The Best and Most difficult day of my life: The Delivery Story

Is it real? Am I really writing this post? After waiting almost 41 weeks (40 and 6 days to be precise) for the day we would finally meet Zuriel, now, it almost seems surreal. Looking back onto the events of last week I can confidently say that those were days I will never ever forget!

After our doctor's appointment on Thursday 5/17, we had determined that the baby and I were doing just fine. So, we would wait for another few days and see. Our next appointment was scheduled again for Tuesday when we reached 41 weeks and I was really hoping I would not have to wait any longer. Truth is, although the plan was to go about the birth as natural as possible, the anxiety level was reaching its limit.

And so came Friday... I was feeling my uterus contract occasionally but did not notice any regular pattern. I continued walking and doing all kinds of other exercises to try to help him along but nothing seemed to change. Friday night came and after vespers at church I noticed the contractions were happening more frequently. I did not feel any pain but I could tell they were there so I started timing them. they came on and off just about every 15-30 min and then they would space out. Since these are far from what I was waiting for to start going to the hospital, I was not impressed, but they were enough to keep me up that entire night... hoping...

Sabbath morning came and we got ready and went to church. I could still feel contractions here and there but not regularly so, I ignored them (or tried). After church we came home for lunch and afterwards Marlon and I took a walk. In the evening we went to a Young Adult meeting and came home right afterwards. That is when I noticed the contractions started to feel a little more painful. When we went to bed I was sure I could feel them so I started to time them again. Now they were 7-15 minutes apart. I definitely couldn't sleep now, so for the second night in a row I was wide awake except this time the pain kept me up. It started mild at first but as the night progressed I had to walk around and sway during the contractions to help manage. Despite the pain, I was very happy and excited. After all, this is what I was waiting for all along.

Sabbath after church

As we had discussed with the doctor, we were to come in when contractions were 5 minutes apart for 1 hour. By morning, my contractions were 3-7 minutes apart. So, we decided I would have breakfast and get ready to go. The only problem was that after breakfast the contractions were gone. They spaced out hours apart...:( So we went for more walking. Around noon, the contractions had not yet returned like they were but I also noticed the baby didn't seem to be moving as much. Needless to say, I called the doctor and we started towards the hospital.

When we arrived I was seen in triage. Baby looked great on the monitor and I was about 4 cm dilated and 90% effaced, in other words, definitely in labor. By the time I was admitted and rechecked in the room I had dilated an extra cm and almost fully effaced. I was still planing on going without anesthesia but when the contractions finally returned they came back full force and all the breathing exercises I had learned did not seem enough to keep me relaxed during them. So, eventually I gave in and asked for the epidural.

much happier after the epidural =)

Daddy posting updates

Almost there

I think that was actually one of the best decisions I made that day. As soon as I got the epidural the contractions came stronger and stronger, closer and closer, sometimes even doubling up...at least I could remain relaxed. At that point I was just the happiest person alive. Once in a while, depending on the side I was laying, the baby's heartbeat would slow down slightly. Nothing to worry about really at that point, we dismissed as probably just some chord compression on that side. Labor progressing beautifully, no pain, now it was just a matter of time before the baby arrived.

9 cm down 1 cm to go

By 10 pm I was ready to start pushing. How exciting!!!! With the first "test push" I was able to move the little guy from -1 to 0 station. That was definitely reassuring, I thought. However, minutes passed by, then an hour, then more, and no baby. This is when knowing how things work did not help. Not only I could see fear and worry in people's faces I could also hear the baby's heartbeat slow down during and right after contractions (late decels). I noticed more people coming in the room (I was assuming they had called a NICU nurse) and they were preparing the suction and other apparel in the incubator next to the bed.

My doctor came in the room and the pushing continued. The nurses tried to do different things to help the baby along such as changing my position and some form of shaking and swaying but nothing helped. After pushing as hard as I could for two hours I was thoroughly exhausted. I could not hold my breath long enough to finish the pushes at the end of contractions. At that point, the doctor told me to take a 10 minute break before we continued. I was laid on my side and all I could think about was that I was going to faint or die. I was scared, very scared. Even with the epidural I could feel the pressure of the contractions now and I could also hear Zuri's heartbeat slow down every time with every one of them. I had oxygen on and all I could do was pray and try hard not to cry...there was no giving up now.

