audrey's birth details

Audrey Jude Salmon
born Monday, September 29, 2008
at 10.22am
7lbs 13oz
21 inches long
head size 34.5 cm


the labour details
we went in on sunday september 28th at around 5.30pm. my contractions were pretty hard but only ten minutes apart (since around 3pm). we decided to hang around langley and go walking to see if they picked up at all. after several hours, we decided to go to a movie to kill time just to make sure things were or weren't happening before heading home.

after the movie (around 11pm), i called back to the maternity ward to tell them that i had continued to have hard contractions all that time (8 hours) and was wondering if they'd like me to come in to get checked just in case, before heading back home (35 minute drive). the nurse that was on was nurse Jan who delivered ezekiel. she used to be a midwife and was really amazing last time. she said it was completely up to me, but then said, yes, might as well.

so we went in and i got assessed. she found that my blood pressure was elevated and my feet were swelling a bit (which was different from when we were there five hours earlier). this was concerning to her. she kept me monitored and did an internal. she said that my cervix was changed from the last time i was in and that she would talk to my doctor. she came back and said they wanted me to take a sleeping pill and sleep there to be re-assessed in the early morning (because my doctor would be coming later that morning).

suddenly, around 1pm my doctor comes in and they say, change of plans, lets break your water now. so at 1.15am, my water was broken and i was on my way.

however, i was sooo tired from labouring all day, and not having much rest, that i decided to sleep for a bit. probably by around 3 or so i started to sleep until around 5am, i remember waking up and thinking, i'll just sleep until 6am, then get moving and get this going. around 5.40am, the nurse woke me up saying they were going to start oxytocin. i was like "what???" and she said, the contractions were only 5 minutes apart, they needed to be 4 in 10 minutes or else! so i said, okay, i'll get up right now and walk and see what happens. she gave us until 6.20am to get things going then she was going to monitor me again.

we came back at 6.20am and said that we did it. she got me back on the bed (oh no...things always slow down there) and the contractions slowed down. she came back and said she had talked to my doctor and he said i had to go on oxytocin, that being group strep b positive and having my waters broken for several hours, that they had to get things going now.

i was very upset. i cried for quite awhile because it was not what i had been willing to do. i felt really defeated and annoyed/disappointed that my body would not kick into a regular rhythm of labour, even having had my water broken! but, i was already hooked up to an iv, so it was easy for them to just add oxytocin to the mix. now after having it, i understand that it is a chemical version of a hormone that is released from my own body. my body just wasnt releasing it at the right time or the right amounts to make things really happen in a timely manner (according to the doctor/nurses). so adding this to my iv in a very small amount, just helped kick things into gear. it is very different from the prostin gel that i was given with ezekiel, as that is one concentrated dose that is in and active at once, but cannot be turned down or shut off the way oxytocin can.

it was around 6.30am when i was given oxytocin. things started picking up in intensity but after an hour they had to bump up the dose a bit. they said i was very sensitive to it so i understand that it was a fairly low dose.

things were getting pretty painful and stronger but it was very strange because i was totally clear headed and felt totally fine during the breaks (last labour, i remember being really out of it during this time, they said that might have just been my reaction to the gel).

by around 7.30am, we wanted to have me checked because there had been alot of consistent contractions and just wanted to know where things were at.

the nurse declined and said that with group b strep positive, it is not good to do too many internals.

however, by 8.30am she did an internal because they had increased the dosage and the contractions were stronger and i was 3-4 cm dilated.

derek commented that getting to 4cm was usually slow and then things go alot quicker from there...he was right.

things got so crazy painful from there. i had been on the fit ball for most of the time, then in an arm chair that really helped keep pressure off my bottom (i had been feeling alot of pressure there during all of my contractions especially since i have had hemorrhoids since around 3 months pregnant!).

i was starting to feel like i couldnt handle the pain. i commented that "oh this is transition. when you feel like you cant do it anymore and start asking for drugs." (again, i was still having those very lucid moments between contractions).

