Welcome Baby Christiansen

For this story we need to go back a few weeks. At one appointment I had been told that baby boy wouldn't be making an appearance for at least 3 weeks. I was fine with that because my due date was three weeks away. I always thought that he'd be a June baby. That I had at least till the 30th before he would come, even though it would be normal for him to be two weeks early (or two weeks late). The next appointment though when I was checked I was 1 centimeter dilated and 70% effaced and was told that he could come at any time. I got a little freaked out because I was not ready for him to be here. I had a list of stuff in my head that I felt like needed to get done. Among them was finishing our anniversary scrapbook up to date, cleaning the apartment, and setting up his co-sleeper. So I went home, made a list, and started to scratch stuff off of that list.

I was still working and was scheduled to work until a week before my due date. I had guests and co-workers alike who couldn't believe I was still working, but it wasn't a strenuous job and I didn't want to sit around at home all day. Not yet. I figured that by going out 6 days before my due date, I'd still have time to sit around the apartment, kind of get a mini staycation before the big day. So the last day I worked was Saturday the 24th.

On Monday morning, my first sleep in day (and what would end up being the last!) I started having Braxton Hicks contractions. I had had them before so they didn't alarm me. Doug and I set up the co-sleeper and I finally had completed my to-do list. My best friend, Allison, came over and we hung out a little. I had been timing my contractions before she got here, but they were irregular, and they fizzled out after she got here. False labor.

She left around 5 and I made dinner and Doug and I were watching Breaking Bad. The contractions started again around 6 so we started timing them. They were ranging from 6 to 9 minutes apart, but not growing closer or stronger. They were just there. Doug was sure I was in labor and packed the last of our things. I wasn't so sure, so I laid down at 10 to rest, just in case. I dozed in and out between 10 pm and 1 am. Sometimes the contractions woke me up and sometimes they didn't phase me. Doug came to bed around 1:30-1:45 and asked if the contractions were still happening. I told him I thought so, so we started timing them again. By the second or third contraction Doug had dozed off. I went to tell him the next one was starting and he didn't answer. Then with that contraction my water broke. So I touched his shoulder and let him know it was time. The clock said 2 am.

I didn't feel prepared for how much fluid continually gushes. No one told me! I knew there'd be a lot when it broke. I put on pants and shoes, we grabbed our stuff and headed to the car. By the time we got to the car I had had another contraction and my pants were soaked down to my sandal. I told Doug I had to go back and change my pants cause I was already wet. So we did and I put on protection so it wouldn't happen again. Like I said, who knew it'd keep gushing like that! (the baby continually produces more fluid until he is born, but it's a lot of fluid).

We live 4 minutes from the hospital, and my contractions were 4 minutes apart. As we drove I ate a Luna nutrition bar since I figured the hospital wouldn't let me eat and I wanted some energy. When we got to the hospital my contractions were 4 minutes apart. By the time we were admitted and shown to a triage room (labor and delivery was filling up), my contractions were two minutes apart. I was only 4 centimeters dilated though. And still gushing fluid everywhere. Such a weird feeling.

It became apparent that I needed a delivery room ASAP, so they found one and wheeled me over to it. I gave the doctor my birth plan and he said everything in it was fine. The most important to me was to have my mobility, not be strapped to a bed. So I asked for a saline lock (instead of being continually hooked up to an IV) and intermittent fetal monitoring (instead of having to wear those monitoring belts 24/7), and no epidural. I had done my research and decided that an epidural was not for me. To me, the benefits didn't outweigh the risks, and I wanted all the hormones that came with a natural birth. And there were a lot of benefits in itself of having a natural birth! There were quite a few other items on my birthing plan, and the hospital adhered to all of them without question.

I was monitored for about 10 minutes and then asked to get in the shower. They had gotten a good enough spread of my contractions and his activity and heartbeat and knew everything was ok, so they let me. Doug was great, rubbing my back and praying over us. He was very attentive and constantly willing to do anything I needed done.

