Kallen's Birth Story

Here is the story of sweet Kallen's arrival on December 30th, 2014.

 Monday started out as any other day, Kevin woke up went to work, I got up and ate some breakfast and did some things around the house. I was off from work for Christmas break and was just hanging out at home. I got ready and met my girlfriend for some lunch and some shopping. I had my 40 week appointment at 4:15 PM and didn't take Kevin with me because honestly I thought Kallen was going to stay in there, and the doctor had told me that they wouldn't induce me until January 3rd. So I still was thinking I had a whole week until Kallen arrived. Little did I know, Kallen had other plans for his momma. Dr. Porter came in the room as typical and listened to Kallen's heart rate, which took him forever to find. I thought that was really weird because at every other appointment he has always been able to find it without a problem. The Dr. seemed concerned as Kallen's heart rate was really low. He continued to do a cervical check and my cervix was actually starting to close and I went from being dilated to at 2.5 to a 1!!! Hearing that was super frustrating and not what I wanted to hear. Dr. Porter sent me over to labor and delivery to be hooked up and to have Kallen's heart rate monitored. As I laid there in the room by myself hooked up to the machines I was so overwhelmed. I wasn't ready for Kallen to be here yet - I thought I still had one more week, I started to cry and called my mom. She calmed me down and told me that everything was going to be okay. After being monitored for 45 minutes the nurse came back in and told me that everything looked good and Kallen's heart rate was back up and all of my fluids were okay. She sent me home for the night and told me to call the doctor in the morning.

As I walked out of the hospital to my car I was so relived that Kallen was okay and they were letting me go home. I called Kevin and told him that everything was good and I was on my way home. As soon as I walked in the door to our house my phone started ringing and it was Dr. Porter's office. My heart sank as I saw the number come across my phone. I answered and it was Dr. Porter. He said that after reviewing the results from the fetal monitor he was concerned and wanted me to come back to the hospital to be induced that night. He stated that although Kallen's heart rate was back up I was having what were called accelerated contractions, which meant I was having contractions that were lasting about 5 minutes each and was causing stress on Kallen, and was in turn causing his heart rate to drop. Dr. Porter said the 6 words that I had been dreading "We are going to induce you." So get your bags packed and wait for labor and delivery to call you. I hung up the phone and my heart started to race as I was so overwhelmed with what was about to come. I called Kevin and told him the news - he was still working. He rushed home and started to help me get all three of our bags ready for the hospital. Kev went to kneaders and got me soup and a sandwich to eat for dinner, I could hardly eat because of the butterflies in my stomach. It was now 8:30 and we still hadn't heard from L&D so Kevin called to check and the nurse he spoke with said to come in at 9:00 PM. We got in the car and headed to Kevin's parents house to drop Leo off. Leo was so distraught, I believe he knew what was about to happen. I gave him loves and kisses and then before I knew it we were on our way to Riverton Hospital to meet our sweet baby boy!

We arrived at the hospital at 9:00 pm. My parents met us at the entrance of the hospital and followed us up to L&D. I was trying to keep my mind occupied and not be a complete basket case, but I was so nervous. We got into our labor room, where the nurse hooked me up to my IV, which I was told was going to be the worst part. The nurse kept missing my vein that was on my hand and eventually gave up and just put the IV in my wrist. It was so painful and in such an annoying spot, every time I moved my hand I was in pain. My husband, my parents, my sister & I waited in the room while the pitocin did it's job. Here we laughed and joked and talked about how we couldn't believe the day was finally here to meet Kallen. I tried to wait and get my epidural because I didn't want to be confined to my bed. That lasted a whole 4 hours before I was begging to get the epidural. The anesthesiologist came in a little after 1 am to give me my epidural. I was so horrified to get the epidural and started crying before the anesthesiologist even started to prep me. I had to sit on the edge of the bed with my feet Indian style, hunched over a pillow for them to administer my epidural. At this point, I lost it. I started sobbing because I was terrified, just a huge rush of emotions. The poor anesthesiologist definitely thought I was a lunatic - he hadn't even finished putting the tape on my back! They told me that I would feel a little sting & then some pressure. That's exactly what I felt. It didn't hurt at all.. It was sort of a scary feeling just knowing what was happening but no pain. As I sat there for a few minutes, both of my legs got warm & heavy and the pain started to go away. I laid back down in my bed and my family came back in the room. My dad and sister went home to get some rest and my husband and mom curled up on the couch bed to try and get some sleep. I labored through the night and didn't really get much sleep between the anxiety and the nurse coming in to check on me every hour.

