My Birth Stories: a C-section and 2 VBACs

I am sharing my three birth stories. Each one unique and special, all showing the faithfulness of God. Get comfortable. This is a long post.

C-section: ‘My joy has come’

My first born was born at 27 weeks and 2 days gestation after 8 days of bed rest and a 2 day hospitalization for premature labor. I was home for just over 24 hr when I went to the restroom and noticed there was some blood in my urine. I did not think it was a problem, so I went back to bed. A few minutes later it felt like I was leaking. I immediately went to the restroom, and there was a lot more bright red, sticky-looking blood in the toilette bowl. My husband was still in bed. I calmly stated, “We gotta go back.” He said “Go where?” I responded, “To the hospital. I’m bleeding.” We were in the car driving within 10 minutes. I grabbed my satin pillow and my phone. (What hospital bag?!)

During triage I felt a wave of joy come over me. I knew my son was coming. I can assuredly say I was not scared or anxious. The peace that surpasses all understanding enveloped my heart and mind (Philippians 4:7). That was the moment I accepted my husband’s submission of Ayomide as his name, which means ‘my joy has come’ in Yoruba, because I prefer waiting to see and feel everything leading up to and within the first few days to name our child. They took  me to my old room per my husband’s request where they found the heart beat low in my pubic area. With a low lying placenta, I was told that I would need an emergency c-section. I was already prepped and ready to go to surgery – I literally groomed myself (with my husband’s help) just hours prior to getting to the hospital. My on-call OB, anesthesiologist, and RNs were all amazing. The OR mood was refreshingly light and the OB actually joked that I’d still be able to rock my bikinis, because she was cutting me low. I literally laughed out loud in the OR minutes prior to meeting my first born. He was 2 lb 2 oz when he came into this world at 2:05 am on July 5, 2015.

It wasn’t all sunny. I definitely took my eyes off of Jesus and looked at the waves of my circumstance postpartum day 2. My parents and brother were out of town for a wedding (read: I needed my prayer warrior mom by my side); my husband started a new job that day; and I was physically alone in a hospital where I had a schedule to be able to interact with my son. The interaction was the ability to touch him while changing his diaper. A hospital staff came in to get my trash and asked if I needed anything when she saw me crying. She shouted “Why are you crying!? You’re my daughter!” (A Nigerian mommy 😅). That was all I needed to get my praise music turned up and take a shower – yes, I was walking around 12 hours after a c-section! Please know that Becoming Busola embraces crying. I’m doing it right now! This is a ‘I cannot tell it all, God is faithful’ cry then was a ‘woe is me’ cry. There is a big difference in the way you feel after each one. I first held Ayomide 78 hours after his birth. My husband cradled him in his hands days after but didn’t attempt skin-to-skin until a NICU nurse forced him (another Nigerian mommy) nearly 3 weeks after Ayo’s birth. I was so enthralled with being at the hospital everyday, many days twice, so we could read Bible verses and pray aloud for Ayo during kangaroo time. Some may say he was early with a due date of 10/2/2015, but we know he came right on time. Ayomide came home on September 5, 2015, two months after he was born and nearly a month prior to his due date. God’s timing is perfect.

My First VBAC: ‘Evidence of my prayer’

My water broke at night while my husband was at work. I call him and preface my major announcement with, “Everything is fine, and I don’t want you to overreact.” He stayed calm in his voice, but his thoughts were racing as he sped home in record time. After getting care for sleeping toddler Ayomide, sneaking into his room to give him one last only-child-kiss, saying a prayer over my labor and delivery, taking a shower, squatting in garland pose to help little lady get moving along, and taking a few last bump pics… We went to the hospital. Contractions were getting more intense when we arrived after 11 pm, so we passed our wait time by dancing. It helped! We were not seen in triage until nearly midnight. I was 4 cm dilated and leaking copious amounts of amniotic fluid. I started vomiting the watermelon I ate with Ayo about 5 hr earlier. All the signs I knew of regarding labor were happening, and I was thankful to God! I wanted to continue to dilate and make way for our little lady to come through! I focused my thoughts on gratitude. Grateful that my body was moving along through the birth process as I had been praying.

