Sailor June: Birth Story

Our last picture as a family of four!

 On Monday, November 3rd, Scott and I got up and headed to the hospital for my scheduled induction. We arrived at 7:45 and I was all settled my bed with my first dose of pitocin by 9:15. I was only at 1cm and 0% effaced, so I knew we had a long road ahead.

As with my last two kids, labor progresses slowly. Scott got some projects done on the computer. I texted with friends and watched Revenge on Netflix. 

At 2:15, my water finally broke. When the nurse checked me, she could tell it was full of meconium (baby poop). I guess this is a fairly normal occurrence, but the amount that they saw worried my doctor. Normally only babies that are in some sort of distress will poop that much in the womb. But, her heart rate remained solid, so they continued to increase the pitocin until my contractions were pretty strong and 2-3 minutes apart. 

I ordered my epidural and was ready to do this. The hours began to run together but at some point that afternoon, the doctor checked my cervix and I was still only 3cm. Then around 6:00pm, the baby's heartbeat began dropping slightly after each contraction, indicating that she wasn't tolerating contractions well. They took me off the pitocin and gave me another drug to stop contractions altogether. The baby's heartbeat returned to normal, thank God. Then, the doctor came in to give me "the talk." Basically she said, we can either start pitocin again and see if the baby can handle it or we can proceed with a c-section and get on with this birthday party. She said that the meconium in my water combined with the dropping of the heart rate concerned her enough that she would like to see the baby out as soon as possible, and she suggested strongly that we proceed with c-section. Then, she left the room to let Scott and I talk it out.  I didn't realize how much I really DID NOT want a c-section until it was impending. I started crying knowing that we really had no choice. Scott and I prayed together and told the doctor we were ready.

Next was the frenzy preparing for surgery. Honestly, I was devastated and terrified and worried for my daughter. I felt like I had failed at labor. I know that sounds silly but it's true. Before I knew it, Scott was suited in scrubs, I was completely numb staring at white lights and 8-10 masked faces with sympathetic eyes. And then they were pulling out my baby girl. It was not magical. It was cold and sterile, awkward, and painful, and scary.  But, in the end, it was a birthday party, and Sailor was here!  Scott brought her to me, so I could see her sweet face and she was so beautiful. 

Thankfully, there was a whole team from the NICU standing by to make sure she had not swallowed any of the meconium.

Hearing her cry was the happiest sound!

Hi Mommy!

Scott and I were stumped on a girls name for months. We came up "Sailor" when we were touring the Naval History Museum in August. We found it fitting that she crossed the ocean from Hawaii in utero, so that Daddy could start a new job as a Naval Historian. Not to mention that we are living near the water and she can literally see boats from her nursery window! June is my grandmother's middle name.

I knew she would not be as big as my boys, but I never dreamed she would be less than 6lbs!

Our perfect petite little girl! This was the picture that Scott sent out to close friends and family right after her birth.

First time nursing in the recovery room.

She caught on very quickly!

Scott holding Sailor in the recovery room. She found her thumb! This was about 11:30 that evening. We were both exhausted. I was so afraid Scott would fall asleep and drop her!

Happy Birthday Sailor June Anderson!