A Birth Story

Starring...

Kara Ellasyn High

Thanks for patiently waiting for this post. Our first week as parents to a 2 year old and newborn was challenging to say the least. Chris and I are in survival mode with little sleep and trying to keep up with an very active toddler and very needy newborn. But we wouldn't trade it for the world...we are so blessed to have our two little ones!

As promised, here is Kara's birth story. Her birth was quite an adventure and the best way to describe it would be something out of a movie! Hence the title...'A Birth Story~ Starring....Kara Ellasyn High'. Today, June 22nd was her actual Due Date but Kara wanted to make an early arrival and surprise us all! I decided to write a short version (for those of you who don't want to read about all the labor details) and long version of her story.

Short Version-

I woke up on Saturday, June 14th at 6am to what I thought were strong "Braxton Hicks" contractions. They came in waves and were not consistent so I wasn't too concerned about them. Around 8:30am, I decided to give the doctor a call because the contractions weren't going away and seemed to be getting stronger. (Keep in mind, I was induced with Ryan and truly did not know what beginning labor contractions felt like.) Dr. Feio was on call and told us to go to the hospital to get checked. We arrived around 9:45 and the nurse midwife hooked me up to the monitors. We stayed in the triage section for about 2 hours before being sent home because I did not progress from 1 cm...also the contractions were not consistent (ie- they want to see contractions be 5 minutes or less apart and lasting over 30 seconds each). So around 12:30 we left the hospital and headed home. All the while, I am breathing through some pretty strong contractions!! Chris set me up on the couch with tons of towels and blankets and I "labored" there from 1:30-3:34 (he timed all my contractions- you would think he would have noticed them getting closer and closer?!) before getting up to go to the bathroom. When I went to sit on the potty, my water broke (what luck huh?!). I yelled for Chris to call the doctor. The contractions came full force now and I told him that we had to get to the hospital asap. Got to the hospital around 4:10pm, Dr. Feio checked me around 4:20 and told me that we were 6 cm. I said great, let's get to labor & delivery and I want an epidural now! The midwife proceeded to ask if I wanted to walk or take a wheelchair, at the same time I had one of the worst contractions hit and Chris told her to get the wheelchair. As they were wheeling me to L&D, I felt the urge to push and really couldn't control it! We got into my room and 10 minutes later at 4:41 Kara arrived! She weighed 7 lbs. and was 19.5 inches in length.

So we went from 1 cm to 6 cm in 2 hours and then 6 cm to 10 cm/pushing in 10 minutes! CRAZY! Needless to say, I did not get that epidural nor did they have time to even admit me into the system. It was everything I wanted except for the pain of course. Kara came when she wanted (no induction needed), we didn't have to get a c-section and it was very fast!

**pictures below long version**

Long Version-

This version will include little details that happened throughout the day that lead to her speedy arrival. My labor and her birth were like a scene out of a movie in many ways...

I awoke on Saturday, June 14th to what I thought were strong 'braxton hicks' contractions around 6am. By 8:30am, I decided to call the doctor because the contractions weren't going away and they seemed to be getting stronger. I truly thought this was false labor because Kara arriving "early" was something I didn't really think would happen. Plus I was induced with Ryan and really didn't know what beginning labor felt like. My contractions were all over the place instead of being like 5 minutes apart and some lasted longer than others. Dr. Feio was on call (this is the same doctor I had seen the day before who told me that he didn't need to check me to see if I dilated further than 1 cm) and told me to go to the hospital to be checked out. At this point, I start to freak out because a) we had an entire day planned out to get a lot checked off our list. We still had quite a list of items to accomplish before her birth...so this threw a wrench in our plans! and b) I did not have "the bag" packed! I know I know, I was one day away from 39 weeks and didn't have the hospital bag packed?! What was I thinking? I just kept pushing it off because I seriously thought she would be on time or even late. So I quickly jumped in the shower, we called my dad to come get Ryan, packed the bag and left for the hospital...the entire time believing this was false labor!

