PJ's Birth Story

My Miracle Baby

            We were blessed with coverage from Medicaid for PJs birth and my pregnancy. I had an amazing doctor! Dr. Wayne R. Young. We actually chose him because he had RAVE reviews from patients and was a high risk doctor. I didn’t know I’d end up being a high risk pregnancy but I figured having a doctor that specialized in high risk pregnancies definitely was a plus. We found him through a listing of OB/GYN’s that Travis’ work insurance would cover. Travis ended up being laid off and so we wouldn’t have that insurance, however, it was a true blessing that we found Dr. Young since I love him so much! It was such a great experience!

            At about 13 weeks pregnant I was diagnosed with Pregnancy Induced High Blood Pressure and put on medication to help regulate my blood pressure which it did. Little did I know, my high blood pressure would end up being a blessing.

            Shortly after getting approved for Medicaid our coverage started in February, and PJ was due in March…cutting it a little close right?!  Well, with Medicaid, how it works is for the first month you are enrolled in traditional Medicaid, then after that month you have to choose a plan. We ended up having to choose the HealthyU plan which only allows us to use either the Timpanogos Regional Hospital, or Mtn. View (I don’t even know where that is located!). Well, I had my heart set on delivering at the Orem Community Hospital.

            I absolutely loved what I read about OCH, I loved the pictures, their labor and delivery rooms, how small and close knit it felt, I wanted to deliver there! So I knew that my little one had to be born in February in order for me to have that desire granted. I wanted to deliver someplace I would feel comfortable. 

 (The room that I delivered in, room 122)

A week before my Dr’s appointment which was on February 26, 2010 I kept having some serious contractions and it felt like the real thing! But then they’d go away or wouldn’t be close enough apart, or would be about 6 minutes apart and then completely stop. I was getting pretty antsy because I truly wanted PJ to come in February, I just knew he would be a February baby, and since he wasn’t coming I was getting frustrated! I tried EVERYTHING to get that baby out! I went for a walk, drank castor oil, went for walks, did business time with my hubby, ate pineapple, papaya, spicy food, raspberry tea, heavy meals. You name it, I tried it, and still…no baby. I was getting stressed and frustrated.

(2 days before PJs birthday) 

I went to my Doctor’s appointment on the 26^th for my weekly non stress test. Knowing that the 26^th was the last day that PJ could come before we’d have to deliver at the other hospital, I was praying that the Dr would induce labor, in fact I was planning to beg! My only hope in him inducing labor would be if my blood pressure was high! After they took my blood pressure and told me that it was good I was pretty dang bummed. While on the NST I started having regular contractions. They showed the Dr. and he asked, “Have you scheduled your induction yet?” I couldn’t believe my ears! I was mighty excited. We went and got an ultrasound for him to measure my fluid level. It was at a 7 (you’ll notice the #7 is a common theme with this little one, I think it’s his lucky number). He checked my cervix and I was dilated to a 0. That’s right ZERO. So not good. He let me know that I have an unfavorable cervix. Stupid cervix. So he gave me my options. At 39 weeks it’s prime time to schedule my induction and usually with patients who have pregnancy induced high blood pressure he likes to induce them because of the risks of that pressure to the baby.  My choice was to schedule and induction with the increased risk of having to have a c-section, or waiting for the baby to come on his own and the small risk of complications to him because of my blood pressure!

The choice was obvious since I was praying for a miracle to be induced anyways. I was scared about the c-section but once he mentioned a small risk to the baby I knew what my choice was. I asked Travis if he felt good about it and he said yes, and so did I. I knew that Heavenly Father wouldn’t have presented the option to us if there was a bad risk to me or baby because I’m certain Heavenly Father knew the choice I would make.

