Reid's Birth Story

Well, by now I have had a little over a month to process everything that happened bringing little man into the world. I still can't believe we have a son, and he is healthy and beautiful. As I sit here typing this, he is curled up next to me making his now familiar little noises, and all I can do is smile:). 

Sorry for the length, but I want to make sure I document all of the details:

JR and I woke up Saturday morning (July 7th) on a mission: clean our entire house and get organized in preparation for all of the company we anticipated in the coming weeks. Of course, what's a clean house without clean cars to accompany it? So, as JR worked on the cars outside, I started on the inside. At 11am I decided to begin with my least favorite room, the bathroom, and got to work scrubbing the mirrors and granite. As I was sitting down in front of a cabinet to organize lotions, I felt a large gush. I remember thinking that either my water had just broken, or I was officially too pregnant to hold "it" anymore (the latter of which being very depressing).

I sat considering the possibilities for a second, decided not to alarm JR just yet, and called my nurse friend Jenny. She was sure my water had broken, but I still wasn't convinced. I called labor and delivery at our hospital, just as JR walked inside. He looked a little shocked as I tried to calmly explain what had happened to the nurse. She told me I had probably had an "accident" based on the fact that I was only 37 weeks, but to keep an eye on things for 24 hours. At Jenny's suggestion, I decided to take a shower and lay down to take it easy for a while. However, after getting out, drying off, and noticing that there was still some "leaking" JR and I decided it wouldn't hurt to get to the hospital and get checked out.

I rushed around throwing baby clothing and pj's into a suitcase (I had planned on packing all of this this weekend as well--oopps!), and JR threw the car seat into the back of the car. I questioned our going in the entire 10 minute car ride. I didn't want to be one of those first-time moms who drags her husband into the hospital every time she feels the slightest pain. J.R. reassured me that 

it was worth not worrying about later on.

When we arrived, we were asked to sit on a bench by the nurse station while they found an open

triage room for us. A few minutes later a nurse came to get us, and as I stood up I felt another gush. In light of this, the nurse decided to take us straight to a delivery room and had me change into a hospital gown. Still in disbelief, I kept asking whether or not someone was going to check my fluid. I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that this was happening so fast and so soon. A test confirmed it a few minutes later, my water had in fact broken, and Reid was coming soon whether we were ready or not. 

I called my dad and sister to tell them the news. Although I had hoped they'd be there for Reid's birth,  I knew a day of notice would make it nearly impossible for that to happen. However to my surprise, both immediately got online, booked airline tickets, and told me to hold on as best I could until their arrival. What a blessing!

The next few hours are a little bit of a blur. J.R. went to grab food from the hospital cafeteria (that we suspect later gave him food poisoning) while I made some more phone calls to our shocked family and friends. I had researched and made the decision to have an epidural prior to coming to the hospital, and eventually I reluctantly accepted that the time had come. Luckily, my nurse was very forgiving of her 30 year old baby of a patient, and let me lean on her shoulder while I tried to forget about the very long needle going into my back. 

My dad and sister arrived a few hours later, just as our night shift nurse was checking in. I am told by this point I had a vice grip on the button the anesthesiologist had handed me in case I needed an extra bit of relief. I wasn't in a lot of pain, but I knew I didn't want to be anytime soon. After reading the birthing horror stories posted on some of the new mom online forums, and learning about the possibility that the whole epidural could wear off, I wasn't chancing it.

In no time I was dilated to a ten, and our nurse suggested that we start trying some "practice pushes." Those led into real pushes and my poor dad, who had planned to exit the room when everything got going, ended up stuck in the corner for the whole show (luckily, he didn't have a direct view as I am sure watching my sister and I being born had given him enough experience with this for a lifetime!). I am not sure how long I pushed, but I remember thinking it wasn't bad. My midwife came in an hour after I started the initial pushes and Reid was out a few hours later.  

What a surreal feeling it was to hear that first cry and look into his eyes! It felt so good to finally see the little person we had been waiting on. Although I am sure they say it with everyone, all of our nurses and our midwife commented on how cute he was. He seemed so tiny and fragile, as I pulled him up onto my chest. Everyone could see the Nichols facial features in him right away, but I could see J.R. in him too. He was beautiful and we were so thankful he checked out healthy!

