Max and Eli Birth Story Part 1

Tuesday, February 4, 2014, I was home on modified bed-rest following a doctors appointment on 1/16/14 where my doctor pulled me from working due to high blood pressure. I was monitored closely following my high blood pressure diagnosis.  The fear was that I may be developing preeclampsia. I never developed preeclampisa but continued to have high blood pressure.

The day, seemed like every other day, I was big and pregnant but the thought that this could be the day did not cross my mind.... other than I was passed the point where Presley and Noah were born so in the back of my mind I knew it could be at any moment.

I was in the hospital on the Thursday and Friday before with some crazy and scary symptoms that turned out to be nothing.

When we got back home... my mother in law had went grocery shopping for us... she got us so much food. Like food for feasts!

On that Tuesday we had a lot of visitors, since I was home during the day and not working family was dropping in to say hey and play with Presley and Noah. My sister in law came over in the morning with her 2 year old so that the kids could have some cousin play time and in the afternoon my cousin came over to play with the twins.

I decided I wanted my husband to grill these awesomely huge steaks (mother in law purchase!!), so I marinated them, made twice baked potatoes, BLT salad, green beans and corn on the cob. We do not normally eat like this, but I wanted a feast! It all sounded it so good! I didnt know it was the last supper as a family of 4... but now it seems like maybe I did know!

In the middle of dinner, my husband's aunt, so my aunt in law?... called and asked if I wanted a massage. She is a massage therapist and was giving me regular massages during my pregnancy. She is so good at what she does and was able to relieve so much of my pregnancy pain.

When she called I was super excited for her to come over! She had just received a new massage table that she had ordered herself as a Christmas present and wanted to break it in!

When she got to our house we still needed to give Presley and Noah baths and get them in bed first. She helped us with this and then started to set up her massage table.

Mike and Mary Heather (aunt in law) where in the bathroom giving Presley and Noah their bath. I really had to pee... so I decided to go downstairs to use the other bathroom. I had been avoiding the stairs as much as possible because with as pregnant as I was they were a true work out.

After peeing I came back up stairs and sat on the couch. Mary Heather was putting the sheets on the massage table and she asked me to grab a pillow so I would have something to put between my legs while laying on my side. As I sat on the couch... I felt/or thought I had peed myself a little.. I thought maybe I didn't get it all out. I took the opportunity to get a pillow to also change my underwear, since they were wet, and the only thing I would be wearing during the massage was my underwear. I came back into the living room and the same thing happened again.

At this point I thought... Did my water break?

I went to the bedroom again to change my underwear and back out into the living room.

Mary Heather was just about to tell me to hop up on the massage table. Mike was in the twins' room putting them in bed.

I stood on the wood floor of our kitchen and wham.... my water broke... like bam, a waterfall... I was standing in a huge puddle. And I said "I think my water just broke!" (So glad it happen literally right before the massage and not during!)

Mary Heather looks at me and says ummm I think so! And Mike yells from the twins room... "WHAT?!?"

There was no denying that my water had broke. It was a Tuesday at 7pm. I quickly called my doctor, she doesn't work on Wednesdays and I was afraid she wouldn't be there! (She had always promised me she would not miss it... but still!)

I got the on call doctor from my practice. She asked if I was having any pain or any contractions. Both answers were No.

She then told me to come in but not to rush since I wasn't in any pain I wasn't in active labor.

I had my bags packed, but still took some time to leave the house, I wanted to take a last bump picture. I did not do this with Presley and Noah and I have always regretted it... so that was a must do!

It also took us some time to leave the house because I was leaking huge amounts and was trying to figure out what to do about that. I sat on the toilet like the doctor told me, but still. I am amazed at how much water there was!

Finally I put on a dress and flip flops (odd attire for the start of February) so that the leaking water wasn't soaking my clothes and we left for the hospital with a towel in hand!

On the way to the hospital I started cramping and getting uncomfortable. I tried to distracted myself from this discomfort by texting friends and family and telling them I was on my way to have the babies.

When we got to the hospital L and D unit, I called back to tell them I was there. Since I have been to L and D quite a few times over my two pregnancies I know that they can take their time coming to the waiting room to bring you back. As I talked to them on the phone I was leaking all over the place. I was standing again in a puddle and everyone was staring at me! I told the nurse on the other end of the phone to please hurry because I was leaking everywhere and she said, "okay, we can see that on the camera."

They came and got me right away... and then took me to the smallest L and D room ever. Like it was so small the bed took up the whole room. The chair Mike was sitting in was in front of the door and every time a nurse came in or out he had to get up and move.

That was annoying but since I was going to have a c-section, Baby A was breech, we wouldn't be in the room long and that was the reason for them placing us there.

When we arrived in the room it was shortly after 8pm and my doctor was on her way but hadnt arrived yet. The nurse checked my cervix to see what was going on and I was not dilated at this point... I was still cramping and uncomfortable.

Quickly I was in a LOT of pain. This was like nothing I have ever experienced before. I was in active labor.  The contractions were huge and 1-2 minutes apart. Because I was having a c-section there was nothing they could do for the pain. We were waiting on my doctor and the OR...there was someone in the OR.

The contractions kept coming and coming and I was flipping out. I thought that I was going to have a baby before my doctor or the OR was ready.

The nurse (who I had a great relationship with from previous visits), was great at calming and comforting me. But I could tell she was starting to get worried about the pain, the amount, and the timing of the contractions I was having.

She said, "Heather I do not want to check you yet. If you are past a 4, then they will want to put you under for the c-section, and You (pointing to Mike) will not be allowed in." - something to this affect writing this over a month later.

Mike flipped out... saying... I will be in there with her, I am not missing this!

Then I had to calm Mike down, by telling him this will happen the way that God planed it and everything will be okay. Because at the moment...that is what you have to believe!

She checked my cervix and when I asked what was it... she said "everything will be okay."

Which didn't make me feel good, but right after that I was wheeled in to hallway where I saw my doctor and we went in to the OR.