Once the doctor returned, I told her I could not push any more...she said even if I could that would not change the fact that we were not going to push anymore. She was worried about the baby and said we needed to go for an emergency c-section. When she said that, I felt both a sense of relief (I really had no more energy to push) and immediate anxiety. Once again, it doesn't help that all the risks associated with the procedure were running through my head. I remember that my first and biggest concern was that I had to lie flat on my back and just the thought of it made me nauseous. I also had to take some medication to neutralize the stomach acid to help in case I aspirated (so i didn't have to end up in the ICU, I was told)... the only problem is that I was already worried that I would be sick. After holding the cup on my hand for a few minutes and begging not to have to drink it, I eventually took it.

By this time there were several people in the room each doing something different to get me ready for the c-section. Marlon was given his special clothes and was putting them on. All I remember is closing my eyes, taking deep breaths, and trying to control the shaking in my body. Soon, they were wheeling me out of the room and into the OR.

Daddy suited up for the OR and maybe a bit worried...

Once in the OR the preparations continued and when I saw Marlon come in I knew they were starting. As expected i did not feel pain then but i sure felt a lot of pressure in my abdomen. Once they were ready to get Zuri out, the anesthesiologist told Marlon to get up so he could see. He did. It took a little while (which felt like eternity) to hear his cry. Marlon told me later he looked very very purple as they pulled him out and unwrapped the umbilical chord from his neck. Turns out the chord was wrapped three times around his neck making it physically impossible for him to be born naturally since there was not enough chord. Had they tried to use other methods to pull him out we would be in serious danger. Praise God he come out as healthy as could be!

As soon as I heard his cry I started crying. I could not see him but from that moment, the sound of his cry was forever ingrained in my head. When they took him to the incubator I was glad I could finally see him, even if from afar. I told Marlon to go there and be with him (he was emotional too and not sure what to do at that point). He did. After Zuri was clean, they brought him briefly by my face, I gave him a kiss, and they took him to the nursery. Marlon went with him and got to carry him there.

From that point on I was much more calm. Nothing else mattered. Our son was here.

As they finished the surgery, the anesthesiologist loaded me up with all kinds of pain medication making me very drowsy. I hated the feeling of being drowsy especially because I felt like I had to count my breaths to make sure they weren't too slow. I could hear my heart beat on the monitor in recovery and every time I drifted to sleep it would slow down and get worried that I had been given too much narcotics...(I seriously considered asking for Narcan a couple of times).

The nurse in recovery was very nice. After Marlon came and started telling me all about Zuri, the nurse started calling the nursery so they could bring the baby to me. That meant a lot! When Zuri came...(no words)

The days of recovery have not been very easy but I am grateful to have a wonderful and supportive family that is dedicated to helping me heal.

Wow, this was a long story...

Today, a week later (doesn't seem like a long time I know), we have already learned so much about this precious little one...

-He moves just as much outside my belly as he did inside
-He hates it when we have to hold his legs still even if it is to change his dirty diapers
-He will let himself be swaddled under one condition, he gets to keep his hands close to his face. try to swaddle him with his hands down... well, good luck.
-He loves his hands, Although I am pretty sure he doesn't know he controls them.
-He loves to make faces asleep or awake...
-When he is hungry... he is hungry
-He will not be deceived by the pacifier... he knows no food will come out of it.

and this is just to name a few...

As for me, I am still trying to master the ability of sleeping while he sleeps without waking up to every little noise he makes... it is way harder than it sounds...

40 weeks and waiting! //40 Semanas e esperando

Today is the due date and so far no sign of baby yet...well to be more precise, no contractions or anything associated with labor. The little guy is still partying in my belly and doesn't seem worried about the due date at all...I really feel like I am going to be pregnant forever! 

Embora hoje seja "a data" até agora nenhum sinal do bebê ainda ... bem para ser mais precisa, ainda nao estou sentindo contrações ou qualquer coisa associada ao trabalho de parto. O pequeno ainda esta fazendo festa na minha barriga e não parece preocupado com sair de la ... Eu realmente sinto que eu vou continuar grávida para sempre!

