Kendall and Seren's Birth Story

*super long post...don't feel the need to read it all. It's mostly for my memory*

The girls have arrived now. Dr B asked me to make an appointment on the 28th to check my "status" and said that if I was still progressing (even though I was only dialated to a 2) that he would plan to induce me on the 30th. I had been holding out for January up until then but with how I had been feeling (headache for two weeks straight) I didn't care about the couple extra days.

So I arrived at the appointment on 28th and Dr B greeted me and asked if I was ready to have some babies tomorrow and I said that sounded great (Jeff had planned to take off Wednesday in prep for the inducement day). Dr B checked my status and said I was only a 1 cm but 75% or 100% effaced (I don't remember exactly). He also checked the girls size and position and both were head down still. He and I noted that the smaller baby hadn't gained weight for the last two visits (from the estimates). He said he'd like to set an appointment to induce me tomorrow and I agreed to that. He came back and told me that the hospital didn't have room tomorrow but there was a time for that day (28th) at 11:00 am and asked how that would work. I told him Jeff was at work and I wasn't sure he could get off so quickly (it was 2 hours away) and Dr B said he didn't expect me to do much until later in the day and Jeff could even finish his workday if necessary. Dr B was nice about it but I had the impression he didn't want to wait any longer so I agreed to this. He made the appointment, suggested I grab a light meal before heading to the hospital and sent me on my way.

I immediately called Jeff after and felt like crying a little (I think I was just scared and also a little frustrated as I hadn't finished getting last minute prep done or even a hospital bag packed). Jeff was good though and said he would wrap up what he was doing and meet me at home. He got home and we did our best to get things together. He was kinda cute on the way to the hospital as I could tell he was excited and distracted with driving directions (despite the fact we'd been there a few times before). We registered with Labor and Delivery and they brought us to our room and had me get changed. The nurse came in and checked me again and called Dr B with her assessment. They started me on the pitocin and Dr B came to the hospital around 12:30 and they did a balloon type catheter, which hurt a lot, to help my cervix dialate more (to a 3 cm). They continued to check on my progress. Around 3:30 or 4 pm they did an epidural on me and I was grateful for that as I never really felt major contractions but that also made the epidural seem that much worse I think on a pain scale (such a weird experience to be shot in the spine...not a fan). Around 5:00 pm Dr B came in again and they broke my water on Kendall/Baby A.

My parents were here and were able to come up and visit and check in throughout the day. I don't remember a lot happening between 5:00 pm and 10:00 pm. My parents and sister were at the hospital and the nursing staff checked me again around 10:00 pm (just as my family was getting ready to go) and I was dialated to 5 cm. Throughout the labor they monitored both babies and contractions on the screen. They would have to readjust anytime a heartbeat was lost or if I shifted and they lost the heartbeat. It was comforting to see their heartbeats on screen and honestly a very nice sound (although they kept it turned down enough) to relax and fall asleep to. They kept good tabs on them too as at one point Seren became lower/sleeping heart rate for about an hour and so they came in with a buzzer/vibrator type device to see if she would wake up...she did right away.

Anyway around 10:30 pm they lost Kendall's heart rate and came in to adjust the doppler on her. The nurse was unable to find her in her usual position and tried a bit lower in my pelvis. She found it again and said I must have progressed from 5 cm for her to do so. She checked me again and said I was now a 9+ cm (all that within a 1/2 hour). She said she would call Dr B with my progress. When she came back she said we would do some practice pushes and then move into one of the OR rooms if that looked well. We called my parents and let them know. The hospital had two other patients with possible c-section needs so we were told we'd wait to see on those and to just rest if possible and contact the nurse if I felt the need to push but to not do so.

At 11:05 pm the nurse returned and said we would move into the OR now. Jeff was put in some cover alls and they wheeled me over. They set things up and Dr B arrived and everything seemed to go by fast. They had me push for Kendall and it only took 6 or so and she was born. It seemed so surreal to me and I still couldn't really believe it until they layed her up on my stomach and had Jeff cut her chord and she was crying. I touched her and looked at her and it was amazing that this little girl had come from my body. I didn't cry like I thought I would but was amazed. They took Kendall away to a connecting room to be cleaned up and sent Jeff with her. They mentioned doing an u/s for position on Seren and Dr B said it wasn't necessary. We began to push for Seren and her heart rate went down so Dr B requested a small suction to help her along. Jeff was called back in the room and I pushed for her a few times and she was out. Dr B did some things quickly with her and she began crying and then she was taken away. The nurses made a comment about that being a good reason her heart rate would've gone down and some other things were said. I asked what they meant cause I couldn't see what was going on. Apparently Seren was born with the chord around her neck twice but thankfully Dr B reacted quickly and calmly (I'm sure they are used to this happening). Gratefully there were no problems or complications for Seren from this.

We were able to see them together in the OR room in one bassinet. Kendall was crying a little and Seren was wide eyed and calm and just looking at Kendall like "what are you doing?". They were too cute. They took me back to the labor and delivery room for recovery and had Jeff wheel the bassinet with the girls. My parents, sister and sister-in-law were at the hospital and brought in to see us and the babies. It was an amazing experience.