Rhett Nicolas Andrews

Me after 36 hours of labor...don't judge.

There was a double rainbow out my window after the storm.

The first time I held Rhett...

He wrapped the cord around his neck...not sure how he did that.

My baby boy.

Labor was long and hard. Only fitting to have a long and hard labor after such a long and hard pregnancy. It all really started on Friday evening. My mom and my sisters went with me to EIRMC where they checked me in 2 days before my 36 week mark. Contractions were hard and constant, I was at a 1 but after an hour 1.5 and I thinned from 25 % to 75%. I knew labor was a ways away but needed to know if Chase needed to head home. They told me to go home and sleep because it would be a few hours. The head nurse also told me she thought the baby was posterior and to work on my hands and knees and encourage the baby to turn around. What a blessing, had it not been for the baby being posterior he probably would have come much earlier with my contractions. I told Chase he needed to come home. I had an appointment with a woman in Rigby who does reflexology for Monday morning and had every intention of having him on July 11th.

Saturday wasn't much better, I kept contracting and feeling lots of pressure. I spent most of the day in bed with Ruark watching movies and holding him. I knew it wouldn't be long until there was another baby grabbing my attention and I wanted Ruark to know his mom loves him. The rest of the time I spent on my hands and knees trying to move the baby, I scrubbed my floors and walls. Chase was supposed to be home late Saturday night, but got held up at work and decided to leave first thing Sunday morning. I stressed I would go into labor in the night, but morning came and I wasn't feeling much of a change.

There was a problem. The baby seemed off, he was thrashing around like he was in distress. I have never felt anything like it. I kept worrying he was tangled in the cord. I prayed and worried. I missed Church because Ruark was still sleeping. He had stayed with family the night I was at EIRMC and had stayed up with his cousins until 1:30 AM. He needed his sleep and I was hurting and didn't want to go anywhere.

Chase walked in the door at 4:30 PM Sunday afternoon and we were so excited to see him! I felt a huge relief and at 5:00 PM contractions started. They picked up faster and faster until they were coming every 3 minutes and lasting about 2 minutes long. Finally at 11:00 Chase said we should try and sleep for a while. I laughed in his face but also figured it was a good idea to try and rest. I took a Tylenol and closed my eyes for a few hours.

4:30 AM came and I could feel the contractions were getting stronger, so I got up and got in the bath. The water didn't slow anything down, I got dressed, did laundry and labored in my silent, dark house. I woke Chase up at 6:00 and told him he needed to shower and get dressed, I texted my family and told them I thought this was it. I found a place for Ruark to go and I waited. Chase took his time getting ready, every time I turned around he was watching Spongebob with Ruark and playing with him. I was frustrated, I was in pain. I was crying and whimpering through the contractions. Finally we packed everything out the door and dropped Ruark off with our friends.

I was angry and emotional by now. I couldn't stop crying. I didn't want to go back to the hospital and be told it was a false alarm. I wanted to be done being pregnant and I wanted the pain to stop. I didn't want the stress of wondering if I was going to have a stroke or blood clots. I didn't want the worry that the baby wasn't going to make it. My doctor's office opened in half an hour and I decided to wait in the parking lot until they opened. I didn't want to go to the hospital again. Dixie called me and I spent a good amount of time crying to her between contractions, waiting to go in to the office. Finally I walked in the doors and told them what was going on and needed to be checked. My doctor was in surgery but two minutes later he told them to send me to labor and delivery upstairs.

I checked in and dressed down. I cried harder, I didn't want to be sent home. It hurt and I just wanted to be done. They checked me, I was at a 2. UGH I knew it, I just wanted to go home and cry. My mom came in and she was really excited. She told me no one in my family ever goes to the hospital bigger than a two, that's when our labor really begins. I relaxed and let them monitor me. The monitor didn't pick up any of my contractions, every time I laid down my back and legs ached and I wanted to scream. It felt like I was being ripped apart if I laid down. I stood up and walked around my room, just like I did at home. An hour later they checked me again, I was at a 3. I couldn't believe it. My mom called my sisters and they all changed their plans for the day so they could come be with me. I don't think they have ever seen such a happy pregnant woman. I literally jumped for joy. They told me I could walk around for a while. I ran the stairs at the hospital for a good 30 minutes and then I started feeling sick.