Here everyone is anxiously waiting for this boy to make his appearance. My mother-in-law has been here for 2 weeks now, my father-in-law has just arrived this Sunday, and my sister- and brother-in-law will be arriving in a couple of days. I have been walking miles every day, sometimes more than twice a day but that doesn't seem to be making any difference :s

Aqui todo mundo está  ansiosamente esperando pelo garotinho. Minha sogra já está aqui há 2 semanas, meu sogro acabou de chegar neste domingo, e minha cunhada e cunhado vao chegar quinta-feira. Eu tenho caminhado quilômetros todos os dias, às vezes mais do que duas vezes por dia, mas não parece estar fazendo nenhuma diferença :S

Now we are officially out of stickers and I am hoping and praying we will not make it any further than week 40! The current game plan is to wait. We have a Dr's appointment on Thursday (If there is still no baby). Then we will have an ultrasound and probably a Non-Stress Test to make sure all is still well. If there are no medical problems, our plan is to continue to wait as much as we can. Our plan, so far, is to have an all natural birth and we have placed these plans in God's hands. 

Agora estamos oficialmente sem adesivos e estou esperando e orando para que não passemos da quadragesima semana! O plano atual é a de esperar.Temos uma consulta com a medica na quinta-feira (Se ainda não tiver bebê). Teremos um ultra-som e, provavelmente, um teste para certificar que tudo está bem. Se não houver problemas médicos, nosso plano é continuar a esperar tanto quanto pudermos. Nosso plano, até agora, é ter um parto natural e nós colocamos estes planos nas mãos de Deus.

I REAAAAALLYY hope that the next post will be the birth announcement! 

Eu REAAAAALLMENTE espero que o próximo post seja o anúncio do nascimento!

39 weeks and waiting// 39 semanas e esperando

How difficult it is to wait! I never thought I would look forward to the pain of contractions so eagerly! Although every day for the last 39 weeks has been a day of waiting, the anticipation of these last few days is almost unbearable. Physically, I have no reason to complain really...other than the swollen feet and the occasional swollen hands and forearms I feel fine. I can't say it is easy to sit down and get up but, at least I feel no constant back pain, no pain on my ribs, no difficulty breathing, no nausea, no heartburn...so far I feel truly blessed!

Como é difícil esperar! Eu nunca pensei que eu iria esperarar pelas dores das contrações tão ansiosamente! Embora todos os dias durante as últimas 39 semanas tem sido dias de espera, a antecipação desses últimos dias é quase insuportável. Fisicamente, eu não tenho nenhuma razão para reclamar ... tirando o inchaco nos pés  e ocasionalmente nas mãos e bracos eu me sinto bem. Não posso dizer que é fácil de sentar e levantar, mas, pelo menos eu não sinto dores constantes nas costas, não sinto dor em minhas costelas, nenhuma dificuldade em respirar, sem náuseas, azia ... Na verdade so que eu me sinto e realmente abençoada!

If this baby is not here yet it is definitely not from lack of walking...For the last week I have been walking, walking, and walking two to three times/day sometimes for hours...I guess he got comfortable. Although we want him to come when he is ready, I just keep wishing he was ready right now, if not at this moment, at least in the next 5 minutes or so =)

Se esse bebê ainda nasceu definitivamente não é por falta de andar ... Desde a semana passada eu tenho caminhado, caminhado, e caminhado de duas a três vezes por dia, às vezes por horas ... Eu acho que ele deve estar bem confortável. Embora queira que ele venha quando estiver pronto, eu continuo desejando que ele estivesse pronto agora, se não neste momento, pelo menos nos próximos 5 minutos =)

I am really hoping this will be the last of the waiting posts and the next one will be the "welcome baby" post...=) Prayers always welcome!

Eu realmente espero que este seja o último dos posts de espera e que o próximo seja o post de "Bem-vindo Bebe" ... =) Orações sempre bem-vindas!

38 weeks.../38 semanas

Not too much to say this week except that I am really grateful to God for the wonderful privilege of carrying this precious little one in my belly for the last 38 weeks. Although I can't wait to meet him and I know it wont be long now until he is out exploring the world, I am sure going to miss having him all to myself. 

