Paige's Birth Story

I wanted to write out Paige's birth story, just like we did for Ellie's. And share it from both Steven and I's experience/perspective again for the fun of it as well! 

From Kait:

Saturday morning on June 3rd started with Steven going to work and it being just the 3 of us girls - my mom had been in town since Tuesday in preparation for baby girl's arrival. Early that morning we headed to the Saturday market downtown for a nice stroll and some snacks of course. I hadn't been having any type or form of contractions the previous day or so and had been trying to go on a walk at least twice a day to help get things going. However, the day prior, Friday, I thought my water had broke and after a looong wait in triage at the hospital, they said it hadn't and back home we went.

During the morning of the 3rd I wrote my mother-in-law saying I wondered if Paige was going to share a birthday with Don (my father-in-law because his birthday was that day), but I hadn't been feeling anything yet to make me actually feel like it was going to happen. Well, after a nice morning out, us girls headed back home for lunch and a nap for Ellie. After she woke we went for another walk, this time on the green belt (a paved walkway/bike path along the river). Still no contractions or real cramping...

Now let's fast forward to Ellie's bedtime...it was 7:45pm and I took Ellie to the potty before I read her one last book for bed. I kneel down on the floor next to her while she goes to the potty and I feel like I peed myself a little. And let's be honest, sometimes during that last month of pregnancy your bladder control can be a little difficult when it's pushed on too hard. But the thing was, I hadn't felt like I needed to pee right when that happened. Well, I readjust to both knees (instead of kneeling on one) and more liquid comes out. I think 'that's weird...oh man...I think my water broke...' So I stand up, and hello, a whole gush of liquid comes pouring out, down my leg and onto the floor - and side note, I'm wearing shorts. Ellie is looking at my legs and the floor and says, "Mommy, you go pee on floor." I respond with, "I don't think it's pee..." Like that makes sense to a 2 year old, because it clearly looks like I just did. I try to cut the flow off, but it doesn't work and each time I move more trickles out. I yell to my mom, "Mom, can you come here!" She comes in and Ellie informs her, "Mommy went potty on the floor" and I say, "I think my water just broke." My mom takes Ellie off the toilet so I can clean up. As I clean, more and more fluid comes. I am in shock with how much has come out because they say it's not like the movies, but it totally played out that way for me this time. 

Since I don't feel any contractions yet I finish Ellie's bedtime routine and put her down for the night. I also knew that this would most likely be the last time I had a moment with our first born before we would return home with another little girl. 

I start getting our miscellaneous things together for our hospital bags and I have my first contraction at 8:05pm. I texted Steven at 8:09pm, 'Call me when you can.' (He got off work at 8pm.) A couple minutes later when I'm on the phone with Steven at 8:11pm, I have another one and I can hardly talk through it. They definitely start getting more intense and I have to stop what I'm doing, go to the exercise ball, focus and breath through the contraction. Steven is surprised and excited when I inform him of what has been going on the last 20 minutes or so. My mom tries to help get some things together for me while I can't seem to catch a break between contractions. Steven gets home around 8:25pm, takes care of a few things and we head out to the car at 8:45pm. I say to them, "This is going to be the worst car ride ever!" The drive to the hospital when I was in labor with Ellie was really hard; any bump and turn made it painful. Thankfully it was not as bad as I thought it would be, however, still not "pleasant" and I wanted to get out of the car as soon as possible. I focused on taking deep breaths through each contraction and Steven asked if I had been timing them. I said no, so he started to do that for me. Contractions are about 1 minute long and about 1.5 minutes apart...sooo super close and super intense. At one point I say, "I think I'm going to throw up." To which Steven responds with, "Are you serious?" A second later I open the door and throw up on the road. And I'd like to point out, Steven doesn't stop the car. Yep, I'm throwing up all down the road. And we had just passed a couple people biking. I wonder what they may have witnessed and/or came across on the road...sorry guys!! 

