I had my precious twins on October 1, 2010.
Allyson Elizabeth Sant was born at 1:29 AM
She weighed 5.1 lbs and was 18 inches long
Haleigh Eliza Sant was born at 1:35 AM
She weighed 4.1 lbs and was 17 inches long.
At my 36 week appointment on Wednesday, September 29th my blood pressure was high (the top number was 100). I was so excited! The nurse told me she had never seen anyone excited to have high blood pressure before. I was just happy that there may be a reason for me to be induced early. I was scheduled to be induced on the 8th, but a week seemed like forever. I had been dilated to a 4 for a few weeks and had been having contractions since 28 weeks. Because I also had protein in my urine my doctor sent me over to Labor and Delivery to be monitored. During the hour I was there, my blood pressure went to a more manageable 80-88. I also had to collect my pee and was told I would be doing this for 24 hours. My doctor came back to check on me and was telling me that I needed to bring the pee back tomorrow and then we would decide if I needed to be induced or not. When I asked him if I really needed to bring in the pee all the way from Tooele, he decided that we might as well have me induced tomorrow instead. I can't describe how excited I was. He told me to call before I came, but to come in around 7:30 pm to make sure I would have my October baby. I really wanted them to be born in October, the 3rd would have been my first choice (since Spencer was on the 2nd and Addy's the 1st), but I really didn't care, as long as it was in October.
That night and the next day was spent doing laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, making sure everything was in order for Grandma Lila to come and stay with the kids, packing for the hospital, and being nervous/anxious. I was really nervous that we would start with a vaginal delivery and would end up doing a c-section and I would have to recover from both. I was nervous about being away from Addy and Spencer. It was really hard for me to leave them, especially when Spencer cried when we left. The day was really busy because I was doing all the preparation on my own while taking care of Spencer and Addy. Clif was working in Park City and didn't get home until 5:30.
We ended up not getting to the hospital until about 9:00-9:30. The first few hours were spent getting in my gown, hooking me up to the monitors, answering questions(which you get asked a lot of the same questions because of all the interns), meeting the intern doctor that would work with Dr. Draper, and putting in my IV for a total of 4 times. She orginally put it in my hand and even though the fluids were draining fine, it hurt so bad! She left it in for awhile, even though I had asked her a few times to please take it out. It wasn't like I wanted to have to get pricked again! The next two times didn't take and so she decided to have them do it when they did my epidural. I got my epidural and my 3rd IV around 11:30 and they started my pitocin shortly after.The nurse told me they would check me every 1-2 hours to see how I was progressing. Clif and I then tried to sleep because I knew I wouldn't be getting any, any time soon. I could not sleep because everyone was so noisy in the halls and we were right next to a door that kept shutting. I was SO tired, but not long after I was still feeling pain in my abdomen, even when hitting the button to give me more of it the pain meds. The anastegolist happened to be coming in around this time and upped my dose. Then around midnight (which was only an hour after getting the pitocin) Dr. Draper came in to see how I was doing and to check my cervix. Well, low and behold the reason I was feeling pressure still was because Allyson was head down and right there ready to come out. He quickly got scrubs for Clif and I was put on a diferent bed and wheeled to the OR room. It ended up being a good thing that we came to the hospital 2 hours late or I wouldn't have had my October baby.
These are some of my burises from the IV. I had some from my flu and tetnis shot as well.
The experience of being wheeled into a room with 20 plus people is like nothing else. I even had a medical assitant per leg! I was really shocked to see so many people and quite overwhelmed. Everyone wasreally nice, but it is still nerve wracking to have so many people staring at you. I was still trying to get used to the idea that this was happening so quickly when they told me to not move because she was coming out. Dr. Draper hurried into the room and with not really any effort on my part, out came Allyson. I got a quick glimpse of her and they looked to see how Haleigh was poistioned. I ended up pushing about 3-5 times (with my eyes closed) and out came Haleigh. While I was pushing Haleigh I could hear Allyson grunting and I was really worried about her, they kept telling me she was okay. The birthing staff was really great, but the hardest thing for me was not being able to hold them right away or even see them for more than 2 seconds. I had such a great experience with Spencer and Addelyn and Clif. This all happened so fast that we didn't get to enjoy the neatness of it all. Regardless, they were new spirits freash from Heaven and that is why I love labor the most out of the whole pregnancy.
