Mommy woke up feeling great today! Before she left for work she told Nana that she had a lot of energy today, but little did she know she would need that energy for labor. Nana and Mommy went to Mommy's 39 week appointment today at 10:15am. Nana and Mommy had decided after the appointment they would pick up Baggins for lunch and then Mommy would go back to work and Nana would go back home to Caitlin and Allison. The plans seemed great, however they were quickly changed.
As the nurse took Mommy's blood pressure, she made a face and said she would take it again in a few minutes. The nurse took Mommy's pressure and it was still high, 142/82. Dr. Valenzuela came in and took Mommy's blood pressure for a third time and agreed that it was high. We then saw Baby Benjamin on the sonogram and the doctor said everything looked great. We discussed getting induced on September 23rd, Mommy's due date, if the baby didn't come by then. Dr. Valenzuela then told Mommy that she wanted her to go to UMC to get evaluated since her blood pressure was high. Dr. Valenzuela told Mommy that 99.9% of the time women go to get evaluated, their blood pressure is taken while they are laying down so it lowers, and then the women are sent home. So, off to UMC we went. The hospital is less than a mile away from the doctor's office! While on the way to the hospital, Mommy called Daddy to tell him what was happening and told him to stay at work since Mommy would most likely be sent home.
Mommy checked in on the 8th floor Labor and Delivery unit to get evaluated. Mommy's nurse, Mary, was awesome. She explained that Mommy's blood pressure would be taken every 15 minutes and that they would be monitoring the baby's heart rate. The first blood pressure reading was 109/64. Mary told Mommy that was a great reading. Nana then stepped out of the little area they had Mommy in to make some phone calls. As Mommy laid on her left side relaxing she decided to call her boss to let him know that she wouldn't be making the afternoon meeting. It was during that phone call that things changed rapidly!
As Mommy was on the phone, six nurses and a resident doctor rushed in to Mommy. They told Mommy to flip on her right, then her left, back on her right, her left, and finally on her right again. Mommy wasn't sure what was happening, but decided to stay calm and just do what the nurses said. The head nurse told someone to page Dr. Valenzuela. This is when Mommy knew that something was wrong. Mary immediately held Mommy's hand and told Mommy over and over that everything would be okay. An oxygen mask was placed on Mommy's face while another nurse prepared an IV. The nurses were all watching the heart monitor when Mommy heard a voice say, "Hi, I'm Dr. Foster." Mommy thought then that they were taking her to surgery because something was wrong with the baby. As the nurse put the IV in Mommy's hand, Dr. Valenzuela appeared by Mommy's side. Nana also came back into the room to find all of these nurses around her daughter. Mommy turned to Nana and told her to call Daddy and have him get to UMC right away. Dr. Valenzuela told Mommy that the baby heart rate had decelled, meaning that baby’s heart rate was dropping (decellerating) because the baby was not getting enough oxygen during them so the heart rate declines. The baby decelled for approximately 5 minutes! Baby Benjamin's heart rate then went back to normal and the nurses told Mommy that he was being a little stinker already. As the nurses slowly left the room, Dr. Valenzuela told Mommy that even though her blood pressure was great, she thought it would be best to get the baby out because they aren't sure why his heart rate dropped and remained low for such a long time. Mommy thought for sure she was going to have a C-Section. The next thing Mommy knew she was being transported to a labor and delivery room!
Just as the nurses settled Mommy into her room, Daddy arrived! Mommy and Nana were happy to have Daddy there. After Mommy was settled, Nana and Mommy told Daddy the story and that's when the tears began to flow. Nana told Mommy how impressed she was with how Mommy handled the scare. Mommy said she didn't have a choice, but after the scare was over the tears just flowed. Dr. Valenzuela came in to discuss her plan for Mommy. Mommy was 3 cm dilated and 60% effaced at this point. The plan was to slowly start pitocin to keep the contractions going and to monitor how the baby handled the contractions. If the baby handled them fine, then Mommy would deliver the baby. If the baby's heart rate showed stress, then Mommy would have a C-Section. Mommy trusted Dr. Valenzuela's decision. Before the pitocin was started, Dr. Valenzuela, who Mommy thinks is the ABSOLUTE BEST, sat in the room talking with us. She was watching the monitor and told us she was in there to just socialize too. Baby Benjamin's heart rate dropped two more times, but not for as long of time. Dr. Valenzuela at this point thought we would have a C-Section so Mommy signed the necessary papers and they discussed all the risks involved. Mommy wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything in case we went to surgery. It was decided that I could only lay on my right side since when laying on my left side, the baby's heart rate would drop. Dr. Valenzuela ordered for the pitocin
Mommy had the heart rate monitor volume turned up so she could hear the heart rate. Throughout the evening, Mommy would ask Daddy if everything looked alright on the monitor. Daddy assured Mommy that it did, along with the nurse, Judy. Judy said Mommy and baby were doing great! Judy was a great nurse. She even gave Mommy a foot and back massage! Around 8pm Dr. Valenzuela came in and said that the baby was doing fine and that most likely Mommy would deliver the baby on her own. She thought the baby would come in the early hours of tomorrow. So all we could do now was wait and see how the contractions progressed and how well Baby Benjamin tolerated them. He did have a few more decells, but the doctor wasn't concerned. As shift change came around 10pm, a blond haired nurse peaked in the room and said, "Are you Patricia?" and Mommy answered, "Yes." The blond nurse was named Katie. Mommy works with Katie's mom and Nana used to work with her too. Katie told Judy that she would take over my room when Judy left. Mommy couldn't ask for any better care than her all time favorite doctor/friend and a nurse that she knew.
So, you might be wondering what causes the baby to decell. Well, we wondered the same thing. The baby could play with the umbilical cord and squeeze it causing a decell or the baby could be sitting against the cord. The baby could have also been laying against the placenta causing a decell. The doctor isn't sure why Baby Benjamin decelled. Mommy did have to lay on her right side during labor which prevented further decells. Mommy also had to lay on her right side during labor with Caitlin.
At 11:55pm, Dr. Valenzuela broke Mommy's water and soon after Mommy was ready to push! Stay tuned to tomorrow's post to see when Baby Benjamin was born!
Aunt Stacie took a few photos right before midnight when Mommy was ready to push.
Mommy ready for Baby Benjamin to be born
Mommy took a photo from her bed of Aunt Stacie, Daddy, and Nana who were ready to cheer Mommy on!
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