I went back to my room to lie down while they monitored me. The monitors still weren't picking up my contractions and now my legs were hurting from running the stairs. An hour later I was still at a 3, I was frustrated. I told them to monitor me standing up, because the contractions were strong. Sure enough they could see my contractions. They asked if I wanted some Morphine so I could relax, I told them no. I didn't want any drugs other than an epidural. With Ruark they gave me stadol and I was hallucinating through the night stuck in the Lego Batman game.

They told me I would have to go on my own and that they wouldn't help me until I was at least 38 weeks. I was pissed, I decided fine then I will go on my own. I walked the halls again, and half an hour later after another check I was still at a 3. I started panicking, I was not being sent home when I was this close. I started hyperventilating a little bit. My mom and sister told me to sit down on the birthing ball in my room and *POP* my water broke. I couldn't believe it! My family NEVER has their water break. The nurse confirmed it, amniotic fluid. The baby is coming! I was so excited, my baby was on his way.

They asked if I wanted a bath or how I wanted to handle my pain. I just wanted to rest. Now that I knew labor was finally here, I just wanted to lay down. My body hurt so bad, I labored for another hour or so and finally asked my doctor when I could have my epidural. He said anytime, GREAT! They told me they wanted to start Pit because my contractions were slowing down, I told them I didn't want any pit without an epidural. So my anesthesiologist came and and got it going. I rested and that's when the fun began...

Women of Idaho Falls flooded the hospital. Everyone was going into labor, most needing c-sections and the nurses were running around like crazy. MANY sick babies were born that day and doctors, respiratory therapists and pediatricians were running through the halls. I was overlooked, and ignored for 5 HOURS!! We sat there and waited and were given excuse after excuse why there wasn't a nurse to come in to monitor me or turn up my pitocin. They finally came in to turn up my pitocin and I was so exhausted, my body felt like it was giving up. It was 7:00, they told me I was still at a 3.5-4. They told me to try and rest.

10:30 I was almost asleep. I was still breathing through every contraction, pit was on the highest level and my epidural wasn't working in my groin. I felt pressure and aching. I started feeling like he was coming down through the birth canal. I needed a nurse to come and check me. They checked me last 3.5 hours ago and we had no idea where I was at. My mom ran out to get help. I never felt so much pressure in my life. I just knew he was coming. A woman had just walked in with her 5 children dilated to a 6, and was screaming in the next room. Her children ran screaming through the halls and I could hear her moaning and screaming and hitting her head against the walls. We were told there was no one to help me. They would come as soon as she finished. My mom started screaming at the head nurse that we needed someone in my room, NOW. I felt like the baby was coming out, my anesthesiologist came in not understanding why no one was coming. My blood pressure kept dropping I was at 96/46 and the baby wasn't doing much better. His heart rate dropped from 179 to 79. Alarms were going off. Still no one was coming. My mom was yelling in the hall demanding someone come in and help.

They finally came in giving excuse after excuse. I told her to shut up and figure out what was going on. I was still only at a 4. I didn't understand, something was wrong. I started explaining that I thought something was wrong. I had a feeling the cord was wrapped around the baby's neck. I was dismissed and told that wasn't the problem and go to sleep. She told me I'd probably need a c-section. I started crying and praying even harder. I felt so weak and helpless. I willed my body to dilate and let my baby out. Chase gave me a blessing the day before and blessed me that I would have patience. I kept wondering WHY! Why do I need patience, I'm in labor!! I felt like passing out, my bp was so low. I fell into a restless sleep, they woke me at 3:00 to check me again. Still a 4. "You're probably going to need a c-section" was all she said and walked out. I really started crying now. I imagined them strapping me to the surgical table and ripping the baby from my body. I imagined the long recovery and the chance to deliver my baby being stolen from me. My mom and sister surrounded me (Chase was sleeping) we started praying, we texted family and friends and told them we needed prayers. I facebooked what was going on, I knew prayers were the only way I was going to get through this.

I was so hungry and depressed, I hadn't eaten in almost 48 hours. I asked for some food. Chase ran out to the "father's fridge" in the hall and grabbed some cheese sticks, a sandwich, crackers, and juice. I ate and ate. Everything tasted so good, I needed energy. I had nothing left to give, I knew I needed something more for the home stretch. I tried to slow down but I felt like this was the only thing I had control over. The more I ate the better I felt. I finally felt like I had strength to lift my head, my thoughts seemed clearer. I felt everything come into focus and I was determined that I WOULD NOT have a c-section.