around 9.30am the nurse suggested that i try walking around a bit. i stood up and took two steps, got a huge contraction and leaned into derek with all my weight. then i tried again to walk, again, two steps, same thing. these were intense. i was quickly losing my confidence in handling this pain so i asked for drugs. at this point, i figured, i had been through so much emotionally this entire pregnancy, the end of the pregnancy had been very trying on me, so if i felt like i couldnt handle this, then i couldnt.

another nurse came in and was all for it. my doula and derek were both looking at me wide-eyed, and saying things like "you're doing it! you ARE handling it! you'll be okay." and i just kept saying that i couldnt and that i wanted the drugs.

derek said that he thinks i should get checked before starting drugs because he was recognizing some familiar end of labour type reactions from me. derek figured i might be right at the point of having the baby and therefore would not need drugs. the nurse said that i had to be on the bed for the drugs and suggested i try the gas until she came back with the drugs.

around 10am, i was on the bed using the gas, the nurse was off to get me the drugs, and i felt the push. i was yelling "the push! the push!" into the gas mask and derek and my doula had no idea what i was talking about. so i took it off my face and yelled again "the push!" and pointed to my belly. so derek ran off into the hall to find a nurse.

about 10.05am they checked me and i was 8 cm dilated. they said to call my doctor.
i kept having more pushing urges and was trying to breathe through them and derek reminded me to "blow up the balloon" so that really helped.

i remember hearing the nurses commenting about doctor not being there yet and then he arrived by around 10.15am. he got me set up and said "okay, you can push now." and commanded my attention and told me where to focus the pushing. i'd guess it was about 4 or 5 pushes. derek said that the contractions were very long and intense and i was able to do multiple pushes with one contraction. so it might have been fewer pushes.

and so i delivered another posterior girl (diedre was too) at 10.22am! sunnyside up in about 6 or 7 minutes! thankfully, he was directing me so he was able to turn her shoulders and the tearing was pretty minimal and along the same place as last time. he said it went back together really well and should heal up nicely. (it does feel alot better than last time so far).

her head was perfectly shaped (just like ezekiel) because of the speed of the delivery. she is my largest baby yet, although slightly shorter than the other two.

i tried to get her nursing right away but she just tried a little, but no actual suckling. after she had all her checks and was swaddled, she got the hang of things fast and didnt seem to want to stop after that!

i was so tired and i really wanted to rest. but i couldnt sleep with the way the light came in our room and audrey ate alot in those first hours.

i was really excited to know we had a girl and i cheered that derek had to give me my name choice! we were so undecided about names and didnt name her for several hours. in the end, i didnt get the name choice i had wanted because derek really didnt have any feeling toward it. he said we could at one point, but i didnt want to go with one we couldnt both feel good about.

i really wanted our first visitors to be our kids with my mom. it worked out really great and they were both so enamored with their new little sister.

ezekiel was so excited

proud to hold his little sister

i really wanted our first visitors to be our kids with my mom. it worked out really great and they were both so enamored with their new little sister.

later, my SIL heather came by and held audrey while derek and i slept (her suggestion) which was sooo great!

then kristin and the hetzlers came by.

then my brother andrew wrapped up the night with a pretty late visit that i ended up falling asleep during (around 9pm) because again, we had barely had any sleep all night or day (3 hours maybe)!

audrey ate and ate until about 1am. derek slept for some of that time while i would walk around and get what i needed and feed her. finally, around 2.15am she fell asleep and slept until just after 8am!!! i still had to wake up for my doses and ice pak changes, but it was so great to sleep like that.

we got discharged early and headed home by midday.

it was great to be back together as a family again (even though the big kids got a little crazy at times, it was nice to still have my mom around to run interference and to take them to the park again). i couldnt imagine being left at home alone with all 3 at this point (when i still need to take it easy with my body) but i think things will work out really well this next week. derek's parents arrive tomorrow, he is taking the big kids to the airport to pick them up. they stay until next wednesday. so i've got some time to heal before i'm left all alone :D

welcome home sign by diedre and grandma jen. diedre told her what to write.

the birthday party for audrey

audrey has slept all afternoon so we'll see how the evening goes.

ahhh, its good to be home. its good to be a mom. its good to have these healthy kids and baby in my life. its good to have such an awesome husband and father to my kids. thank you, God!

see the full album of Baby Audrey pictures

Baby girl salmon

Audrey Jude Salmon
Born Monday, September 29, 2008
At 10.22am
Weighing 7lb 13oz
21 inches long
Born posterior like her big sister, but not nearly as painful...more
details later.

