While I did share my beautiful
birth photos with you, I wanted to share my story. But with it, also comes the story of my sister. So, for those of you that enjoy reading birth stories, you kind of get two for one with this.
So here it is... A birth story. Or two.
Rewind.
Bob and I found out I was pregnant on January 6, 2012 and we quickly shared the news with our families. After experiencing
a loss in October, I just didn't want to waste a single second being anything less than absolutely excited for this baby. It was the perfect way to start off the new year.
Or so we thought.
I think it was about a week later, when I got that fateful call from my sister telling me to come over quickly and to bring my extra pregnancy tests {it's sad that she even knew I would have extra, but I was a peestickaholic after my loss.} After several tests and a digital with the word PREGNANT staring back at us, it was official... the year was going to be even more perfect than I originally thought just a week earlier.
We were now getting two babies.
After we did some calculations, we figured out that she was due just 4 days before me. Once the news settled {and we had pregnancy test peeing contests in her kitchen, that even the boys and our older sister, Kristi, participated in... yes, we know we're weird} we were both so over-joyed to be sharing our pregnancies together!
I showed her the pregnancy ropes, recommended my fabulous OB and answered a million questions {what can I eat? what can I take? what the hell is happening to me?} Of course, the entire 9 months, we thought there was a chance that we could deliver on the same day, but it was more like "wouldn't it be cool if..." than it was "oh. my. god. our babies will totally be birthday twins!#*@!"
Never, in a million years, did we think our babies would be born just
an hour apart.
Fastforward.
September 6th
On the morning of Thursday, September 6th, Kacy and I both had OB appointments with our doctor {as previously mentioned, we shared an OB.} I already had my 39 week induction set for Monday, September 10th, so I knew this would be my last appointment. But Kacy was nearing her September 12th EDD with no end in sight. Her blood pressure was steadily rising towards the end of pregnancy and at this appointment our OB decided that she would
also be induced on September 10th.
Just two days before her EDD.
And on the same exact day as my induction.
At the same hospital.
With the same doctor.
Kacy was given her induction orders and was told to arrive at the hospital at 2am on Monday, September 10th. Because this was her first baby, it would take a little longer. Thankfully she was already at 3cm and 80% so she was an ideal candidate for induction.
My induction orders had me arriving at 6am on Monday, September 10th. Because it was my 3rd baby and Brynn was born in just 4 short hours, we were all certain that I'd deliver before lunch. I was also already progressed to 5cm and 80% effaced, so things were moving along just fine. Our OB joked that, if I wanted to make it to Monday with my sister, I had to lay around all weekend. Ha!
The whole weekend leading up our inductions, the entire family was taking bets on who would be born first. Although I was arriving at the hospital 4 hours after Kacy, everyone thought my baby would come first. {I'm almost a birthing professional at this point.} Regardless, we just couldn't wait to meet both babies and couldn't believe this was actually happening on the same day!
September 9th.
I was up bright and early
packing our hospital bags, getting the kids ready for their stay at Grammy's house, and taking my 39 week belly picture...
There were a million things going through my mind, but mostly, I just couldn't wait to meet my baby and finally know who was in there! =)
After dropping the kids off and sadly saying our goodbye's...
...Bob and I decided to take the opportunity to go out to dinner {who even knew when the next dinner date would come along!} Both my parents and my sister Kacy came along as well and we all went out to celebrate the TWO babies, who would both be born the very next day.
Here's the last picture of Kacy and I pregnant together...
After dinner, Bob and I decided to stop at the store to get little gifts for Carter and Brynn from the baby. {Reid was so thoughtful even before he arrived =}
{Sidenote: The kiddos got these gifts from the baby when they came to visit right after the birth. Well Carter decided to walk next door to Aunt Kacy's room and ask where his gift was from Aubrey. He was confused why all the babies didn't bring gifts with them, I guess. ;}
September 10th
To say I didn't sleep a wink the night before the induction would be an understatement. Kacy had to be at the hospital at 2am, so I spent the entire night in a group text with my mom and both my sisters. Not one person slept. I think it was a combo of nerves and just sheer excitement. We were about to get TWO new babies!
Here is my very last belly picture just before heading to the hospital. It was 5:30am on Monday, September 10, 2012.
We arrived at the hospital at 6am and checked in. I told them that my sister was already in Labor & Delivery for her induction and they were sweet enough to put us in the L&D room right next door! She said my OB already requested that we be next to each other. Awww. =)
Once we went upstairs, they allowed me to go into my sister's room to say hi, give her a hug and quickly wish her good luck. At this point, she was already in a lot of pain and I felt terrible for her. She was just about to get her epidural and her labor was progressing much more quickly than anyone thought.
I went next door into my room, changed, got my IV and answered about a million questions. At this point it was about 6:30-6:45am. They looked at my chart and saw that I was GBS+ and reminded me that I needed at least 4 hours of antibiotics before I could deliver. Considering that my entire labor was 4 hours with Brynn {I was not GBS+ with her, but I was with Carter} they didn't want to take a chance of me delivering before I received all of the antibiotics.
When my OB arrived at 7am, she decided to start the antibiotics immediately, and then wait 2-3 hours before even starting the Pitocin. I was a little upset that I'd basically just be waiting around for a few hours with no progression {I just wanted to meet my baby already!} but I obviously understood how important the antibiotics were and that waiting just a few hours longer was really no big deal.