Não tenho muito a dizer nesta semana, exceto que estou muito grata a Deus pelo privilégio maravilhoso de carregar este precioso bebe na minha "barriguinha" durante as últimas 38 semanas. Embora eu mal possa esperar para conhecê-lo e eu sei que não vai demorar muito até que ele esteja pronto para explorar o mundo, estou certa de que vou sentir muita falta de tê-lo só para mim.

Boy this belly has sure grown!! I can't believe how much it changed in the last week alone! We will see how far we get =) Any predictions??? leave a comment!

como esta barriga tem crescido! Eu mal posso acreditar o quanto ela cresceu so na última semana! Vamos ver o quão longe chegamos =) Alguma previsão?? deixe um comentário!

37 weeks...Nursery completed//37 semanas...quarto terminado

Since we are officially full term today...it is about time to be done right =) so here are a few pictures of the nursery ready to receive our little man!

Como ja estamos oficialmente com 9 meses hoje...ja esta na hora de terminar o quarto ne! =) entao aqui vao algumas fotos do quarto pronto para receber nosso garotinho!

/

Missing the mattress but we are not too worried about it for now since baby will be sleeping the bassinet in our room for a little while//
Faltando o cochao mas nos nao estamos muito preocupados ja que o bebe vai dormir no moises no nosso quarto por um tempinho

This is one of the many amazing pictures taken by our friend Merck Samsom last Sunday, April 22. This photoshoot was an amazing baby shower gift given to us by Holly and Bong Llasos, Maria Barcena, Sear Acebedo, and Merck and Charmaine Samsom. If you want to see more pictures, look for the link I shared on our facebook page or photos we are tagged in.

Essa e uma das muitas fotos tiradas por nosso amigo Merck Samsom no ultimo domingo, 22 de Abril. Essa sessao de fotos foi um presente do cha de bebe dado a nos por Holly and Bong Llasos, Maria Barcena, Sear Acebedo, e Merck and Charmaine Samsom. Se voce quiser ver mais fotos procure o link que esta na nossa pagina no facebook ou procure nas fotos que estamos marcados.

Dear Little One, we are ready when you are!! Love, Mom and Dad
Caro Bebesinho, estamos prontos quando voce estiver! Com amor, Mamae e Papai

36 Weeks…Counting Down on one Hand//36 Semanas…Contagem Regressiva em uma só Mão

It is hard to believe our little boy will be here within the next month! Final preparations are in full gear and there is only very few things left to do. The baby seems to have grown a lot since week 32 and my belly feels heavier than ever…Two weeks ago we had our final ultrasound which confirmed that we are in fact having “one” little boy and that he was already 6 lbs. Apparently, that was pretty big for a 34 weeker and if he continued to gain the average amount of pounds per week (0.5 lb) he is around 7 lb now and could be as heavy as 9 lb if we make it to due date!!

É difícil acreditar que o nosso bebê estará chegando dentro do próximo mês! Os preparativos finais estão em pleno vapor e só há poucas coisas para fazer. O bebê parece ter crescido muito desde as 32 semanas e minha barriga parece mais pesada do que nunca... Duas semanas atrás, nós tivemos a nosso ultra-som final que confirmou que estamos de fato esperando "um (1)" menino e que ele já estava com quase 3 kg. Aparentemente, isso é bem grandinho para um bebê de 34 semanas e se ele continuar a ganhar a quantidade média de gramas por semana (por volta de 230 gramas) ele está neste momento pesando cerca de 3 kilos e 200 gramas. Isso significa que se ele vier na data marcada pode estar pesando mais de 4 kilos!

As the days go by, I feel myself getting slower and slower. I have felt a lot more tired lately. Even a short trip to get groceries is enough to make me exhausted. I am walking/waddling really slow and have to take frequent breaks to sit and rest. This week I noticed my feet started getting swollen although today they seem to be a bit better. Sleeping is also not easy. It is a major work out to turn from one side to the other since my legs have to do most of the work. I often wake up with my hips hurting and it takes a while to get going after I get up. It is also hard to remain asleep…a couple of days ago I was up at 2 am and could not sleep again. When that happens I usually try to get up and have my devotional and sometimes I am able to fall asleep again afterwards. I try to nap as often as I get sleepy to try to make up for the lost hours.

