I was between 26 and 28 weeks, and I had started contracting a lot harder and more frequently. My doctor came in to check on me and found that I was 100% effaced and dilated to a 3. He said the babies would be coming "today or tomorrow". It was a Sunday morning, so my husband rushed to church and talked with our Bishop. The Bishop asked what he could do to help. He decided to start a ward fast during sacrament meeting. (A ward is a congregation. A ward fast is when you ask the whole congregation to fast and pray on behalf of someone.) We also had people fasting and praying in my parent's ward, my husband's parent's ward, our old single's ward, and my great aunt's ward. (A single's ward is a congregation just for single people 18-30 years old. They are usually near colleges, so those members can have more of their specific needs met during that time in their lives. Hubby and I met in our single's ward.)
The next day the doctor checked on me. I hadn't progressed, but he was still worried that the babies would be coming that day or the next. We called the only two temples open on Mondays and had mine and the babies' names put on the prayer roll. We were scared, because we knew the babies would have a lot of problems if they were born so soon.
On Tuesday they babies still hadn't come, but we were all walking on eggshells, praying my labor wouldn't progress. We called more temples that day and put our names on the prayer roll. We were desperate! We could feel the love and strength from all the prayers being offered on our behalf. It may sound strange, but it's true.
Wednesday came and the babies hadn't been born yet. My doctor came to check on me. He said, "Your labor has not progressed. If anything, I'd say you are tighter now and are back to a two, but that is medically impossible." But, we all know that with God nothing is impossible. We were witnesses to a huge miracle that day. Even as I'm typing this I am getting all choked up. It was amazing to see the hand of the Lord work in our lives. He took care of my children when there was nothing else we could do for them but rely on Him.
After that big scare, every week we were able to make it was a big celebration. When we got to thirty weeks we all gave a huge sigh of relief. Thirty weeks is a big milestone. After thirty weeks the number of potential problems from preterm birth reduce dramatically.
When we got to 33 weeks we were ecstatic! When I first went into the hospital, the perinatologists said that if I made it 34 weeks, my doctor could do the c-section and take the babies then. My doctor started to schedule the OR for the day I would hit 34 weeks, and went to get the perinatologists' signatures. They said, "No! You can't do the c-section at 34 weeks! We only said that because we didn't think she'd make it that far. We can do an amnio at 35 weeks, and if everything looks good then we can schedule the c-section for 36 weeks."
With a heavy heart my doctor came in to tell me the news. I was devastated! It was like the light at the end of the tunnel had been shut off. I had been in the hospital for ELEVEN WEEKS! The only thing keeping me sane was checking off the weeks until I got to 34! Now you're telling me I will be here another three weeks?! I spiraled into a terrible depression. Scott was at school when I got the news, and I called him crying. I could barely speak and couldn't bear to tell him.
He thought something terrible had happened with the babies, so he left class and rushed over to the hospital. When he got there I was out of bed cleaning our room. He was, like, "Uhm...what are you doing? Why are you out of bed?" I started crying again and said, "I'm dividing stuff into piles of things that need to stay and things that can go home. At least this pile of stuff can go home. I'm never going to go home!"
My doctor could see how damaging this news had been. A mother in my mental state is not good for growing babies! He wanted to do the c-section, but his hands were tied. So, we started doing everything we could to help my labor progress. I walked around more, drank random stuff that's supposed to make you go into labor (Black Cohosh--nasty!), and any other suggestions we got from people.
A few days later I started having harder contractions that were closer together. The nurses started freaking out and would come in with warm blankets for my belly to calm things down. As soon as they'd leave the room we'd rip the blankets off. We kept telling them to call my doctor, but they wouldn't call him because it was the middle of the night. We were, like, "He wants to deliver these babies! Call him now!!" Finally they called my doctor. The last time the nurses had checked me I was at a 4 or 5. I had to be dilated to a 6 before they were allowed to do the c-section. When my doctor arrived he checked me and, with a wink in his eye, said, "Oh! She's at a 6. Prep the OR!"
They gave me an epidural (seriously one of the worst parts!), then wheeled me into the OR. When they pulled Emma out and I heard her cry it was wonderful. She was crying! She was okay! Katelynn came right after, then Michael a couple minutes later. He was really wedged up in there. Ha ha! The OR was so crazy! There were two doctors performing the c-section, the anesthesiologist, , my Hubby, nurses for me, and a team of nurses for each baby. I think there were 30 people in there! They whisked the babies off to the NICU, and took me back to my room.
I wasn't able to go up and see the kids for a few hours. But, I'd lost a lot of blood in the c-section and I was exhausted! It was great when I was finally able to see my kids!
One was 3 lb 10 oz, and the other two were 3 lb 4 oz. Emma and Michael were on room air within the first 24 hours.
Katelynn had a cannula for another day. I wasn't able to hold her until the next day, and I could barely sleep until I was able to hold her!
They were only in the NICU for 28 days, which is awesome. Mainly they just had to learn how to eat and gain some weight!
They all came home on the same day. It was kind of crazy, but it was so great to go home!
So there you have it. Did you like my story? Pretty intense, right?! It was an eventful pregnancy, for sure!
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