I got in the shower and labor was already pretty intense. It was hard when I was in the room. I couldn't even sit on the bed because the pain made me too antsy. I more stood leaning onto the bed through each contraction. The shower felt amazing though. I thought I would like it because showers have always had an emotional and mental calming effect. And this was no different. The contractions got way more painful and I was constantly having to change positions to alleviate it. Sitting, leaning against the wall, squatting, all fours, standing. I pretty much moved during each contraction and then tried to sit between to allow my body some rest. The moaning and groaning also started here because it felt better to vocalize the pain than to keep silent. I also used a mantra of "My body and baby know what to do" and kept praying through it all. Doug was beside the shower the whole time, but it wasn't big enough for him to really be with me. I think it was ok though because I don't know if touch would have felt good at that point.

After 45 minutes in the shower the nurse came to tell me that they needed to monitor me again. So after the next contraction I toweled off and went back into the room. Again, I had a hard time just sitting on the bed so I was back to standing. During a contraction I yelled to Doug that I felt like I had to push. So he ran to get the nurse who promptly came. She checked me and said that I had just a little bit of cervix left, and let me have 2 more contractions and then said that I was ready to push.

The nurses and doctor weren't quite ready for me yet because it had come so quick. My saline lock was put into place in case they needed to give me medicine and my blood was drawn. It made me laugh because I was suffering through each contraction and the phlebotomist goes "ok, little pinch now" as she stuck the needle in my arm to draw blood. Yeah, I didn't feel that at all! The last few contractions I was screaming bloody murder through. It was bearable only because I knew I was so close to the end, that it wouldn't last much longer, and that was a real comfort.

The nurse coached me through how to push because I wasn't so sure (even though I had put in my birth plan to let me push as my body directed. I changed my mind on that one!). With the next contraction I started pushing. It was only 4:10 and I had dilated 6 centimeters in 2 hours. I kept pushing with each contraction and then she yelled at a nurse to get the doctor. He came in the room and we were all finally ready to have that baby. I pushed for 25 minutes and was told I was doing really well. I was told when they could see his hair. It was frustrating only being able to push during a contraction because I wanted to be done. There were a couple times where I wanted to push again but had to stop because the contraction had ended. Doug kept telling me how amazing I was doing and encouraging me. The nurse kept saying I was pushing really good and to keep it up.

He started crowning and I asked if I could feel his head as I waited for the next contraction. What a strange feeling! Encouraging though since I could physically feel how close he was. I kept pushing and he finally was out! (Doug says that I pushed about 8 times). It was 4:35 am. My first thought was "He's huge!" and they put him straight onto my chest. I noticed right away the cord that was wrapped once around his neck and urgently told them right away. The doctor took him back and unwrapped the cord and then laid him back on my chest. They toweled him off around me without moving him off my chest, and he cried a little. They rubbed his back to get him to cry a little more, just to make sure that his airways were clear. He was comforted right away though by being on me. I kept just repeating, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe he's here!" I had asked for the cord to stop pulsing before being cut. The doctor got ready to cut it right after he was born and I said,
"Wait! I want it to stop pulsing!" So he waited and then when it was done Doug got to cut the cord. I got to feed him a bit but we mainly cuddled. I felt really loopy and was kind of blabbering with Doug, and nurse, and doctor. I had pushed too hard and was told that I had burst capillaries all over my face. I also burst quite a few in my eyes and look like a Walking Dead Zombie. I had a lot of bleeding in my pelvis that would end up swelling and bruising. I had also tore a little and needed to be stitched up. Even though he was here there was still stuff to be done and I delivered the placenta about 20 minutes later. They also push on your uterus to help it contract and to slow the bleeding. That hurt! Even after labor it hurt. They continually had to push and massage it throughout the day and it was torture every time.  I was offered a Motrin and I took it after being assured that it was safe for breastfeeding.

After an hour and a half, they took baby to be measured and weighed and his PKU test. He was 7 pounds 15 ounces and 21 inches long. The plan was to move us to a postpartum room. But when they sat me up to transfer me to the wheel chair, I got super dizzy and passed out. I've never passed out before and it's such a weird feeling. Like you're almost dreaming and then woken up really quick (with the ammonia pads) and you don't remember laying back down. They had me drink some gatorade and the doctor ordered fluids for my IV. I was also given some biscuit to eat but it just made me feel nauseated. They tried to move me a couple more times but I was too dizzy and was laid down to rest. Two hours later they were able to move me to my room. I don't really remember getting in there though.

Doug's mom had driven down from Pismo as soon as she got our text that we were going to the hospital. Because I had such a hard time transferring she had to wait a long time before being able to see us but she got to hang out with us for a few hours while I tried to get some sleep.

