Another Reason...

I shared in an earlier post some of the reasons I love my nurse midwife... but after a long and difficult labor and delivery- the only reason that matters is because she is good at what she does!

The weekend before our due date, I stopped feeling the baby move. I was also leaking some fluid- Lee Ann met us at her office to check out the situation. She too had a difficult time getting the baby to move (even after a Dairy Barn milk shake!). So we scheduled a more detailed ultrasound for Monday morning with instructions for me to rest until then. The ultrasound showed that he was still small, had very little activity, and a weak heart rate. Which indicated that our placenta had started to breakdown. After much discussion and prayer, we decided it was best to induce labor.

At midnight Tuesday morning- yep, midnight! the party began! Unfortunately, a doc at the hospital looked at my chart before Lee Ann arrived and decided I needed "intervention." Little did he know that Jonathan's heart rate looked much better that morning than it had the previous day. He placed me in the same category as a 20 year old smoking mother... based on my age! Ugh! I never saw the man- so little did he know I was in as good of shape and health than most of his 20 year old patients. Thankfully, Lee Ann was able to adapt some of his orders so I was able to do some walking and get out of bed- but so much for using the tub.

Around 4 PM that afternoon, my contractions stopped at about 9 cm. Not a good time for them to call it quits. Lee Ann used all sorts of methods to keep them going- but each time she would stop- so would the contractions. Jonathan's heart rate would drop too. I was exhausted.

I remember being rushed down the hall and a man beside me yelling "Emergency C-section." All of a sudden it occurred to me that it was me he was referring to! As we arrived in the OR, they started administering meds just as I felt a contraction. I called for Lee Ann. She ordered them to turn off the meds and give me oxygen. The Mystery Doctor was yelling not to push. Lee Ann jumped onto the OR table with me and told me if I wanted to have this baby then to push!! I could still hear the doc yelling at me. But my sweet nurse got right infront of my face and told me to push with all the strength I had left. Three pushed later Jonathan made his entrance into our world.

Lee Ann told me later that I was so "out of it" she was concerned about my emotional state. She went and got our baby and placed him on my chest. She said, "Look what you did." I remember thanking God for His precious gift: Jonathan.

See why I am thankful for someone that worked with us to help us have a safe and healthy labor and delivery. Sometimes having wisdom, knowledge and dedication is just as much a skill as using a scapula.