I wasn't really progressing at all and that really started to worry  me. By 8:00 AM I had only dilated to a 3! That was the most frustrating news ever. Dr. Porter came in at 9:00 AM to see how I was doing and asked me "Well! Are we going to have this baby today or what?" we all started laughing and I said, "I sure hope so!" Porter broke my water and then said he would be back in a little while to check on me. Once he had broken my water I started having horrible contractions that I could feel, I let my nurse know and she said that sometimes epidurals don't work, say what??? Are you kidding me?!? I have to continue to feel this pain until I deliver my baby? My nurse was so sweet and kept rotating/flipping me in my bed to try and get the epidural medicine to work, I was dying at this point, by about noon I was in hard labor and had a major meltdown. There were so many people in my labor room family, nurses and the doctor I was so overwhelmed and was in so much pain!! I started to sob and told my husband that I didn't think I could do this. He held my hand and kissed me on the forehead and reassured me that I was strong and that we were going to get through this. Kevin sat there with me and held my hand and helped me focus on my breathing which calmed me down a lot. Porter came in at 2:00 PM and checked me and I was fully dilated and ready to go. There were so many babies be born that day, that even though I was ready, we actually had to wait for our nurse to come help with the delivery. Finally the nurse and Dr. were ready and it was time for me to do my part and push. The first contraction came and the nurse counted to ten while I pushed, I was pushing so hard I thought I was going to pass out!! The second contraction came and we repeated the whole process over again, the third contraction came and I felt a lot of pressure and then, just like that Dr. Porter was holding my sweet baby in his hands. They immediately laid Kallen on my chest while they rubbed him and cleaned him off a little. The nurse took him over to a different table and measured and weighed him. Kallen was born at 3:22 PM and weighed 7 lbs. 1 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long. It was the most amazing moment of my entire life. I'm so thankful that I had my husband by my side the entire time, I couldn't have gotten through it without his strength!!

He was not a happy camper being outside of his warm womb, and from the minute he was born he had the most adorable pouty lip I had ever seen! How will I ever be able to say no to that face?

After what seemed like forever but was probably only 5 minutes, the nurse brought our handsome baby boy over to me. 

Kallen was still crying when the nurse brought him over to me, but as soon as he was in my arms and could hear my voice he stopped crying and was so calm and was just staring at us. I couldn't believe this little, tiny baby just came out of my belly and I already loved so incredibly much! I laid there holding him and rubbing his head, soaking up our first few moments as a family of three, while they stitched me up. I had never been happier in my entire life!

Kallen's birth was the most incredible, wonderful experience that I ever could have imagined. I will never, ever forget those first precious moments of his life and I am so happy we got pictures to document it.

We stayed in the labor room for a while to re-coop and get ready to head over to our post partum room. I was holding Kallen in my arms as the nurse began to roll my bed down the hallway, about half way I started to get really light headed and felt like I was going to pass out. I was so worried that I was going to black out and drop Kallen!! When the nurse started to pull my bed backwards into the room, I literally threw Kallen into my mom's arms because of how light headed I was. They got me all situated and my new nurse and the tech came in to introduce themselves. They immediately started to torture me by pushing on my uterus. Everything seemed to be normal; they took my vital signs and then left them room. My family came and said there goodbyes and were all heading out to go grab some dinner. Kevin’s parents had gotten us Café Rio and were joining us in the room for dinner.
 