Finally, we get to the hospital around 9:05pm. Steven parks at the E.R., gets a wheelchair for me and he has to stop a couple times for me while I have contractions. Any bump in the wheelchair was really uncomfortable and I was sweating pretty good. I got wheeled into triage, Steven told them what had been going on and then I was asked if I could give a urine sample, I said I'd try. While I did that Steven went to move the truck from the E.R. entrance. Going to the bathroom was kind of scary. I thought for a moment that I was going to give birth on the toilet. So, needless to say, I didn't have much of a sample to give and wanted to get out of the bathroom as quickly as possible. I handed the cup to the nurse outside the door and speed walked across the hall, back to my room. The wheelchair was right outside the bathroom, but I wanted them to just get me checked and all that. As soon as I made it to the room I couldn't undress myself and felt the huge need to push. They helped me do what they needed to check my water breakage and they were able to confirm it, attach the heart rate monitor for baby, then they checked my progress. Steven came back at this time and we heard the lady say into her little phone thing that I was complete + one. They put a blanket over me and put up the arms to the bed so they could wheel me to a delivery room. 

Every thing was a rush from then on and things got a little hazy for me. They were literally running me down the hall, to the elevator and into the delivery room. When we got there I said, "Is it too late to ask for nitrous oxide? (I figured it was, but thought I'd ask)" And the nurse responded with, "You are having this baby!" A resident was there and another doctor to whom neither Steven or I could remember their names. The on call doctor for my doctor's office was about 15 minutes out. But the nurse could tell I really wanted/needed to push, so she said, "If it feels better to push you can. There is someone here to catch the baby." I did want to push, so heck yes I did! Steven and I can't even remember how many times I pushed...maybe 5...and Paige Lily was here!!!! It was 9:26pm. That's right, my water broke at 7:45pm, contractions started around 8:05pm and she was born at 9:26pm...it was all under 2 hours!!!!! We were in total shock to see our girl arrive so fast! Total labor and delivery time with Ellie was about 9.5 hours, so we weren't expecting less than 2 hours this time. 

When they got Paige in hand they removed the umbilical cord that was wrapped loosely around her neck and they put her on my chest. She wasn't crying or making any sounds and was kind of purple. I was overwhelmed with love for this girl, but was a little concerned about her lack of noise. After a few moments the nurses said they needed to take her and get her roused. Thankfully it didn't take long and we heard her crying - a sound you can't wait to hear! They brought her back to me and we had about 2 hours together skin to skin. Nursing was a little questionable at first, but then improved each time. She weighed 7 lbs 6 oz and was 19.5 inches long (19 inches at her doctors appointment a couple days later, which is more accurate). After awhile we were moved to the Mother-Baby Unit and we kept Paige in our room the whole time, with the exception of us taking her to the nursery for her bath. We didn't get to bed till late and didn't get a ton of sleep with Paige waking to nurse and people coming in to do their checks. 

The next morning we had my mom come with Ellie. Right when Ellie walked into the room my heart swelled and tears came to my eyes. Our big girl was meeting our little girl and it was a very special time for us all. Ellie immediately was giving Paige "awe's" and giggles. It was so sweet seeing her interact with our new girl; giving Paige little pats and pointing out her little features. After a short time she wanted to hold her and give her a kiss - all initiated by her. Later that afternoon some friends came to meet Paige as well. And it was our goal to leave that night. Things took awhile and we didn't get out of there till around 11pm. But we finally made it home. 

From Steven:

For me, this story doesn't start until I was in my truck driving home from work. As Kaitlin said above, I got off work at 8pm and I got a text message from her saying "Call me when you can" about ten minutes after 8. I thought nothing of it. I figured she would call me directly if there was any baby news. Nonetheless, I call her and she proceeds to give me the news that her water broke about 25 mins before. My first thought is, 'We're finally going to get to meet Paige!" Second thought, "Crap, we're going to be up all night and all day tomorrow." As I continue to chat with Kait on the phone, a couple times she says, "Hang on, ppphhhheeewwww, pppphhheeewwww..." As she's doing this, I'm thinking to myself, 'Geez, these contractions seem pretty intense for only starting 5-10 mins ago.' There was no sense of urgency or rush from Kaitlin. We got off the phone and I moseyed my way home. When I sauntered in the front door, my mother-in-law gave me this wide-eyed look that I interpreted to as 'Thank goodness you're here. Get her to the hospital NOW!' She tells me Kait is back in our bedroom trying to gather some last minute things, but apparently was not making much progress due to the contractions. When I talked to Kait she was considering taking a shower. On hearing this, Marlene's eyes just about popped out of her head. I said I thought we should probably head out since her water broke and because she was having to stop everything every few minutes to stop and breath on the yoga ball. We packed up and headed out. 

