Most people know, but in case you didn't hear, Callen Daniel and Haylee Anne made their entrance on Thursday, October 4th, 2012. Callen was born at 10:49am, weighing 5lbs 15oz and was 19.5in long. Haylee was born at 10:52am, weighing 5lbs 1oz and was 20in long. Both babies are perfectly healthy and didn't even need to be seen by the NICU doctor, praise God!
I started having contractions at 12am that morning and I didn't even wake Ben up for a couple hours because I wanted to make sure they were consistent and the real thing before I got us all up to the hospital for another false alarm. Well, they definitely were not a false alarm, they kept coming, and after I woke Ben up we kept timing for another hour before we called my midwife. I was still not positive if this was "it" because the contractions weren't coming super consistently--they'd be 7 minutes apart, then 5, sometimes even 3 minutes apart, and then might go back to 7 minutes again. But, since I was already dilated to 3cm we went in and arrived at the hospital around 3:30am. (After stopping at DD so I could get my "last meal" of an egg and cheese croissant, haha)
I got all hooked up to the monitors and both babies were doing good, but, my contractions had started slowing down once again. This time, however, I was dilated to 5cm and 80% effaced. So, we decided I would try and get some rest and see what we wanted to do a little later in the morning. I ended up sleeping for a little while, which was much needed, and by 7am we met with my midwife and discussed what to do. Basically, they weren't going to send me home, that would be too risky, so we ended up deciding on breaking Callen's bag & having me try using the breast pump to hopefully get the contractions coming on stronger. My midwife was switching "off call" with one of the others at the office, and the other midwife and my doctor were seeing patients, but ready for whenever I needed one of them. (The office is just a couple minutes away from the hospital.) I also had the option to have them call the doula whenever I felt I needed her.
So, they broke my bag, I started just one round of the pumping, and I started feeling pretty consistent contractions. They weren't too bad for awhile, so I didn't feel the need to call everyone in, but it really wasn't long before I started to feel the pressure start and then the contractions weren't so tolerable. I called my nurse in and told her I would like to have the doula called and then a few minutes later the pressure was getting worse. She checked me right away, and we learned that I was already dilated to 8cm and Callen was indeed right there & almost ready. She called my doctor and by the time my doula came in, my doctor was just a minute behind her and I was in the final stages of labor. All there was to do was get me through some more contractions & they were getting the surgery room ready for us to switch over to!
Basically, I went from 5cm at 7:30am to delivering both of them by 10:52am. That went much faster than I, or anyone, was anticipating. I was able to deliver without an epidural, or anything, praise God. I did not tear this time like I did with Noah, and after Callen came out, thankfully, Haylee came in ONE push. I won't lie, in my mind, I was praying and telling God I couldn't do it again after Callen came! I was so tired after pushing for him that I don't even think I fully looked up at him until after both of them were delivered. When Ben was telling me Haylee was right there and I needed to push again, I just wanted to cry. But, I waited until my doctor told me and another contraction started, and thank God she just came right out--basically all clean and everything! I'm just guessing that is because her water didn't break until I was delivering Callen, but it was crazy to see. It was a very weird couple of minutes just waiting for the second baby, I could come up with something fancy to say about it, but really all I could think about was how tired I was! haha
There was some sort of minor complication with delivering their placentas--honestly, that was worse than delivering Haylee. I believe Haylee's placenta kind of ruptured or something after she was born, but my doctor was able to get both of their placentas out at the same time & there was no real complications. Although, that was not pleasant, it was definitely not as bad as it could have been!
After all was said & done, we all got wheeled back to the laboring room where I got to nurse them (together!) for the first time, and this was also when Ben took Haylee from me and fell asleep for over an hour while I talked with my doula. He sure must have exhausted himself. ;) haha
We ended up with, in all seriousness, the largest and nicest room for postpartum. It had a separate little sitting area, with a second TV, it was just huge and very beautiful. Seriously nicer than some hotel rooms I have stayed in! The hospital was so great, all the staff was super kind and attentive, and we could not have asked for anything more. I even got a free massage the next day!
I did have some trouble getting Haylee to latch consistently, and I was up most of one night with my nurse trying to work with her to get her to eat because they were worried about her blood sugar and were testing it every two hours--just because she was so small. Thankfully, the next day the Lactation consultant came in and worked with us for almost an hour. I learned some different ways to hold her and some little things to get her to eat better. I was still having trouble with her on and off and I was pretty sore and unfortunately had some cracking and even bleeding, but we pushed through and my little miss is doing so much better now. Callen has eaten like a champ since day one--seriously he's a pro. Lol!
We were all released on Saturday, October 6th and we have had two pediatrician appointments since we've been home so, here's how things went. Callen was born weighing 5lb 15oz, when we left the hospital he was 5lbs 8.9oz, at his first appointment (5 days old) he was 5lbs 14.5oz, and yesterday he weighed in at 6lbs 2oz! Haylee was born weighing 5lb 1oz, when we left the hospital she was 4lbs 12.4oz, at her first appointment (5 days old) she was 5lbs 3oz, and yesterday she weighed in at 5lbs 6oz! They were slightly worried about jaundice for both of them, but they gave it some time (so we didn't have to go through the foot pricking and blood work) and yesterday the pediatrician was happy enough with their color and said not to worry. :) I did get a call back from the hospital pediatrician today, and on one of the broad spectrum tests they do, Callen came back as borderline. So, we just have to have that specific thing tested to see if it was just a false positive or if we need to look into it more. I truly am not freaking out about it, if he is positive for this disorder it is treatable, but for right now we can assume he is perfectly fine because false positives are common for the broad testing and he appears perfectly healthy. Prayers that it is just nothing are definitely appreciated though. :)
For those wondering how I am, I really am doing well. I was having a lot of cramping while nursing (expected), I was having a difficult time with the pain and stress of nursing (also expected), and I did get the PUPPPS rash on my stomach a couple days before I delivered, which ended up getting worse after delivery and spreading all over my body. BUT, I have lived on benadryl and hydro-cortisone cream and it is *almost* all cleared up now. Am I tired? Sure, but that is expected, and I am really not that bad. I'm home with my babies, so I tend to nap at least a little bit each day when Noah and the twins are napping. I really can't complain! :)
Honestly, I just feel very blessed. I had a natural, safe delivery of twins. They are both healthy and happy babies, and I got to come home with both of them just two days after having them. I don't think I could have asked for anything more. Thank you all so very much for all the prayers and love. It means so much to have my children so loved. <3
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