Very healthy little princess who loves nursing & cuddles. Diedre &
Ezekiel were totally enamoured with her! So cute!

Can't upload pics from my phone. We should be home tomorrow.
Sent from my iPhone

Waters broken

We're finally having a baby! We'll see how long it takes from here.

Sent from my iPhone

Staying overnight

High blood pressure & swelling feet. We're staying over to be assessed
in the a.m.
Still having hard contractions every ten or so minutes.
Might be a candidate for early induction.

Sent from my iPhone

our trip to apple barn

we met up with the mellengers at apple barn today. here they are having such fun on the humongous bouncy pillow.

ezekiel proved to be a bunny handler. he picked them up fairly precariously but they were so calm in his arms. he held so many different bunnies!

our family and miles

ezekiel picking apples

the big kids heading back from picking apples

farmer diedre

very cool horsey swings

derek was running ezekiel thru the low hanging leaves and he was making the cutest tickled expressions :)

diedre's first pony ride

ezekiel's first pony ride

the kids posed for a picture, they didnt actually ride like this! we don't want to get apple barn in trouble :D

on a very bumpy hayride. at 41 weeks pregnant, i say "bring on the bumpiness" but the bales of hay seats were very hard.

so all that walking around, picking apples, the hayride havent brought on any contractions yet :(
i guess its still not time.

full album of our apple barn experience

41 weeks pregnant: will it ever end???

pregnancy 3
september 27 2008
41 weeks

well, pastdue. not many people make it to the full 41 weeks :D

here i am at 41 weeks 2nd pregnancy, with ezekiel (i can really see the difference that the extra 12-15lbs i gained this pregnancy, over last time--especially in the face!).

sorry for the crazed look in my eyes...derek was teasing me and i was getting frustrated but wanting to get the shot anyway!

i have been pregnant since around the end of december 2007!!! thats a loooong time!!!

i had some good contractions early friday morning and again later in the day but nothing that lasted. they are definitely getting stronger and lasting a little longer, but sporadically.

i saw my dr. on tuesday, he was pretty hopeful that i would go soon. i was only dilated a cm and so he couldnt really do a good membrane sweep, but he tried a bit. he said baby's head was definitely lodged in place now. baby still moves a fair bit which makes me think that he/she is nowhere near ready to come out...but then again, i obviously am providing a very large area for baby to hang out in ha ha...just like with ezekiel, and he was only 7lbs 11oz! (usually the slow down in activity of baby is related to not having much space left within which to move).

i'm scheduled for induction on wednesday, october 1st. i am requesting that its only a water break, but if i'm not having contractions, they might have to use the gel...i guess we'll have to see what happens. i am being allowed to go 11 days overdue, but they wont let me go more than that. i really hope i go before having to be induced...i am trying to trust that God knows the best timing (ie. ezekiel having 3 nights of fevers. he is in his crib for the second night tonight, but he did end up in our bed fairly early on last night). so it might be another 4 or 5 days depending on if the induction works fast or not...pray that i go naturally! i really would like for my water to break at home so i can know to head to the hospital for real!

fun times

i had a very busy day yesterday.

9.30am i went to the new bible study group that i'm planning to be a part of on the wednesday's when MOPS is not happening. it was such a lovely group and i really think the study will be great (Character Counts by Chuck Swindoll). the kids knew the babysitter (they met her last week when she babysat for us) and played really well with the kids there.

11.45am i dropped off the kids at joanna's so that i could help out while sharon and lynn from caregroup came by to clean for me. the timing was a little different than i was expecting so i had an hour alone before the ladies showed up. sharon's husband also showed up around 1.30pm when i left to go get the kids because ezekiel was majorly crashing (getting sick then).

