David’s Birthstory—Expect the Unexpected There were so many plans made. It was supposed to be a lovely, drug-free, water birth at a birthing center, complete with soothing music and lit candles. Both sets of grandparents were present at the center and both grandmothers were going to witness the birth. It didn’t quite turn out like we had planned. Excerpts from a letter to the other couples in our birthing class. Hello everyone! Im sorry Ive been so slow at getting this out but weve had quite a roller coaster ride these last 10 days. The good news is David James Bittick was born November 29 at 11:09pm weighing 7lbs 4oz and 20in long. Im healing quickly and all of us are settling in rather well...finally! Our birth story could be summed up by saying we simply began to expect the unexpected. I was almost a week overdue when Kevin and I pulled out all the stops to get labor going. I was really miserable… By about 9:30pm or so, we got to the pushing stage. I had planned on having a water birth but things began to progress faster than anticipated and I never even stepped foot in the tub even though the water was drawn. I think we tried every position possible with most of the pushing in the squat position using the bedpost to hold on to. We eventually got in the bed and David started to show early signs of distress. We strapped on a monitor to keep track of his heart rate and the effectiveness of the contractions. I believe it was close to this point that my mother and mother-in-law were asked to leave the room and Kevin was the only family allowed to stay. Things began to get complicated and everyone needed to focus with room to move efficiently. At this point, Carol was now the midwife on duty (we had Cherie most of the day) and she tried getting an IV started. After trying several times on both hands, she gave up because of my stubborn veins. I almost got to the crowning several times but it was discovered that Davids head was slightly tilted and could not do the necessary turns to go through the birth canal. He would come forward with a contraction and then go back in. His heart rate was now dropping with every contraction so it was decided to transfer to Baylor. Not a fun task when you are fully dilated with pushing contractions and then asked not to push. Im so glad Baylor was close. I had to walk into the hospital during contractions until they brought out the wheelchair. The hospital staff worked hard to get an epidural started but couldnt do so until an IV was started. Even the anesthesiologist had difficulty getting an IV in me. Like Carol, he went from one hand to next and back to the other, all during contractions where I was asked to not push and be still. Im so glad I had great breath control and my husband right beside me. It was the ultimate in self control. Finally he was able to get one in my wrist. Now they could proceed with the epidural where I had to sit up and not move or push. Dr. Lawson came in and wanted to allow me to push with the epidural because David, in all the moving during the transfer, had gotten in the right position. Everything was so numb I couldnt really tell if I was pushing or not. His head hadnt had enough time to start to soften and mold so his heart rate really began to drop with the contractions. Together with Carol and Dr. Lawson, we decided I needed the C-section. A rush of hospital staff then came into the room and Kevin showed the first sign of panic but he quickly recovered and went to change into some scrubs. I really appreciated that every effort was made to avoid surgery. We are completely at peace with how it turned out even though it was nothing like we had imagined or expected. David showed little signs of the effect of the epidural. He cried loudly, his color was great, and he seemed very alert. Carol chose to stay with us even through surgery and took some priceless pictures of our first moments. Kevin was able to capture the first time David and I saw each other face to face. He had the goopy drops in his eyes and I was still being stitched up. After seeing my son for the first time, I quickly forgot the pain I endured. Theres no describing the euphoria parents feel after the birth of their child. Kevin and I were on cloud nine, along with both sets of grandparents. Im so excited for those of you yet to experience it. We eventually got settled in our room and tried our best to get some rest. The next day began with another roller coaster ride more intense than the labor we endured together. At first, we learned David had bad jaundice and would have to go under ultraviolet lights. They showed us a graph of his score compared to normal levels. He was much higher than the high risk so we had to start this regimen of lights and feedings to flush out his system. The next bombshell came on Wednesday afternoon. Kevin and his parents decided to run some errands that afternoon so David and I were alone, resting in our room. Dr. Guidoni, the hospital pediatrician, came by to give us the latest news on his progress. I was in complete shock at what she had to tell me. She said David most likely had Down Syndrome and then explained the outward physical signs that led her to that conclusion. She also began to explain all the health risks he would face--heart conditions, higher risk for leukemia, thyroid problems, slow development, among others. I hated hearing this all alone and wondered how I was going to break it to Kevin because this was one of his greatest fears realized. We chose not to have the tests done in pregnancy because we felt it wouldnt change our decision to continue with the pregnancy and because there is always a chance the tests are not accurate. My iPhone (bought in June) completely crashed on labor and delivery day so I was dependent on others to make calls. At this point I did have my laptop, though. I sent Kevin a FaceBook message to come back to the hospital so we could speak to the pediatrician. I kept it simple yet urgent. As the gravity of the situation began to settle in my mind, an hour passed before Kevin walked into the room. He, too, was in disbelief because David looked so perfect to us. Surely the blood tests would come back showing the doctor was mistaken. My in-laws arrived back at the hospital shortly after Kevin and I had to deliver the news again. The pediatrician returned to explain everything to them as well. My parents came up that night and we all shed some tears because it was clear we needed to adjust our expectations again. David was scheduled to have an eco-cardiogram the next morning as well as the standard hearing test. We wouldnt have his genetic bloodwork back for a few days. That night and the next few days seemed like an eternity. Thankfully, we received good news from the cardiologist. Children with DS have a 50% chance of having serious heart conditions but Davids heart only had a few abnormalities that may eventually right themselves in time. The hearing test results were also positive. By Thursday afternoon we were told the jaundice was improving but it was still at levels too high to be released from the hospital. My recovery was going extremely well and I was up walking the halls to speed it even more. By Friday afternoon we were told we would be released. Davids jaundice levels were at acceptable levels and he was eating well. We also had the results back from his genetic testing. It confirmed his diagnosis although we are still waiting to hear how this extra chromosome came about. Kevin had held out hope up until that point that the doctor was wrong. We are fortunate to have friends who have raised children with DS and can help us navigate this new path. The hospital also had a social worker give us many resources and contacts. Finally it was time to go home. Things have managed to settle down a bit here at the house. I am enjoying motherhood so very much. I was born for this! Kevin is coping much better with the DS diagnosis and we have been in contact with other families going through the emotional roller coaster we are. The part of the DS diagnosis that I struggle with is all the possible physical problems David may have to face. Wow, now I know a mothers worry! I do have to say I enjoy discovering all the things David CAN do. DS children tend to have a poor sucking response but this is definitely not the case with David. Hes doing better than some typicall babies would after a C-section. Another characteristic of DS children is droopiness and little neck control. David is actually very strong. Ill attach a video of some of our tummy activity and youll see for yourself how he can lift up his head. Although our birth story is completely different from what we expected, Kevin and I are so grateful for the knowledge we received in Lindas class. It helped us prepare for every scenario and we were able to make the tough decisions with confidence. I cant imagine facing what we faced without first going through the class. Thank you so much, Linda! Were looking forward to our reunion. Good luck to everyone! Kristin, Kevin, and David Bittick
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 02:17:02 +0000
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