My Birth Story With Nolan
Nolan Istvan Papp was born on June 8th at 1:31pm. He weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz. and was 20.5 inches long. He has been the perfect addition to our family. Our family is complete 🙂
Ironically, Nolan was 5 days late, the same as our daughter. My labor started at 2 a.m., which after looking back was around the same time my labor started with Brooklynn. With that being said, here begins Nolan’s birth story.
It all started at 2 a.m. in the morning. Since this was my second birth, I knew what to look for as far as what contractions feel like and when would be a good time to go in. Fast forward and its now 2:45 a.m. I had been up timing my contractions and knew he would be coming on this day. My contractions were 3-4 minutes apart and were consistent since 2 a.m. I woke up Steve, called the nurse at the hospital, told her my details and told her we would be there withing the next 30 minutes. My parents showed up to stay at the house since Brooke was sleeping, (Steve called them while I called the nurse) and my dad drove us downtown to the hospital. Now–this is where the story really gets good!
With COVID and having a baby during a pandemic, I knew things would be a little different. It started at the drop off. One, we had to put on our masks. Since it was around 3 a.m. we were the only ones entering at that moment (thank goodness!! honestly, I was so worried if I went into labor during the day, I would have to walk in and wait in line while in labor with a zillion people around me—Mayo Clinic is not small by any means!) They buzzed us in, and as I am standing there having some pretty decent contractions, I am asked all those COVID questions, “have you had a fever, cough, sore throat, and the list goes on…” after that I remember grabbing the table and breathing through a contraction as she was checking my temperature. I remember wanting to say, “lady, I am good, I am clearly here to have a baby so just let me go up!” So, we got through that and up we went. Once we got seen, and I got checked to see how far I was dilated, they checked us in. I was at 4/5 at this point. Once I heard that, I remember looking at Steve and saying “We are having a baby today!” We were so excited.
They moved us into a room where I would be delivering. It’s now around 4-5 a.m. Contractions were getting more intense and seemed to be moving closer together. What was hurting even more than the contractions, was the back pain I was getting due to the position little man was in. Back labor is no joke!! I didn’t have intentions to have an all natural birth. I never make a “birth plan.” I just do what I feel I need to for my body in that moment, and also what baby needs as well. I didn’t have a non-medicated birth with Brooke, and knowing what labor feels like when dilated at a 7/8, I wasn’t about to go that far the second time around.
After several hours, my contractions are still staying steady and moving along. The pain was increasing, and after the nurse mentioned how many scheduled c-sections there were that morning, I didn’t want to take the chance that I would have to REALLY wait for an epidural due to the Anesthesiologist being tied up. I decided to get an epidural. My back was in so much pain at this point, I knew it was what I needed to do. Its around 10 a.m. at this point.
Epidural was in and I started to feel relaxed. I tried to take a little nap to gain strength for pushing later on. My midwife checked me and I was now dilated to a 6/7 at this point. It had maybe been about 20 minutes after the epidural when all the beeping started. All the screens, monitors, etc. in my room started going off and nurses came rushing in. I didn’t know what was going on, I looked to Steve and he just gave me that look of, “it’s ok babe, we will get through this.” I asked what was happening, and they responded with “the baby’s heart rate is drastically dropping we need to flip you to your knees.” Since I had an epidural, I couldn’t move from my hips down, so the nurses are flipping me as safely, yet as fast as possible over to my knees. All I remember is my arms were shaking, and I was trying to just focus on holding myself up and breathing. I kept asking if the baby was ok. What felt like forever, which I am sure was just minutes, the nurses responded with “ok, good, his heart rate is coming back up.” Once his heart rate was in a safe zone, they flipped me back over, but to my side. Baby did not like me on my back for whatever reason, nor did he like the “jump start” drug they give before the epidural. But, baby was leveled out and all seemed to be ok now.
An hour or so goes by, it’s around 11 a.m., the nurse comes in with the Midwife to check me. I was dilated at an 7/8 at this point. Due to what happened earlier, baby was trying to settle himself again, so they wanted to start me on petocin to help speed things up a bit. I agreed to start on a small dose of that. While they were sending in the order to get the petocin down to the room, that’s when the pain came. I suddenly felt my contractions on my left side and my back pain on that side came back, but much more intense. The nurse could tell I was in pain and asked me,”did you just feel that whole contraction?” —I couldn’t even answer. I was full on crying at this point and grabbing the left side bed rail with all my life. It hurt so much. All I remember is crying through each painful contraction and squeezing that rail with all the strength I had since my whole right side was numb and I couldn’t move. The epidural didn’t work (this happened with Brooke, too). What felt like forever, which was about 30 minutes, my midwife and Anesthesiologist agreed they would take out the epidural and do another one (of course I agreed). So, here I am, feeling the full on pain (that I didn’t want to), crying and bear hug clinging to my nurse through each painful contraction as they administer epidural number two (she literally was amazing. I could not have done this labor without her).
I have such a big place in my heart for people who do natural births after experiencing this level of pain. Why ya’ll do it, I will never fully understand, but holy moly is it painful! Finally, after 20 minutes it takes for it to fully kick in, the second epidural worked. I still had back pain, but it was at least tolerable.
A couple hours go by, and I am getting close to meeting our baby boy. It was around 12:45 p.m. I remember looking at Steve and saying,”Um, something just happened, I feel a lot of pressure and I feel like baby is coming.” He calls the nurse in, who has the midwife come in and check me out. Sure enough, my water broke and baby was coming, too. They both get the room prepped. My midwife looks at me and says, “Are you ready to push and have this baby?” Gosh—that question was the best one all day! Heck yes! Let’s do this! I started pushing and 4 minutes later Nolan was out! It was the fastest pushing ever, I was in shock when they handed me our baby. He was perfect.
So, normally, this is when the birth story would stop, but Nolan had some issues with his glucose levels. The nurses came in and talked to me. This was only about 20 minutes after I had just pushed him out, and I was informed he would have to go to the NICU and he wouldn’t be able to room in with us. I just started sobbing. That’s not the news any mom wants to hear. I mean I just pushed him out? I barely have had time with him, and now they want to take him away? This was one of the hardest, and most emotional things I have ever experienced in my life. All in all, it ended fine and we could visit him whenever we wanted, but the emotional tole it had me in the hospital was devastating. I just remember being wheeled off in my wheel chair going the opposite direction of my little baby and just sobbing. Praise God Nolan’s levels got better over the night. The next night he was cleared and got to come be in the room with me. I just held onto that baby.
Day two, Nolan and I were both doing well and we got to finally go home! Overall, my experience at Mayo Clinic delivering a baby during a pandemic went great. The only big difference COVID related was of course everyone was wearing masks. If you left your room, we would have to wear a mask. I chose not to when in labor or around my baby, and my nurses/midwives were fine with that. The only other differences were no visitors–which honestly was kind of nice to just focus on us in the hospital. My husband, Steve, still was able to be with me though everything and stayed over night the first night, and came back the next morning.
No labor is perfect and you can’t always predict what will happen—but I am thankful for the nurses, midwives, and all other staff that gave us the best possible experience we could have. We are so thankful for a healthy & happy little boy.
To all the mommas out there who are expecting a baby soon–you got this!!
Much love,
Kiersten