2pm ezekiel woke up from his very short nap, not rested and having a bit of a fever. the ladies were still cleaning (they managed to get the bathroom totally done, steam cleaned my bedroom carpet, washed out the whole fridge, swept and mopped all the floors--which was soooo awesome!!!) so i brought him into diedre's room to snuggle. he dozed for maybe a half hour more, but was pretty much just totally sick-looking :(

2.30/3pm my friend tracy arrived with her niece avery (also 3.5 years old) for a visit. the ladies wrapped up their cleaning and headed out. tracy helped me out with getting tylenol for ezekiel and any other little things i needed as my belly was in major pain from not having had a nap or really a rest since i just kept doing little things (and some big things) to help out or to direct my friends when they were cleaning.

here is our friend tracy, who we met when we lived in Whistler waaaay back when we were newlyweds, were on worship team together at the church there, who now lives in Hawaii with WYAM, came to visit with her niece avery (she's in the area for a week). i was a little bagged for the visit, but i assured tracy that i'm just way more mellow than i used to be back in the day...and she pointed out, very pregnant/overdue 4 days haha.

avery and diedre played so well together and totally hit it off. after they left, diedre kept saying things like:
i like that girl.
i want her to be my friend.
i could bring my princess dresses and we could dress up.
i want to play with her again.
i want to see her again.
we played really good with my kitties.

it was so cute! i dont really know how they could ever play together again as we dont actually know her mom/dad, just her auntie from HAWAII! ha ha


today we went out to the monthly community children's events so diedre could get her face painted by the amazing artist who is always there. she is amazing! and its all FREE!!!

he got a ladybug on his hand.

ezekiel, feeling under the weather, stayed put in the stroller while diedre played in the bouncy castle, did a craft, got her face painted, etc.

now, just to justify why i went: yes, ezekiel had a fever during the night. he did not have one this morning. he crashed at 10 am so we had a nice long nap and woke up in time to head to the community event for the last hour of it. i figured he'd stay put in the stroller. he did seem to be feeling a little better (not having a teary eye or runny nose, but just kind of low energy).

i've been trying to get out to one of these events (they happen monthly) since may/june because the last time we went, diedre wanted her face painted but we just got there too late, then the next event was when she either had chicken pox (so we didnt go) or it was just after when she still had some spots so she couldnt really get painted.

and then i guess because of timing of the day and my pregnancy or whatever, i hadnt made it to another one.

and you know when you just want to do something special for your kid, and you know now is the time to seize the day, and so...well, that's why i did it. and ezekiel kept to himself (he did get out to play with a few toys at the very end, and then ran off into the bouncy castle, but was in there for about a minute before getting back out).

afterwards, we went by Tim Horton's and i got a sandwich combo for the kids (coffee for me) because it was only 1.30pm and i'd already napped. then i ordered take-out hot n' sour soup from a local chinese restaurant and went and picked that up.

we headed home, the kids continued with their craft/colouring from this morning (they did paper dolls), had lunch and i ate my soup.

now, being around 5.30pm, i've had the two bowls of soup i ordered. one mug of raspberry tea. and we are going to go walk around WalMart to see if i can get some contraction action going. i'm feeling very energetic (and should probably be using it to fold all the laundry in the livingroom) and so i think it would be a good night for labour!

here are a few more related pics

my encouraging doctor

well, i was reluctant to even go see my doctor today. i was going to cancel and just reschedule for either later in the week or next week since i was at the hospital on sunday night.

anyway, i'm glad i went. he said that the baby's head was no longer popping out of my pelvis. he said he was pushing pretty hard and it was staying in place. he did stir the pot a little (only one cm dilated) and encouraged me to get walking.

we started talking about him breaking my water and i said there is a good chance i'll be making it to October because thats next wednesday (which is crazy to think: my LMP was Dec 15 2007, so i've technically been pregnant since end of December 2007 all the way til October 2008...thats a very full 9 months!).

