With Alayna, we didn’t stay at my mother in law’s house in anticipation of birth, like we did with all our others. It was a Sunday morning and Alex had just left our home in Sierra Vista to go to worship practice at church in Tucson. As he kissed me goodbye, I remember thinking, “watch, I bet I will go into labor while he is in Tucson, and he will have to come all the way back to get me.” She was due the next day, February 9th. And, that is exactly what happened. I started getting contractions right after he left. They had barely started but they were coming fast and hard, and I was already starting to feel pressure down under. I went to the restroom and the pressure subsided a little. I tried to go back to sleep, but was too distracted by the pain.
After about 2 hours, I decided to call Alex and have him come back and get me to head to the birth center. I stayed on the phone with him the whole time he was driving back home. At some point during our conversation, I was on the toilet and felt the urge to push. I was freaking out because I thought the baby was gonna be born right on the toilet! I heard a pop, and it was my water breaking! It was the weirdest thing because I had never had my water break with any of my other babies until they were about to crown. It was definitely a new experience for me, and I was confused as to why I would feel the urge to push if it was just my water. I was convinced she was coming soon, so I filled up the tub, just in case, and I would just have another water birth, then call 911 to come check her out. But Alex arrived soon and we started back towards Tucson. We dropped our other kids off at my mother in law’s house and Tenicia, my sister in law watched them. My mom and mother in law went with us to the birth center.
When we first arrived at the center, the nurse did a strip test to make sure it was in fact amniotic fluid that was leaking. The test came back positive, and the nurse checked the heartbeat and she was able to find it down low, as she should if baby was head down. She then checked me for dilation, I was 5-6 and she could feel the head a tiny bit. Strangely enough, my contractions started not hurting as much, and coming less frequently. Everyone was a little dumbfounded at this as we thought for sure this was gonna be a quick process. The nurse checked the heartbeat again, and this time she couldn’t find it down low, but higher up and on the side. She, at that point, decided to call the midwife. When the midwife got there, she also checked me for dilation and I was then a 6-7, but she could feel no head at all. She took me into the ultrasound room and we took a look on the screen to see what was going on. I saw immediately that Alayna was no longer head down, she was sideways, or ‘transverse.’ My heart dropped and I said “Don’t even say it, I see.” The midwife felt so bad as she told me we had to transfer over to TMC and maybe the doctor could turn her manually, but that the chances were low since there was no water left to use as a guide.
We all were so solemn on the way over to the hospital. I told Alex in the car that I didn’t want our moms to say anything negative. We were praying, trusting, and believing that the baby would turn on her own and the birth would continue as normal. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. The doctor briefly attempted to manually turn her, but said if he continued, it could harm the baby because all the water was gone in there. He also said that we needed to go back for an emergency C-section, because babies just don’t come out that way (sideways). I was still having contractions, and at this point, they started picking up. We were really torn here because we were standing in faith, asking the nurse to check on the ultrasound screen every 10 mins to see if she had turned. After about 2 hours of that, we decided, very hesitantly, to go ahead with the C-section. I felt defeated, like less of a mom. And, that’s not to say that any mom out there that has had a C-section is less of a mom, not at all. Just, FOR ME, that was never in the plan of any of my births, not even an option as far as we were concerned.
Alex suited up, and we headed back to the operating room. Everything went ok as far as the surgery goes. Alayna did come out with some bruises along the side of her back because with every contraction, she was being smooshed in half trying to go into the canal. The doctor said she was really low down, and that they had to dig for her a bit. I felt ok right after I got out of surgery, but OH MY GOSH after the morphine wore off, I was HURTING! That was literally the worst pain I have ever felt, even to this day! I felt like I was having a heart attack. My neck hurt, and my chest felt like it had a ton of bricks laying on it! I was told that was gas that got stuck in me while I was open on the table. I remember just sobbing as Justyce held Alayna, because I couldn’t even hold her. Justyce stayed at the hospital with me for the 4 days I was there. She was so sweet, and helped me so much with that recovery! I was really sad for a long time after this birth because I felt like I didn’t do what I was supposed to do as a woman and a mother. I know it sounds silly, but I really felt robbed of the birth I wanted. I was thankful that Alayna was here and was healthy, but felt like I missed God’s best for me during this experience. I also hated being on the narcotics they prescribed after, but could not function without them because the pain was so horrible.
Even though things didn’t go as planned, AT ALL, I am so blessed that my baby was and is healthy and beautiful! Alayna Verily was born at 5:34pm weighing in at 7lbs8oz and 21in long. I hope you enjoyed this birth story! Anniston’s story is tomorrow! Until next time, Beloved…….
BE BLESSED!
