Everli's Birth Story
Pregnancy
Our third pregnancy, this was the longest and most challenging one yet. It started with me being in the best shape of my life. I completed the Florida Ironman in November, at 2 weeks gestation, not knowing I was pregnant. A few weeks later, my gums started bleeding from flossing which is a sure indicator that I was pregnant. I was so excited!! But nervous because with our first two, I gained about 60 pounds, and I hoped that wasn't necessary this time. In the 3 1/2 months that followed, I lost 7 pounds. I exercised strenuously each day and counted my calories. But, I felt HUNGRY all the time. I tried to eat what the standard pregnant lady requires as far as calories, but found my body needing much more. I would have days when I would eat WHATever I wanted, and I would nearly gorg myself. Thus, I began to rapidly gain weight regardless of my efforts. This was so frustrating due to my efforts to gaine a "regular" amount of pregnancy weight.
At 20 weeks, the beginning of March, we found out this baby is a girl! Soon after, I ran a half marathon. Then, two weeks later I was called in for another ultrasound. From that scan, my doctor explained that the baby was struggling to grow. Knowing my health history, she asked me if I'd been starving myself or excessively exercising. I explained to her what I'd been doing and she concluded that was the reason for this baby's slow growth. I was then set up for another ultrasound a few weeks later, and prescribed a diet of "whatever I want to eat and whenever." My doctor also asked me to minimize cardio exercise. After this appointment, I was devastated. I felt that I had been hurting my baby and did not know it. My emotional state was so poor that Blake and I asked everyone we could to do a special prayer and fast for the baby and me in the beginning of May. I was 6 1/2 months pregnant.
We felt a great deal of strength and hope from all the prayers, and I was definitely gaining extreme weight (averaging 3 pounds a week) and had pretty much given up exercise.
At the follow up ultrasound, however, baby had only gone from 5th percentile to the 7th percentile. My doctor began to call her an IUGR baby, or growth restricted. We still had hope, though. I was scheduled for weekly ultrasounds from there out. A few weeks later they measured her again with crushing results that she had fallen to the 3rd percentile. The baby had begun to move less, and that made me more nervous than anything. Then, I was really in a poor state and couldn't sleep for days. So, I received a blessing from my dad and Blake. The blessing was so powerful. Heavenly Father promised in it that the baby would be born healthy and that my body would be healthy for her. I began that week to attend the temple weekly.
A miracle occurred inside my body. The baby began to move MUCH more, like acrobatically more! Every day, I would exclaim to my husband, "Blake, she's moving good AGAIN today!" By my next measuring ultrasound, she had grown to an incredible 25th percentile. Three weeks later, she measured at the 45th percentile! They called her "Former IUGR," and my doctor said in all her decades of practice, she has never seen this.
With all the prayers, fasts, blessings, and temple attendance, a miracle truly occurred.
The Last Week
I went in for my last ultrasound on Monday, July 9. My amniotic fluid was at 6, and anything below 5 is considered "low." I knew it was probably because of the 100+ degree weather, so I stayed very hydrated the rest of the week. I also began to worry about my due date, which was July 19. I had a feeling it could be too early. My doctor called me in on Thursday and said to bring my toothbrush and jammie's. At that appointment, I was dilated to a 1, and barely softening. She wanted me to stay the night for ripening and then be induced the next day, Friday the 13th. I told her I was hesitant about that day, especially because I feel that my due date was too early. I did not want to rush anything and have to have an unnecessary c-section, or worse have the baby not be ready. She said she did not recommend waiting, but I could come in to be induced on Monday the 16th instead if I opted to do so. Blake and I spent a few hours praying and toiling over which option we wanted to go with. We decided to go in for ripening. However, once we decided that, I felt very unsettled and could not stop crying. By the time we got to the hospital that evening, he practically had to drag me out of the car. We went in and talked to my doctor. I finally decided to go home, have an ultrasound the next morning to check the amniotic fluid, and wait until Monday. My doctor gave me her cell phone number so I could let her know immediately the results of the ultrasound.
I felt such relief once we decided on Monday, and knew it was the right decision. But, I would have moments of doubt that would make me worry I had somehow made a selfish decision for me and the baby. I was such a mess that Blake called the hospital at midnight and asked if we could come in on Friday anyway. They said no. Friday morning he called the ultrasound people and bumped my appointment from 3 pm to 9 am. We got in the car and headed to the appointment.
At the ultrasound, I pulled up my shirt and she put the sensor on my tummy and I knew immediately that something was different... the baby was no longer head down. She had been head down for weeks and weeks, and I knew what that looked like in an ultrasound. I asked, "Oh my gosh, is she breech??" The tech said, "You will have to talk about that with your doctor." Then, a few minutes later, she typed the word, "BREECH," on the screen. After she printed my paperwork, I brought it straight to my doctor's office. I also called my doctor's cell phone, because she was not yet in, and read the results to her answering machine. The amniotic fluid had increased from level 6 to level 10.9. That was good news. But I also mentioned that the baby had flipped to footling breech.
