Birth Story

Caia was due June 1, 2017. I was working up to a week before her due date; all throughout my pregnancy I was very active. I didn’t have any aches or pains until the last three weeks. #blessed The last month of my pregnancy my feet looked like sausages, delicious ones. Getting out of bed was more of a struggle and I experienced pain in my pelvic area every time I walked. Thank goodness Southern California was good to me; the weather was never scorching hot until after she arrived. I had my hospital bag ready since week 34, needless to say I was ready whenever she was.

At 38 weeks I was still zero (0) centimeter dilated. At 39 weeks I managed to dilate to 1 centimeter.  On June 2, it felt like a normal day. I had contractions that were on and off, but it was never painful so I didn’t think much of it. I was scheduled for an appointment for fetal monitoring because she was passed her due date. During the monitoring I experienced a 8 minute contraction that surprised the nurse. She wanted to make sure Caia was able to kick her heart rate back up, which she did so she didn’t worry. The nurse predicted I was going to go to the hospital that night. At around 8pm on June 2nd I started to feel the contractions, it felt like small cramps, none were really severe that I was panicking or in pain. At 9pm Collin and I were upstairs in our bedroom and I told him we should probably start tracking down the contractions because they were more frequent. I had a medicine ball to help open up my cervix, bouncing and rolling around my hips help ease the contractions. Around 10:45pm I was moving on the bed and felt a small pop, and I saw I was leaking, I knew my water broke. We packed our things and headed to the hospital.

We arrived at Long Beach Memorial Hospital around 11PM. When we were admitted I was already around 4-5cm dilated. I told the nurse that I saw some meconium in the water and she said not to worry. Sitting in the room I noticed her heart beat wasn't too loud or it will go in and out, the nurses came in and said they had to put a clip on her head so they can monitor her heart beat better. After about 1.5 hours we were finally settled into our room. I was doing relatively well I thought. I breathed through all the contractions. They checked me again and said I was at 6cm around 2am, by then I knew I wanted an epidural, it felt like we were progressing really quickly and I didn't want to miss my chance. 

Collin stepped out of the room when they administered the epidural. The nurse was kind and talked me through the steps while holding my hand. When they were done, Caia's heart rate dropped. Six nurses came in and I was given a shot to stop my contractions so she can breathe. My contractions were very irregular. I would have a 5 minute contraction, 1 minute break, 3 minute contractions 4 minute break, 8 minute contraction... Caia didn't have time to breathe as the labor went on. They told me to lay on my left side, and her heart beat went up, everyone left the room. I then labored with one side, when the nurse told me to turn to my right, Caia's heart rate dropped again.  The same set of 6 nurses came in and said that they probably would like to talk to Dr Smith. They then asked me to get on all fours, I managed even with the epidural.

Dr Smith, known as Dr Honey to all the nurses, came into the room. He was tall, from what I remembered. Collin said his scrubs were too big so his pants kept on falling. Collin later mentioned he thought, "This was the guy who was going to deliver my daughter?" He looked at my contraction chart and analyzed the heart beat. He peaked over to where I could see him on my hands and knees. He said "Honey, I don't think the baby is liking labor. I suggest we do a C-section." I said "Yeah, okay, whatever will get her out safe." My first decision for her as a mother. 

The Dr called the code green. They flipped me over, cleaned me up, gave Collin scrubs to change in and off we went. Before we entered the surgery room, I cried, I didn't prepare myself for a C-section. I didn't bring clothes for a C-section, I wasn't ready for a surgery. The nurses reassured me that everything will be fine. They will get her out safe and that is what matters most. The same anesthesiologist who gave me my epidural was there to administer the anesthesia. Everyone in the room introduced themselves to me and told me their role in the surgery, it helped calm my nerves. Collin joined me in the room shortly after they places the blue cloth in front of me, he held my numb hands all throughout the surgery. I felt a little pull and tug and before I knew it, Caia came into the world crying.  On June 3,2017 at 3:39am I became a mom. Collin was asked to cut her umbilical cord, he took some pictures of her. The nurse who took the pictures came to show me. Collin came back to my side as they cleaned her up. The first thing I asked was, "Is she chinky?" He chuckled, "I think so, maybe". They placed her right on top of my chest for skin to skin, I couldn't see her face, just the warmth of her body when they wheeled me back into our room. I first laid eyes on my daughter in the delivery room we were in before the surgery. She was absolutely the most breathtakingly beautiful girl I have seen.