Sadie's Birth Story- Part 1

I would to attempt to tell you all of Sadie's birth story, but it would be the longest blog entry in the history of blog entries. I've decided to break it into three parts, so watch out for Parts 2 and 3 soon. I want to remember every little detail while I can, and so that one day Sadie can read it and know how special her birth day was.

I want to start with the week that we started back to school. I went every day so that I could meet my kids and them know my face and expectations. I also wanted them to know I wasn't just skimping out on class; I clearly had a valid reason. Man, what a GREAT first week of school too! Jack and I really, really enjoyed it and really feel like it's going to be a great year! I managed to waddle my way from class to class and then in the evenings come home and crash while propping up my SUPER swollen ankles. My swelling wasn't so bad until the week I went back to work.

Not only was I swelling, but my blood pressure was also starting to creep up on me. I had low readings throughout my pregnancy, and on Tuesday, August 9 I had a reading of 140/90. Not terrible, but when it's been 100/65 the entire time (literally, it was the same for about a month!) to that higher reading, it is cause for some concern. I had also gained about five pounds in just four days, and it certainly wasn't from food. Anyone who has been pregnant in summer can tell you that the last thing you want to do is sit down and chow on some huge, heavy meal. I had been eating fruit or a shake for breakfast, (ugh) a pizza lunchable during lunch, and usually for dinner I didn't eat at all or I would  just have cereal. Eating was the farthest thing from my mind! I had managed to only gain about five pounds from May until July, so the five pound weight gain in a few days was concerning as well. Five pounds is a lot of fluid!

My midwife, Kim Blasingame, scheduled me to return on Friday and have a recheck of my blood pressure and progress. I'd been dilated to a two and 100% thinned out for two weeks now. Her orders- go WALK WALK WALK! Easier said than done when your feet feel like logs. :(

I made it my mission to walk as much as I could at school the rest of the week. I trudged up and down the stairs that lead up to our 6th grade hallway, I led the class in "walking stations" posted throughout the school so I could get in a few extra steps, and I always took the long way everywhere I went. The more I walked, the more swollen I became, and not just in my feet. My hands were really beginning to swell, my face, my nose... Everything. This was new to me because my whole pregnancy was pure bliss! Swelling did not feel so blissful.

On our way home from school Thursday, Jack and I had the conversation of "I think tomorrow is going to be my last day." I was tired. Like, REALLY tired. And when I get tired, I get super emotional. We decided to see what the doctor would say, but we were pretty sure she would agree.

Friday afternoon at my recheck, my blood pressure readings were still off. 145/92. Worse. They decided to draw labs and check everything out. They also agreed that yes, I indeed needed to end working for the time being. See you Monday for another blood pressure check! Yeehaw.

Jack went to work without me Monday morning and was super bummed about if. We love working together! My mom took me to the doctor at 10am that morning to have my blood pressure checked, so it was my first appointment without anyone there. As expected, my blood pressure was high, 146/95. They put me into an exam room and gave me the dreadful lovely paper blanket to drape over myself for an exam. (Which, first time moms- getting "checked" never hurt me! A little pressure but never any pain. Don't let people scare you!)  I saw The midwife Sally, who came in with a concerned look on her face. She said that my blood pressure was too high, as were my liver enzymes, and that my platelet count was frighteningly low. Her next words shot through my heart and I'm pretty positive if I hadn't been sitting down, I would have been on the floor involuntarily. She said, "It's time to have a baby."

All the waiting, all the bouncing on a yoga ball, all the walked miles, all the labor cocktails, all the essential oils, all the pineapple, all the spicy food, all the labor cookies (literally, all of them), all the reflexology messages... All the things I'd done to try and jump start labor were totally and suddenly minute. I shook as I texted Jack "OMG. CALL ME ASAP." Not thinking it would freak him out AT ALL. I waited for Sally to schedule my induction. She wanted to get me in by Thursday, August 18 because of the approaching full moon. Labor and Delivery may possibly be too busy to induce me then. She came back in the room and handed me a card with a date and time on it. "Call the number...." Her voice drifted off as I stared at the card in my hand. I immediately felt hot tears prickling my eyes but yet I floated out of the doctors office on cloud nine and to my mom's car.

Today. I was being induced, today.