he also said he'd call the hospital to book my induction for Tuesday, September 30th (ten days overdue). i said, i was okay with it going longer if the baby and i were still healthy. and that i was okay with a water break but did NOT want to be chemically induced.

he said they would not let me go over the ten days because placental function is really good up until 14 days. he explained that the reason they like to start the induction process by ten days is that it will give a few days to work with within the safe limits of the placental function. he said, if you wait the full 14 days and then start when your baby is in distress, it increases likelihood of c-section or harm/stress to the baby (again, because i was not showing any signs of stress while carrying ezekiel, they were going to let me go 12 days over).

he called in and said "i bought you an extra day." and the induction (water break) is scheduled for Wednesday, October 1st (the same day that derek's parents arrive from Ontario to YVR). he said if we are open to getting called in earlier if a bed comes available, then he would. so we are open to that and i guess we'll wait and see.

my doctor really seemed to think that now that baby's head is definitely down, walking and the next few days should get me ready to go naturally.

so i drank three big mugs of raspberry tea, went on two walks and well, nothings happening :(

oh well, one of these days.

if i'm around tomorrow, it will be a good nesting day. two ladies from care group are coming over to clean (and my friend is going to watch the kids for me during that time), so i need to nap early. after they leave, i have an old friend coming by who is visiting from Hawaii, so it would be good to be here...although, baby trumps any plans, of course!

feeling much more positive. thanks for your prayers and thoughts! keep them up :D

another assessment with no progress

we really wanted me to go into labour yesterday after having a nice family weekend and kind of dreading another day alone at home, in pain, watching the kids.

i went for a really nice walk that hurt so bad but i just kept on walking hoping that it would help bring on some real labour.

around 6.30pm i started getting contractions every 5 or so minutes. then they got more intense by 6.50pm and continued that way for about 2 hours. some of them were making me feel light-headed and needing to sit down, others just felt like they were "good" painful.

so we headed to the hospital to hopefully deliver this baby.

the charge nurse did an internal, said that my cervix was 2 cm long (my dr. said it was less than a cm over a week ago :S) and that it was still closed. pretty disappointing considering i was really hoping all the pain of last week could've gotten me to at least 3 or 4 cm! the nurse seemed somewhat hopeful and said that we'd do the monitoring strip then i could walk around there for awhile and see if i progress more (and save from driving all the way home).

on the monitoring strip, baby looked great (always does) and i only had 3 hard contractions in half an hour so the charge nurse said i'd have to go home.

we asked for clarification on her internal diagnosis since it was so different from what my dr. had recently said. she explained and then also said that when she touched baby's head, it scooted out of my pelvis, which is not great because it is not keeping pressure on my cervix to dilate it. i was sooo disappointed. i cried for awhile after she left the room. she had said once the real contractions start, it will force baby into the pelvis and it wont be able to pop out anymore. i just felt like my body isnt working properly and that because i carry out front like a basketball, the weight of the baby is on my stretched out abs and skin and not focused down into my pelvis.

obviously, eventually, this baby will come out, but after that diagnosis, i just want to forget about it happening anytime soon...but then there's the pain...so it makes it hard to forget.

40 pretty long weeks

pregnancy 3
september 20 2008
40 weeks - Estimated Due Date!!!

wow, i'm huge! but its probably because i'm FORTY weeks pregnant!!! and its my third baby...and i'm the heaviest i've ever been (ugh).

well, i made it to my due date. my doctor is on shift today at the hospital so anytime now, body...let go of that baby!

i have been having contractions for 3 days, enough that i feel uncomfortable alot and get tired of hurting. they are not the hard labour kind yet (obviously or i'd be at the hospital) but i'll just keep on moving and eating spicy food and pineapple and see what happens!

i will have a baby in my arms within 15 more days :)

everyone getting in on the fun of my weekly photo

derek trying to ruin the pictures but just making them cuter

the very big, very round, sticky-outtie belly of mine

diedre cuddles the belly

me and my big girl

derek and the kids did this wonderful work of art while i was having a morning nap.