On my way back to the car, I felt the strong kicks on my bladder and pelvis. IT HURT! It almost brought me to my knees. The rest of the day was very difficult. The doctor called me back and said, "I am happy your fluid is up but honey, I am sorry she turned breech. Maybe we should have delivered today and she would not have turned. You can do exercises this weekend to try to turn her but you never know what will happen." I was devastated and began to worry again about my decision.
Blake's family was in town, so Blake, his dad, and his brother Thomas helped give me a blessing. I was promised to be able to withstand delivering this baby and that the baby would be strong for it as well. I was also blessed to know that this was all in the Lord's hands, and I would have the privilege of raising this baby. Whenever Blake's family is in town, we go out to eat a lot, so we went out to eat twice that day and both times I could barely stand to sit at the table, I was in such discomfort. I was in tears half of the day.
I woke up Saturday morning in tears again. I could not stop worrying that I had made the wrong decision. Finally, after talking it out with Blake, my mom, and a few others, I decided to make the most of the weekend and try to help flip the baby.
I wrote an email and a facebook post about how I would probably be having a c-section, and how baby and I could use prayers from all our friends and family. I got a LOT of feedback about how to flip the baby! We went to the pool and leisurely swam with the kids. I swam laps as well, rocking my belly back and forth. For a few laps, I touched the bottom of the pool and came back up over and over as I swam down the pool. I massaged my belly. I let it hang as much as I could. If anything, swimming at least felt like a relief on my heavy pregnant body, and put me in better spirits. I also researched other techniques. I knelt at the top of the stairs and, with Blake's help, walked my hands down 3 steps and let my belly hang there for 30 seconds at a time. I sat on the couch with a cold pack on the top of my tummy and a heating pad on the bottom for 20 minute intervals. I spent so much time trying to tell where her head was in my belly that I started to feel confused and uncertain about where it really was!
Sunday morning, I was feeling much better about everything. Much of my feedback from my facebook post was about how c-sections are not the end of the world and I would recover fine, and baby would be healthy. I had begun to accept the fact that it was highly likely I would be getting a c-section. We went to church and had a very relaxing afternoon. I still did my exercises and the cold pack and all. I figured why not! But, I had a very peaceful feeling about everything.
Sunday afternoon, I was sitting on the couch with the cold pack and heating pad on my belly, and I had what felt like a few Braxton Hicks contractions. A while later, I rubbed my tummy to find where she was and I was confused. What used to feel like a head between my ribs now felt like a bum... but maybe I was getting my hopes up? Or maybe I was delusional. I had everyone feel my belly but no one could tell either.
My last ditch effort came on Sunday NIGHT. I had received a message from a friend telling me about how a chiropractor had helped turn her baby head down using the Webster technique. We have a really good family friend who is a fabulous chiropractor, so I texted my dad to get a hold of him. I heard back from my dad and the chiropractor at 10:00 pm. They asked me to come to his office. So, Blake and I said a prayer and felt this would be a good idea, and we headed to the chiropractor, who was so kind to meet us late on a Sunday night. He told us that he had done the technique four times, and all four times it was a success. Usually, however, you need to give it at least 24 hours, or even up to 2 to 3 days for the baby to flip. I had just a little over 7 hours 'til my scheduled induction! Then, he had me lay face down on a bench, with a bunch of pillows propping my hips and chest up to give room for my belly. He adjusted my pelvis very gently. Then, he had me lay on my right side and he adjusted me again. Finally, he massaged the round ligaments on the lower right side of my belly, helping to relax them because they were very tight. And that was the whole procedure!
I went home knowing I had done EVERYTHING possible to help this baby to turn head down again. I went to bed with a heating pad at the bottom of my belly, and slept for only about 3 hours, excited and anxious for the next day.
Delivery
Monday morning, we woke up and headed to the hospital, getting there at 6 am. By 6:45, I was laying in a hospital bed talking to my nurse Sue. I kind of expected them to just check me, say that we need to do a c-section, and begin to prep me for the c-section. However, she first went to put the monitors on my belly, as if they were going to induce me. I said, "Last we checked, this baby was footling breech." Her reply shocked me, "Well, where that heart rate monitor is catching her heart rate low on your tummy, I would guess she turned!" I looked at Blake with surprised eyes, trying not to get my hopes up. Then, she checked me, my cervix was still soft and about 1 1/2 cm, and... "Yep, she's head down." WHAT!?!?! I asked her to repeat it several times, unable to contain my excitement. My doctor came and checked and did not seem surprised at all that she had flipped. She even did an ultrasound to prove it to me, and to check some other things. All looked great and we were ready to go for the induction! I just said a prayer of gratitude, and also prayed that she stayed there, because apparently she was, "floating around," not dropped. I felt that my chiropractor appointment helped her be comfy head down and she had a better chance of staying that way.
7 a.m.