At 6 cm dilated around 7 am, I ask for an epidural. I have been in labor all night and the day before I commuted an hour plus to work, worked a full day, commuted an hour plus back home, and fed and put my son to bed like any other commute day. Then I thought I was going to push a whole baby out without any kind of sleep!?! I figure the epidural would buy me at least 30 min to an hour of rest before the pushing would commence. By the time I actually got my epidural and while the nurse is placing my catheter, she checks me and tells me I’m 10 cm!! Shout hallelujah!!! Fully dilated, 100% effaced, and ready to push! I didn’t even think about the fact that I would not get to rest with my epidural, and I actually didn’t like the idea of pushing with an epidural because I thought I would be more efficient if I could feel everything, which is the whole reason why I initially wanted an unmedicated VBAC. Little lady’s heart rate begins to drop, and the nurse and OB get concerned. They give me terbutaline to stop my contractions because they had already noticed they were strong and long without much of a break in between. I welcomed a break from my contractions and the opportunity to rest with my epidural, which they had not yet connected, but the initial dose given was giving me some relief.

Little lady’s heart rate continues to stay low and the doctor now tells me that I need a c-section. I only want my healthy baby girl regardless of how. I sign the consent for a c-section, but in my heart I continue to say that I know God didn’t bring me to be fully dilated and not be able to push my baby out. I continue to pray for my heart’s desire as I delight in the Lord. At this time they have oxygen on me to assist with her stability and are prepping me for the OR. I take my mask off long enough to ask one simple but course-changing question:

If we get into the OR and I have a contraction with the urge to push and baby’s vitals are stable, can I push? She said an assured, “Yes.”

Someone said they had never seen such a beautiful smile in the OR. Glory!! Pushing was a team effort! I had 6 people in the room the entire time with 2-3 more in and out. These staff were in place for a c-section and one had already opened and prepped all the surgical instruments over to my right. I asked about the duration of the effects of terbutaline and was reassured that it was short acting and would wear off soon. The anesthesiologist who would administer my epidural for the c-section began assessing what was left of my first dose. She knew I was going to need essentially the standard amount because I was able to transfer myself from the bed to the operating table. The OB informed the anesthesiologist that I was going to try pushing first, and she responded, “I’ve never seen pushing in the OR. I’ll hang around.” The way she said it, she actually seemed intrigued and interested in watching an attempted vaginal delivery because she was used to witnessing c-sections. They take my catheter out since I’m preparing to push. My husband comes in garbed as if I am having a c-section and of course all the staff have on their masks and face shields. My nurse is supporting my left leg, a medical student is supporting my right leg, and my husband is supporting my neck with each push. I’m setting up the scene because everything around me said c-section, and the few allowances for a vaginal birth were makeshift at best.

My nurse tells me she feels a contraction coming. I don’t feel it like I was previously feeling them, so I push on her cue. With every push they continue to hold the probe against little lady, monitoring her heart rate. It remains appropriate with each push. In between contractions and pushing, I make small talk, trying to keep things interesting and light. They find out I teach yoga, and I’m a pharmacist who enjoys using evidence-based medicine. You know, OR small talk! I kept saying thank you to the OB and literally said, “I am in no rush.”

I felt like at any moment they could decide to opt for the c-section. I am getting tired, but I pray for energy to push as I hold my thighs like I’m in happy baby pose.Thank God I continued to teach and practice yoga as long as I did with this pregnancy! The OB says I can have baby girl’s head out with the next push. I asked about her head size in relation to mommy’s or daddy’s head size (my husband’s head is big). It didn’t come out then, but we keep pushing. And now I feel all the contractions and begin to push at the peak of the contraction. The anesthesiologist is still there cheering me on over my right shoulder. Over my left shoulder is Jude. I asked him for a kiss (after asking permission from the staff 🤷🏾‍♀️). Not until we are done kissing do I remind him I’ve been throwing up all night. Jude looks down and lets me know I’m so close – her head is crowning. They tell me to reach down and touch her. I feel her wet head of hair.

From the time I enter the OR to the arrival of our little lady is an hour. I’ve never been so happy to hear a baby cry! They put her 6 lb and 11 oz body directly onto my chest as they wipe her down and suction her mouth. They have to call for the pitocin and other things they would typically need after a vaginal delivery because it wasn’t readily available in the OR. They actually have to get our L&D room back because they assumed we would be going directly to PACU for recovery postop then the mother-baby floor. But my God!! It wasn’t until I was being wheeled out of the OR not taking the normal route to PACU that it sunk in how God just showed all the way out! My heart is full of gratitude as I’m wheeled back to our room in L&D with tears rolling down my face, holding my baby girl on my chest. His unmerited favor to do exactly what I wanted and more but nothing like how I imagined had me overwhelmed with gratitude. A staff person actually tells me once I’m in my room that not many doctors would’ve done that. And I know. This OB is new to me. She was on-call from a completely different practice. He’s God all by Himself. I share my tips on how I feel I had a successful VBAC in my very first blog post.