About an hour later they tried to get me to stand so that I could go to the bathroom. I stood up initially but then felt dizzy and fainted again. More ammonia pads that make you gag so you wake up. My ears would ring and I could do nothing but just lay there. A few hours later they tried again but I fainted a third time. My personal doctor was at the hospital now and came to see me. She asked why I had pushed so hard. I told her I was given positive reinforcement from the staff and told to push hard. So I did. If I should have slowed down someone should have told me!

Because I couldn't stand I was kept on my IV of fluids, given a catheter, and also had circulation pads put on my legs (pretty much they alternated pressure like a blood pressure monitor does. Super annoying). Now I was definitely tied down to a bed :(

I called my parents since we hadn't been able to get a hold of them earlier and they both came down on their lunch time to meet baby. Doug and I were still trying to think of what to name him. We had a top 3 of names that we liked but neither of us really had a preference. Doug finally said that he thought he liked Coen the best, and I said that was fine with me! I liked all of our names, but Coen is really special. It means "bold" or "brave" in German. I had thought of it while driving one day. Just came to my head out of the blue.

So now we had a name to introduce him. Coen David Christiansen. His middle name is David for Doug's dad's namesake.

Nana and Papa and our Pastor, Daniel, also came to see him in the early afternoon. Doug stayed with me the whole time at the hospital, sleeping on the most uncomfortable pull out chair imaginable and grabbing food when he could. He also took care of the dirty diapers when the nurses weren't around, and would pick Coen up for me when he started to fuss since I couldn't reach him. And Doug is such a natural with him!

Every time we would get settled, another doctor or nurse would interrupt us. It was frustrating. I'd finally doze off and then they'd need to take my vitals. Coen would be sound asleep finally and they'd need to take his vitals. Understandable, but very frustrating.

We met his pediatrician who we love. I think she's going to be great for him. And I just picked her off of a list of doctors on our insurance plans.

On Wednesday they tried to get me out of bed again. The first time I stood up I started to get dizzy and my ears began to ring so they had me sit down again. But I didn't pass out! So two hours later we tried again. And this time I was able to do it. They had me sit for a while first (ouch!), and then I stood up and was able to hobble to the door and back twice. So they had me sit for 20 more minutes (again, ouch!), and then I walked once more. Hallelujah. I didn't have to wear the leg things anymore, and my IV was through. They took the catheter out as well. I was finally free! I was still really weak and needed help whenever I needed to walk to the bathroom. I got to shower in the middle of the night randomly. I had gone to the bathroom and the nurse asked if I'd like to shower. It was 1 am but I said I would. It did feel amazing.

They kept drawing my blood for my hemoglobin levels since they were low. Luckily I didn't need a blood transfusion, although if things hadn't started looking up I probably would have needed it. I was anemic from all of the blood that had pooled in my pelvis in my bruising. Again, I wonder if the Motrin contributed significantly to that. I hadn't lost too much blood in delivery or after, it was the bruising that zapped my hemoglobin levels. So now I'm on iron supplements and a doctor ordered diet of meat at every meal to help my iron levels return to normal (although it will be a slow process). I don't feel dizzy when I stand, just a bit weak, and I'm not able to be on my feet for too long.

On Thursday Coen was discharged, followed by me a few hours later. We came home and naturally fell asleep immediately. Now we've been home a few days and are still getting the hang of things. It's been exhausting and overwhelming. I knew that it would be hard, but I didn't quite feel prepared for it (but really, how can you be?) Some of my expectations just needed to be adjusted, and some definitions as well. For example, a successful feeding isn't one where he latches on right away, feeds for 20-30 minutes on each side, gets every burp out, and falls back to sleep right after. A successful feeding is one in which he is fed, no matter how long it takes, no matter how much he (or I) gets frustrated and cries, and no matter what he does right after (even though it's 3 in the morning and he's wide awake). He was fed and that is success.

That is the story of our sweet baby boy joining our family. We are so in love with him and can't wait for you to meet him. We'd appreciate prayers as we adjust to this new life and strength to face each day when we're too exhausted to cherish our time with him. We thank you for al of the amazing support of our friends and family and have felt so loved on through the pregnancy and now the birth.

Love,
Doug, Chelle, and Coen

Coming home in his carseat

Milk Drunk passed out

Walkng Dead eyes