Caitlyn Camille Lamberton was born on Saturday, June 27th 2009 at
about 10:53am. Why
about? Read on...
Friday, June 26, 2009
The due date was Friday, June 26th. Meghan had a doctor's appointment at Kaiser Walnut Creek at 3:30pm; this was where we were planning to have Caitlyn. During the appointment, the mid-wife informed Meghan that she was 3cm dilated, however she was not in labor...the contractions were not consistent. Contractions had been happening off and on for the previous three weeks. The mid-wife asked Meghan if she wanted her membranes stripped which would
commence labor; Meghan frustrated said...no thanks...trusting that Caitlyn would come when she was ready. The mid-wife then said that they would induce (administer drug (pitocin) that would cause contractions) if Caitlyn didn't arrive within a week. This upset Meghan very much; she desired that Caitlyn come into the world without any help of drugs.
Meghan and Hannah picked me up from SMC at 5:00pm on Friday; she shared her frustrations with regard to the doctor's appt...I consoled her. Then Meghan walked around SMC to decompress while I kicked the soccer ball around with Hannah on the chapel lawn, showed her some classrooms, and showed her my office.
On our way home I suggested that we stop by Safeway and pick up some spicy dorritos; they're delicious and we'd both heard that spicy, delicious food sometimes leads to labor. Meghan, Hannah, and I ate sweet and spicy dorrito chips all the way home.
We got home and went through our regular evening routine...dinner...bath for Hannah...stories...and bed. Meg went to bed at 10:30pm and I was restless...so I read until 1am
and then went to sleep.
Saturday, June 27, 2009.
4AM...Meghan wakes up with a stronger than usual contraction...is able to breathe through it on her own...falls back asleep. About every 15 minutes until 7AM Meghan would have a contraction and then fall back asleep.
I was sound asleep between 1AM-7AM...When I awoke, I looked at Meghan and her eyes were wide open..."What are you doing?" I asked knowing that she's never awake this early. "I've been having contractions off and on since 4AM. "This is the day..." I said.
We were both really relaxed. Meghan labored for 20 hours with Hannah so we assumed that it would be at least 10 hours of labor before Caitlyn would arrive into the world...oh, we were so wrong.
When Meghan was in labor with Hannah...she ate very little during the 20 hours of labor...I made her eggs and toast 15 hours before Hannah was born...other than that she drank water and had a popsicle...we wanted to make sure that we didn't repeat this mistake. I was going to be
sure to make Meghan breakfast and our hospital bag was packed with GU packs and CLIF bars (which I use for cycling)
I made Meghan breakfast (3 scarmbled eggs, 2 pieces of toast, a peach, and orange juice) at about 7:30AM. The contractions were about 7 minutes a part by 8AM when Meghan was finishing up breakfast.
Meghan called here sister-in-law Kara to let her know that she was in labor and that it was time to come down. Meghan told Kara, "Take your time; it's going to be a long day." Kara was going to be the one in the hospital documenting via video, the birthing experience.
Meghan called her parents and told them to be on standby...they were going to come down and be with Hannah while we were in the hospital.
Meghan called the person who was to come and stay with Hannah while she was in labor; she left a voice message...she called the backups and left voice messages. No one was home!
While Meghan was making the above calls (which took 5min) I was doing laundry. Meghan insisted that some laundry be done. At about 9AM, one of the individual's called back and said
that she couldn't make because she had an appointment that was going to last for the next two hours. By this time, the contractions were approximately 5minutes apart. Meghan and I were both relatively calm...we had done this before...when we left for the hospital when in labor with Hannah the contractions had been 3minutes apart.
Hannah was awake, so we decided to get her up. Meghan and I both went into her room and told her: you're going to have a baby sister today.
Meghan went back into our bedroom to have contractions and I got Hannah breakfast. While Hannah was eating breakfast I went into the bedroom to encourage Meghan through the contractions. They were about 4minutes apart at this time. Meghan was starting to moan with
the intensity of the contractions.
Meghan tearfully told me, "I'm so afraid...afraid of the pain." I reminded her to remain in the present moment, to take it one step at a time...one contraction at a time...to focus on her breath rather than on her pain.
Neither she nor I realized that she was in transition...the stage of labor between first stage (intensifying contractions) and second stage (pushing stage). With Hannah's birth Meghan had said: "I can't do this anymore!" ...a tell tell sign of the transition stage.
Hannah, sitting in her high chair eating breakfast, heard her mom moaning and began to cry hysterically...she did not like that her mom was in pain. I consoled her and then Meghan consoled her.
The moaning from Meghan intensified and Hannah's crying followed suit. We need someone here
with Hannah NOW! I thought.
I was back and forth between talking/encouraging Meghan through contractions and trying to console and contain Hannah.
