ROSIE’S BIRTH STORY

This is Rosie’s birth story. Our little Rosie was born on December 22 at weighing 3715g with a head full of dark hair. She was healthy and perfect. Born exactly on her due date. Our December baby.

I have been meaning to write Rosie’s birth story. I just cannot finish it. This post has been in my drafts for so long. But today it’s time to finish this story.

I was so excited, tired, and anxious to give birth already a few weeks ago. When I was at 39 weeks pregnant I worried that the baby will probably come late. And then I just accepted that we don’t have a Christmas baby. There are certain days that I really felt like it was the day. I had cramps and felt like the labor has just started and then it went away.

CONTRACTIONS AND LABOR STARTED

And then comes December 22. I woke up at 3:30 AM to pee while checking my phone. I remember I was talking with my sister on the phone and I told her I think I am having labor now. So I told her that we stop and we could talk again later. I listened to my body and I knew right that moment I am having contractions and soon we will have our baby. I checked my hospital bag and got ready for all the things we need to bring to the hospital. Next, I went to the bathroom to pee and saw blood. I knew that was it and it was the time. I stayed there for a few minutes going through contractions. It got more intense so I decided to wait an hour to go to the hospital.

Meu woke up and noticed I was so uncomfortable. I told him I had contractions since 3:30 AM. I told him to get everything ready and to wake up Rianna. Rianna needs to get ready so she could come to her father’s place. I took a warm shower trying to ease the contraction pains. It came in the fast interval and when I checked my phone, the contraction counter app it says it’s about time to go to the hospital. I wanted to have labored at home to make sure that it is the time. We go to the hospital when I cannot handle the pain anymore.

TIME TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL

At 7 AM we droved to Kotka hospital. We dropped Rianna first to her dads and we went straight to the hospital. While in the car, the contraction got intense. I couldn’t wait to arrive there really quickly. It was early morning so it took us about 30 minutes to reach the hospital. As soon as we arrived, we went straight to labor and delivery. It was almost 8 AM. I changed into a hospital gown while the nurse makes everything ready.

The nurse checked my cervix and I was 7cm dilated.  She asked if I want any medication and I suggested I want an epidural. She said they could not give me an epidural and suggested to give me another kind of spinal anesthesia. I am not really sure what was the name of the pain killer. She said that it will work right away and will last about 2 hours.

LABOR AND WAITING TIME

Around 8:30 I received the spinal anesthesia. It did work but it was so quick as it only worked for less than an hour. It was a heavenly feeling to not feel any pain contraction for an hour. I was able to talk and laugh and even took a really short video. I really wanted to document everything in videos but because of the pain, I didn’t manage to do so. Thankfully, Meu took a lot of photos. So I am happy that we have a lot of photos from birth.

The anesthesia expired after an hour and I suffered a lot of pain. The nurse checked me again but I was only 8cm. So, we waited again until I reach 10cm. I used this inhalation gas and it actually helped. Although it makes me feel dizzy but it helped ease the pain.

PUSHING TIME

Then it was pushing time. The nurse asked if I am ready to push and I said yes. I push a million times going through each contraction. It was really hard.

I pushed and pushed but there was no progress. The baby did not go down no matter how many times I pushed already. The nurse checked my cervix and she said that she couldn’t see the baby yet. So I push again for another hour. I was very tired at that time and very low energy. When the nurse checked me again, she noticed that the baby is in the wrong position. The baby was side view that’s why it didn’t go down no matter how much I push. Then the nurse went to see the doctor for help.

THE CONFLICT COMES

There were four nurses and one doctor in the delivery room. I know something was wrong but all of them seems so calm. I kept on pushing and I was so tired by then. They decided to use a vacuum to help the baby out. There was no way I could push the baby out because of the baby’s wrong position. So they need to do some alternatives. The doctor tried to take the baby out while I help push as hard as I could. It didn’t work perfectly. And all of a sudden they told me to stop pushing. They can see the baby’s head and the doctor could not get the baby out.

The baby’s right shoulder was stuck in the birth canal. That’s why the doctor cannot get her out. They asked me to stop pushing. It was so painful and I cried asking them to do it as fast as they can. The baby’s head was almost out but her shoulder was stuck. So the doctor had to put her hand inside to turn around the baby. It took a while and I know it was hard for the doctor to turn around the baby to get the baby out. I had no idea what was going on and how risky it was as I was in deep pain and couldn’t see down there. But Meu said it was so bad and scary. The baby could die if they don’t get her out as soon as possible. Thankfully, the doctor managed to take the baby out using her hand and the vacuum.

BABY CAME OUT NOT CRYING

And then the baby girl came out at exactly 12:10 PM. She came out not crying at all. I wasn’t sure but I think she was not breathing. They cut her umbilical cord and run her to the next room. It was a big relief that the baby was finally out. But also scared about her situation. After a few minutes, we heard the baby’s cry from the other room. They brought the baby back to us. She was so purple and crying so hard. She was in my chest and it was the best moment ever. I hold her for the first time and I was so thankful to God the baby was okay.  We did skin to skin and breastfeeding. The baby latch without any problem.

The nurse cleaned the baby while I took a quick shower. I did not tore but it was so swollen down there and I had hemorrhoids.

We transferred to the recovery room. I tried to rest and also trying to get used to breastfeeding. It was hard and painful and I had no milk the first two days. The baby was given 20ml of formula before we left the hospital because she loses so much weight. We stayed in the hospital for two days and went home on December 24th.

AFTER GIVING BIRTH

I didn’t realize how scary the birth was until Meu told me everything. He said that Rosie’s shoulder was stuck but her head was half out. If they didn’t take her out fast as they could, there was a possibility that the baby can die. I am very thankful to God that He didn’t let it happen. Baby Rosie came out alive. But it was so scary to think about the risk and how we almost lost her. She’s my dream baby and waited the day that she’s finally here.

I am so happy and thankful to God for giving me another child. Having more kids is always a dream for me. I love to have more kids but getting pregnant and giving birth scares me a lot. Each pregnancy is different and special. Rianna was born four weeks early and Rosie was born exactly on her due date. Both of them are December babies. I feel so blessed to have them in my life.

So, there you go, Rosie’s birth story. It’s been four months and thankfully I finally finish writing this. :) You can follow my pregnancy journal here.