My induction was scheduled for 4pm that day. I was SO excited! We headed to the hospital with what seemed like and entire years supply of luggage and excitement. They started me off with a medication called Cytadel (I think) which is like a flat tampon with medication on it that had to be pushed up against the cervix. Let me tell you, that was a horribly painful experience. I got to eat a really yummy dinner that night. (Confession: I love hospital food!) I was up almost the entire night with pretty annoying contractions, I wouldn’t go as far as saying they were overly painful, but they did hurt and made me terribly uncomfortable, plus I had the constant urge to pee…so not fun. Being checked to see if I was dilated any, hurt even worse than when the medicine was inserted. I admit. I cried like a baby! My sweet husband quickly came to my side and held my hand as I sobbed. I was devastated when I was told I was still at a zero.

We were set to start the pitocin drip at 6am. I was set at that same time to get an epidural. If I was already in pain, I did not want it to get worse before I felt better. The anesthesiologist rocked at my epidural and even hooked me up to a little drip where I could just push a button and get a small dose of relief. I loved that button! They put a catheter in and I was in heaven. It didn’t even hurt when they put it in and it felt great not to have to constantly pee!

From then on I was a happy camper. I got so much rest and sleep. I was really relaxed and the epidural knocked me out! I didn’t even feel the really bad contractions. Dr. Young came in around 10 am to check and see if anything was happening.  He said I still hadn’t dilated ANY and so they decided to try this little balloon thing that they insert and they blow up fluid inside of it and it rests on your cervix and causes it to contract. I didn’t feel a thing (thank goodness) he got it up to 60cc’s full of fluid and then it just fell out. That’s when he said that it shouldn’t have fallen out and I must be dilated. So they put me in stirrups and then rechecked my cervix and I WAS DILATED yay! I was only dilated to a 3, but it’s a lot better than a zero! So they decided to break my water and then continue with the Pitocin drip and up the amount.

At around 4 pm, my catheter started to really bug me. That was a key sign that my epidural was starting to wear off. I felt so much pressure down there, the best way to describe the feeling was annoying. They checked my cervix and I was at a 6. They called the epidural guy to come in and give me another boost. He wasn’t so comforting this time and even said that he thinks that I might be in a lot of pain in the next few hours. I was pretty freaked out since my tolerance for pain is a great big ZERO! I cried to the nurse Jill because I’m a weenie like that and she totally comforted me and made me feel better. After the boost kicked in it was pretty chill for a little while until my lips started to feel chapped and then all of the sudden it hit me…I needed to puke. So I covered up my mouth, grabbed my barf bag and waited. Thank goodness I was on a fluids only diet. Apple juice tastes exactly the same going in as it does going out. I told my hubby to go and tell the nurse that I had thrown up and that I feel a lot of pressure down there.

She said that that was a great sign. She checked to see how I was doing and I was dilated to a 9.5 AND 100 % effaced. I had completely skipped the transition phase of labor. And it was time to call Dr. Young. My epidural boost was wearing off just enough where I could feel pressure down there, like I wanted to go to the bathroom, it wasn’t painful per se, I just really wanted to push but I couldn’t until they got the ok from Dr. Young. Jill kept calling and calling him but no answer. One of the other nurses said that every time Jill called Dr Young’s phone she heard a phone ring. He had left his phone there. So they called his house and hunted him down. The urge to push kept getting stronger and stronger! Now keep in mind as mentioned earlier I’m a crier! So I started to cry and kept saying that I wanted to push. Jill was about to get off work and the next nurse was getting briefed. I kept saying I wanted to push! So Jill came in and said, "Then push already!" So I was able to start pushing and it felt SO much better to be able to push. I got a final epidural boost to get the edge off. Dr. Young showed up shortly after, he had been helping a lady over at Timp Regional and had enough time to go get some booties on and come on in! I could feel by the pressure when it was time to push and it felt great. I felt so excited that I was accomplishing something and getting closer to the time that I could meet my sweet little boy. For me it didn’t feel like I was pushing very long. We got to the point where they could see his head and he had dark hair! (Yay! because I was afraid of having a red headed baby!)

