How 4 became 5!

So here we go, my last and final Birthing experience! With one very stressful and painful experience, and a very calm pain free experience under my belt, I was ready for anything!

We got pregnant with our third baby in June of 2010. Yes it was a little bit of a surprise, but not entirely since we were not on any sort of birth control. You cant be too surprised if you aren't preventing it. So I was working at target at the time, and I was very sick. This was the worst I felt with any pregnancy. I never threw up, but I was in bed most of the time laying down, trying not to throw up. I was miserable. Thank goodness that only lasted the first 12 weeks. After that I was feeling pretty good. I feel I got a lot bigger a lot faster with this third baby.  Again I was considered high risk, and I was to see a regular OB/GYN, and a high risk doctor. So again I got so many different ultrasound appointments. This was a huge perk! Always nice to be able to see your baby and hear them. Around my 20th week when we had found out it was a boy, they also told me again that the babies kidneys were measuring a little large. Now this time around this did not phase me at all. Since Travis had the same problem while he was growing in my belly. The next couple of times I had my ultrasound this kidneys were still measuring large, so I got a little scared, but knew deep down he was fine. Sometimes even though you know it will be ok, there is still that "what if?".

Little peanut 12 weeks

18 weeks

30 weeks

36 weeks

Yes again my platelets were dropping, my doctor in FL said that they were going to watch me, but it was not a huge threat to me or the baby just quit yet. In my 7th month Matthew got an offer for a job back in CA, so we packed everything up and away we went. When I arrived here in CA I found a new doctor right away. I really liked my new doctor and he was made aware that my platelets were something to watch. At 37 week he wanted to do an amnio and see how the babies lungs were developing to see if we could take him out early. Now at 37 weeks the babies lungs are usually developed enough to where if you went into labor they would not stop it since the baby could survive on their own. I feel the amnio was a bit much, and I should have been induced. I guess the doctor was just trying to cover all his bases juts in-case the baby was not fully developed quit yet, he would not be sued if they took him early and the baby had trouble breathing on his own.  I went to the hospital on February 22snd to have my amnio done(this is where they stick a needle in your belly and take some amniotic fluid out and test it for the maturity of the lungs). I ended up passing out while they were trying to get the IV in me. I defiantly got that nurses attention, I tend to pass out in medical situations. The IV was started and I was not allowed to eat just in case the baby did not like the amnio test and they had to do an emergency c-section. When I arrived at the hospital my blood platelets were 110,000 (remember 200,000 is normal and below 100,000 they will not allow you an epidural). Well I KNEW that he should have just induced me, but you cant tell a doctor what to do! After the amnio I was having contractions, the nurses said they looked pretty big, but I was not feeling too much pain. I was having a lot of contractions through out the pregnancy. I was to stay overnight for observation. My husband came and stayed the night with me. The results for the amnio would not come in till the next morning, and if those were inconclusive I would have to wait for 4 days. The doctor came in the next morning and told me I needed to be induced!!! YUP THAT'S RIGHT!!! My blood platelets dropped again to 80,000, Just wonderful!!! they dropped 30,000 just overnight! So without even warning he broke my water(if you forgot I was waiting on amnio test which were pretty much moot by now, should have just induced me in the first place), and I was started on pitocine. My blood platelets went up to 90,000 but it was still not enough to have my beloved epidural. I was induced at 10:00am. Around 1:00pm the pain started to get more intense, and it was getting harder to breath through contractions. I have never had a birthing class, just the previous labors as practice. I made them text my platelets one more time, but they were still not high enough, and by now there really was no point. They offered me a birthing coach, she really helped me a lot. I just remember her telling me to tell her to stop talking if I needed her to, or if I didn't want to breath her way I didn't have to. At that time I could feel him coming. I was shaking my head no at her, hahaha, and she said "ok we don't have to breath like that". I said no no "the baby is coming" lol she rushed out to get a nurse, sure enough he was coming out weather we liked it or not. My doctor was running across the street from his office to get to me. But this baby wasn't waiting for him! At 2:30pm I was at 7cm, at 3 I was fully dilated to 10cm and he was coming! They rushed to get everything ready while I was really trying my hardest to hold him in. At that point when you are about to deliver there really is no "holding it in". My husband, bless his heart, was telling me not to push yet. I wasn't even pushing, I was trying not to. but that baby just was wiggling his own way out. A different doctor was called into the room, all she had time to do was put her shoe covers on. She pretty much caught him. The cord was wrapped around his neck, and they were telling me to stop pushing, my husband was being pretty forceful at this time telling me not to push. I WASN'T PUSHING THOUGH! One shoulder was already out, but the cord was stopping him for getting out all the way, and when the baby's head and shoulder is out they pretty much slip out the rest of the way on their own. That was pretty much the easiest labor without drugs that anyone could ask for. I don't even think I had to push all that hard, and maybe only actually pushed 2 times. I swear he came out on his own. After all the excitement my doctor made it to the room just in time to stitch me up, and he also told me the next day that he does not believe that I have H.E.L.L.P. syndrome. I have been waiting for a doctor to finally say that. We still do not know what happens to my body while I am pregnant, but we do know that my platelets disappear. He said next time he will be doing an amnio on me at 36 weeks *THERE WILL BE NO NEXT TIME*

me at 7 months

Me and my boys at 5 months

so in closing, I had different, yet very much alike deliveries. All 3 I was induced, all 3 I was sick, and all 3 I got a beautiful baby boy out of it. The differences were that the first was very scarey and chaotic, the second was painless and relaxing, the third was painful and very fast. Having a baby is the most dangerous thing a woman will ever do in her life. It has been a very dangerous, yet exciting experience. If I do nothing else in my life I know that I have experienced an amazing miracle 3 times, and I am am mom. Probably the most important thing there is on earth, a parent, its a full time job, and amazing job, a scarey job, a stressful job, a joyous job, and really any other thing on earth wrapped into one. I often sit and think about how I never went to college, or traveled the world, or made a difference. But goodness, I am constantly learning new things while being a mother, we have our own fun adventures, and I am making a difference in the world by raising good kids into great adults.

Luke Macy born February 23rd 2011 6Lbs 11oz 19in