 

This would have been the end of our story, had it not been for one problem. During my 20 week ultrasound, our doctor had found a 7cm fibroid at the back of my uterus. At the time, she had sent us to a specialist who had confirmed that it appeared to be harmless, and might only cause some minor pain during the pregnancy and labor. Now, as the epidural was wearing off, I started to feel like I was having contractions and it was determined (later on) that the fibroid was keeping my uterus from closing up as it should naturally after giving birth. After several hours of pain, and pleading with our nurse (who didn't believe me as I cried through what felt like contraction after contraction) to call the doctor or midwife, I was given a few pain pills and was monitored for the rest of the evening. I lost a lot of blood overnight and by the next day, I was still in a lot of pain. I continued to lose blood throughout the day Monday, and Tuesday morning and it was determined that I would need some exploratory surgery. The doctor ordered two units of blood for a transfusion, and sat down with J.R. and me to have one of the scariest discussions of our lives. 

Up until this point, I had been unaware of how much blood I had lost, or the severity of the situation. His first question to us was, "do you want more children"? I felt my eyes start to well up as I realized what this meant. I remember thinking, "I am 30 years old, why wouldn't I at least want the option of more children??!!" I think I nodded my head yes, and then he said that he was going to try his hardest to save my uterus, but if it came down to saving me from bleeding to death or preserving my fertility, he would have to remove it. J.R. and I were stunned! He told us he would schedule the surgery for later in the day and left. 

I think I cried and prayed from that point up until I was put under. J.R. was required by the hospital to stay with Reid, so I kissed him goodbye and was wheeled, bawling, through the hospital to the surgical wing. I remember being placed in a cold room where I had to have another IV inserted into my other hand to administer three more units of blood while I was simultaneously pricked to check my blood sugar. The most uncomfortable compression hose were squeezed over my extremely swollen legs and feet, as an anesthesiologist tried to ask me questions in between my sobs. I am sure I gave him way too much information! I was so scared having never had any major surgery prior to this. Even more terrifying was knowing that I could come out of surgery without my uterus.

I was finally taken to prep for surgery and remember falling asleep as I looked at an overhead lamp. I awoke to a choking sensation as they removed the tubing from my mouth. I could hear myself crying, but it didn't sound like me. I heard one of the nurses in the recovery room ask what was wrong with me, and my doctor's familiar voice told her I had been given a lot of tough information in a short period of time. I felt him grab my hand and tell me that he had been able to remove the fibroid without damaging my uterus, and that I would be able to have children if I wanted more someday. I was so relieved! My eyes wouldn't focus on anything yet and I was pretty well out of it, but I think I may have kissed his hand I was so happy!:)

I couldn't wait to be wheeled back to my room to be with J.R. (who had been notified of the good news). Now we had to wait to see if the bleeding would stop, and thankfully it did. I ended up staying in the hospital for two more days so that they could monitor my blood levels, which meant that my dad and sister would leave before I could go home:(. 

The next day I was finally able to get out of bed and start caring for Reid. J.R. and I were starting to catch our breath and enjoy our new family of three. Aunt Julie spent a lot of time loving on Reid and it was so nice to see my dad hold his first grandchild. 

Thursday morning came too quickly and I was discharged a few hours after J.R. returned from driving my dad and sister to the airport. I was glad to be leaving the room I had been stuck in for way too long, but sad that they wouldn't be going home with us.

 We packed up our things, and I dressed Reid in his going home outfit. 

Apparently, the normally sunny Houston weather we are accustomed to had been replaced by a crazy pattern of daily thundershowers, and on our drive home I was able to see all of the flooding around The Woodlands. Reid rode in the car like a champ, never waking up in spite of the rough ride through the rain-soaked streets. 

We arrived home to a very hyper and excited big fur brother, and some lovely signs my sister had left us that made me cry. 

Speaking of Reid's fur brother, Max was initially very curious about what we had brought home. 

However, he soon realized that he wasn't going to be able to smell or taste him, and retreated to his bed to catch up on his daily naps.

So there you have it: our adventure becoming parents. Everything we went through was so worth the love that we feel for him now. He doesn't do a whole lot at the moment other than eat, sleep, cry, and dirty several diapers a day, but those moments when he looks into our eyes are priceless.

We are so excited to see him grow and watch his personality develop over the next few years! 

Thanks to all of our family and friends for the love, support and prayers for us over the week Reid was born. We couldn't ask for a better circle of people to share Reid with!

Up next, look for some of his newborn pictures!