Here is the story of how our son, Titus Dean Rummel, entered this world at 6:04am on 7/7/14. Again, this is the honest, non censored version. So if you don't wish to know please read no further. I have warned you, and as with Esther's birth - this also may act as a good "birth control" story if you haven't had kids yet. But birth is a beautiful thing, a miracle, and something none of us should take for granted when the baby is born, healthy, and mommy is safe and healthy as well. It is always a blessing a miracle, because there are so many factors that can "go wrong" and both baby and/or mommy can not be well.
Titus' story begins, Saturday July 5th. I had a momma sense that labor was starting when I awoke with a few, very sporadic contractions. The timing of the week, interestingly, was the exact same day of the week Esther's labor started and in the same fashion. We went about normal activities-off to church on Sunday morning. I commented to several friends that I wondered if Sunday or Monday might be the day, because I was still having a few, light contractions. But I was doubtful, because I was still pre-due-date - which was 7/10/14.
Sunday evening came, Tobin left for a mountain biking ride with his buddies, and I tooled around the house cleaning some. As I was doing so, contractions continued to happen, with a few slightly more intense, but still very intermittent. Our friends came by on a surprise quick "hello" as they were walking in the neighborhood and we joked about how labor could be starting, but still could be a ways off. They offered to come over and man the house in the middle of the night if we needed, and I decided maybe them coming was "a sign this was it!" I called my sister and made her "on call" for Esther duty, should we need to go to the hospital in the middle of the night. I made sure to get online and finish some charting from the clinic, as I doubted I would be going to work that week. And I tried to get to bed to "rest." As I knew from Esther's birth, how exhausting labor is!
Tobin got home and by that time I was having more regular contractions. We went to bed, and I attempted to sleep, but none would come as my contractions were now 15 minutes or so apart, and bad enough I would have to really breathe through them. I really tried to focus and relax. God put it on my heart that during contractions, I could focus on praying for one person or specific thing. So during each contractions I would focus on advocating for family members, friends, those that don't know the Lord, prayers for healing, direction, etc. I won't forget those prayers or that time, as I believe it was so God inspired and a holy time. About 1 or 2 am, the contractions were getting much more intense. Tobin was helping me through contractions, pushing on my back as I was having a lot of back labor pain. Around 3am, we decided to call my sister for her to head on over, as she had an hour drive before she would get to our house. And labor really was getting more intense. But my water still hadn't broken, so I knew we could still be quite a ways from delivering our little boy. While my sister was in route, my doctor husband, convinced me that we should really do a cervical check and he obviously could do that. I hesitated because I didn't want to be mad at my husband if he checked and I was only barely dilated. He did convince me and when he checked he said, "I can feel the head, you're probably about 8-9cm dilated!" This was pretty exciting, and even made Tobin excited enough (if you know him he really doesn't get "excited") that he called my sister again and made sure she was "close." And we decided 20 minutes away was "close enough" to wait. She arrived and off we went to the hospital, with our bags packed and the barf bucket in hand - as I tried to fight off waves of nausea with the pain. All the while, I'm trying to move around between contractions, etc. Not fun, and I don't know any pregnant in labor lady who loves the car ride to the hospital. Thankfully, we only live about 10min away. I couldn't imagine going farther and I commend the women that do! We arrived, I made sure to be clear with Tobin that with this one, I NEEDED to have him walk me to the ER through the drive up area. Last time he dropped me off while he was parking the car. But at this point, I barely could stand up. So in we went. I think we startled the ER front desk staff, and she was rushing to get me up to the OB floor as quick as possible. We arrived and the nurses were rushing to check me, as I was showing signs that I was pretty close. It was about 4:30am by the time we got to the room. When they checked, I was at 9cm, but the little man was still pretty high. They immediately called my OB, thankfully they both lived very close. The funny thing was there was a new, first year intern resident that looked pretty scared and wasn't sure quite what to do. She barely got out the first statement of "high I'm Dr _____." I could see the "green" look in her face and eyes, so trying to make her feel more comfortable, I asked what year she was, and told her my husband was a resident and told her "good luck." I think that helped ease her "fear that I might have to deliver this baby and I've never done that before" look, and I'm sure all the nurses and everyone else was able to hear and see her sigh of relief when the actual OB showed up. Those friends of mine who are in the medical profession and residency programs know that early July in a hospital is always a crazy time for teaching hospitals...and this was July 7th!
Anyway, back to my labor. I continued to have pretty intense back labor. So much back labor, that Tobin's hand now is sore, a couple weeks later, and it could partially be due to the fact he had to push so hard on my lower back during each contraction! My OB, and another well experienced Family Resident, were so awesome, directive, and supportive. But between 4:30 and 6am, my labor seemed to stagnate somewhat. I was READY TO HAVE THE BABY, but my cervix wouldn't seem to fully dilate and my water just wouldn't seem to break! I was given the option for them to break my water, my doctor said it could make the labor pain worse. A couple contractions later (after I wanted to give up and have them "extract" the baby any way possible) I decided I had no other option then to hunker down, focus, and breathe - I could be at 9cm for a while even if they broke my water. I told the OB, "I can deal with pain, but I don't know if I can deal with much more "time" at this point." So the broke the fluid, and everything still looked fine. Little Titus was doing great, and I just needed to labor more. So again, I tried to focus, I would lose it at times, and those contractions are always the hardest. My friend who was taking photos and someone else commented on how I was going to have a sunrise baby. At that moment, I remember actually looking and seeing out the window, to an intense orange sunrise color. Each contraction I focused on those beautiful rays, and God brought a song to me - "The sun comes up it's a new day dawning, It's time to sing your song again, Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, may I be singing when the evening comes." I cried during some of those contractions, and I felt an amazing peace during others, cried out in pain in others, but knew God was there, knew I was being prayed for, and knew God was protecting little Titus inside me. Here's the song if you want to listen: 10,000 Reasons
Probably just before 6am (time stops and you have no idea how long, etc, when you are in labor, but I assume it was about 6 because this was just before Titus was born) - because I was having such intense back labor the doctor decided to do a more extensive vaginal exam, to see if Mr Titus was sunny side up, which can make vaginal delivery very painful and hard. During her exam, she realized there was another pocket of fluid that hadn't broken earlier. As I was laboring on my side, she broke this sac, and at that moment, I started to experience the MOST INTENSE feelings of pain everywhere. I couldn't breathe because of the pain, and I was yelling things like, "I am dying! Can't I just have a cesarean? I think my rectum is falling out of me!" I literally had the thought that, "This is it, I'm going to die in labor." I wasn't "scared" but I was in THE MOST "intense" pain I've ever had...it's hard to explain really. And basically in one big, "unprompted" push, Titus Dean was born - crying vigorously and healthy! I think the nurse almost had to catch him, because the OB was nearly not ready. Then, he was on my chest and I was still trying to figure out if I was alive and all my "parts" were in fact intact. Even my friend had to say, "Christy, open up your eyes he's right on your chest!"
I looked into Titus' eyes, which were already slightly open, and fell instantly more in love. Crying, laughing, and sighing relief that he was out of me and healthy. Labor is an intensely, beautiful thing. The day before at church, the Pastor was speaking about Christ's suffering and pain on the cross to pay for my sin. I think Child labor is one of the closest things to the pain Christ suffered on my behalf. Makes me realize just how much God really loves us. I am so thankful.
Here is our family of four:
My friend Edith was able to take photos of the birth. The photos speak for themselves and are beautiful. Please see her website for that story: Simply Kissed Photography
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