The Birth Story of Kiersten Mae Denny

Here is Kiersten's birth story as I remember it. . .

I had a high risk pregnancy with high blood pressure that started at 21 weeks. At 27 weeks I was sent to labor and delivery with a blood pressure of 140/95. It went down, and I returned home. . . but I was very puffy. Since I only have one kidney and my previous delivery of a 10.3 oz baby boy resulted in a 4th degree episiotomy, the doctors watched me like a hawk after that. I went for weekly appointments, and I had numerous high blood pressure scares.

I started dilating at 34 weeks and was 2cm and 50% effaced at 35 weeks. I had to go to fetal diagnostics at 37 weeks to find out how large she was. We found out for sure that she was a girl:o) and also that she was in the 94% percentile for babies her age: she was approaching the 9 pound mark at 37 weeks!! They decided to leave the baby where she was so the lungs would fully develop. The same day as I had the sono at fetal diagnostics, I had my doctor's appointment. They were trying to locate her heart beat, and they could NOT find it at the office!! They rushed me to their sono room where I was soo nervous. . . we had just seen the heartbeat 30 minutes before and knew that she should be fine?? They found it! She was lying in a transverse position that allowed her heartbeat to be hidden. (relieved)

At my 38 week appointment, May 24 (Friday of memorial day weekend), they finally decided to take her. They checked her weight again by sono and determined that she weighed 9lbs and needed to come out. My blood pressure was up a little too, so we chose the next day. . .

Saturday May 25th memorial weekend. . .

We were off to the hospital. I checked in and was set up on the "PIT." They checked me to see how far I was along as soon as I got into my gown. To our surprise I walked in at 4cm!!! I was going on my own. I was 70% effaced though. . . so the doctor came in and turned my cervix?? He pulled it forward or something.

7:00 the 25th

I showed no progress the entire morning and afternoon. Finally the doctor came in and broke my water at 4cm dilated and scheduled the epidural.

8:00 the 25th

The epidural was awful. . . the procedure took 25 minutes of digging around in my back for the right vertebrae. My husband turned as white as a ghost. I could feel the doctor touching my bone with the needle, and the blood was just running down my back. The contractions were coming pretty good by now. . . and I had to sit up and stay still through every one of them.

After surviving the epidural and relaxing for a minute, I felt soo much better. . . I actually felt relaxed for the first time that day. Then I felt this amazing pressure about 30 minutes after the epidural. I did not even get a chance to relax. . .

9:00 pushing

The nurse finally checked me after I kept announcing all of this rectal pressure that I was feeling. I caught her off guard because she thought I would be a while. . . NOT! She checked me, and I was 10cm and rimming. She looked at me and said, "Well are you ready to have a baby!!" I was thrilled!!! I pushed about 30 minutes and at 10pm she was born!!! I was a little bit on the bitchy side as I was pushing. . . I refused to push and kicked a little. . . but I regained control after the doctor made a small incision allowing some of the pressure to be relieved, and that made it easier to push her out. . .

Kiersten Mae Denny was here. . . a welcomed (last) addition to our little family. I said to her as I held her the first time, "You have the best older brother at home.":o) Her apgar was a 8-9. . . she cried most of the hour after her birth.

I developed a temperature and so did she, so we were kept till Monday Memorial day when I was allowed to come home with our precious new baby girl. (I always wanted one of each.)

She is a complete joy, and I could never picture life without her.

Copyright 1997 by Jennifer Denny
Used by permission