Clif then went with the babies while they wheeled me back to the room. I was hemoraging and they had to monitor me and weigh the blood that was coming out of me. I ended up needing a few shots to help stop the bleeding. The hardest thing was just sitting there with no babies in me, no babies or husband in sight, and feeling all alone. That was the longest hour of my life. I finally was wheeled to the recovery rooms and Clif was there with Allyson. Haleigh was still in a bed warmer getting her temperature up.
I was really blessed to have the easiest birth and recovery out of all of my labors. I had 4th degree tears with Spencer, and 1st degree with Addy, and I had no tears at all with the twins. I love labor and wish I could have frozen the experience because it happened way too quickly. Clif didn't get any pictures of all the people in the room, or the babies coming out. I think it was a little overwhelming for him too. They also weighed the babies so quick, that this was the first time we didn't get pictures of our babies on the scales getting weighed. While those things are neat to have the most important thing is that they were here nice and healthy.
Clif trying to show how small Haleigh is.
The rest of our stay wasn't the best, but we were so fortunate to be able to take them home on the 3rd day.
Basically we didn't get any sleep because there was always some intern, nurse, or doctor coming in to bother us and ask us questions that we already answered! We were lucky to have a few nurses who actually left us alone when they saw the lights out. At Mountain West they always gave a meal for the husband too and they had the best foods. The U of U didn't give the husband food and so Clif had to drive about 15 minutes 3 times a day to get some food. They also only provided you with healthy food. I know that is a good thing, but sometimes you just want some yummy tater tots after having a baby!
I also was doing SNS, which is formula connected to a tube that you tape to your breast, so they still learn the motion of breastfeeding, but are getting formula. The twins iron was low and needed the formula to help make it higher. When I asked for formula to take home so I could continue doing the SNS, they said they don't give out formula. They don't give anything. We didn't get a brush for their hair or anything to take home. With Spencer and Addy I came home with two diaper bags full of free things and tons of formula just in case.
Then the biggest compliant was what happened with Haleigh. The poor girl was getting poked all the time to check her iron and her jaundice levels. They finally decided that Allyson's levels were fine, but that Haleigh needed to go in the bed. They brought one to my room and within 5 minutes I noticed her hands were purple and she was cold to the touch. We were supposed to keep their temperature up and had been doing lots of skin to skin contact to accomplish this. I was really worried about her and decided to send her to the nursery so they could watch her better and make sure she wasn't getting too cold. When she was gone I couldn't sleep well and kept having this uneasy feeling. Well, next thing I know they bring her in and she is freezing, they want me to do skin to skin contact with her and her temperature is way low. She ends up having to be taken into the intensive care part of the nursery, put in a warmer/jaundice bed, and monitored for the rest of her stay by her own nurse. I was so mad because the entire reason I gave her to them was so they would take her our and put her in the bed warmer if she was getting too cold. I hardly got to see her after that, except to go in and breastfeed her every 2 hours. We almost didn't get to take her home on the 3rd day because of her temperature being lower. I would have been so upset since that would have never been an issue if they had paid closer attention. I know this can be a result of a bigger hospital, but it still doesn't make it right.
This is her in the bed, look at her blue hands!
When we left they came home in car beds because they were both under the 5lbs that is required for the car seats. We had someone say they looked like dolls and asked if they were real. They really were so tiny and small. They still are newborn size and I can't believe they were smaller than they are now. It goes by too fast!
The goods news is that they did really well at home. Clif and I worked really hard to always keep them swaddled and checked to make sure their temperatures were not low. We kept them really close together as well so their body heat would warm one another. Haleigh and Allyson also had to get their jaundice levels checked....more pokes! Allyson was in the clear and Haleigh had to get a device for a few days. It was nice because we could still hold her and it kept her warm for us. They are both so special and it is so tender for me to think how close they must have been in heaven to need to come to Earth together. Even though we are both sleep deprived we love having them as part of our family.
* Allyson is on the left
Haleigh is on the right-notice her small legs!
