Levi's Birth Story Part 3

Saturday May 7th, sometime after 8:59 AM

Even though Levi was born, my work was not done. I still had to deliver the placenta. With Evelyn the placenta came pretty easily on it's own and we delayed cutting the cord for a good hour. Levi's cord was much shorter and I couldn't even sit comfortably with him in Mike's arms because the cord was so short. So we ended up cutting the cord much sooner than I had wanted too. Once the cord was cut I focused on getting the placenta out. Though I was able to get some of it out I really really needed to pee and the urge to pee was overshadowing the urge to push the placenta out. After a little while of trying to get the placenta out on my own I asked to go to the hospital bed and have Dr. Martin help get the placenta out by manipulating the cord and pushing on my stomach (not as painful as it sounds, except that I had to pee the whole time!). Finally when we thought that enough of the placenta was out I asked to go pee.

The nurse and Cindy my doula walked with me to the bathroom. I almost made it to the bathroom and then I got dizzy and blacked out. I fell to the floor and the nurse and Cindy thankfully caught me so I didn't hit my head. This whole time Mike was in the bathroom, he came out and saw me passed out and bleeding. I passed out from the blood loss, my uterus did not properly clamp down after the placenta came out and so I kept bleeding. When I came to they got me to the toilet and I finally pee'd. It felt great. But I passed out again in the bathroom after I pee'd. I was still losing too much blood. Mike, the nurse, and Cindy were helping me. They got a wheelchair and wheeled me back to the bed and got me in bed. At this point I was freezing cold and shaking. They put warm blankets on me and the nurse called Dr. Martin to check me and make sure that all the placenta had come out. It had, but they needed to give me medicine to get my uterus to clamp down and stop bleeding. The nurse put an IV with pitocin in my arm and continued to monitor me for the next 2 hours to see if the bleeding slowed. Thankfully the bleeding did slow. Once I was deemed stable they moved me up to the recovery room with Levi.

This whole situation was very unexpected. After recovering it appears that my uterus was displaced by my overly full bladder and that is why it didn't clamp down correctly on its own, hence the blood loss. I lost 2 units of blood when it was all said and done. Thankfully I didn't lose more or they would have had to do a blood transfusion and I did not want that! For this reason I am super glad I was in a hospital for this birth. I think the situation could have been avoided though. The hospital and my doctor both said that once I got in the birth pool I could not get out or they would make me stay out. I didn't think that would be a big deal but obviously if I had felt like I could get out of the pool to pee and then get back in I probably wouldn't have had the whole displaced uterus/blood loss issue. So for next time I will make it clear that I want to be able to get in and out of the birth pool as I please and I'll just sign a waiver if they don't want to be liable.

Me getting wheeled up to the recovery room, I still had the pitocin IV in my arm. 

Levi's Birth Story Part 2

Saturday May 7th, sometime after 3:00AM

Getting in the birth pool was heaven! I still had hard contractions that I had to really focus on to stay in control but the water just lightened me so much. Throughout labor Mike pressed an ice cold wash cloth to my forehead on a pressure point that the doulas had told us about. And as my contractions got harder I pushed my head into his hand even harder to help me get through the pain. Long story short I have a little scab on the bridge of my nose from where he and I were both pressing my head, lol!

Me when I first got in the birth pool.

Mike pushing on the pressure point on my forehead.

The labor with Levi was much more intense than with Evelyn. I don't remember so much pain with Evie, nor do I remember feeling so barely in control. My contractions seemed to come more often, more intense, and much longer than I remember with Evelyn. I think a lot of the reason for that is this is my second baby and my entire labor from water breaking to birth was only 7.5 hours long. With Evelyn my labor from water breaking to birth was 16 hours. My body had 16 hours to get Evie down and out and only 7.5 hous to get Levi down and out.

While I was in the birth pool the nurse wanted to monitor Levi through a contraction. I allowed her to do so but in order for her to get a good reading I had to kind of sit up and to the side (NOT comfortable while contracting!) and it just so happened I was having one of my hardest contractions. I remember saying "Ouch!!" and "Stop it!" to the nurse. It was AWFUL! Once my contraction was done I told her I didn't want to be monitored anymore. Anyone that works in L&D will tell you that not monitoring the baby through contractions is really scary for them, this nurse, though herself a DONA certified doula and doula trainer was not happy that I refused fetal monitoring (I found out after the fact). A few contractions later my doctor (who up to this  point had been sitting in a chair watching me labor and not interfering at all) came up to me with a piece of paper and said that I needed to sign it if I didn't want fetal monitoring. He had no judgement in his voice, no concern of his face, just very relaxed about the whole thing. I signed the paper and continued to labor.

