December 27, 2017 by Drafts & Crafts
With Winnie turning two weeks tomorrow, I wanted to quickly get her birth story live for anyone interested in reading it.
I hope everyone had the best Christmas spent with loved ones and relaxing. Our Winnie girl will be two weeks old tomorrow. Time is already flying by so I wanted to get her birth story up sooner rather than later! Most of you may know that I was longing for a VBAC delivery (vaginal birth after c section), but unfortunately that is not what happened. I am resting in the truth that God’s plan is perfect. God knew how Winsome would enter the world way before we ever did.
From the beginning of my second pregnancy I was seeing my regular OB and a high-risk specialist. Due to having preeclampsia/high blood pressure with Tanner, my second pregnancy was considered high risk. Tanner was born via c section at 37 weeks, you can read his birth story here. While I saw the high risk doctor from 20 weeks on with Winnie, nothing was ever wrong. My blood pressure was perfect my entire pregnancy and all of the extra blood work, tests, and scans looked wonderful.
My OB wanted me to schedule a c section from the beginning of my pregnancy, but I was standing strong about a VBAC. I really wanted the experience of having a vaginal birth. I truly believe that is what my body was created for. However, my body had other plans. At 37.5 weeks I went to my last high risk appointment and they did a full ultra sound with measurements and looked at all of her major organs. The high risk doctor was concerned about Winnie’s size. She was never measuring small, but at this appointment they said was she measuring below the 10th percentile for weight. They believed that Winnie weighted 5.5 pounds at 37.5 weeks. The baby was diagnosed with Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR), and the high risk doctor said that he wanted the baby delivered no later than 39 weeks. They felt that our baby would grow faster outside of the womb.
When I went to my regular OB appointment a few days later, we discussed a plan. The OB told me that if my body did not naturally go into labor or if was not dilated by 39 weeks, then they would do a c section. If I was dilated, they would have induced me. I went crazy for the next 10 days trying to get Winnie out naturally: professional massages, prim rose oil, squats, walking, stairs, sex, breast pumping. You name it, I was willing to try it.
The OB scheduled me for a c section a day before 39 weeks (according to my 20 week ultra sound). This all was happening so fast that I really didn’t share the details with many people. It may have been selfish of me, but I was devastated to hear that I would most likely have to get another c section. When I got to the hospital for my c section, they checked my cervix one more time. The nurse sadly told me that my body was not showing any signs of labor so a c section it was. My c section was scheduled for 4pm. It sucked to have it that late in the day! I could not eat past midnight the evening before and they told me I would not be able to eat until the next morning. The surgery was running a few mins late. I walked into the OR to begin my spinal prep at 4:20pm.
With my husband by my side, Winsome Rose Colding was born at 4:44pm. Our little girl weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces. While pulling Winnie out, my OB yelled this baby weighs a lot more than 5 pounds!! She is a little peanut, but she was by no means IUGR. It stinks that ultra sounds can be way off! After all of the back and forth, my husband and I were just so happy that Winnie was here and healthy!! The second c section was much more scary. I don’t know if that was because I knew what was coming and it made me more nervous. The first time was beautiful, the spinal tap did not make me nauseous at all! This time, I threw up and it felt like someone was sitting on my chest and I couldn’t breathe. During my c section with Tanner, my hands were tied down to the operating table. This time they said they no longer do that. It was nice to be able to have my husband hold my hand this time around.
After 2 days we were discharged and headed home! Post surgery has gone well. I am recovering fast and things are beginning to get back to normal. I was most nervous about coming home and being no help with Tanner. How was I going to take care of my 19 month old son that weighs 30 pounds if I can only lift Winnie?? Luckily my parents were here to help me and Jason was off work for a few days around Christmas. Winnie has been a dream boat baby. She is sleeping 3-4 hour stretches at night and we are doing our best to get her on a schedule. Tanner has been the sweetest big brother. We feel beyond blessed to be a family of 4! Thank you for everyone’s well wishes, kind words, food, help, calls, texts!!
Keep in touch,
Dani