I told her when we backed out of the driveway to tell me how fast or how slow to go. Thinking back, I don't know why I felt the need to tell her that because she always seems to do it without my prompting anyhow :) As we drove I decided to call my dad because it was his birthday and I hadn't said happy birthday to him yet. I also knew there was a bunch of family out at their house for a birthday bbq. My dad and I joked about the idea of Paige coming on his birth date. At this point I still hadn't entertained the idea of the baby coming that fast. I still figure it'd be in the wee hours of the morning. 

I asked Kait if she wanted me to time the contractions. First time I did, it was about 1 min long and less than a 1.5 min break before the next one came. Ok now that kind of freaked me out because I thought I remembered from the birth review class that when your times start getting low like that it's push time. Then she said, "I'm goona throw up." I immediately look around for something for her to throw up into. A bag, a shirt, a hat, geez even a napkin would be better than nothing. We are in my little Ford Ranger single cab. There is literally nothing except a pair of sunglasses in the cab with us. Before I even complete my mental hunt for a vessel, she flings the whole door open and starts chucking onto the road (or more accurately, the bike line on the road) while we are cruising 40 mph.

"Do you want me to stop?" I say.

"Just keep going!" I hear her say from the windy doorway with her head still hanging out. I suspect there were patches of vomit for the lovely cyclist to find for a couple hundred meters. 

Crazy contractions. Like sprawled out, gripping the door handle, quivering, moaning, LOUD breathing kind of contractions. That mixed with this wild lady vomiting out the door - I'm getting nervous I may have to deliver this baby on the side of the road. The thought crossed my mind, well that'd make a heck of a story.

Alas we made it to the ER where I had just been working 1 hour before. I go in to grab a wheelchair and the gal at the front desk recognizes me and says, "That's not good if you're coming in that door." I tell her my wife is literally about to have a baby in the truck. I rushed the wheelchair out to Kait, she gets in it and we start rolling. But then I have to stop in the middle of the ER entrance because another contraction hits and she can't tolerate going over the threshold bumps. 

By this time contractions are still about 1 min long but only about 1 min apart. So we race for 1 min, then stop for one min, all the way to the Labor and Delivery front desk. The L&D nurses are all nonchalantly handing me paperwork and asking me about my insurance card. I tell them about the contractions times and they forget all that stuff and get her right back. Then I race down to repark my truck not in the ER pull-up spaces. When I get back up to the triage room, everything is about as I expected except that Kaitlin is sweaty. Like just hopped out of the sauna sweaty. 

Next thing I know, nurses are running down the hall with the stretcher. We cruise by a doc on the phone at a desk and a nurse says, "We're going to need you in delivery." The doc nods her head. Then the nurse yells back, "NOW!" The doc hangs up and follows up. 

In the delivery room, nurses are buzzing around trying to get stuff together. That doc that followed us in is putting on show covers and opening a sterile tray of some sort. Kaitlin's had no IV, no ID band, no signed paperwork, and no drugs. A nurse tells Kait she can push if she want to. Kaitlin says, "Ok."

I'm guessing Paige's head was out in 2-3 pushes and then on the next push she was all the way out. Pure shock. I couldn't wrap my mind around the idea that we had only walked into the hospital 20 mins ago. They had to take Paige and perk her up and get her lungs going, but then it was all good. The chaos immediately died down and they let us have time with Paige. It was an absolute whirlwind getting there, but it was such a blessing to have that calm period after the storm where we could enjoy our new little girl.

Photos Steven took and my mom:

It's crazy that it's been a month since we welcomed Paige into the world. She has been an amazing addition to our family. Even though there have been rough moments for Ellie during this time, it was to be expected since she was our main focus these last (almost) 2.5 years. Each day is a blessing though and we are learning how to be what each of our girls need! So thankful to have two healthy, beautiful girls in our life!