The nurse monitoring me through the monster contraction.

The doctor sitting watching me labor. =)

At this point I was getting really impatient. I wanted Levi OUT! I wanted to hold him and mostly I wanted to stop being in pain. I had been checking myself throughout labor and I could feel the top of his head, it was awesome! But I also thought I could feel the inner water sac (amnion sac). With Evelyn she was born in the amnion sac so I thought the same was happening with Levi. And I also thought that because he was in the amnion sac that it was slowing his travel down and out. I asked Dr. Martin to feel as well, he said he felt a bulge too. I asked what we could do about it. He gave me a little finger condom basically with a tiny plastic hook at the end and said I could sweep the hook on the bulge and it should break the amnion sac. I tried doing it and the bulge didn't go away so I asked him to try and he did and nothing changed when he did it either. Turns out that was poor Levi's wrinkly forehead I was scratching, LOL!

The finger condom that scraped poor Levi's head.

The entire time I was in the last stages of labor I was getting updates that my Dad was almost to the hospital. At about 8AM he called to say he was a half hour away. I was thrilled. My Dad was at Evelyn's birth and I really really wanted him to be at Levi's as well. Around this time I was fully dilated and basically just in a lull waiting for the urge to push. I was still contracting but no urge to push yet. I looked at Cindy my doula and I told her that I didn't want to push til my Dad was there with me. I started to cry. At 8:30AM my Dad arrived. I instantly felt the urge to push and he held my hand so Mike could get in the water behind me to catch Levi. Cindy, my doula, and my Dad held my hands as I pushed Levi into Mike's hands. My Mom took these amazing photos of the entire experience.

My Dad and Cindy holding my hands while I pushed.

As I was pushing it hurt sooooo bad. The ring of fire was intense! And I had a few pushes where I almost got him out and then he slipped back in, VERY frustrating (and normal)! When I finally got his head half in and half out of me I started to panic inside. I didn't want him to stay like that too long so I pushed as hard as I could to get his head out. The burn, the pain, whoo ee! But finally his head was out, I was SOOO happy! And I thought, great, now that his head is out the rest of him will just slide out, no pain. Not so much. I had to push his shoulders out too, and his chest. And again I got a little panicked because I didn't want his head to be under water too long, even though I knew he was breathing through the umbilical cord it still scared me. So I gave one final push and out he came and then my next panic attack was getting him through my legs and up out of the water as fast as I could. Everyone said that his head and shoulders shot out and that I bolted up so fast to get him out of the water that they could hardly get pictures. In my mind it was an eternity but I am glad in reality it was quick.

Levi swimming into Mike's hands. =)

And at 8:59 AM Levi Edward Jasper Saltzman was born =)

Levi's Birth Story Part 1

At Home, Friday May 6th:

Mike's parent's were supposed to come to town that day to hang out with us for Mother's Day weekend but they cancelled at the last minute and decided to come Saturday. Both Bailey and Evie were with their other parents so Mike and I had an unexpected date night, just the two of us. We went to our favorite Mexican restaurant and after we went to Wally World to get desserts and a few random things. We got home and ate our desserts and caught up on one of our favorite TV shows, Parks and Recreation. We went to bed about 10:30 PM. All day I had been having contractions but none of them were painful, I knew that I was close to going into labor but I really thought I wouldn't have Levi til his due date, the same as with Evelyn. As I was sleeping I started having harder contractions. I didn't think much of it because again, I just didn't think he was going to come early.

At 1:30AM I got up to pee and felt a little gush. I wasn't sure if it was my water breaking or not so I stayed standing, waiting to see if I was leaking or what. Nothing more happened so I laid back down. I knew that if I laid down for a little while and then stood up that I would probably gush again when I stood up and that would be the confirmation I needed that my water really had broken. Throughout this whole thinking process I left the bathroom light on and Mike woke up. I explained the situation and he told me to come to bed. I laid back down, had some contractions with cramping, stood back up, and gush. Yep, my water had indeed broken. Mike bolted out of bed and started checking the hospital bag and getting himself ready. We both were really excited and shocked. We called the doula, my Mom, and his parents so that everyone could meet us at the hospital. Mike packed the car and off we went. I had harder contractions the entire way to the hospital.

