Ezra's Birth Story

From Heather's Perspective:

My pregnancy had been mostly textbook until my 36 week check up when my blood pressure was high twice in a row. The dr sent me to be monitored in the antepartum testing where they test my blood pressure, the baby's heart beat, and do an ultrasound on my amniotic fluid. Everything was great, but because it happened once, I would have to come for testing twice a week until Ezra arrived. The next week, I continued to get tested and on Tuesday night (actually 2am on Wednesday) I was feeling awful and was throwing up, so I finally convinced myself I needed to go be checked out. Because I was over 20 weeks pregnant, I had to pass through the ER and head to Labor and Delivery. I was there for over 5 hours as they monitored me and gave me medicine for my nausea. I went home exhausted, but Ezra and I were both ok and all the tests came back fine. I didn't have pre-eclampsia like they kept expecting. I remember just laying there praying that they would come back negative because if I was pre-eclampsic, they would have to induce labor and Austin would miss it...little did I know!

On Friday morning, August 21 at about 5 am I awoke (which was normal during pregnancy), but I didn't feel like I just had to pee. I stood up and I knew something was up. I made it to the bathroom and sure enough my water had broke! I was so upset...this was not supposed to be happening right now. I knew that Austin would not see little Ezra born. I called my mom crying and she just told me she would be on her way and to get to the hospital. I called my local support system that I swore I would not have to use! Kim, whose husband had just returned from Iraq, didn't have her phone near her. She was my fill in labor coach. I got a hold of Corie. We who have husbands deployed tend to have our phones close by! She would have to get child care and get her oldest off to school. I was not in pain, so I decided to drive myself to the hospital. (I joked that I would do this anyway since the hospital is literally 2 minutes from my house.) I took a shower and tried to get my things together. I was trying so hard to think of everything, but it was so hard to get my mind focused. I finally made it to the hospital at 6 am...I know, I know what took me so long. I was so not prepared to be giving birth 2 weeks early. My house was a mess because I had been sick that week and was planning to clean up that weekend. Ezra's nursery was not quite finished and my hospital bag was only half packed. But most of all, Austin was not here yet!!

By 9 am, they had me in a room and my friend Corie had arrived. I was still having no strong contractions. Kim showed up about 20 minutes later. Both of my friends brought things to do like cards and movies and music. We just enjoyed our time as 2 other friends, Jennifer and Emily stopped by. They finally started me on pitocin (to get the contractions going) at about 11:30am. My mom finally arrived at the hospital around 2:30pm after getting lost on the way to the post and having trouble getting on because my cousin, Raina, who drove her didn't know her insurance was expired! When Nana (that's what my mom is now to be called) got there, I was still not having really strong contractions and was not in any pain. By early evening, the pain began to get stronger as my contractions came closer together and harder. My midwife said she wanted me breathing through my contractions and being in true active labor before she gave me the go ahead for an epidural. I was in quite a bit of pain, but only dialated to 2cm. I asked if I could have something to take the edge off, but not anything that would make me loopy or out of it. So they gave me some meds through my IV. It felt great at first to have some relief, but about 20 minutes later the pain was coming through strong again!

Next time they checked me, I was at 3cm and in a lot of painso the midwife gave the go ahead for the epidural. I was never so glad to see a person (the anesthesiologist) in my life! He was definitely my hero at that point. I was unsure as to whether or not I would even get an epidural, but after that pitocin kicked in, it was like I was just constantly having a contraction. They took my breath away and literally my whole body bore the brunt of that pain! After the epidural began its work, I felt amazing! I was truly able to enjoy my birth experience. There are some people that argue that it slows down labor, but that was not the case with me at all! I went from a 3 to a 6 shortly after and in a few hours was already at a 10! Ready to push before I knew it!

The new midwife came on duty that evening and she was amazing. She was very peaceful and put me at ease. In between pushes, I was just joking and laughing with my nurses, Kim and my mom. I was so ready to have that kiddo out and in my arms. I was determined to push him out quick which I did. In 30 minutes at 11:50pm, out came little Ezra Austin Vann. They almost immediately put him on me after cutting the cord (which my mom got to do). Kim, my mom and I just looked at each other and cried. It was quite an amazing experience. They took Ezra to the other side of the room to get his vitals and clean him up and a few minutes after that, Austin called. It was perfect timing! He had no idea Ezra was born or that I was even close. I told him, "You're a daddy! You have a son!" He was so happy!! We spoke the whole time they were getting Ezra all cleaned up and when they brought him over to me, I held the phone up to his little ear so daddy could talk to him! Ezra was bright eyed and alert listening to his daddy.

So in all I was in "labor" for 19 hours, pushed for 30 min, and gained the sweetest little boy for a lifetime! I would do it again in a heartbeat. After being so sad that Austin missed such a happy day, I feel the Lord blessed my birth experience and was with us at every turn. So many people prayed with us and for us that day! I thank God for such wonderful friends who did everything they could to make the experience perfect! God provided for my every need even with my husband gone. And Austin was able to leave on a plane right after Ezra was born and was home several hours after I was discharged from the hospital.

I will have Austin post the experience from his side very soon!