We arrived at the Reading Hospital around 9:45 and went to the front desk to ask where Triage was. As Chris was asking where to go, I had another contraction and the lady behind the desk (must have been new!) freaked out and said, "OH MY GOD, you are having a baby!" Before we knew it she had me in a wheelchair and said follow me to Chris. This woman proceeded to run me to triage with Chris trying to keep up from behind! The poor woman was huffing and puffing and yelling around corners to let people know we were coming! When we got to triage, the nurses just looked at her like she was crazy! They even said, ummm, she is only having a baby. I didn't know if I should laugh or cry. I thought it was hilarious how fast she got us up there but I also felt sorry for the woman for running the entire way! We had a nurse midwife hook me up to the monitors and got me plenty of water to drink as we waited. 2 hours went by and no progress. Still at 1 cm and the contractions were all over the place. So they sent us home with a Tylenol w/ codine to take for the pain if I needed it. You should have seen the woman's (who ran me up to triage) look on her face when we walked by her to leave.

We decided to stop at the grocery store to get a few things. I stayed in the car because I was still contracting. We got home a little after 1pm and Chris set up the couch with tons of towels and blankets. I ate a bowl of cereal and laid down to try to rest. Chris started timing my contractions around 1:30. By 2:30, I decided that I needed that Tylenol w/ codine and hoped it would make me pass out. At this point, I am getting exhausted because the contractions wouldn't let up. The pills made me sleepy but DID NOT take the pain away. I would drift off and then be awaken quickly to strong contractions! At 3:23 (thanks to Chris' notes, I know the exact time!) I got up to go to the bathroom. As I was about to sit down on the potty, my water decided to break! (what luck huh?!) I also noticed blood and screamed for Chris to call the doctor! The one annoying thing about needing a doctor on the weekend is having to call an answering service first and waiting for the doctor to call back!!! Once my water had broken, the contractions were VERY strong. I told Chris that we had to leave asap and couldn't wait for the doc to call back. Chris threw a ton of towels in the car (can't ruin the Acura seats!) and off we went to triage again.

On our way, Chris must have been very nervous. I guess my screaming through contractions didn't help his driving. He stopped at lights when he could have made it through them and then he took the crazy long way around the hospital! When we finally got there, I told him to just drop me off in the front. There was an old man behind the desk now. Where was the new lady when I needed her!? The old man told Chris that he would take me up and Chris went to park the car. Well, not only was this man SLOW but he didn't know where he was going. At one point he got off on the wrong floor!! Finally got to triage and of course it was the same midwife on duty. She must have thought I was crazy for being back so soon and took her good ol' time getting me checked. She wanted to make sure my water had indeed broke (even though I was leaking this fluid the entire time!) and tried unsuccessfully to get samples off sheets. She even said I have to look under the scope at one point. All I could think was, lady do you really think I am peeing myself this much?? Chris had finally reached my room and my contractions were very close together and also the strongest ones yet. I must have been yelling too much because the midwife told me to "lower my tone"?! WHAT?! I was ready to punch the midwife (which is very unlike me!) when Dr. Feio arrived. He checked me and said you are 6 cm! I was so relieved because I knew this meant I could get a room in labor & delivery and what I really needed at that point, the epidural!

The midwife came back in and asked if I wanted to walk or be wheeled into L&D. As she was asking this question, I had a crazy contraction and Chris said please get her a wheelchair. I truly believe my husband was the only one who could tell that I was about to give birth! As they wheeled me to L&D, I felt the urge to push and couldn't control it. It was like my body was saying, get her out now! We arrived at the L&D room and there was only one nurse there to check me in, get an IV started and hook me up to the monitors. As I stood up, more water gushed out and I said, "her head is right there!" The nurse somehow got me on the bed and sure enough there was Kara's head! I have never seen so many people run into a room as fast as they did! We went from 1 nurse to like 15 people in seconds. Dr. Feio was throwing his robe on and everyone kept telling me to breath through the contractions even though I couldn't help but push. The pain and pressure were unbelievable!!! All I wanted to do was push it away. With 4 good pushes, Kara came "shooting" out at 4:41! I felt so much better once she was out. Chris cut the cord and she was immediately taken over to the warmer for NICU to evaluate because (once again- same thing happened when Ryan was born) there was mecodium (sp?) in the amnio fluid. She checked out just fine and once I was all "patched up with stitches" (had a 3rd degree tear! uggg), I got to hold her. I was in complete shock at how fast it all happened and that she was here. I got everything I had hoped for (except all that pain!) with her delivery. I didn't get induced, didn't need a c-section and the delivery was very quick. :)

**below are some pictures and a small video of Kara at 1 week old!- Enjoy!**

I'm a peanut!

Mommy & Kara
Gift Exchange-Sadly, this is the only "family" photo from the hospital!
Big Brother Ryan meets baby sister Kara
Happy Father's Day, honey! :)
Kara ~ 1 week old