My decision came down to two things, the short turn around between babies (16 months) and would I be disappointed if I tried for a virginal birth only to need a c-section due to complications? I would be very disappointed, so my decision was take all the uncertainty out of it and book in the c-section for the 18th March. On with Patrick's birth!
Contractions began at 6:30am Friday, while I was having breakfast. Since I never went into natural labour with James, and I never had braxton hicks with either pregnancy, I just assumed they were painful braxton hicks. They were painful enough to stop me from what I was doing (eating, walking, talking) but not so much that I though it was labour. I still went into work at 7:30am but noticed the contractions were coming more often and were lasting about thirty seconds.
The same day we had kept James from daycare because he had a slightly high temperature and there had been a flu going around. So James had gone into work with BJ in the morning. I picked James up at 10am and went home. James and I had some lunch and he went for a nap. At this stage I still didn't know they were contractions but because they were around twenty mins apart I thought I would just check with the hospital. The midwife asked me to come in to check it out, this was at 12:30pm. After asking BJ to come home and look after James, I headed into the hospital at 1pm.
I was hooked up to the monitors and the midwifes confirmed that I was having contractions. By 2:30pm the contractions were ten mins apart and the baby's heartbeat was good. Dr J asked the midwifes to give me an internal to check how things were going downstairs and my cervix was soft, baby's head was low and engaged and I was 2cm! I was in labour at thirty-five weeks, two days. At 3:00pm Dr J thought he would pay me a visit and perform another internal to confirm the midwives measurements. He also confirmed I was in labour and considering how the contractions had stepped up in intensity and frequency, I would be having this baby by 2am Saturday morning. Did I still want a c-section?
Something I had put so much thought into was being asked again and I still felt uncertain. I decided to go ahead with the c-section. Dr J said we'll head into theatre at 4:30pm! Shit, panic stations! Cue meltdown. It was too early for the baby, BJ wasn't here and what are we going to do with James? My Mum had originally booked flights to come up and look after James when I was going in to have the baby, so BJ and I could spend as much time at the hospital, as we don't have any family in town that could look after him. So those plans were thrown out the window.
I ran BJ in tears and told him we were having the baby in the next two hours. He pretty much took control and said he would take care of everything. James could go to a good friends house for the night and he would be at the hospital in the next half an hour. After speaking with BJ, the nurse came in with all the consent forms and reassured me that everything was going to be okay. The baby's heart beat was really good and at thirty-five weeks they wouldn't spend too much time in the Special Care nursery. I got a couple of phone calls from Mum (who was packing her bag and driving the fours hours that night to be here) and a good friend who's son had arrived at thirty-four weeks, which was reassuring.
I was told to take a shower and start putting my hospital gown and stockings on, when BJ turned up. It was great to see him, like a calm port in a storm. By that stage I was still having contractions but they were manageable. At 4:30pm, I was wheeled into theatre by Dr J and at 16:45 on Friday 22nd February, Patrick John was born. Unlike his brother, Patrick cried while being born. And like his brother, BJ was the one to announce to the world, "we have another son". Tears flowed once more and Patrick was taken with his Dad, out of theatre. Once a quick look over was done, they were both brought back in and I could look at and kiss my new baby boy.
Since Patrick needed oxygen, he was taken straight away into the Special Care nursery and BJ kept him company while I was stitched up and waited in recovery. Dr J told me, I was already 4cm when Patrick was born, so he may have come even sooner than he predicated. Once I was wheeled out into the ward I could see our little boy through the window of the Special Care Nursery for a few minutes and then was taken into my room.
In the end it all turned out well and our little guy is here safe and healthy.