i had a lovely day today. i got up early with the kids, then derek got up and i had a nap. i was having contractions early on, but i think it might just be linked to lack of water from sleeping all night because once i drink some water and have some cereal, they stop.

derek and diedre had a work day today. they cleaned his work truck and then returned it in exchange for his new work truck! pictures to come at a later date.

so i took ezekiel to the community festival that had so many cool things to look at and some great activities for kids. i was wanting to travel light, so he didnt actually do any crafts. we just walked around (him on his horsey leash) and went where he seemed to want to go. its nice to let him lead a bit and explore things. he did really well and when i mentioned that we were going to go out and go for a walk he said "shoes! walka walka walka."

we had a nice little lunch together and then headed to the local baby store to buy a baby gift for a shower that i wanted to go to later in the day.

it worked out that the baby shower was kind of a drop-in from 2pm to 6pm, so derek and diedre were back from the truck exchange in time for us to catch the tail end of the party. the baby was only there (with parents of course) for maybe ten or fifteen minutes after we arrived, but we took advantage of the good company and hung out for a bit. the kids were acting sooo hyper. we are not used to them being like that. they weren't being bad in the least, but i think because they hadnt been together all day and derek gave diedre lots of sugar, they were just wrestling and chasing and carrying on.

then we went for dinner at Boston Pizza and here the boys are watching football.

my lil' beauty. her hair looked so nice i wanted to get a picture :)

me & my darling girl. she was smiling in the previous shot, but its really blurry for some reason...

anyway, every day when nighttime comes, i'm fine to go to bed without going into labour. ha ha...i'm still a little scared of going through it all again, and even afraid of the size this baby might be because of my weight being around 200lbs now!!! it hasnt been a huge weight gain, just over 40lbs so far, but you never know what goes directly to baby and what is going to hang around on me for the next few months!

the last few days had been really trying for me. ezekiel was really acting two, lots of tantrums and "no mama" and general disagreeableness. it was really tough to deal with because i was also having alot of pains throughout the days making it difficult to run up to him or pick him up.

i think i did pretty good at dealing with his behaviour right away, but i did pay for it in my body from picking him up so much.

he was much better today, but we were also out and about and he had some good daddy time.

i was really feeling yesterday, "how on earth can i bring another child into this family!?! i can't handle ezekiel!" but then i had a breakdown, a good cry (where diedre said "you dont have to cry mom." and ezekiel came up and said "sorry mama" and kept kissing my belly). after that, i felt much better.

then my mom called and decided to come out to help me out with the kids until bedtime (derek was working late). it really helped alot to have the extra set of hands, ears, eyes, etc. around. something i've been wishing for during the day as i seem to get more and more tired.

i get really emotional about having the baby on a day where i've been grumpy with the kids (which is more frequent in the last couple weeks, normally, i'm rarely grumpy) or feeling like i can't cope. who wants to bring a baby home to that?! so having a good day, having derek around, sharing the load really puts me in a more peaceful state, one that i can handle. i guess i should probably pray more during those tough times. i know God has given me this family and there are just highs and lows. so thanks to anyone who feels inclined to pray for me at this time. i need it and i appreciate it! i cant wait for baby to come out so these pregnancy hormones can go away and i can have a different set of hormones ha ha!

xo

Attempting to upload from phone

our day

my mom met us at my house because we were planning to head into Langley to hang out for the day.

me and the kids at McDonald's for breakfast this morning while my mom got her hair cut.

diedre enjoying bubblegum icecream after a nutritious lunch.

ezekiel runs free around the food court with Grandma in tow.

diedre drew a lovely picture of one of her kittens on the way home. mom & i were totally impressed! way to go.

so last night i phoned Maternity about a change in my situation, which they said sounded like my mucus plug (yay!) and then i asked about if there was a way to know if you're losing amniotic fluid. so they advised that i wear a pad overnight and call in the morning if it was saturated. so thats what i did.

i went in and they assessed me and i am absolutely not leaking any fluids. the Dr. on call said she doesnt think i'll be going into labour anytime soon (but she did not do an internal). we shall see.