickly and safely in the end.
It was almost 13 years ago that my second child was born, and it’s almost hard to believe that it ever happened. Giving birth was pretty scary for me both times and I get anxious just thinking about it.