Zoey's Birth Story

Sunday morning about 2:00am I woke up to some strong contractions (I've gone into labor in the middle of night with all three babies now!). If they wake me up, I usually know I'm getting close to go-time! This time they were consistent and uncomfortable but I was still unsure of when to wake Zach since the last two days of minor contractions had fizzled out to nothing. Finally about 4:00am I decided to tell Zach that I was in pain from contractions. And again at 5:00am because they hurt and I was tired and didn’t want to be alone. I was still somewhat unsure if this was it. But he jumped in the shower and called his dad to come watch the kids. We left for the hospital about 5:45am and I decided at the last minute to text my mom that I was headed in. Even though she had a plane to catch that very morning, I just wanted her to know. She even responded with “Dang!! If only she’d come a few hours earlier… heading to the airport now.”

We got to the hospital and the contractions were hurting pretty bad but when they checked me I was only at a TWO!! WHAT?!! That is nothing! I was so disappointed. They told me I would have to walk the halls, but that they wouldn’t send me home, so that was a relief. To my surprise, my mom showed up at the hospital in minutes!!! With my grandma!! I had no idea that she was staying in Orange County and was driving to the Long Beach airport at the time I texted her. Bless her heart, she called and changed her flight to the next day so that she could be with me. She and my grandma walked the halls with me through painful contractions until I couldn’t anymore and needed to rest. I had made it to a 5!! It was epidural time they kept saying…… and I kept waiting…… finally they were getting an IV in me and giving me some pain meds called Stadol as I waited for the epidural……. still waiting. Not even sure what I was dilated to since the nurse didn’t want to check me and risk breaking my water before I got this epidural. Finally the anesthesiologist came (he was working a c-section at the time which is why it took SO long to get him) and I felt relief. They cleared the room and I was able to calm down knowing that the pain would be numb soon. Unfortunately, it was only working on half my body. The right side was numb but the left side of my body was still in a lot of pain. The contractions weren’t letting up and each one was getting stronger and stronger until they were pushing out tears from my eyes. They called in the anesthesiologist a couple times to adjust the epidural and finally give me one big dose of medicine, but still that left side hurt!

The nurse kept assuring me that it would be ok and I would still have hours left until baby came. There would be time. It would all be ok. I don’t think she realized how far I was dilated because the next thing I knew they were telling me I was complete and would have to deliver this baby. The moment I realized I would have to do this now, under these conditions, without a full epidural, the tears just flowed and I couldn’t stop them. I was so scared!! I didn’t know how I could possibly do this! The pain from contractions was unbelievable, and I was screaming and crying as they wheeled me into the OR room (all the delivery rooms were full). Zach was on one side of me and my mom on the other and I felt like I was crushing their hands with how tight I was holding on. I felt like I could feel my eyes popping out of my head, my screams were so terrifying. It was all bright lights and commotion until finally a nurse said “Kaari, you’re going to have to stop screaming and push now.” Haha!! Like that was an option?! I just didn’t know how I would do it. How could I possibly stop screaming through this pain and focus to push?? But somehow I closed my mouth and then just tried as hard as I could. I heard them cheering me on. “That’s it!! You can do this!! Keep pushing!! Go Kaari, you’re doing it!” I felt a burning pain like I had never felt before as she moved through my body to come out. I had to keep pushing because her shoulder got caught on my pelvic bone. At one point I remember screaming “Pull my baby out!!!!! Pull her out!!!” But one final push and she was here, I could hear her crying. They put her on me right away and cleaned her off. I could hardly see her I was so tired. That was the hardest thing I had ever done in my life and I didn’t even know I could do something like that until I had to.

Baby girl was born with a “true knot”. She grew with a knot in her umbilical cord this whole time and had it ever pulled tight, would have died at any time during my pregnancy. The cord was wrapped around her neck once, but also not tight. She was SO chubby!!! 8 lbs, 5 oz!! I’ve always had tiny babies, I just couldn’t believe how big and swollen she was! Her poor face was purple and bruised and she was crying a lot (a side effect due to the stadol meds apparently). And of course she was fair skinned and had what looked like golden hair. Blonde, maybe reddish. Another little Georgia/Zach!! Haha.

Zach was pretty silent during it all…pretty much horrified haha. He’d never seen me scream like that before and even said he just wanted to put his hand over my mouth to stop the screaming!

This birth experience was so different than my other two, in every way. Oddly, and kind of sadly, I didn’t feel as connected to her the moment she was born. I was in so much pain and so exhausted that it wasn’t the same happy tears of joy and bliss as they put her on me. I was hardly aware of my surroundings and what to think of it all. There was no calm epidural and happy anticipation while we waited for her to come. No messaging family that she was almost here, no encouragement from family or friends as we waited. No videos and pictures throughout the process.. All of a sudden she was just HERE!! After they took the baby away to check vitals and weigh and wash her, I started to hyperventilate (in a little bit of a shock). I just was so tired, I wanted to close my eyes and drift away… poor Zach was a little worried watching me twitching and half-breathing. But the events of the day just had me drained! After some oxygen I was doing fine again.

I am so blessed that my mom was able to be there for me. Something I thought I would never “need” but oh I needed her then and thankfully the stars aligned for her to be with me through this crazy experience. I was so scared and I think I scared the crap out of Zach, so I’m glad she was there, probably the only one NOT scared. What little footage and photos I have are due to my mom being there to record what she could. She was my calm in the storm and someone I would want by my side during such an event.

We came to the hospital about 6:30am and our Zoey Rose was born at 10:35am.

8 lbs 5 oz

20.5 inches long

Definitely an experience I’ll never forget.