Oh! What a Hooot!: 2011

I've been meaning to share his story since way before he was even born. For those that knew me, I was planning a natural, water-birth. I was actually excited for my labor and delivery. Me and Chris (husband) did lots of research on the perfect birthing center and the right midwife to fit us. We took expensive lamaze classes (hypnobirthing) and everything. My due date was soon coming about, and I was MISERABLE! I had been complaining for the past months about how swollen I was, and a rash started all over my body. My midwife kept telling me it's all normal that I should walk, walk, walk. So I did. I remember going to IKEA and chris had to stand behind me to push me to continue walking. It was that bad. Finally, I was determined for Leland to join us, so I started to dance dance and dance. Well, sorta. Barely moving and complaining the whole time but hey, I tried. The day before Leland was born I remember sitting on my grandma's bed, in tears begging chris to take this agony pain away. Everyone was telling me to hold on that he will be here soon and maybe even on my birthday. That was the 11th of August.

August 12th at 2-am (my bday), As I was turning on my side, This weird cramp like pain came about. Then I thought "hmmm..maybe i need to take a poo" :) Went to the restroom and nothing. Laid back down and again that pain came. Chris had to work in the am that day and I didn't want to wake him if it was a false alarm. I decided to record them, but the contractions were so off, and I didn't know what the hell I was doing so I took the contractions like a trooper. At around 4-am, I couldn't anymore, Because I was so big and swollen, I needed to sleep on the futon. I called my husband's phone, who happen to be literally in the next room, to come to me. I look at him and tell him I think we're having a baby today. He's calls the birthing center and they tell him I'm not ready because they can't hear my screaming in the background. He calls my mom to come over and help me because I'm at the point where I'm moaning through them. She gets to the house in about 20 minutes. I cried as soon as i seen her, She rubbed my back because the back pain was horrific! Both my husband and mother help me get in the tub to run warm water over my body to relax my muscles and help me through the contractions. Also, to start my hypnobirthing techniques before i really start to get closer to delivery. We call the center one more time and they tell us to come in. As we are leaving, I throw up all over my living room floor, not once, But Twice! I had not eaten since the day before ( August 11th), so it was all clear. yuck! Obviously we didn't have time to clean it up so we left it there. YIKES! lol

Around 7-am we get to the center, the midwife directs me to the room were we will be delivering. She checks me and I'm 2-cm. Tells me to go in the bathtub to ease the contractions. Nice tub, with jets and the works. The warmness of the water helps me, however those damn jets, suck. It actually made my back labor worse. From there on, my labor progressed. Went from the tub, to the birthing stool, to the toilet, to holding onto the bed post. I was tested positive for Group B Strep, Which is common in some pregnant women and some not. If tested positive, its recommend to take several doses of antibiotics during the labor to prevent the baby from receiving an infection. Took my First dose at around 10 am, she then checked me and I had progressed to 9-cm. Leland was stuck in my canal, so we tried different positions to move him around. She had me go on all fours, to my sides (which hurt so bad, I barely yelled during any of this, but when put on my side i yelled bloody murder). The midwife would then have me lay on my back to maybe help bring Leland's head down.....

THE FOLLOWING STARTS GETTING GRAPHIC!