We arrived and dragged our birth pool and bags into triage around 230AM. They looked at me and had me use a pH strip to make sure it was amniotic fluid I was leaking and not pee. It was definitely amniotic fluid. We were taken to an L&D room immediately, the biggest one they had because they knew we needed space for the birth pool. And then I was asked bunches of questions, and hooked up to a monitoring machine for 30 minutes. This was the only time that I laid in the hospital bed during labor or delivery. And let me say, thank goodness my contractions weren't too hard at that point because it was AWFUL being strapped down in one position through contractions. I can not imagine having a drug free birth if I had to labor in a bed the whole time. I don't think I could do it, it is soo uncomfortable.

Mike and I when we first got to the hospital.

At the Hospital, Saturday Early Morning May 7th:

While I was being monitored the doulas came, Cindy and Pam. And they brought their bags of tricks for helping me through labor without meds. They were both so excited and so happy, we all were! My contractions were continuing to be hard but I could still talk through most of them. When they became hard to talk through I got on the birth ball (fancy exercise ball) and that was very nice, I hadn't ever used a birth ball in labor with Evelyn, I highly recommend it!

Me on the birth ball.

My contractions weren't really picking up as fast as I wanted so we decided I should walk the hallway a few times to really get labor going. I knew that my Mom was on her way to the hospital and that she would be arriving soon. As soon as I saw her and hugged her my contractions hit a whole new level. I cried when I saw my Mom. She was with me through my entire labor and birth with Evelyn and having her with me for this birth was just as special.

My Mom took this pic of me having a contraction in the hallway right after she arrived.

At this point it was around 3AM. We went back to the room and I used the restroom (cleaned out the bowels). My contractions were getting harder and harder and I labored a little while longer in the room. When I started to moan through my contractions I decided I wanted to get in the birth pool. Mike had already set it up and filled it before we walked the hallway.

The Birth Pool

To be continued...



Baby Blue Eyes

Levi is Here!!!

Levi swam into his Daddy's hands Saturday May 7th at 8:59 AM. The labor and birth were perfect, Levi had his eyes open as soon as he came out of the water and he looked right at Mike and I. It was beautiful. He weighed in at 8lbs 7oz and was 20 3/4 inches long and all of it perfect! I will write up his birth story in the next few days (hopefully). Levi has been such a perfect baby all around already! He's a good eater, great sleeper (4 hours at a time!) and only cries when he needs something. What more could I ask for? My experience with Levi has been so different than with Evelyn, and I will elaborate on that more in a later post. For now I will post some of the many pics.

My Co-Mom

Mother's Day wouldn't be complete without my giving a shout out to my Co-Mom, Lynn. Lynn is Bailey's Mom. I am honored and lucky to share the mothering responsibilities for Bailey with Lynn. From the first time I met Lynn she was open to me, she embraced me, she was excited for me to be apart of Bailey's life. I can't tell you how amazing that has been for me, and more importantly for Bailey. Lynn is a great lady, a wonderful Mom, and just a good hearted person. Happy Mother's Day Lynn! Thank you for sharing your amazing daughter with me! =)

My Mom - Michelle

My Mom and I - Spring 2010

Again, in honor of Mother's Day I want to dedicate posts to my Moms. This post is for my Mom Michelle. She came into my life when I was 6 yrs old. The first time I met her was in Washington state over the summer. My Dad was stationed at Ft. Lewis and my Mom was his fiancee at the time. My brothers and I flew out to Washington by ourselves (can you believe the airlines let two 6 yr olds and a 10 yr old fly alone back then?!) And as soon as we got to my Dad's house we were bombarded with gifts (bikes!) and dogs (the Yorkshire terriers that I grew up with). It was amazing. We spent a few weeks there with my Dad and Mom and we did more fun stuff in those few weeks than I had done my whole life. And my Mom was so loving and patient with us.  

My Mom with all 3 of us and one of the yorkies (TJ) and the Welcome Banner she made for us - circa 1988

Soon after that summer, about 4 months later, my Dad and Mom picked us up from Sally and took us to their wedding at Jackal Island, GA.

Me at my Dad and Mom's wedding circa 1988

When we moved in with my Mom we quickly learned a new way of life. My Mom instilled discipline and routine into our lives and we desperately needed it! She also exposed me to sports, baseball and swimming were the two that I tried and liked. And she and my Dad exposed us to rock n roll and I LOVED it! I learned all my dance moves from my Mom. She taught me how to shake my booty for real, and I still dance like her to this day. She also taught me my sense of responsibility and hard work. I remember being so proud of my Mom because she was a woman and she was a soldier. She showed me by example that a woman really can do anything a man can do.

