Madyx's Birth Story

It has been a long journey and I'm so glad to finally be at the finish line!  We made it full term with our second child so we got to come home!  Hip Hip Hooray!!!  When I walked into my 37 week doctor appointment my doctor welcomed me with a big welcome back hug and surprised me with a decorated room of balloons, banners, and whistles!  It was so fun!  That's just how the whole office is and you can see how much fun we have and why I love going there so much!!

I wanted a picture of what the hospital looked like the day I had my baby....well it's under major reconstruction so it's not that pretty but next time it will have 2 floors and be really nice!

I wanted to tell the story with pictures first but now I'll fill ya in on the details.  Last Wednesday (Oct 17th) I went in for my 37 week doc appt and I was dilated to 7cm.  So Dixie, my doctor, stripped my membranes and said to go home and rest and then come back to the hospital after the contractions got harder and stronger and painful.  Well I don't know what happened but when I went home my contractions had stopped!!  What?!  I had been contracting every 4-10 minutes for the past 2 months and now they just stop?  So before I went to bed I talked to Dixie and she said to get some rest and if I can't go in and if nothing happens go to the clinic first thing in the morning.  

So we fell asleep and got up the next morning and started getting ready to go have a baby.  I was up and ready by 7 with bags packed and ready to get rid of this basketball sized belly of mine.  We were  dropping Jaxton off at my parents when my doctor called and said to wait to come in til the afternoon to start antibiotics for GBS (I was Beta Strep Positive and needed premeds so I don't pass bacteria to the baby when I had her) that's what the big concern was with not letting my water break on its own.  This day felt like Christmas as I waited clear til 1 to go to the hospital.  So we dropped Jaxton off again at my parents' and headed over to the hospital.  We watched movies, football, and Greys Anatomy while we waited.  It was actually pretty relaxing, they brought me a meal and drink and endless ice chips (I was surprised they'd let me eat) and came back every hour to make sure I was comfortable and if I needed anything.

I had to sit through 2 sessions of IV ampicillin which took 4 hrs each, so 8 hours of just getting antibiotics.  Since my contractions decided to come every 10-15 min instead of quicker like usual, they started a small dose of Pitocin to help them become more regular.  Dixie had to leave her daughters birthday party to come deliver me-it makes you grateful for medical workers and how they drop everything in their life to help you with yours.  She came at 8 and checked me to find I was 8cm dilated. She told me if I wanted an epidural we had to do it now since she was going to break my water and things would get going quick.  I decided this time I wanted to feel what a painful contraction felt like but I didn't want to risk not getting an epidural so I got it at 9:45 and she came back in to check me at 10:30.  Game time!!

We got everything set up and I started pushing around 10:40 and Madyx was here at 10:55!  Wow!  What a relief!  It was so different than when I had Jaxton!  I had pushed for 2 hours with him and I tore as far as you can.  But with Madyx after the 2nd contraction she was crowning and I didn't even push as hard.  She kept saying give me a good push but not as hard as you can, and just a small push and hold, etc.  I barely even tore at all-she said she wouldn't even call it a 1st degree.  Just a few stitches and that was it...well until I started pouring out blood.  April, my nurse, was massaging my uterus while Dixie searched for piece of placenta left up in me.  She didn't find anything and was unsure why I was hemorrhaging but they gave me some pills to stop the bleeding and kept massaging.  

I was actually unaware of any of this as I couldn't take my eyes off my beautiful little girl!  She was 18.75 inches long and weighed in at 6lbs 13oz (same as Jaxton!)...until we realized she was weighed with a little hand towel so we figure she was somewhere around 6.9ish since the towel was 4.5oz.  But who cares?  She was healthy!  For being 3 weeks early she had no respiratory problems, jaundice, or other issues (thank you!).  They handed her to me and she wanted to eat right away and boy did she know how to.  I was in pain already!  I had only fed her twice before I had started getting a crack on my nipples!  Nursing has been the hardest part this time since she is such a hard sucker.  There have been times she'd start and pull away and I would drip blood, or she'll have blood dripping from her face or she'll spit up blood!  She's over a week now and I'm still in agony every time I feed her with tears streaming down my face.  I just need to make it through the next week or so and it should get better but this is the worst pain I've ever experienced and sometimes want to give up.  But know it's just an obstacle I need to get over.

I was glad things went quicker and easier this time (except for the post-partum hemorrhage) because I had asked my sister McCall to stay in the room (she is in the RN program and thought it would be good for her and also since she was my #1 supporter through all this (besides Tyson) taking me to doctor appointments and being there through the whole thing).  I asked her to take pictures and right before we got pushing my mom poked her head in and asked if her and my little sister could come in and just stand to my left back.  Before I could respond Dixie said "Ya ya come on in!!"  For those of you that know her knows just how spunky and spontaneous she is-especially to let a 15 year old come in-she must have known things were going to go better this time around-because I was expecting to push for hours. But Kami did really well and was actually very intrigued but it all!

My doctor told me she wanted me to stay an extra day since I had the GBS bacteria, and I had a post-partum hemorrhage, and Madyx was early but the next morning when she came to check on me she commented on how good I was doing and that if I wanted to go home that day I could.  I thought back through the sleepless night I had just experienced-waking up after an hour to throw up; then every hour after that to change my mess and use the bathroom; and have my blood pressure read; and also how I retain so much fluid from the IV; etc. and decided I wanted to go home. 

I didn't get much sleep the first few nights since I didn't have any milk and she acted like she wanted to eat so often (killing me every time) and also since she didn't want to sleep on her own, she wanted to be held.  So I slept in the recliner to cuddle with her until my milk came in and she was getting a full belly.  I had lots of support with family coming to stay with me, but really I didn't need it. I always thought it was crazy to see people up and about after having babies.  I thought they were supposed to be like I was after having Jaxton in so much pain they down want to even THINK about moving.  But I was up and about the day after I had Madyx and am back to our crazy life already.  I was more concerned about Jaxton being jealous, but with Ty taking extra time off work all he wanted to do was follow his daddy around like a puppy dog.  Jaxton is actually  handing it really well.  He loves his sister and checks on her often.  If someone is holding her he runs to their side every few minutes to check on her and give her a kiss and with every peep she makes he's to her side binky in hand to help comfort her.  It melts my heart to see him love her so much, she has stolen all our hearts already and I feel so blessed when I sit back and think of what a wonderful family we have created!  We love you Madyx and can't wait to spend eternity with you!!