Doing so, she was literally fisting me, while asking me to push. My husband held one leg and my mother the other. I seen my husbands eyes, He looked so frightened. Not because the sight, but, because he was worried for his wife's life and his unborn child's. I was then put back in the tub where I would just fall asleep from the pain. Several occasions my mother had to wake me because I was sinking in the tub. I remember holding onto the bathroom sink vanity, and telling my mom I could only pee standing up. So she put the trash can between my legs, but it was that my water broke. & the midwife got upset for that. Went to the bed again to get checked and fisted again around 8pm, Still 9-cm. It had already been over 10 hours with no progression. My mother in law who is a nurse had to step in and demand I be sent to the hospital. The midwife then told me, I was not going to progress anymore and it would be best if I went to the hospital and asked for an epidural. She, knowing I wanted a drug free delivery, just gave up on me. No support from her or anything. Told me she would send my records to the hospital and that a room would be ready. As We are preparing ourselves to leave the center we ask her how will I be getting there, she responds "with your private car". We understood it as she had a car ready for us or the ambulance was on it's way....NO!! what she meant was, OUR car. Hence, I'm 9.5 cm ready to give birth. My father in law offers to drive us. (downtown on a friday night.) Poor thing was so worried, He's driving about 25 mph on I-4 (major highway) and playing soft jazz music so I can focus on my hypnosis breathing. Get to the hospital and everything the midwife said she would do, well, she didn't. Needed to sign in triage, wait for my room etc. Finally, get my room and they start prepping me. The nurse, Sarah, asks me for my records. Told her the midwife sent them, NOPE. They had to start a new binder for me, meaning they needed to do tests before they can put the epidural on. It took 4 nurses to draw blood from my arms. That's how swollen I was. Finally tests came back and had lots of protein. And came to be I had preeclampsia. Finally they gave me the epidural. AND of course It didn't work. lol , still laboring naturally till 2-am. Told the nurse about it and had to get the epidural re-done. But, thankfully this time it worked. They gave me the option to wait for the doctor to get here and then start pushing or C-section. At this point I was so exhausted I just couldn't anymore. Asked to speak with the doctor about my risks and etc. He comes in and simply asks, "how long have you been with no progression?", "since 10 am I've been 9.5 cm." He looks at my husband and said there is no choice with this, We need to get the baby out! And from there ordered the nurses to prep us. Right after he left about 10 nurses come in, put some stronger medicine in me and poke me more (of I don't know what), prep my husband, asks everyone to leave the room and wait in the waiting room till further notice. As soon as they doped me up I was wheeled to the OR. Terrified because i've never even sprained anything, and now I'm getting a major surgery. Tears in my eyes, Im praying out loud to Jehovah to protect my son and me to be able to hold him soon. Nurses and doctors start to prepare everything and ask me health questions etc. Let the surgeon know that I am a Jehovah's Witness. I ask for my husband and he comes in gives me a big kiss and prays in my ear. As soon as he sat down next to me they had already started cutting. The nurse asked me if I feel anything? and I didn't, but, several minutes after, I start yelling because I can feel them pulling and pushing. Without hesitation she injects more medicine and from there I remember my eyes rolling back and me slurring words. At 4:49 am Doctors and nurses laugh and say "WHOA, THIS IS A LINE BACKER!" My son Leland René Hernandez was born 10 lb. 12 oz. First thing I say is "does he have webbed feet?", my husband has webbed feet. lol. I was finally able to see my beautiful miracle, and kiss his chunky lips. but, Leland was immediately put on antibiotics to fight a infection. And i was wheeled out the room. I labored for over 28 hours. Everything that I had wanted didn't happen, everything that i didn't want to happen, happened.

I wasn't able to have first contact with my son, wasn't even able to breast-feed because he had low blood sugars and needed to be given formula asap. Was so drugged up, I barely remember his first cry.
One thing i Do have to say is that hospital treated both me and my son and family so greatly.

Woke up that same morning eager to meet my bundle of joy. Call the nursery and comes to be I can't meet my son yet, because they need to give him some test and she warned me Leland would have an IV on his head. I broke down in tears. This is not what I wanted for my son. All I wanted was a peaceful birth. And now this. Leland was fighting an infection + Jaundice. He was put in the blue motion thingy and given multiple spinal taps to find out what exactly was he fighting. I was then discharged and Leland was transferred to the children's hospital right next to us.
This only added to my stresses, was discharged late, the nurse had sent me off with very high blood pressure. But, I didn't pay no mind because all I can think of was my son at the other hospital alone. I needed to get there. Finally, I see my baby and this room was dirty, dust on the air vents, mildew on some walls, rude nurses. & Both my husband and I had to sleep on a cot. That night, I had a seizure and was rushed the women's hospital. Blood pressure was 180/98 I think. Was re-admitted and put on magnesium. Had Leland transferred with me and we stayed for another several days.

At the end of all this, I am so thankful for my beautiful and handsome son, and wonderful strong husband who didn't leave my side. For both my mother and mother in law who were advocates for me when I needed them to step in. I Love my family so much, and after all this It taught me to not trust people so easily, like I had with the midwife. I also Felt way closer to Jehovah God. He protected me and my son. After all those hours of labor and stress my body had experienced, not once was Leland Stressed. My son now is the happiest baby I know. Barely Cries, always laughing, smiling. I was blessed with a true miracle. And I'm so glad I'm his momma!

Leland René Hernandez

Born: August 13th, 2011

Time: 4:49am

Via: Emergency C-Section

xoxo,

Momma & Baby Leland Hernandez