My Mom also exposed me to nature. She took me hiking, camping, and fishing, I had never done those things before. I fell in love with nature because of my Mom. I became quite the tomboy/nature girl as a child because of her. I used to go creek stomping in water up to my neck and I would return home after hours of playing in the woods covered in dirt and leaves. My mom never gave up on me when it came to school work, I remember her sitting with me for what must have been hours trying to help me understand Math. My Mom was always big on me having my own space, my own bedroom. When I lived with Sally I shared a room with Stan, when I moved in with my Mom I got my own bedroom, we all did. She was very big on all of us having our privacy and space.

My Mom and I - circa 1992 to 1994

As a tween my Mom took me to get my hair permed, I will never forget that. It looked great and she did my hair for me almost everyday throughout my middle school years. She always knew how to do really cool makeup for herself and I remember for Halloween one year she did my makeup and it looked amazing, I couldn't believe how talented she was. I still can't do makeup as well as her, not even close. She was always very open with me as well. She never hesitated to talk to me about anything I wanted to talk about, including the birds and the bees. I remember her frank conversations with me about how my body was changing and about boys. She never judged me or made me feel bad about my body, she was very positive about her body image and mine.

I am A LOT like my Mom. Especially as a parent. I am big on both girls having their own space and I am big on having my own space as well. I am very big on routine and clear expectations and discipline. I am also big on both my girls having positive body images and no fear about talking about their bodies or questions about their bodies. I still love to dance and we often have dance parties and listen to music just like I did with my Mom as a kid.

My Mom and I have also had an up and down relationship throughout the years. But I really believe that the downs of our relationship are behind us now. In the last couple of years she and I have come to a place of seeing each other more clearly and understanding each others expectations. I love my Mom because she is always willing to listen to me. She always tries to give me everything she thinks I want. She is just a very giving person. There isn't anything she wouldn't give me if I asked her for it. It's amazing. I try not to take advantage of it, ever, but knowing that she is there and that I can ask her for any kind of support (emotional, physical, etc) and she will give it if she humanly can is a huge comfort to me. She is an amazing woman and a great Mom.

My Mom - Sally

My Wedding Day - May 23rd, 2009

In Honor of Mother's Day I wanted to devote a post to my Moms. This post is for my Mom Sally. She gave birth to me and my twin brother almost 30 yrs ago. What can I say about my Mom? She is dynamic, intelligent, funny, witty, sharp, and loving. Over the years our relationship has been up and down. I love her very much and though I am choosing not to talk to her right now I care for her deeply and mourn the loss of her in my life and my children's lives. The picture above is from my wedding day to Mike, that is the last time I saw my Mom. Throughout my life people have told me that I look just like my Mom, especially when I was younger.

Stan and I in high school - circa 1999

And I get my very strong feminist roots from my Mom. She also instilled in me a love of reading, singing, and art. My sense of manners comes from her too. She was always big on my brothers being chivalrous and because I was around observing this I picked up a lot of the same chivalrous habits and manners. And my table manners come from her too, she was really big on that when we were kids. And now I am the same way with my kids. She is a very social lady, or was, and she could talk to anyone, I remember that distinctly. She had many different and interesting jobs over the years including: reporter, cab driver, radio DJ, TV anchor, newsroom director for TV show/newspaper/magazine, and IT specialist.  

I always admired her for being a single working mom and raising 3 kids. She never remarried and really hasn't dated (that I know of). She didn't raise us our entire childhoods, she had us from the time I was 5/6 yrs old to when I was 8/9 yrs old and then again when I was 13/14 yrs old til I graduated from high school. After I graduated from high school she went back to college to finish her bachelors degree. I really admired her for that. And then she went on to pursue her masters degree. I also admire her for that. She hasn't finished her masters, I don't know if she ever will.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I get my laugh from my Mom. And what a laugh it is! And I get my sense of self confidence from her too. She always instilled in me that I can do anything, that I am smart, beautiful, funny, and wonderful. She was and is very loving with words. She has always been there for me. When I decided to leave my ex-husband I called her and even though I hadn't spoken to her in over a year she answered the phone and supported me like no time had passed at all. And I am certain that if I picked up the phone right now and called her she would talk to me and be loving with me even though I have ignored her calls for the last 9 months. Don't get me wrong, the guilt does come eventually, but initially she just loves me and supports me. And that makes her a great Mom in my eyes.

Thanksgiving 2008 - this was the first time my Mom met Mike and Bailey.