Sydney's birth Story

Sydney Jeanne was born on May 13, 2006 at 7:49 am. She was born via a planned c-section because she was not growing as she should have during her pregnancy. She weighed 2 pounds 13 ounces.

Our C-section went very fast. After Vince and I arrived at 5:45 am, things began hoping. I was placed in a labor and delivery room. My blood was drawn, thankfully at the same time they were putting in the IV. Vince was given blue scrubs to wear to the surgery. The nurse told me to take out my contacts, but my OB and the anesthesiologist said I could leave them in. I am grateful to that, for at least my visual recollections of the c-section are clear.

Pretty close to 7:30, I was wheeled around the corner to the c-section room. That room was rather cold. I complained about the cold. Vince stood next to me the entire time. He held my hands as they put the spinal anesthesia into my back. As I sat there for the spinal, I became very scared. It was very calming to be able to look into his brown eyes as he told me he loved me and helped me hold still. The spinal took effect rather quickly. I was laid down, because I could not move anything. It was the weirdest feeling to be under the spinal. The nurses moved my legs to insert the catheter. I could feel that my legs were being stretched too far, but could not move them.

Up went a curtain. I could feel myself being moved around but never connected with the fact that my surgery had started. I guess I thought they were still cleaning my belly with betadine. All the sudden, my doctor announces it is baby time. I said that I did not even know they had started. Some people laughed. Then out comes Sydeny. She is held over the curtain for me to see. All I could see was a blue and grey bottom covered by blood. I could see her little feet, and realized how small she really was. Sydney made one small cry, and was taken from the room.

Vince and I stared at each other. Information on how my baby was doing came rather sparse for my tastes. Sydney was born at 7:49 am. We learned she weighed 2 pounds 13 ounces, much less than predicted on the ultrasounds. We learned she was kicking and screaming as the team worked on her. Her apgars were 5 and 9. My OB showed Vince my uterus. It is heart shaped. She did not feel this had any bearing on the IUGR in the pregnancy, but noted it. She said my placenta, which we had thought was the problem, looked normal. It was sent for a pathology exam. She sewed me up rather quickly, and it was over. Prior to this, I had expressed I felt I could not breathe, but she said as long as I was talking, I was ok, which is true. It felt weird, not painful. After the surgery, they lifted me to the bed to go back to my room. This was truly weird, as I could not feel anything below my ribs. I feel very sure I was going to fall. I was back in my room by 8:10.

I immediately wanted to know what was going on with Sydney. My mom helped me call the NICU and we learned she was OK and Vince could come back. She was on oxygen, but otherwise OK.

I was wheeled into the operating room a pregnant woman. I came out a mother. I was scared about what would happen with the baby, and what would happen with me. Just as the spinal took effect, I felt one last kick from Sydeny. I miss feeling her kick inside of me, and miss having her with me. I cared for her when she was inside of me, and now her care is being done by strangers.