Our Birth Story

I am so grateful to have Sophie home, she's now ten days old and is the best baby ever! She's so content and happy...its amazing!!! I have to admit, we don't know what to do with such an easy going baby...at least Nathan still keeps us on our toes!

I thought I would share Sophie's story....so if you'd like to know read on...

I had a doctor's appointment on my birthday and Dr. Guzman offered to do an amnio. Although he said I could wait, but I looked very uncomfortable and he wanted to put it out there for me to decide. I said no at first, the thought of a big needle getting stuck in me didn't sound pleasant. However, over the next couple of days I felt this nagging urge to have it done. I know I was being prompted and inspired. We called Dr. Guzman's office and he wanted it done as soon as possible.

On Saturday, January 12th, we had an amnio done to determine if Sophie's lungs were mature enough to be born. I'll tell you the worst part was getting the IV, I hate IVs! It was scheduled for 11 am, but Dr. Guzman's wife had an accident and ended up in the emergency room of the hospital so he ended up being a couple hours late. The amnio really didn't feel like anything, just some pressure then it was done, it helps to have a gentle doctor. I think my mom and Brady were more freaked out by watching the needle go in... I just kept my eyes shut. The results would be back in 4-6 hours. Originally, Dr. Guzman had wanted to deliver that day, but it would be late by the time the results got back.

We went to Costco and stocked up on food then home and cleaned, waiting for the results. At 8:18 pm we got a call from the hospital and got my c-section scheduled for Sunday. Surprisingly, I slept pretty good that night. I knew it was time.

We were at the hospital at 11 am on Sunday, January 13th, checked in and went up to Labor & Delivery. The nurses there were GREAT! I think everyone knew how nervous we were given our birth experience with Nathan and they all did a great job keeping us calm. It was a surreal experience to be there, not in labor, and know that one minute I will be pregnant and the next I won't.

Brady got his own pair of scrubs when time go closer and we both go to wear some pretty spiffy hats! Then it was time and I gave Brady a kiss and walked back to the operating room. It was so cold, that's what I remember the clearest. I was really quiet so the anaesthesiologist and nurse kept talking to me and walking me through everything. The spinal was quicker then I thought it would be and I soon felt nothing from the armpits down.

Once the drape was up, Brady came in and sat by my head. He kept asking if I was okay and if I felt anything. Again, I remember just being really quiet, wanting to hear everything beyond the drape. Dr. Guzman and his assistant were talking and making jokes, keeping it really light and relaxed.

When it was time to deliver Sophie I heard Dr. Guzman say, "she's going to kill me" then "sorry, Lola, I have to make your incision bigger." He was planning on using half of my previous incision, but Sophie, like her brother, had a large head. :) Then he said, "I can see your baby" and I replied, "is she born already." She was still in utero, but my utereous was stretched so thin that the doctor could see Sophie's face through it.

"I am so glad you didn't have a VBAC or go into labor," said Dr. Guzman, "you would've given me a corinary." He explained that my last c-section was not repaired properly and my utereous would've most likely ruptured if I had gone much longer being pregnant. I felt this overwhelming sense of gratefulness that I was having the baby that day and not two weeks later, as originally scheduled. I feel as though God had inspired the doctor and me to take Sophie early to save my life.

A minute later, I felt enourmous pressure on my chest as Dr. Guzman's assistant pushed Sophie out. Brady stood to witness the birth of our daughter. As I watched Brady's face I could see the miracle happening in his eyes. The anaesthesiologist lifted my head and lowered the drape, but it happened so quickly I couldn't see anything. Sophie was in the world, crying her head off. The miracle of that first cry cannot be explained with words, but the warmth in my heart was enough.

Brady rushed over to see her cleaned up, weighed and measured. When the nurse announced her weight, everyone gasped. Dr. Guzman's expression was "holy cow!" Again, he was glad we delivered Sophie at 37 weeks. Brady brought her to me and I was able to touch Sophie and kiss her within minutes. She stayed with us while I was being put back together.

After he had finished, Dr. Guzman came around to me and told me that he did not know why he offered me the amnio and to deliver the baby so early, but he was thankful we did it and that he listened to me.

Brady called my mom while we were still in the operating room to have her and Nathan come to meet Sophie. The time went to fast and I was in the recovery room holding my sweet baby girl and getting ready to nurse her for the first time when the nurse noticed that Sophie's breathing was off. She was struggling to take a breath and her chest was caving in with each inhale. Before I knew it Sophie was out of my arms and nurses were checking her out, then whisking her away.

About fifteen minutes later the nurse said Sophie had fluid in her lungs and would need to be in the NICU on oxygen for awhile. It felt crushing. I had this beautiful baby taken from me and did not know when I would see her again. I wanted to get in a wheelchair right then and get to the NICU, but couldn't. I had to wait for the spinal to wear off.

My mom and Nathan arrived a few minutes after Sophie was taken out, so they only go to see her through the nursery window and ended up not staying long. Nathan was dissapointed he couldn't hold his sister.

I was determined to see my baby as soon as possible, so when I got into post partum and when I could feel my legs again I started calling for the nurse. Two hours after I was ready to get up she finally comes in, explains how understaffed they are then says its too soon for me to get out of bed. Well, I wasn't having any of that, I wanted to see my baby. I started sitting up on my own and when she saw I was determined she helped me to the wheelchair.

Brady took me to the nursery to see Sophie. She was now seven hours old and hooked up to moniters and an IV and under an oxygen hood. Fluid on the lungs happens to c-section babies because they're no pushed through the birth canal, but I still felt guilty and that somehow her being in the NICU was my fault.

We stayed for an hour, but couldn't hold her, only touch her little body or her foot or her hand. It was so hard to see my baby like that, so helpless. Having her in the NICU only motivated me to heal faster so I could spend as much time with her as possible. I was up and walking to the nursery on my own around midnight and was there as often as Brady and I could be.

They were slowly weaning her off of oxygen, but she couldn't get over that final hurdle of getting on room oxygen and she was still breathing very rapidly. Brady kept asking for me to hold her, we knew my touch, smell and heartbeat would make a huge improvement. Monday night we finally got a nurse to agree. Brady's parents came and Brady and his dad gave Sophie a blessing to heal her.

It was a miracle to see her breathing slow as she laid against my chest and she was able to get off the oxygen completely by 4 am on Tuesday morning. It was a mirale recovery because most babies born with this can take days longer to get better. On Tuesday, the pediatrician said she was jaundice and put her under the bilirubin lights. I was able to feed her for the first time on Tuesday and the jaundice was better by that evening. They still wouldn't take her off the IV, because I refused to give her formula, until Wednesday morning when they tested her blood sugar.

Wednesday, January 16th - Brady turned 29 years old and got a great birthday present, a healthy baby and healthy wife! We were able to get all the monitors and IVs off of Sophie and went home that evening. It was great to take her home. Nathan came with Brady's parents to visit then stayed one more night with Grandpa and Grandma to give us a night to bond with Sophie Grace.

All in all, the delivery was great, post partum and the NICU was a nightmare but now we're home, happy and healthy. Sophie is the best addition to our family, we love her so much and I never thought I could love Nathan more, but he amazes me with such a great big brother he is! We now feel like a complete family!!!