How it All Began (The Birth Story)

On Saturday November 10, 2012 I was 40weeks and 1 day pregnant with Paris.  I spent that day frustrated because I had already been anxious for weeks for her arrival, and she was now officially late.  All morning I cleaned my house, showered and did my hair, went for a long drive listening to Christmas music, and did anything to occupy my mind from being upset.  My mom had called me that day and asked me to wait til Monday to go into labor because she wanted to get her Christmas trees up that weekend before needing to get on a plane.  Honestly I was irritated by the conversation but laughed it off and said ok mom.  I went to get some dinner and while I was there I called my dad to wish him a happy birthday.  We talked for awhile, I told him of my frustration, and how I was over being pregnant, and I asked him if he was ready to be a grandfather yet... He replied "No not ready for all of that yet, but I guess I have no choice." When I went home from dinner I was walking up my stairs carrying in some things from my car, and my puppy was also running up the stairs with me.  She got in front of me causing me to trip and fall forward.  I caught myself, and the fall really didnt hurt at all so I thought nothing of it.  About an hour passed and I started feeling a little bit of pelvic pain and noticed some spotting. It wasnt contractions though so again, I didnt think much of it. However throughout my pregnancy I had been a worry wart and worried about every pain I ever had so I decided to go to the hospital and just make sure everything was ok... better safe than sorry right?  So without telling anyone I drove myself to the labor and delivery and got checked out.  They told me everything was fine and normal, the pain was probably my body preparing for labor, but i was nowhere near being in labor yet.  They said to wait 20min til they told my dr what was going on, then they would send me home.  Over this time a lot of pain had gone away and I was ready to go. I sat there for about 5 min waiting for them to tell me to leave when suddenly I could no longer hear the quick paced heart beat but instead just a few heartbeats here and there followed by an alarm going off in the hall.  A nurse rushed in the room asking me if i had moved and I told her no.  She had me flip to one side as she pushed on my stomach then back to the other side and the heart rate wouldnt go back up.  She frantically called for help and I began to panic and cry.  All that was going through my head was that the little girl I was so anxious to meet and had carried for 10 months might not make it.  I promise you I've never had a worse feeling in my entire life.  The nurse was then strapping these weird things onto my legs and I asked her what was going on.  She told me we were going to another room for an emergency c-section.  I started to panic even more because no one even knew I was at the hospital with the exception of my good friend Allie who thought I was about to go home.  My whole body started to shake, and I cried harder... the nurse put the oxygen mask on me and I begged her to let me make some phone calls on my way to the other room.  I called my mom, who didnt answer so I called my dad to get ahold of her and told him what was going on but knew I probably wouldnt talk to my mom before Paris arrived.  I called P'Allen (Paris' dad) and also didnt get an answer, so I called his mom and let her know, she told me they'd be on their way.  I then called my friend Allie and frantically told her what was going on and she told me she'd get ahold of P and that she was almost to the hospital.  By this time I was almost to the operating room so I text my siblings a simple "having an emergency c-section" and that was it for my phone. By the time I was in the OR her heart rate had gone back up to normal and I begged them not to do the c-section.  They told me they'd wait for my doctor but that they think I should do it.  Allie came into the room and got ahold of my mom and sister for me and kept them updated on what was going on.  She managed to calm me down and informed me that P was on his way.  The dr came and I told him that I didnt want to go through with it and he responded with "Her heart rate dropped down to a level so low that most babies dont come back from, we dont want it to happen again so Im not giving you much of a choice on doing it." I asked him if we could wait til her dad was there and he said no we needed to get going right away so if he showed up while he changed then thats fine but otherwise they were going to proceed.  I agreed and they began the process.  They injected morphine into my spine and as I was going numb P arrived at the hospital. 

He quickly changed into surgery clothes and came in the room right after the doctor.  He sat down next to me and I started to just have a normal conversation with him about what had happened.

While Im talking he was looking at me crazy and finally asked me "how are you talking normal right now, you cant feel that?" I asked what he meant and he responded "Your stomach is wide open right now!" with the most disgusted look on his face. I laughed and told him not to watch and then he said he could see lots of hair.  30 seconds later I heard a cry and immediately felt relieved.  They quickly showed me Paris over the sheet and took her to be cleaned up and weighed.

 

 

 

I layed there while they stapled me back up and all I wanted to do was see my beautiful baby girl.  They announced that she was 17lbs 12oz and 20in long.  As soon as she was done they brought her to me but I wasnt able to hold her just yet.  I kissed her face and let her go with her dad to the other room while the doctor finished with me.  The dr then informed me that the placenta had started to separate from the uterine wall and they think it may have been caused by my fall and thats why her heart rate had dropped.  I cried a little again and had to say a prayer and thank God for saving me my baby.

 



Before having Paris I had two fears... One was having to have a C-section, and the other was having a really long labor.  When all was said and done I was just so grateful that I had now had a healthy baby, the fact that I had a c-section no longer bothered me, and hey... it only took 15minutes ;)
The nurses wheeled me back to the delivery room and I was so anxious to hold Paris. 

When I got back to the room they had Paris under the heater and were getting her foot prints.  I was joined by my friend Allie, friend Haley, P'Allen (who had been crying happy tears) and his mother.  Everyone was so happy, but I dont think anyone was as happy as me.  I called my mom and told her the news and she told me she was looking at flights for the following day.

FINALLY I was able to hold Paris! Growing up my mom always told me, there's no love like the love you have for your children, and that one day I would understand that.  It took me 30 seconds of holding my own daughter to realize how right she was.  I had just met her and was more in love with her than I've ever been in love with anything.  I was so happy holding my little miracle in my arms.

I then got to feed Paris for the first time which was also a very special moment that I got to share just between me and her. I was happy!!!  At this moment I knew my life would never be the same.  I had fear of being a good mom, excitement for all the things I would get to do with her, so much love and appreciation for those who were there, but most of all gratitude that everything worked out ok.  I couldnt help but wonder what would have happened if I wasnt at the hospital in that very moment.  If they had released me any earlier, or if I had not gone at all.  I feel so blessed every day that I wake up and see this little girl's beautiful face.

Sharing a Birthday with my dad, born at  9:50pm November 10, 2012, the love of my life.... Paris Rose Stinnett.