We got to the point where I needed to be in the stirrups and push. I pushed for a little while longer and it got to the point where his head stayed. I pushed a little more and the nurse told me to listen to Dr. Young for whether or not to push again. He told me not to and I told him I wanted to really bad! A few seconds later I heard a beautiful sound, the sound of my baby boy crying. Of course I teared up again for the umpteenth time that day. He was born on February 27, 2010 at 7:24pm. He weighed 7lbs, 7oz.

Instead of hearing the traditional doctors’ “Congratulations, It’s a boy!” We heard, “Congratulations, you had a baby pterodactyl!” It was really funny. His little head was so weirdly shapen that he looked like a baby pterodactyl.  I replied, “Oh good I always wanted one of those!” PJ was having a little trouble breathing so I got to hold him for a quick second before they had to take him to the nursery and help him with some sort of breathing treatment. While they were cleaning him up a little, Dr. Young took care of the rest of the birth stuff. 

 (The first time I got to hold my little man) 

 

 

(The night he was born) 

Everybody told me what a great job I did. Dr. Young told me he was shocked that I ended up having a vaginal delivery. He actually would have bet against it. PJ was my little miracle baby. I had such a smooth pregnancy and birth experience with him. He also told me that if anybody asks me about my epidural, say it was the perfect epidural. Because I didn’t feel any pain until the very end, and it wasn’t even pain it was pressure letting me know when to push and I ended up saving myself at least an hour of pushing! Woot.

Giving birth was such an amazing experience. I never felt closer to my Heavenly Father as I did when I was able to hold that little baby in my arms. The saying that you never know how much your mother loves you until you have your baby is so true. I love him so very much!

The nurses were so sweet. They helped me get cleaned up and comfortable while PJ was in the nursery. They told me they could take out my IV if I could pee on my own. So of course I wanted to be free of the extra wires, they had already taken out the epidural needle chord thing etc. So I went to the bathroom, she showed me how to care for my stitches site etc, and let me try to go pee, I couldn’t do it. The door was open and the nurses were in there doing the finishing touches of cleaning up the room. I finally had to ask if I could close the door and pretend they weren’t there. Apparently I have shy bladder because then I was totally able to go! I was glad to be rid of the IV.

Let me just say, I was a big fan of the ice pack. I took advantage of that for the first 24 hours!

I was so happy to be freshened up and have a clean bed. I was even happier that my baby was in the room ready for me when I had finished. He was breathing good, and ready to be fed. Thinking back on that day it almost feels like it was just a dream. I’ve noticed that the truly special events in my life that mean a lot to me seem like just dreams. Like when I went through the temple for my first time, my mission, my wedding day, and the birth of my son. Such a truly special, sacred event.

They pampered me so much in the hospital, the nurses were amazing. I’d have to say Jill and Dodie were my favorites. Dr. Young is an amazing doctor and I’m just so thrilled with the experience I had. I definitely plan on having him deliver all my babies if at all possible. It was so nice to be able to spend the next day at the hospital just being pampered with my little man and my sweet husband. It was good to see family and have them meet the new member of ours. He’s such a sweet laid back little guy.

  

(Our first family picture.)

Travis lucked out and got to eat my breakfast and lunch on the 27^th since I was on an only liquids diet. For breakfast on the 28^th they gave me French toast. Which is totally my favorite breakfast. I was like, “How did they know?” I was up so early the morning of the 28^th. They hooked me up with some pain killers, the pain wasn’t too bad, until I would nurse PJ, then the contractions would start up and really hurt! They kept telling me I had firm muscles when they would check to make sure my Uterus was going back to normal, and I was thinking…man…that’s the first time I heard that before!

I’m also proud to report I didn’t even swear. I said freakin’ once, but that was all! I’m pretty thrilled that I didn’t taint such a sweet and spiritual experience. He makes me want to be a better person all of the time. I love him so much. I find myself wanting to protect him from all the bad things in the world. 

(One day old, I loved him from the moment I knew he would be coming, now that he's here my heart is bursting with love.) 

My sweet PJ Baby,
I’m typing this as I sit next to you while you are under the bili lights. Having you in there breaks my heart. I just want to hold you, but I know that this is helping you and healing you. And the best for you is all I want.