By this point I had stopped looking at the clock. I called our friend Jen (who was going to be in the hospital taking pictures during the birthing experience) in desperation...she answered...we need someone here with Hannah now so that I can get Meghan to the hospital I said.
Jen called her husband Nate and Nate sent our friend Jess who was helping them move. Jess, 20
minutes away, was on her way to our house.
Meghan screaming loudly in the bedroom...Hannah screaming loudly in her room. I told Meghan that Jess was on her way...and then I disappeared to console Hannah.
Hannah and I walked toward the screaming; Meghan was in the bathroom...my water broke! she screamed. Hannah was screaming...
OK...I said calmly...that means that you won't be able to be in the tub when we get to the hospital...internally I was panicking...With Hannah, Meghan's water had broke and minutes later Hannah was born.
Now, I was ready for all of us to get into the car and go to the hospital in Oakland.
Just as I was about to say, "It's time to go..." Meghan said..."I feel the head....call 911" I couldn't believe my ears..."CALL 911" she said again...I looked at Hannah...and then at Meghan..."CALL 911! Find a neighbor with a landline and GO!" she screamed. I took Hannah, still screaming, and
put her in the room and closed the door...her scream became louder...
Calling 911 via landline is much quicker than using the cell phone...
My heart and mind was racing...our upstairs neighbor Wade just
happened to come out of his apartment...do you have a landline? I asked...no, he said. I went to the next neighbor and pounded on the door for what seemed like eternity but was probably only 10 seconds...no answer.
Then, our apartment manager walked out of his apartment...do you have a landline? I asked. Yes...Please call 911...Meghan is having the baby right now. Shit, OK he said.
911 was dialed at 10:53AM.
I ran back to our apartment...and straight for the bathroom...Meghan was holding a wet and slippery Caitlyn in her arms...the placenta was still inside of Meghan. "I had a baby..." Meghan said tearfully. I rushed to the baby and Meghan...she was breathing...and crying. Meghan had only pushed twice and Caitlyn had arrived.
Where is the suction ball...I asked panicked...in the living room...I darted back and forth. I put the suction ball in her mouth...there was really no fluid in her mouth...she was breathing and whimpering...but I was panicked.
Meghan still had her pants wrapped around her ankles...I helped remove those completely so that she wouldn't trip.
Then Meghan said...the placenta is coming! and coming it was...I looked down and there it was. I caught it as it slowly slid out and I set it on the bathroom floor.
Meghan and I were both very nervous at this point...she had hemorrhaged with Hannah...I looked down...nothing else was coming out at the time...
I'll be right back...I ran to the apartment door and our apartment manager was at the door with his cell phone...the paramedic wants to talk to you...
OK...I said.
This is Ryan...yes...I'm the husband...no the cord is not wrapped around her neck...she's breathing and crying...my wife hemorrhaged with our first!
The paramedic reassured me and instructed me to get a towel to wipe the vernix off of Caitlyn and to wrap her up to keep her warm. She also instructed me to find a string to tie off the umbilical cord...OK...I thought...where am I going to find a string...Jesus, help! I thought...I ran into the living room and saw Hannah's lady bug container which is carried around by a red string...I ripped it off and ran back to the bathroom.
She told me that I needed to tie the string around the umbilical cord six inches from Caitlyn...I did as instructed...my hands shaking.
I heard sirens...thank God! they're here...I thought.
Minutes later 8-10 paramedics and firefighters walked into our small apartment.
They saw Meghan holding Caitlyn...they saw the placenta on the floor...they gave Caitlyn an APGAR of 9 (out of 10).
Congratulations...is one of the first things that they said.
Meghan and I were still in crisis mode; this wasn't supposed to happen here...we didn't think that she would come this fast.
Dad, would you like to cut the cord? they asked me.
OK...I said.
I sent two of the paramedics to comfort Hannah who was still in the room with the door shut. Hannah asked, "Do you want to see my big girl bed?" She gave them a tour of her room.
Everything was fine...Meghan did not hemorrhage. So many of the things that could have gone wrong did not. We were thankful; praising God that Caitlyn had arrived safely despite us not being at a hospital and having immediate medical assistance.
Jess arrived to watch Hannah as Meghan and Caitlyn were being loaded into the ambulance.
The paramedics took Meghan and Caitlyn in the ambulance without the sirens and I followed them in the car.
We went to Kaiser Oakland and stayed there for two days.
Looking back...there were a dozen things that I...we would have done differently.
Hind sight is 20/20.
Meghan and I were more emotionally than physically exhausted because of what happened in our apartment.
Caitlyn weighed in at 8 lbs. 11 oz. and was measured at 21.5 in. long.
I have been meditating on the following:
For you created me in my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and
wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret
place.
When I was woven together in the
depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your
thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
(Psalm 139:13-18)
The following includes snapshots via words of Hannah Victorya before and after the birth of little sister Caitlyn Camille...enjoy!