My best friend Brittney arrived at the hospital and was sitting beside me holding Kallen. I just kept telling her how I didn’t feel good and how dizzy I was. She only stayed for a minute because she knew how sick I was feeling. As Brittney left the room I grabbed Kevin and told him that my back felt really warm and wet, he looked at me puzzled. As I lifted my hand to grab the side bar on the bed to try and pull myself up, the blood started to seep through the blankets that were on top of me. Kevin saw the blood and lifted up my blanket, only to be completely shocked! From my waist down the bed and myself were covered in blood. I remember my heart just sinking and thinking that something is really wrong. Kevin ran out into the hall and got my nurse. She came rushing into the room and had called a code on me. In a matter of minutes I had about 8 nurses and 2 doctors in my room, taking my vitals and trying to get the blood to stop. My Dr. had gone home for the evening but was back at the hospital in minutes and was in my room. He was on top of me pushing on my uterus. Blood clots the size of my fist were coming out of me. I could see the panicked look on my Dr.’s face. My blood pressure at this point was 70/20 and everyone was so shocked that I was still awake and responding. My Dr. told me that they were going to have to get me into emergency surgery as soon as possible. I just remember looking up at my husband holding our son and thinking that this was it for me and I wasn't going to make it. Kevin stepped into the bathroom in the room to call my mom and let her know what was going on. My mom rushed to the hospital and right as they were wheeling me out of the room down to the OR my mom came running down the hall. She kissed me on the forehead and told me to be strong and that everything would be okay. I was so out of it and so numb that I barely remember seeing her. 

Kevin and I sat outside the OR waiting for the platelet, plasma and blood work to all be done. They wanted to be extra cautious with me because I had already lost so much blood. Kevin leaned over my bed and was playing with my hair trying to keep me calm and just kept telling me that I was going to be okay. The anesthesiologist came out and placed a 14 gauge needle in my arm and walked back in the OR. He blew my vein and my arm started to fill up with liquid, it was so painful. Kevin ran and knocked on the door and the anesthesiologist came out and pulled the needle out. He went to go place it again and I begged him to wait until I was under because it was such a big needle and was so painful! Finally they were ready to start the surgery, so I kissed my husband goodbye, for what I thought was going to be the last time and I just started crying. The nurse calmed me down and told me to take some deep breathes. Next thing I knew I was asleep. I woke up in the OR to the voices of a couple nurses talking. I was just so relieved that I was alive, I can't even explain the emotions that were running through my head. I was still so tired from the anesthesia but I was fighting so hard to wake up so I could see my husband, my baby and my family. Here is a picture of the horrid 14 gauge needle that was in my arm. I have a scar where it was placed!

When I got back to my room my family was there and they all just rushed up and hugged and kissed me and told me how happy they were that I was okay. After all the blood that I lost, I had to have three blood transfusions, so they started the first one right after I got out of surgery. My Dr. came in and told me what had happened during the surgery. I had two tears on my cervix that was the cause of the hemorrhaging, so he went in and stitched those up and then did a D&C just to be on the safe side. I'm so thankful for modern medicine and for the amazing medical staff that I had that horrific night. They saved my life. Without them, I wouldn't be here today. I'm so thankful that it was just my cervix and not my uterus. I would have been devastated if I didn't get the opportunity to have any more children. 

We spent New Years in the Hospital and both of Kallen's grandparents stopped by to celebrate the New Year with our new family. We had so many wonderful visitors who came and saw us in the hospital and brought us anything that we needed. We are so blessed to have such amazing friends and family members that were willing to help in any way possible.

We were in the hospital for 5 days! Daddy was so amazing and stayed with us the entire time. He was playing both mommy and daddy since I was contained to my bed getting blood transfusions. He gave Kallen his first bath, changed his first diaper and was non-stop taking care of me and making sure that I was comfortable and didn't need anything. I didn't think I could love him anymore but watching his unconditional love for his little family just made my heart overflow and made me fall even deeper in love with him. I honestly wouldn't have made it through any of this without him by my side. Kallen loves his daddy so much!

Spending a week in the hospital, you become very familiar with the nurses and staff. All of the nurses just adored Kallen and would always comment on his jammies and how adorable he is. When we would send him to the nursery, the nurse would come running in our room and was so excited to have him in the nursery. There was a sweet night nurse who left Kallen a sweet note thanking him for letting her take care of him. How could you not love this face??

 

On Friday, January 2, 2015 (after I begged my Dr. to let me go home) we were officially released from the hospital!! Wahoo! We were free and were ready to head home! It was a tough couple of months recovering from the traumatic birth of my son, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Thank you to all of our amazing friends and family who brought dinners, helped around the house and were just there for us. We can't thank you enough and we love you all so much!

XoXo The Schouten’s