Aidia's Birth Story

My sweet baby came into the world 8 days ago- Aidia Omera Hanni was born December 22, 2016 at 5:13pm.  7 pounds 10 oz and 19 inches of perfection.

Words can't describe the disbelief, awe, and joy I experienced when she was born and immediately given to me.  I just kept saying "You made it! You did it!"  I couldn't believe that I was living my dream and that my baby was alive!!  I'm so thrilled to once again have a live birth story to share.

The night before my induction was really strange.  It was so different than going into labor spontaneously.  It was hard to go to bed knowing that first thing in the morning we were headed to the hospital to have a baby.  It was really happening.  It's also nerve racking because giving birth is no picnic.

Night before the induction.  Jack was sad to have us leave him for a sleepover.

I called the hospital at 5:45 Thursday morning and they said they had a bed for me and to come to the hospital.  I was so relieved once we were at the hospital on the monitor- because at that point I knew if something went wrong, it would be noticed immediately and they could do an emergency c-section to save her.  I had been so afraid that she would die in the night before my induction.  I was really happy to be in the hospital!

We got settled, placed the IV, and started Pitocin at about 715am.  Pitocin goes in doses of "4" from 4 to 20, and they bump it up every 30 minutes or so.  It's brutal stuff because unlike your body, it doesn't give you a break from intense contractions.  It's purpose is to give you strong and painful contractions (the kind that actually do something) about every two minutes.  I wanted to hold out as long as I could before pain relief so that I could feel my body working and not slow anything down.

Alas, my body likes to progress slowly.  Just like with Jack.  Thankfully my labor was shorter than with Jack- but it was still a process.  After a couple hours I had only dilated a half centimeter more and my cervix was still high and somewhat thick.  I was willing to be patient as long as baby didn't seem stressed.  I lasted about 3 hours on the pitocin (it was now at level 16/20) before I felt like the pain was getting to be too much (since this was likely going to take all day long.)  Having a natural birth is one thing- but trying to do pitocin without pain relief is a whole different game.  When the anesthesiologist came to place the epidural I was really nervous (when I had it placed with Jack it did NOT go well...that's another story.)  I told him about my spinal fusion and he thought he could still get the catheter in the right space.  The first numbing shot hurt, but the second is the deep local and it really feels like someone is punching a hole in your back.  I was so relieved once the injections were over- but as much as he tried, he could not get the catheter in place because my spinal fusion compressed everything.  He apologized and said he was going to have to start all over in a higher spot.  I felt a bit overwhelmed in that moment- especially trying to hold still during those contractions.  Eventually we got through the pain of having the pain relief placed.

They brought in a peanut birthing ball and put it between my legs as I was lying on my side to help everything open up.  It basically put one of my legs straight up in the air.  Even with the epidural it was pretty uncomfortable to stay like that for hours.  The epi I had allowed me to still move my legs around and have some control- but numbed most of the pain.  Hours and hours passed.  I tried to focus on music playing and tried to relax and listen to baby's heartbeat.  Finally I was at a 6 when they checked me.  I thought that things would go fast from there.  About a half hour later, I was in so much pain I was crying, so they redosed my epidural and checked me again- I was at a 9.

As they started prepping the room I started yelling that there was a ton of pressure and please someone come check what was happening.  I was at a ten and ready to go.  The doctor came in and they got out the lovely wide stirrups that make you more exposed than anything imaginable.  I started pushing right away, but could tell that my pushes didn't feel very effective.  After a couple minutes the doc said that Aidia was faced sideways instead of face down.  Very carefully he put both hands in and spun her head as I pushed (not pleasant.)  We did that a few times and once she was face down it was much easier to feel effective pushes.  Her heart rate suddenly dropped very low, like into the 50s.  The doctor calmly told me not to push through the next few contractions to let baby recover.  I was given oxygen to help her.  Once her heart rate came back up I started pushing again, and as she crowned the cord was around her neck.  My doctor carefully slipped it over her head.  A few more pushes and she was born!  It was such an emotional moment for me.  She was so perfect and beautiful.  And super purple.

After they rubbed her for a few minutes they took her to the warmer and had the respiratory therapist come in.  She sounded like she was struggling to breathe and cry.  She kept grunting and it was a scary sound for me to listen to.  They took her to the NICU to get her on CPAP right away, and Kevin went with her.  After Jack was born I pretty much just passed out- but with Aidia's birth I was not very aware of myself at all and was totally focused on her well being.  I hated that she had to leave me right away before I could really hold or feed her- but I wanted her to go because her breathing was terrifying to me.

