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Published: March 16th 2006
Things didn't go as planned last night...but then when have then gone according to plan with our new child?
Jenn spent the last nine weeks of her pregnancy on bedrest, but she held out through numerous bouts of contractions until week 37 , when she would be able to give birth in the midwifery center, as her dream had always been.
But at 10pm last night, our midwife said, "Uh oh..." and called in the attending obstetrician. A quick look with the sonogram confirmed that our baby was breech- turned the wrong way. Natural, breech births are risky, and even more risky for unproven, first-time moms. So Jenn, the labor and delivery nurse studying to be a midwife found herself being prepped for a caesarian section. And it wasn't the warm, soothing experience that we had been envisioning. Instead of just Jennifer, the midwife, the doulah, and myself, it seemed like a dozen people were crowded into the operating room. Jenn was laid out on her back, most of her body numb from spinal anesthetic, shaking with nerves under the glare of the spotlights.
I only have a few, childhood memories of the OR, having woken up on
the table during some reconstructive surgery after a dog ripped open my face, and so I didn't enter the room filled with warm fuzzies. But I sat next to Jennifer with my head touching hers, knowing that from her experience as a nurse at C sections, she knew better than I what was being done to her on the other side of the blue curtain.
Looking over the curtain after hearing a loud, sucking noise, I saw our child being lifted from the incision in Jenn's belly, her umbilical cord wrapped firmly twice around her little neck. When I saw that, I knew that no matter how long Jenn might have chosen to labor, our child would never have been born healthy, or even alive.
So we welcome into the world Abigayle Velo Cheney, a little over 17 inches long and a little more than 6 pounds. Abigayle has proven to be a champion nurser, and has probably spent a quarter of her new life at Jenn's breast thus far, much to the delight of the staff at DePaul. Every half hour the door opens again and another of Jenn's friends from the staff comes in to admire
our new baby.
So we're tired, but happy, saddened that Abigayle had to join this world so traumatically, but eternally grateful for a healthy baby girl. And in a few more days we look forward to coming home.
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Rebecca
non-member comment
Congratulations!
A healthy, full-term champion nursling -- what blessed and welcome news! Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Jen, and hearty congratulations to both the new parents. Now life will _really_ get interesting! Love the pics -- please share more.