And wait we did. While everyone else was running back and forth between my room and Kacy's room, I literally just sat around counting the hours until we could officially start the Pitocin and then counting the hours until it was go time! We did have some fun though, just joking, laughing and telling stories. I was lucky to have some amazing people in my room with me because Kacy and I were each allowed 4 support people, so there were 8 friends and family members going back and forth between the two rooms. We also had the same nurse, who was awesome.
My doc came back at around 9:30am and said that we could get the party started, so around 9:45-10am I started receiving the Pitocin. I always immediately respond to Pitocin, and because I was already 5cm to start, I asked for my epidural pretty early. I think I got it around 11ish.
Meanwhile, next door, Kacy wasn't feeling too well. She had received her epi, but it just wasn't working for her. The anesthesiologist came back several times to try to fix it, but her body wasn't responding to it. I felt terrible for her and I just wanted to see her. So what did we do?
Facetime. =)
I'd say around noon, things really went down hill for her. She said she was starting to feel a lot of pressure and she was progressing much faster than anyone thought she would. She got to 10cm around 12:30 but our OB said that the baby was still pretty high, so instead of pushing for hours, she'd let gravity do it's job. Kacy was in a lot of pain, and my mom and sister Kristi kept coming in to my room all teary-eyed. They just felt so terrible for her.
They joked that her room was like a dungeon, all dark and dreary while she cursed and screamed in pain, while my room was like Disneyland in comparison, all light and cheery, as I just chilled at 8cm dilated and texted my friends.
No, really.
For the next 30 minutes, they took turns going back and forth between rooms because they kept getting upset looking at Kacy in so much pain.
By 1pm, she said she had to start pushing. When our OB checked her, she said the baby had moved down a little, but that she wanted her to wait a little longer so that she didn't waste all her energy on hours of pushing. Our OB then got called into another room for an emergency c/s and Kacy said she just couldn't wait any longer. Two other OBs from the practice were also in L&D and came into the room at about 1:10pm so that she could start pushing. {To this day, our OB is still upset she wasn't able to deliver both babies.}
From next door, I could hear her screaming in pain. It was terrible being so close, yet so far away from her. I was crying helplessly as I listened. Kristi, kept running back over and giving me details. She said Kacy was doing so well pushing and that Aubrey was definitely coming soon.
And 20 minutes later, at 1:30pm exactly, we heard her. That beautiful first cry. And I bawled like a baby in my bed as my little sister delivered her very first baby. My mom and older sister screamed with joy. Kristi quickly ran over and showed me pictures of the sweet little love. She was beautiful, 8lbs 10oz with tons of dark brown hair. She said Kacy did awesome, but that she lost a lot of blood and was still in pain. Poor thing.
Kacy got to hold Aubrey for a few minutes, but she was still shaking pretty bad so the nurse grabbed her and asked if she could be brought over to my room to meet me. Kacy had no problem with it and I was so excited to meet my new neice, Aubrey Jean...
She was wide awake and so alert. And beautiful. Just gorgeous.
Let me tell ya though... it's a little weird holding a newborn baby in L&D while you're still very much pregnant. ;)
30 minutes later, at about 2pm, I started to feel an immense amount of pressure. My OB quickly checked me and said the baby had dropped a ton and that I was finally ready to start pushing. I guess Aubrey sent a message through my belly to her little cousin to get moving in there. I couldn't believe how close these babies were going to be born!
I started pushing at about 2:15pm, but the baby was sideways. I had to do all kinds of weird maneuvers and side pushes to get him to try to turn. In between pushes, we were all talking about what we thought the baby would be. My OB said that she didn't even know and that she couldn't wait to find out.
It was this moment right here...
...just minutes before my very last push, that Bob and I decided it was a boy. Literally minutes before birth. {Look at the clock, Reid was born at
2:36pm.}
The entire pregnancy we both thought girl, but the last week I definitely had my doubts. And in that last moment, I just knew it. I knew it was a boy. And Bob did too.
And with that very last push, we got our "it's a..." moment that we waited for the entire pregnancy. 9 months of waiting and we would finally know...
It's a boy.
A BOY.
Oh, so much love.
So much love that I thought my heart would burst with joy for a third time.
A sweet little boy.
Reid Joseph was born on September 10th at 2:36pm, weighing 9lbs 3oz and 20 inches.
{He was born just an hour and six minutes after his cousin.}
About an hour later, Bob's parents came up with Carter and Brynn, who both couldn't wait to meet their new baby.
We waited until they were in the room before telling them IT'S A BOY...
Carter was so excited. He really wanted a brother and he couldn't wait to hold him...
But Brynn? She was okay looking at him from afar. ;)
A few hours later, Kacy and I were moved into our rooms. Like on the L&D floor, the sweet nurses made sure that we were right next to each other the entire stay.
That first night, Reid and Aubrey were able to meet each other for the very first time...
Okay, so they really just napped together, but how sweet are they?? Cousins and birthday twins. I think they'll always have a special bond.
Over the next 2 days, we had a ton of visitors and Kacy and I would just go back and forth between our two rooms. I think every nurse and doctor in the hospital knew of "the two sisters on the 3rd floor" and everyone kept saying stuff to us. The head RN even made us huge gift bags to take home because she couldn't remember the last time they had sisters deliver on the same day. So sweet!
It was so nice to be there at the same time and honestly, even 2 months
later, I still can not believe that we had our babies on the same day.
Just an hour apart.
It really is the story of a lifetime.
