Ever since I knew we'd have another baby I wanted a VBAC, and when the doctor said I was a perfect candidate for it, I was sold on the idea. Until I out of curiosity asked what the risks were, since I knew some doctors and hospitals wouldn't do them. He said most of the time everything went really well, but when they went wrong it was a catastrophe. That put doubts in our heads for sure. For the next several months we went back and forth whether we wanted to have a scheduled c-section: my parents would be here to watch the kids, we'd know when it was, we wouldn't have to play the "am I really in labor" game, we could plan (I'm a big planner!), BUT the recovery would be longer and I couldn't pick up my other boys for at least a month which was really hard for everyone last c-section recovery. With a vaginal birth: the recovery time would be a less extensive, it's natural so I wouldn't have to have a major surgery, it's what I wanted, BUT I can't be induced with a VBAC and having delivered two sets of twins at 38 weeks being induced with both who knows how long I would go before my body felt the need to give birth, I couldn't plan which sounds silly but it's actually a big part when you think of who will take care of our 6 boys until my parents could come and would it be conenvient for them? The final deal breaker was twofold: 1. I heard over and over again that recovery for your second c-section was better and didn't take as long, and I remembered I wasn't able to pick up William and Ryan for a good 2 months before I even had the c-section so it was a good 3 months since I held them which is a lot worse than 1 month. 2. My doctor said he could induce me one week before my due date on Saturday, 21st. This means that Jacob could use his days off not for being with us in the hospital but for being with the whole family at home especially since he had Thursday and Friday off anyway because of Thanksgiving. Also it worked out great for my parents. So the new plan: If I went into labor on my own, we'd do vaginal; but if not we'd do the scheduled c-section.
I anticipated being checked at 37 weeks to find out whether we'd have a chance at having a baby before the scheduled time! I was dilated to a 0. I had never been at a 0 before, I thought just checking me would have made me a 1. Nope Thomas was so high up, this baby wasn't coming any time soon. Still Jacob and I worried over our decision, did we really want me to go into surgery? At my 38 week appointment, still at a 0, I asked my doctor how long he'd let me go since this kid didn't seem to want to come any time soon. He said we'd have a non-stress test at 40 weeks, then again at 41, but if I still wasn't progressing we'd do a c-section because we'd need to get the baby out. Which calmed our fears; if the end result would probably be a c-section anyway, we might as well do it sooner and at a more convenient time!
The night before Jacob and I went out for a mini date grocery shopping for the week or two ahead of us. My dad gave me a blessing with Jacob assisting, I gave my mom a run down again of everything they'd need to know to take care of the kids until we got back, we repacked our bags and were in bed about midnight. My alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. I took a shower, got somewhat ready and we left our house at 5 arriving at the hospital at 5:30. It was weird to be there prepping for our baby but not feeling any sort of pain. We were tired but so excited knowing in minutes we'd be holding our little boy! After all the check in routines and signing the papers, I walked into the O.R. to have our Thomas. They gave me spinal block and while that kicked in everyone was just chatting: doctors, nurses, anesthesiologist, Jacob and I. Once we were ready to go they started, it was a much better experience for both of us this go around. I felt better and Jacob actually got to stand up and see them cutting me open! He took a video of it, which I still haven't watched because my incision is still too fresh, but our boys have and a lot of family - I hear it's not that graphic but still, I'll watch it probably in a week or two. As a point of interest, Jacob said they used scissors and past them from one side to the other, Dr. Nance on one side and another doctor on the other for about 7 layers. Out came Thomas Orson Morrise at 8:07 a.m. weighing 8 lbs. 10 oz and 19 1/2 inches long! They cleaned him up a bit and let me see him before taking him to the nursery, sewed and cleaned me up and we were all together again in our hospital room. We instantly fell in love with our little Thomas! ( Baby Tom, Tommy)
*Things I want to remember from this pregnancy: The first trimester was not as bad as a twin pregnancy, but the second trimester was! I grew to be about as big and uncomfortable and waited to see what the third trimester would be; it was so much better than a twin pregnancy! I was able to walk around and do everything I had always done, just a bit slower and with lots of breaks.
The blanket I made for Thomas. It is really plain but I appliqued a car, truck and train with some brown mink fabric to make a soft place for him to snuggle. Then I had it quilted with circles as a pattern. Also we got this chair at Savers for $10 so I would have a place to rock Thomas in our room. I love them both!
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