The big Day

Leading up to the week of the delivery of our little ones we had an interesting change of events. Our Dr who we love started thinking based on an ultra sound (from the day before) that showed our boy was breach and he was measuring bigger than the girl that she would need to have a c section. Now those of you who know Marianne know that she is afraid of needles and shots let alone being cut open and whats worse being awake for it. She asked repeatedly that if it came to that, I should hit her over the head and knock her out. Marianne almost switched to a Dr that is known in Utah county for delivering high risk pregnancies and would turn babies if necessary. Which is what the impression we got from our Dr when we first met her. She having delivered twins herself and having the second one turned gave us the idea/confidence that she would at least try and deliver naturally and avoid the c section. Which is why the sudden change threw us off. In the end we stayed with our Dr.

The night before this appointment Marianne had felt a big movement where the boy was and felt confident that he had flipped back around (this boy has flipped so many times when everyone thought he shouldn't be able to). So after some deliberation we asked another ultrasound to check and sure enough he was back to head down. From then on we tried everything to get those kids to come out walking, exercise, running stairs (yes folks that's my wife), sex, and we almost tried some herbs, but they wouldn't come out. Which is why I think kids come when they come and we do this stuff so we feel like we have come control over the situation. During these activities her contractions would get down to 3-5 min we'd have more than 12 in an hour but as soon as we stopped they would slow down and go back to nothing again, very frustrating.

Thanksgiving came and went and the end of the month was getting closer. On the night of Tuesday the 29 Marianne was having contractions but nothing consistent and it seemed like the same old stuff that had been happening for the past 6 weeks. We went to sleep and around 4am Marianne said she'd been having some good contractions and if we should go to the hospital (he had once before and been told to go home, I think every first time parents do that). I asked if she was able to still sleep and she said ya kinda so we decided to wait. At 430 she got up and got in the shower to try and relax which actually helped. She only had 2 while in the shower and felt much better when she came back to bed. At 455 she said she felt a loud pop and it felt like some one had kicked her in the tailbone, I asked if she thought her water had broken and she said maybe. So I got up and grabbed a towel and helped her put it on sumo style. As soon as stood up she felt this wave of water (glad we grabbed the towel) and she ran to the bathroom. I started gathering our stuff but as a first time dad I was not exactly organized in my gathering. Marianne would call from the bathroom grab this and that and I would but I would take one thing but not another for instance only one car seat and then come back in a grab a bag and my flip flops and go back out. Then a few more trips and finally the other car seat and a pillow. It was really funny looking back. We finally loaded up and headed to the AF hospital trying very hard to avoid bumps in the road. Marianne didn't think i did a good job.

By 530 we were in the hospital on the labor and delivery floor checking in. Now as most moms out there know you check you modesty at the door. My beautiful wife is standing on a chucks to absorb the water being stripped down and gown put on, one nurse is getting medical history, another checking vitals, and another making sure she's comfortable. Luckily for Marianne the anesthesiologist decided to come down as her shift was ending at 600 to give her her epidural because the next guy coming on was a little slow. By the way Marianne thinks anyone who would not get an epidural is crazy. She loved it. She was able to relax and move around in her bed. She took a nap while I went and got some breakfast. Our Dr came in and did another ultrasound and both babies were head down. He did have the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck but a lot of babies do. So she mentioned the risk of a c section and complications but we decided that we would go for the natural birth.

By about 1000am Marianne had not progressed much so they gave her some pitocyn. They came back in around 1200 and increased her dosage and by 1245 she was ready to go. So we headed into the OR and got into position at 100pm. The had some problem with the monitor for the babies and had to get a different one. While that was going on our Dr had Marianne practice pushing so she'd know how much time she would have to see her other patients before she needed to be back, but after one practice push she said I'm not going anywhere.

So within three contractions our baby Avalyn was born at 139pm weighing 5lbs and 17.5 in tall. She began crying and it was awesome. The Dr had to break the other water and in one contraction our baby Jensen was born at 148pm weighing 5lbs 8oz and 17.5in tall. As soon as his head came out they unwrapped the cord from his neck (which was wrapped around twice) but he had a hard time wanting to breathe which I'll be honest freaked me out. He was not crying and was kinda blue. The only thing that kept me from freaking out was that the respiratory therapist and nurse were calm and just helping him breathe he eventually cried after only a couple of minutes which feels like an eternity. Just like that our little ones came into our lives. My wife did absolutely awesome. She was calm and pushed like a champ. To see her holding our two little ones as they were wheeled back to her room was one of the best experiences of my life.