À medida que os dias passam, sinto-me cada vez mais lenta. Eu tenho me sentido muito mais cansada ultimamente. Mesmo uma curta viagem para fazer a feira da semana é suficiente para me deixar exausta. Apesar de so conseguir andar bem lentamente eu tenho que fazer pausas freqüentes para sentar e descansar. Esta semana eu percebi que os meus pés começaram a ficar inchados, embora hoje eles pareçam estar um pouco melhor. Dormir também não tem sido fácil. É um trabalhão para virar de um lado para o outro e as minhas pernas têm que fazer a maior parte do trabalho. Costumo acordar com meus quadris doendo e demora um tempinho para pra sair do lugar depois que eu me levanto.Também é difícil continuar dormindo ... dois dias atrás, eu acordei ás 2 da manhã e não consegui dormir novamente. Quando isso acontece, eu costumo levantar e ter o eu devocional e às vezes eu consigo dormir novamente mais tarde. Eu tento tirar um cochilo toda vez que fico com sono para tentar compensar as horas perdidas.

Although our “little” one is getting bigger and running out of room that doesn’t seem to stop him from stretching as hard as he can. He is quite active and if you seen the 25 second video we posted on facebook last week, you have a small idea of what I am talking about. Truth is, he moves like that almost all the time! No to mention the hiccupping…=) Sometimes he kicks so hard I play with Marlon saying he is trying to poke a hole at the top to escape. Jokes aside, my belly does feel like it is going to pop!

Embora o nosso "pequeno" esteja ficando cada dia maior em um espaço cada vez menor isso não parece impedi-lo de se esticar o máximo que pode. Ele é bem ativo e se você viu o vídeo de 25 segundo que postamos no Facebook na última semana, você tem uma pequena idéia do que estou falando. A verdade é que ele se move daquele jeito quase o tempo todo! Sem mencionar a soluços ... =) Às vezes, ele chuta tão forte que eu brinco com Marlon dizendo que ele está tentando fazer um buraco na parte de cima da minha barriga para escapar. Brincadeiras à parte, minha barriga as vezes parece que vai explodir!

It took 4 gum balls and almost 200 pictures to get this one to come out almost like I wanted…lol. I could not blow a proper bubble for the life of me. Don’t mind my frustrated face…

Levou 4 bolas de chiclete e quase 200 fotos para essa sair quase como eu queria ... lol. Eu não conseguia assoprar uma bola de chiclete se a minha vida dependesse disso. Não note a minha cara de frustrada ...

I couldn’t end this post without mentioning the amazing weekend we had. 2 baby showers in 2 days! On Saturday night the Mission Hope Church threw us a baby shower and on Sunday afternoon, Maggie Yoo hosted a baby shower for us at her house and invited the Edinburg church and other friends from the area. Both baby showers were amazing (see our facebook page for pictures), we felt so love and cared for. Our Church family is the best!!! People were very generous and we received so many gifts…thanks to them we are much more prepared to receive our little man now.

Eu não poderia terminar este post sem mencionar o fim de semana incrível que tivemos. Dois Chás de bebê em 2 dias! Na noite de sábado na Igreja Mission hope e no domingo à tarde, Maggie Yoo organizou um chá de bebê para nós em sua casa e convidou a Igreja Edinburg e outros amigos da área. Ambos os chás de bebê foram surpreendentes (veja a nossa página no Facebook para ver as fotos que são muitas), sentimo-nos muito amados. Amamos nossa família da Igreja! As pessoas foram muito generosas e recebemos tantos presentes ... graças a eles estamos muito mais preparados para receber o nosso homenzinho agora.

I hope to have a final picture of the nursery posted in the next week or so when we finish the final touches ;). This is it for now…I have to go get ready for today’s doctor’s appointment.

Espero ter uma foto final do quarto do bebê na próxima semana assim que termiinar-mos os retoques finais ;). Isso é só por agora ... eu tenho que ir me preparer para a consulta do médico de hoje.