My nurse called my doctor who got up and came down to talk to me. He didn't understand what was going on, he couldn't belive my labor was taking so long. Ruark's was only 9 hours beginning to end. He said we needed to turn all the pitocin off and reset my receptors to induce labor. That he would give me until the 24 hour mark from when my water broke or I would need a c-section. They turned everything off and my body stopped contracting. My bp kept dropping and they started giving me medication. I could feel pain in my groin, it hurt so bad. My anesthesiologist ran in to help. He gave me an extra dose of medication, and I started throwing up. He ran and got some nausea medication and I felt my body falling asleep. I could hear my baby's heartbeat, it was changing. Dropping lower and lower. Something was off. Chase, Angela and Danielle were sleeping. My mom came and sat by me. She told me she would not close her eyes and she would watch and make sure everything was okay. I was scared, I prayed he would be okay. Finally I gave in and I fell into a deep sleep, knowing I was safe and being watched over.

7:00 came and I was woken by an angel. Sally. The most amazing nurse I've ever met. I know she was sent by my Heavenly Father to protect me and my baby. She was what I was waiting for. She walked in and I knew things would be okay. She wanted to check me. My mom had walked out to go find someplace quiet to pray. I was at a 4.5, but she could feel another bag of water that hadn't popped. She said she knew what was going on. Within minutes she had my doctor in the room checking me and breaking the other bag of waters. Every half an hour she checked me, I was progressing quickly. I was told my bp was having a lot of problems while I slept and that the baby's heartbeat was too. I told my doctor and nurses that I thought there was a problem with the cord around the baby's neck. I was dismissed and I tried explaining that I really felt like there was a problem. I was given reason after reason why I was wrong.

My doctor had to leave at 8:00 to go to Blackfoot. I was at a 7.5. At 9:00 I was at a 9. It was almost here. They broke down the room, Sally was on top of everything. I asked if I could labor down I was terrified of ripping. Sadie was running to the hospital as fast as she could. I didn't want her to miss it. Sally watched the baby's heartbeat and said no we needed him out...now. The baby was right there and ready to come out. She grabbed the doctor on call and told me to start pushing.

It was finally here. It all felt so surreal. I kept saying, I don't know if I'm ready for this. We would finally know if it's a boy or a girl. I was numb, listening to the heartbeat. My room was full, nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists for the baby, my sisters, Chase, my Mom. I started pushing, they had me holding the monitor on the baby while I pushed. I needed to push harder, he needed to come out.

The doctor told me to push through the first contraction, they could see the head. They kept saying, there's so much hair. I smiled, excited to have another hairy little baby. The second contraction came, he was almost out. Danielle was video taping, all of a sudden she got wobbly and handed the video camera to my mom and collapsed into the sofa. She was white as a sheet, she put the air on her face from the fan and grabbed some juice from the table. I couldn't help but smile. It gave a little humor to the situation. The next contraction started I barely even had to push that time.

The baby came out. The coloring was awful and the cord was wrapped twice around the neck so tight. His little arms and hands were pulling at the cord around his neck trying to breath. We all watched to see if the baby was okay and then I noticed, OH it's a boy! I was overwhelmed, this was my dream. Every time my baby died in my dream. I went into defense mode, my emotions shut down while I waited for him to breathe. My room was silent. I thought minutes went by, but it was only 10-15 seconds. Then he let out a small cry.

I had him on my chest for just a moment while they cut the cord and then he was whisked away to be assessed. I never really saw his face. Everyone took photos and brought me pictures so I could see him. He was beautiful. He whimpered and started crying. They called out his stats to me. He was breathing, everything was perfect. He was perfect. 5 pounds 14 ounces and 19 inches long. They brought him back to me to hold for a minute and he was gone to the nursery. Chase followed him.

There were no tears, everything felt so unreal. I just waited to hear if he was okay. They stitched me up. Only a second degree tear. I waited for word how he was doing. 10-20 minutes later they brought him back. Everything was perfect, and he was finally here. My little Rhett Nicolas, lighter than a whisper. He is perfect in every way. I held him in my arms and kissed him. I thanked my Heavenly Father for my sweet boy and started planning my life with our two sons.