IV was inserted, and I had not eaten or drank anything since midnight and I was definitely feeling nauseous. Plus I hate needles. I began to black out a little, but got through without fainting. Fluid and Pitocin was ready to go! I began feeling regular contractions, they felt a lot like the Braxton Hicks contractions I had been having since April. I got to chew on some ice... but didn't know that the tiny cup she gave me was supposed to be for 2 hours! If anyone knows how I was this pregnancy, I went through a whole bag of Sonic ice every three days!
10 a.m.
I was dilated to a 2 1/2 and my doctor came to break my water, which would help the baby's head descend into the birth canal. I was relieved to have this done because that would mean she could no longer turn. This, however, was an uncomfortable procedure! I relate it to biking 100 miles on a metal pole, in just 5 minutes. My doctor not only penetrates the fluid sac, but she empties all the water out that she can.
PAINFUL! But, effective. She then had me lay on my side with my hips square and my arm on my hip. My parents came to visit. My dad stayed a while and brushed my hair. I was supposed to act like my body was "mushy, cooked pasta" whenever I felt a contraction. And as soon as that became too difficult, I was to get my epidural.
11 a.m.
The contractions were beginning to be too strong so I ordered my epidural. I went to the bathroom for the last time, and my epidural came. Now, usually I am quite squeamish about my epidural and I freak out a little. But, this time was different. I had the same epidural lady as when I was in labor with Anndi. That was reassuring. And, I knew that it did not hurt, so I just put the needle out of my mind and curled over ready to go. She had a man with her as well, and after they asked me my weight and height, he said, "We like when we get to do this on tall skinny people." I giggled because yeah... I had just told him my weight and I had gained 63 pounds. But, I still took it somewhat as a compliment. The epidural was perfect and almost immediately began working.
Something amazing about choosing Monday to be induced was that we practically got my doctor all to ourselves. She schedules very few appointments on Mondays, and her afternoons she keeps wide open. Blake went to get our family to have them come visit from the waiting room and he saw our doctor right outside at the nurse's station, wrapped in a blanket, sitting and watching the monitor that showed my contractions, just like it was TV! Boy I wish we had a picture of that...
12 p.m.
After my epidural, my doctor had positioned me on my side again and was very insistent on me not moving an inch. So, when Blake's parents, my parents, Thomas, and Caleb and Anndi came to visit, I couldn't move to look at anyone. But it was fun to have visitors.
3 p.m.
My nurse checked me and I was already at a 5. I told her earlier, and my doctor knew this too, that when I reach a 5, it's mere minutes til delivery. I began to feel the contractions quite strong down in my pelvis. I called the anesthesiologist back in and she put some stronger stuff in my epidural. The nurses all came in with the baby equipment and the tray with tools for my doctor. By 3:15, I was all numbed up and I suddenly felt like I had to fart... I told Blake and he got a panicked look on his face, "Danielle! We need to get the nurse in here." I said, "No... it's probably nothing." "Danielle, if we don't get the nurse in here, you're gonna have that baby right here on this bed and I'm gonna have to cut her cord and try to figure out how to suction her mouth out and I'll be freaking out and..." He had me belly laughing. Suddenly, at 3:18, I KNEW the baby was coming and I NEEDED to push! I pressed the nurse's button and yelled, "SHE'S COMING THE BABY'S COMING SHE'S COMING!"
All the nurses and my doctor came in and I pushed through 4 contractions. My doctor said, "Oh I think she's gonna have some hair!" I warned the nurses that my babies usually try to pretend they cannot breathe, so they were all ready to go.
3:33 p.m.
My doctor said to push one last time and then she said, "Danielle look down here!" And I saw this beautiful baby girl emerge into the world. My doctor had to unwrap the "necklace" or umbilical cord from around her neck, but once she did, she was already breathing perfectly! The nurses put her immediately on my chest, skin to skin, and covered her with a blanket. She stopped crying as soon as they laid her there, and looked into my eyes. While my doctor sewed up the one "Scratch" that I had, and the nurses did the APGAR test on her, I had a little talk with my new baby girl. It was an incredible bonding moment. Blake was taking all kinds of pictures and had teared up a bit from everything. It was a beautiful moment in my life that I will never forget and I will never stop being grateful for experiencing.
After the difficult pregnancy, 63 lbs. of weight gain, and all the worrying and toiling and flipping, this baby girl came safely into the world 7 lbs. 9 oz. (just above average), 18 1/2 in. long! My doctor was in awe that she had ever been IUGR and said she had never seen a baby recover like that before. I know it was a miracle. Over the next 24 hours, we toiled over her name and finally came up with Everli Summer Haines (pronounced EVER-LEE). It fits her perfectly. She is the calmest, happiest newborn we have ever been around. Caleb and Anndi are in love with her and take turns holding her all the time. We are so grateful to have Everli in our family and know that this baby girl is a little ray of Heavenly Father's sunshine, and she will spend the rest of her life increasing others' faith just as she did even before she was born.