My Second VBAC: ‘God brings goodness/gifts’

I knew that doing my little lady’s hair would be what put me into labor with my third born. I’m thankful because it was God‘s perfect plan. Right after bedtime routines and washing her hair, I gave my husband a warning and said that we are on baby watch. Thanks to a friend sharing about prelabor, I was recently educated and knew the signs. We still carried on like it was a regular evening, hanging out together before going to bed. I had difficulties getting comfortable in bed, which has never been an issue with this pregnancy. I keep getting up to go to the restroom trying to feel a bit more comfortable but nothing much was happening or helping. I decided to time my contractions and saw that they were coming every 2-7 min. At this point I ask my husband to begin calling the designated people to give them notice to head our way. I took a warm shower to soothe my contractions and at that point I knew that they really were true labor contractions.

My husband and I get to the Women’s Center at 11:45 pm. We check-in, and this begins the waiting game to get into triage. I walk around, vomit, walk some more, but I feel the best while sitting in a chair holding the arms and breathing through contractions. We get called back to triage at 12:15 am. I realize that I have the same triage nurse from my daughter’s labor – I’m loving this! I see my OB shortly in triage, and I go ahead and let her know I’d like an epidural. I knew I wanted to get it done sooner than later, so I could see how this baby would tolerate it well before the time to push.

I get checked, and I’m already 7 cm! I get labs drawn, and they begin my IV fluids to prep me for an epidural, although they warn me that my labs may not come back in time. I walk to my L& D room. Jude gets the diffuser with lavender going, reads me a few Bible verses, and starts my L&D playlist. No dancing, but I enjoyed singing along between contractions. I get the ok for an epidural, the anesthesiologist is called, but I start thinking that maybe I should just go without it since I’m already so far along. I remind myself that while the contractions are intense, they are not lasting long. So I continue to breathe steadily while Jude applies pressure to my legs and shoulders as the Spirit leads him. I nod for him to stop once the contraction is over so I can rest without stimulation. I get the epidural then get checked again by my L&D nurse. She’s really trying to get an accurate measurement (going really deep), and then my water breaks as she confirms I’m at 9 cm. I start getting the urge to push. I ask if I can push on my hands and knees. My nurse said she’s never seen that but will ask my OB. I ask Jude to add clary sage to the diffuser in preparation for pushing. I get the ok on my delivery position, but my nurse asks me to do a test push on my side while she checks me to see if baby is engaged. I am not feeling the side push and just allow the contraction and my reaction to naturally happen instead of trying to push with it. I presume she didn’t feel much happening as she leaves me to attend to another patient. Before she left I remember asking if I still he had an epidural because hon-ay!

I ask Jude to call her back as I begin to feel my body take over and instinctively push. I even asked him to check for baby’s head because I was feeling so much pressure. My OB comes in, and I assume the hands and knees position. I push once. I feel the ring of fire. My OB may have gently pushed baby back in. Whatever she did, it gave me a bit of relief. I push the second time and feel baby’s head come out! I continue pushing on this second contraction and feel the rest of my baby come into this world! My husband excitedly asks if I want to know baby’s gender now, and he tells me we have a beautiful boy!

At 3:45 am our little boy comes into this world weighing 7lb and 11oz. Insert your fav praise & worship song!!! A NICU nurse and respiratory therapist are already waiting to take baby because he passed his first meconium in utero. He’s less than 3 ft away from me as my OB is delivering my placenta then stitching me up from my first degree laceration. Jude is giving me all the details of his long fingers and toes, head full of hair, and left cheek dimple just like his big sis. He was no longer crying after the initial suctioning. The respiratory therapist said he must know he has siblings. HA!! It feels like forever, but they finally put him on my chest for skin-to-skin and breastfeeding at 4:13 am. Many emotions flooded me but the greatest was gratefulness to God.

See? Each very unique and special experiences, all showing the faithfulness of God. 🤎