Cameron's Birth Story Pt 1

The Beginning
The story of Cameron's birth actually begins two and a half years earlier at the birth of his big brother Seth.
 Seth surprised us all when he decided to come three weeks before his estimated due date. My water broke on a date night while walking around Target with Ben. We waited a couple hours before heading into the hospital, at this point I wasn't feeling contractions, once we got there Seth decided to surprise us again by being in a breech position. After talking about our options with the on-call doctor we decided a c-section was the best option, because my water had already broken there wasn't enough to try a version with him. While in surgery we had another surprise and that was finding out that I had a uterine septum (a extra piece of tissue) that was dividing my uterus in two. This was the reason Seth was breech, he didn't have enough room to turn, and this was probably the reason that he was early, again not enough room.
 At a follow up appointment with my doctor we decided to wait a while and then do ultrasounds to see how big the septum was and if anything would need to be done to correct this. That did in fact turn out to be that case and on March 14, 2012 I had surgery to remove the septum. Three months later Cameron was on his way. :-)

 Pretty much as soon as Seth was born I was immediately reading anything I could find on VBAC's and hoping my doctor would be able to assist me in this. The local hospital where I had Seth was technically not allowed to "plan" VBAC's there, but they could not make me have surgery and they could not turn me away when I showed up in labor. Talking things over with my doctor I was very happy to learn that she totally supported me in my quest for a VBAC.

Pregnancy
 Pregnancy with Cameron was very easy, I had enough energy to do a three hundred mile bike ride over Labor Day weekend, several runs and one triathlon. At my first doctor appointment my date was changed from LMP (which would put EDD at March fifteen) to one week later, March twenty first. I was fine with this as it would give me an extra week before we would have to talk about induction plans. If I did end up needing to be induced I would not be able to have my birth at the local hospital where I wanted it, because that would be planning, the thing that was not allowed.
 I tried to stay active as much and as long as possible, to stay in shape for the natural birth that I was planning for. I also was trying to stay away from sugar after learning earlier in the spring that I have bad yeast problems. Staying away from sugar and dairy (I'm lactose intolerant) helped to reduce weight gain from forty five-ish pounds with Seth to thirty two with Cameron.

Labor Day
 Thirty seven weeks came...and went.... thirty eight....... I had been expecting a baby any moment since thirty seven weeks because at thirty six weeks I was dilated to three. As the days went by I tried to stop expecting and focus on rest and spending time with Seth who had no idea how much his little life was about to change.
 Thirty nine weeks. All day I had been having cramping but I just ignored it because a few weeks before this had happened and no baby showed up with it. I was just hoping that finally my body was getting ready for labor. That evening I went shopping with my SIL and MIL for wedding things. We started at Hobby Lobby, walked over to Kohl's to return some things and then headed over for Target. You didn't know Target would show up again did you?? :-) No water breaking episodes in the store but the cramps were getting stronger and I was feeling more pressure. I grabbed the newborn diapers that we were going to need and we headed home.
 That night I didn't sleep long, probably forty five minutes before I realized that these were actually time able and I may as well get up and start timing because they were strong enough that I wasn't going to be able to sleep. I decided to play around for a while first and didn't start timing until probably 1:30AM. I bounced/swayed on my ball and watched a movie, then read a book. Around 4:00 I decided it was time to get Ben up and head to the hospital, at this point I had started shaking and knew it could be a sign of transition. I did not want to have to go through the thirty minute car ride while trying to deal with transition. Contractions were still just annoying but had been coming regularly every five-ish minutes for two and a half hours.
 On the way to the hospital I texted my doula and birth photographer Jordan to let her know that we were on our way. We decided that she would meet us there.

Learning to be Content

One of the things any one of my friends or family can tell you is that I LOVE babies!!! I think it only took two or three months after Seth was born for me to start thinking about the next baby, things I would change during pregnancy, how the next delivery was going to go, etc. And as I was doing my Bible study for CBS this week I realized I have wasted so much time thinking about this. How many months of Seth's life have I wasted looking forward to the next child and not just enjoying him? It makes me sad to think about it.
 Yesterday I had my post-op visit with the doctor who did my hysteroscopy. We were talking about when I would be able to get pregnant again and he said that he would prefer that we wait at least 3 months after I finish the 30 day estrogen pill that I'm on. At first I was disappointed, now I'm really happy. I'm looking forward to these last few months that I have with Seth, with our little family of three. Just us in our little house.
 Hopefully this summer I will learn the secret of being content. I should know this by now, but I have a thick head sometimes. :-P I want to be able to say this at the end of my life and mean it.
 "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what is is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11b-13
 So this summer one of my goals is to have as many special moments with Ben and Seth as I can and enjoy our time as a family of three. :-)

"For you formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother's womb. I PRAISE YOU, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes so my unformed substance; in Your book were written every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with You..... Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!"  Paslm 139:13-18,23
  I have been thinking about these verses quite a bit the past few days and they have been very comforting to me with my hysteroscopy coming up this week. God was right there with me when I was being formed, he knit me together, He knows EVERYTHING about every single cell in my body. I was formed with a uterine septum on purpose. God always has a plan for everything in my life, this was not a mistake.
  I have been getting nervous about this surgery but I have also been trying to give those worries to God as I'm commanded to.  "The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  Phillipians 4:5b-7  I am not to worry, I'm to trust and give thanks. And only when I trust will His peace come over me. Trusting is hard but I would much rather have peace then anxiety attacks. And if God has told me that he will carry my burdens, why should I try to take them back? Also, who am I to say how I should or shouldn't have been formed? "Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and how inscrutable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from Him and to Him are all things. TO HIM BE GLORY FOREVER. AMEN." Romans 11:33-36 When I look back I want to be able to say that I have been praising God throughout this experience.