At 36 weeks and 2 days I had a suspicion that labor was coming soon.
Went to my doctors appointment, and the doctor began his routine 36 week exam.
Wouldn't you know it, my water broke right there in the doctors office!
How's that for timing! (and mothers intuition)
Then it suddenly hit me...wait, that means I have to have my babies today. Like, today is the day. Like, right now. No looking back, I don't get another week.
ILL NEVER SLEEP AGAIN.
ILL NEVER SLEEP AGAIN.
Doc went to send off a test to make sure it was amniotic fluid. When he left I burst into tears.
Tim was anxiously pacing and trying to calm me down while he was beginning to feel the nowness of our babies coming to meet us.
We were freaking out.
Doc came back and affirmed that it was amniotic fluid and asked me when I ate last.
"Um, right before I arrived, maybe 8:30-9?"
"Ok, we'll schedule your c section for 5pm then, go home and sleep and don't eat or drink anything, not even water. Check in at the hospital around 2, congratulations."
Just like that, having babies. Woah.
We went home, and we TRIED to rest.
Tim cleaned up the house, I sat in our bed wide awake. Then we packed our van and headed over to St. Joe's.
It was about 2:30 when I got into my room. The nurse had me shower and get into a robe, we were all smiles and giggles. Steph and Tim got into their scrubs.
Nice nurse lady monitored my belly for the heart beats, and then quietly slipped out of the room and came back with 2 more nurses. They started prepping me for surgery. One lady put socks on me that we're hanging off the edge of my foot. Man, I hate that.
The drugs guy came in shortly after and explained the 2 different ways it could go. Most likely I would just have an epidural and Tim and Steph would be my support people in the room. If something went wrong or they felt like they needed to get babies out quicker they would put me under.
Tim and Steph got dressed in their scrubs and hats and took selfies.
The nurse then said "Ok, well you walked right in here, you wanna walk to the OR? We'll come get your husband and sister when it's time"
I wasn't in pain at all, so I did.
I did notice though that it was only 3:50 or 3:55. That seemed a little early to me.
When I laid down on the surgery table, the drug guy leaned over and said "Baby B's heart rate is a little low, we're going to have to go a little faster. I'm going to put you under right now and it will feel like no time has passed, and you're going to wake up with babies."
Then I started to realize...oh snap, something is wrong! They're moving really quickly and putting me under!
Oh Yeah, but they didn't have time to wait to put my catheter in...so they did that while I was fully awake and un-drugged. I will never forget that feeling.
As they started to tie my arms to the table I leaned over to the nurse closest to me and said "since I can't hold them right away, I want you to bring them right to Tim and have him hold them skin to skin, and can you tell him what's going on?"
She said that none of them could leave at the moment but she'll fill him in as soon as possible.
It was like a movie, a mask went over my face, drug guy told me to breathe deeply.
You better believe I breathed as deeply as I could to make sure I got it all.
I tried not to let panic or fear set in, but you know when someone is really comforting and it makes you wanna cry? Yeah, the nurse near my face was too nice and I almost started crying....but I held it in long enough to breathe in my drugs. There were really bright lights, a mask, lots of people in scrubs, and then BOOM.
The next thing I knew I was coming to and Tim was over me holding our babies. I tried to talk but my throat was so sore. Apparently they put something down my throat. I managed to shed a little tear and say through my oxygen mask "oh my gosh, they're so cute I want a million more!"
The whole procedure was only 15 minutes long. Tim was holding our babies by 4:15. He had no idea what was coming, they thought they were waiting to go in, and suddenly a nurse came in and let them know they had to do an emergency C section and that the babies were on their way.
He explained it to me and I saw pictures, but what happened next was so sweet. Tim sat down with the new tiny babies and put them skin to skin on his chest to regulate their temperatures. He cried and held our babies and comforted them while I was getting stitched back up. He is an amazing dad. I still cry looking at the picture of his face when he first saw the little miracles.
I might keep that picture to myself.
I might keep that picture to myself.
On June 22, 2015:
Rose Summer Norris was born at 4:10 pm, 6 lbs 7.4 oz.
Theo Mutlu Norris was born at 4:12 pm, 4 lbs 8.8 oz.
I don't remember how long they were, sorry. There was a lot going on, none for which I was conscious.
We were told after the fact, but Theo's heart rate was down in the 60's. That is about half of what it should have been. He also had a chord wrapped tightly around his neck and shoulder.
Rose had the chord wrapped around her ankles.
I joked that she was going to bungee jump out but never had the chance.
