Walter Noah-A Birth Story

This may not work chronologically on the blog but I felt it was important to document Walter's birth story before too much time passes. 

Just like my older boys, we passed my due date. I even had a doctor encourage me to get an induction at 39 weeks because of my advanced Maternal age but I didn't feel that was right for me. I've always gone past my due date with very healthy babies and this pregnancy had been very uneventful. So I chose an induction day 5 days after my due date, on December 1st. 

My mom picked up my 3 big boys the evening before and Max and I enjoyed a little home date. We ended up just setting up baby gear and wrapping some Christmas presents but it was fun to spend that alone time together. 

For my previous inductions, the Labor and Delivery department told me to call in the morning so they could give me a time to come in. In my previous experience, I didn't end up going until the afternoon. I was hoping this could happen again so Max and I could have a slow morning and go out to breakfast. They ended up calling me at 6:00am and telling me to come in at 8. (that's early for us!) With COVID, there were very few restaurants even open that early for breakfast. Ha. Anyway, we found a restaurant and Max went to get take out while I did my hair. We ended up getting to Labor and Delivery an hour late but since it wasn't busy, things moved along fast. They gave me a rapid COVID test and started the Pitocin. 

 

For what it's worth, the COVID test came back negative.

And just a quick hairstyle this time. 

As the pitocin started working, Max gave me a little foot massage and we tried to nap. 

Shortly after lunchtime, I went to the bathroom and my water broke. Each contraction got stronger and more water came out. It started to get very painful and I chose to do it unmedicated because it happened so quickly with Edwin (56 minutes from the time my water broke until birth) and my recovery was much easier. 

I was hooked up to some monitors that allowed me to hear the baby's heartbeat. I started to notice that his heart rate was dropping significantly with each contraction. It was scary but it did help me get through each painful contraction knowing that his heart rate would go back up once I survived it. It was so painful but I told myself I could dedicate at least an hour to this since I had done that last time. If it was taking longer than that, I may want to look into medication. (I knew it would be too late for an epidural, but it did help to tell myself that I just needed to survive one hour at a time. As the baby's heart rate got lower and lower, I was getting more exhausted and a little delirious. I later found out it got as low as 40bpm. I found I handled the contraction much better silently curled into a ball on the bed. I was delirious but according to Max more doctors started to enter the room, I heard talk of discussing a c-section, and theories about the cord being around the baby's neck. I felt incapable of making any of these decisions but I was so grateful that Max was there and an advocate for me and my health. We had been through child birth multiple times and he knew what I was capable of. They started going over all the risks of a c-section and Max kept thinking, No, I know my wife can do this, I've seen her do it. He started to get scared and thinking of all the worst case scenarios.  They listed all the risks of a C-section and he felt overwhelmed since this was becoming so much more eventful than our previous deliveries. 

I was only dilated to 8.5 but the doctors had me start pushing so they could get the cord off the baby's neck. They were seeing significant progress with my pushes. 

The next thing I know is they were having me switch from my knees to my back with each contraction. It took every bit of strength and willpower for me to move like this while in so much pain but I just kept thinking of how I needed to get this baby out quickly and safely and I needed to hear his cry. The doctors and nurses kept announcing that I was unmedicated whenever a new healthcare worker entered our room.. At one point they said his head was coming out and they were finally able to get the cord off his neck, I figured he was about to come out because, with all my other babies, they just slipped out once the head had come out. But this time his shoulder was stuck.

The room was filled with neonatal resuscitation team because of the heart rate and many OB-GYNs and nurses and some residents. Max said at one point he counted 9 people not including us. I pushed longer and harder than ever before and eventually Walter came out at 3:50pm

He was instantly place on my chest. He had some initial cries but then was so peaceful, staring into my face. I could tell he knew and loved me. And I was so thankful he was finally here. It was only about 1 hour 20 minutes after my water broke. Once our big healthy baby was on my chest, all craziness went away. A huge calm swept over the room and we knew the worst was over. 

His forehead was bruised which is common for babies with the cord around their neck but it healed later that evening. And apparently 1/3 of all babies have some cord-related difficulties at birth, we had just never experienced this. 

It took longer than usual to deliver the placenta which was unpleasant and you can feel it a lot more being unmedicated. I've had both experiences and this is the part I like the least about unmedicated birth. I was just trying to enjoy my baby and they are still reaming on me, telling me to push, and stitching me up. 

Soon that was over and we snuggled for at least an hour before we weighed him and did his Apgar tests.

Warning, there is a Placenta photo coming up. 

One of the reasons that a Dr recommended I had a 39 week induction is because the placenta can be less effective in women over 35. (I had just turned 35, two months earlier) When I delivered the placenta, many nurses and doctors were commenting on how it was one of the juiciest healthiest placentas they had ever seen. It just made me feel better about my decision to trust my body and let it go past my due date. 

Stats were taken and baby boy let his cry be heard, revealing his healthy lungs. 

He tipped the scale as our largest boy at 9 pounds 1 oz!

We were able to spend lots of time snuggling our new baby boy. It felt so right having him join our family. The whole time I was pregnant, I would think of how crazy we were to be adding another child to our already busy life. But once we held our baby, we were reminded how a tiny precious child can bring so much peace and perspective to life and we realized how needed he was in our family. 

Also, he has hairy ears! (2 months later, they are still hairy, but we're pretty sure it won't last) 

Then all the snuggles. 

I was able to walk around right away and I always love when I'm able to pass our newborns to Max after I've been carrying them for 9+ months.

Max is a big fan of newborns as well!

There is nothing as pure and perfect as a newborn! 

We stared at each other a whole lot. 

The next day we rested, met with Lactation and did some photo shoots. 

My mom makes sure we have all the knitted good to eep our baby all snuggly!

The hairy ears!

We were able to get home, shower, and eat, and then my mom brought the big boys home. They weren't allowed to visit in the hospital so they were finally able to meet Walter in our home. I'm sad the pictures are dark but it was a good moment. The boys kept saying "he's so cute!" and "He's smaller than I thought he'd be." They enjoy feeding him and getting him his pinky. (And now that he's older, they love trying to make him smile!)

Walter is named after my great Grandpa, Walter Wilcox and we chose Noah as a middle name from the significance of the Prophet Noah in Armenia where I served my mission.  (and where Mt Ararat stood and is believed to be where Noah landed his Ark.)