The good news was that I didn't need a single stitch.  Talk about a miracle.  You pretty much just plan for stitches after childbirth.  Since Jack was 9lb 4oz and she was 7lb 10oz, it helped a lot.  It was way less painful when she was actually born- despite the small tears I had.  Once Aidia and Kevin were gone, the nurse pushed on my belly and noticed I was still bleeding way too much.  They gave me 4 nasty chalky bitter pills to chew to help with the bleeding- and continued the pitocin to keep the contractions going.  Within 30 minutes I was shaking uncontrollably.  The medicine helped control the bleeding but I felt like I was having a seizure.  My teeth were chattering so hard I thought I was going to bite my tongue off.  I couldn't use my hands because they were shaking so badly.  After an hour the shakes were getting worse instead of better.  I felt like I had the worst flu or fever.  I don't remember ever feeling so cold.  Eventually after an hour or two they gave me something in my IV to help the shaking.  I was super emotional because I didn't have my husband or my baby with me and I felt like total crap.  Luckily I had my mom and my best friend there.  They were super supportive through that misery.  Eventually the medicine started working- warming me up and calming the "seizing."  They were able to get me up and clean up some of the bleeding and take me down to the postpartum unit.

in the NICU

It was still several hours until Aidia was stable enough to come back to me.  By then my mom and best friend had gone home, so it was just Kevin and I.  I was too anxious to sleep while we waited to see her, and I was desperate to feed her thinking how hungry she must be.  While in the NICU she got a CPAP to help her breathing, and an IV to help thin her blood a bit- she had turned beat red from there being too many red blood cells (or something like that.)  Once she cleared the NICU she was taken to the nursery for her evaluation and bath, glucose tests etc.  They wheeled me down to be with her while they did that and washed her off a bit.  It was just ecstasy to be there with her and stare at her.  She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

She was a super frantic nurser once I got to feed her because she was so hungry, which made for a hard time latching.  We didn't sleep much that first day we had her back with us.  We eventually put a catheter in her mouth while she was trying to latch and put some formula through it.  That way she could get something in her tummy to calm down and still learn to feed from mom.  Once she was full she did much better at nursing the next few times.

The next day we learned that her bilirubin levels were in the high risk zone, and she spent that day under the bili lights to fight the jaundice.  I was still able to nurse her, but she needed additional supplementation to get enough fluids until my full milk came in.  Luckily she did good with both.  I was recovering ok- the after pains were really intense.  The doctor said it was likely because this was my 8th pregnancy, and I had contractions and after pains with every miscarriage, not just with Jack's birth (they tend to get worse every time.)  I also passed a clot that was nearly the size of my foot the first time that I took a shower, and that was not a fun experience.

During all this excitement, Kevin got a wonderful phone call and found out that he had been selected for the job he wanted.  Basically his dream job right out of school!  So much excitement and stress at the same time!  He started that job today.  Currently it's an hour and a half away which means for very long days for him (and for me being home without him.)  It also means we'll be moving within the next 6 weeks.  I've been struggling to find a school who will accept Jack that we can afford.  Since he is halfway through kindergarten already and I don't want him starting over in the fall!  I'm hoping something will work out, but it has been making me sick to my stomach.  He's on a first grade curriculum/ 2nd grade reading level and I can't imagine him starting over NEXT fall in regular half day kindergarten.  I'm praying lots for him that we can find a school for our gifted boy.  Why not do everything at once?  Graduate from doctorate school, new baby, new job, move, try to find a new school...etc.  All good things though.

Jack meeting Aidia

Back to the birth story...although we thought she would have to stay in the hospital, her blood test came back good enough that we were able to come home the night of Christmas Eve!! That was so special.  My joy is so full there are literally no words.  I love her so much that it hurts!  She is so worth everything we went through.  Every procedure and injection and gut-wrenching miscarriage.  I'm glad I clung to every tiny hope that seemed so unrealistic.  I want to give my past self a big hug and say keep going!

Coming home outfit

Hanni kids on Christmas Eve

Aidia is the sweetest baby!  Even as a newborn her personality is very different from Jack and how he was as a newborn.  She is so mild.  She hates getting her bum cleaned (which is unfortunate because she has a dirty diaper almost constantly.)  Having a newborn is hard and being a week postpartum is hard.  Tears have been shed.  But I am so happy.  My mom is here to help me and that's a relief!  Plus as of today I've lost 17 pounds since the delivery!!!  Now I weigh ten pounds less than I did when I got pregnant!  Jack is also the best big brother.  I had prepared myself for meltdowns and tantrums and attention-seeking behavior but he has been nothing but helpful and sweet.  He is so smitten with his sister.  Puppy has also been good.  He hasn't been aggressive or anything towards her.  He is very curious and really wants to "taste" her head before we snap at him.  He also sits on my lap every time I nurse her to remind me that he is also my baby.

Christmas Day 2016

Best Present Ever

There are lots of big events coming up for us, but I am trying to soak in every moment.  Every cuddle and every time I get to breastfeed her.  Every new thing she does.  It goes by so fast!  I'm so thankful to my Heavenly Father for bringing my daughter safely into this world.  Thank you all for supporting us!

Present from big brother

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Rainbow Baby!

 

Today- 8 days old: