Garrison Twins Birth Story

Well what a way to start the New Year!
Ruby Isabelle Garrison &
Benjamin Martin Garrison
born on 1-1-2014
First Babies Born in 2014 in the Santa Clarita Valley!

My birth experience with the twins was a wee bit crazy and a whole lotta scary! It was certainly dramatic and I wish I had it all recorded on video so I could see myself acting all loco and witness what everyone else saw. Then again, it's probably a good thing it's not recorded. It would be mighty embarrassing.

I'm recording the birth story here for posterity sake--in all it's glorious detail. So...read at your own risk :)

It all started on New Year's Eve. I was 36 weeks. All day I was having--what I thought was--Braxton Hicks contractions. I never had them with Jacob and so I really didn't know the difference. Around 11 am I texted Scott:

me: Are you home early? (He was at work in Santa Monica--30 minutes to 2 hours away depending on traffic--yucky right?)

scott: Prolly around 5, why?

me: Just wondering. You're home at 5 or off at 5? (I was trying to not freak him out and make him worry. But then when he didn't text back right away and it was now two hours later and my contractions were starting to hurt I told him anyways, haha.) I'm having intense contractions all of a sudden. Can you get home ASAP? FYI. Don't walk thru the garage. (My dad had just redone the floors haha.)

And the texting ended there, haha. Scott immediately called me and said he was leaving work in five minutes. He wanted me to call Dr. Izu (my OB and a member of the bishopric :). But I didn't want to bug him if it was just Braxton Hicks. So I just continued to record my contractions on my phone. Now...when I look at that list, I think, duh Cristine. Yes, they were irregular. But there was A LOT of them. I'm talking like 40 contractions within about a 6 hour period all ranging between 5-10 minutes.

8:44
8:48
8:56
9:04
9:09
9:16
9:23
etc.

Honestly, I have no idea what I was thinking. I did call Dr. Izu and he told me that if they were irregular then they could just suddenly stop. But he told me to keep him posted and he'd have his phone right by him all night. (Love him.)

There were a couple times when the contractions stopped for about an hour or so. Which made me think I wasn't in active labor. (I didn't have contractions with Jacob until I actually got to the hospital after my water had broken. Rookie mistake to compare pregnancies/labor and birth experiences.) Well this time, my water hadn't broken. There was no bloody show. So I just sat back and--ironically--watched the movie New Years Eve. My mom and I even laughed and joked about Jessica Biel's character--who is pregnant and tries to have the first baby of the New Year to win a prize. My mom joked, "Hey wouldn't it be funny if YOU had the first baby of the New Year!? hahahahaha. ha." 

No one thought I was in active labor. Not even me. Until, I got into bed and suddenly the contractions  came full force. Again, I recorded them.

11:16
11:21
11:24
11:26

I got up and went to the bathroom. I was in major pain. And honestly, in denial. Even though I knew twins typically came early, I still thought I wouldn't have them til 40 weeks, because...well...I had Jacob at 40 weeks. While in the bathroom, I prayed. I asked Heavenly Father to either take away the contractions completely--because I just couldn't endure any more Braxton Hicks (they weren't Braxton Hicks)--or put me into labor right then and there (I already was). I got back into bed and WHAMMY! Major major pain. I was in definite labor. I yelled for Scott who came rushing in. He saw how much pain I was in and called Dr. Izu. Izu told us to head to the hospital and he'd meet us there. My contractions were coming steadily at 3 minutes apart. 3 minutes people. Scott got my parents (who thankfully had decided not to go to the Stake Youth Dance to chaperone.) My mom helped me out of bed and another WHAMMY contraction! My water broke in a HUGE gush. I immediately said, my water just broke! And... there was blood everywhere. Not water, but blood, dripping all over the floor. I was soaked with it.

I think here is where shock set in. Thank heavens Jacob was asleep and didn't witness any of the panic. My mom called Izu right away and told him there was A LOT of blood. He told us not to worry. Some blood was normal and that he was already in the car on his way. But I couldn't help but worry that maybe one of the placentas had detached, that the babies were dying, that I was dying. My parents and Scott tried to wrap towels and things around my legs and clean me up but I kept dripping all over. Eventually, I just yelled, We just have to go! I didn't care if there was blood seeping through my clothes (which consisted of my light blue nightgown, with yellow Lakers sweats underneath and my fuschia slippers and Scott's sweatshirt haha). I didn't care that my outfit was crazy. I was in so much pain. Just walking to the car I had to stop multiple times and breathe/scream through the contractions while holding onto Scott for dear life.

He got me in the car and Scott sped to the hospital like a bat out of hell. It's only a 5 minute drive but I think we got there in 2. I was crying/screaming all the way, "Owwwwwww! Owwwwww!"

We pulled up to the hospital and I had to wait in the car while Scott ran to get a wheelchair. He raced me through a myriad of halls because, of course, we had parked at the wrong entrance. This is where things get fuzzy. I can't remember even getting undressed. Seriously, as I'm thinking about it now, who undressed me??? I think my eyes were closed the rest of the time. I'm a firm believer in "see no evil" :) Honestly, it helped. If I can't see it, it's not really happening haha. I kept my head down while Scott raced me through the hospital. Next thing I know, I'm on a bed and there doing all the pre-op labs. Izu was already there (again, LOVE HIM.) He checked the babies position which hurt like crazy and yep they were still breech. I needed an emergency c-section. Izu was all business and I could tell he was worried about me. I could see it on his face. And that freaked me out.

The anesthesiologist came in and introduced himself to me. Mid-moan/yell/cry I asked when I could get the epidural. He told me they had to wait for all the lab tests...which would be half an hour! I almost lost it. That seemed ridiculous. The babies were coming like...now! With every contraction I instinctively brought my legs to my chest.

So in this hectic laboring state of things I got asked all sorts of stupid questions like, "When was your last menstrual cycle?" Really, nurse!?! I think I yelled, "I don't know!!!!!" haha. How in the world are you supposed to concentrate on such inane questions at a time like that? I also had to sign my life away on a bunch of forms and consent to all sorts of life-saving procedures since I was about to have surgery.

Where was the calm, non-stress c-section experience I had anticipated? Sheesh.

Izu is a stud and got things moving quickly. The staff actually worked very fast and I was wheeled into the operating room what seemed to be minutes later. I opened my eyes briefly as I was taken in and all I remember was a lot of stark, sterile white and lots of people. Soon they had me sitting on a table and gave me the epidural for the c-section. Lots of pricks in a few different spots.

While they did it I guess Scott tried to walk in and I heard nurses and people say, "No no no! Not yet!" Poor Scott. It was a crazy experience for him too. He was allowed in when the epidural was finished. I was laid on the bed and hallelujah the meds started kicking in. I was finally able to relax a little. As long as I had an epidural I was fine :) Izu talked a little but I can't remember what he said. As I got progressively more numb I suddenly got worried that maybe he'd start cutting and I wouldn't be numb enough! (I have my friend Kim Bundy to thank for that fear.) But Izu assured me he'd test me to make sure I was sufficiently numb before he started. He did a few pokes and I couldn't feel any of them, except one. I could BARELY detect it but I told him I really felt it anyways so the anesthesiologist would give me plenty haha. I also told Izu that I didn't want to know when he started and I didn't want a play by play. Again, I like to take the whole denial route.

Despite the anesthesia, there is a lot of tugging and pulling that you feel. And then there was intense pressure/pain on my collarbone. In my drugged and nonsensical state, I kept saying, "My collarbone. My collarbone. It hurts. Collarbone." The anesthesiologist told me that was normal and gave me something--don't know what-- for that pain. It kept hurting though and I kept complaining so I think he gave me a couple of doses. I was pretty drugged.

It wasn't long--minutes I'm guessing--before I heard my little girl cry. She was born at 12:57 am on New Year's Day. Someone--a nurse I'm guessing--told me to look over to the side and I said, "I can't." Really, I couldn't. I think I was still in shock. I could not get myself to open my eyes. But I kept asking, "Is she ok? Is she ok?" Scott assured me she was fine and told me that they were cleaning her up. He asked me, "So what's her name?"

Scott really loves me. And he must have been in awe/pity over what I was going through, because he let me name our daughter :) We argued over what we were going to name her for months! We could never agree. And it's weird. I had several names in mind for her while I was pregnant. But I couldn't decide on one. I decided I would have to just look at her and see which name fit best.

But when she came into this world my eyes were closed. I didn't see her. I could only hear her. And I could feel her spirit was finally here with me. So when Scott asked me that question, "What's her name?" I didn't hesitate. I said, "Ruby." It just came out of my mouth. There was no other name, like my spirit recognized hers in an instant and I knew my daughter and I knew her name was Ruby. It was such a special experience and I am so glad I remember it despite being so so so out of it.

A minute later, Benjamin was born. His name had been decided months back. Scott and I both love the name. I heard him cry. Again, I couldn't get my eyes to open. Again, "Is he ok? Is he ok?" I could feel something was different in the room and that he wasn't alright. Scott told me they were taking him to the NICU. His breathing was labored.

I started shaking badly--whether from the pain in my collarbone or the worry over Ben or the realization that I was being sewn back together or whatever--I was shaking and cold and in pain. Just in shock. Next, I was in a recovery room. Nurses talked around me. I didn't see them. All I could do was shake. It felt like I was there for hours.

Next, I was in the hall. My parents and Aunt Heather and Uncle Donald were there. I was still shaking. I don't know if I was even able to say hi. Next, I was in my room. Everything is still hazy about that part. I don't remember when I actually first saw Ruby, she was just suddenly there. They told me Ben would stay in the NICU overnight.

Scott is wonderful. He took care of me and Ruby all night and day and frequently went and stayed with Ben. Scott would come back and give me a report on Ben. He cried and cried telling me about how his little body was breathing so heavily and he was covered in wires. Once the meds had time to leave my system and I wasn't so shaky, the nurse helped me get in a wheelchair and took me to see Ben. We washed up and went into his room at the end of the hall. He lay there in his little "nest" incubator. He was so small and so precious. It broke my heart to see him and I felt so guilty--so guilty-- that he had been all alone off and on while Ruby had stayed in the hospital room with us.

I stroked his little, thin foot and he stretched his leg straight out. He loved it. So I just sat there rubbing his foot, scared to do much else. I was able to hold him skin to skin a number of times. I wish I had pictures of me holding him but taking pictures wasn't on my mind. I felt I would break him he was so frail and was worried sick I would pull on his wires and hurt him. The nurses (who were absolutely wonderful) assured me that I couldn't. They said the wires were all just monitors.

Later, however, he was given an IV. That broke my heart further. His little arm had to have a splint on it to keep him from pulling on the IV and hurting himself. Later, he was given a feeding tube through his nose. He wasn't eating well enough. Nurse Katherine said, "He's not a sprinter, he's a marathon runner. He takes his time eating." Ultimately, that became the main concern and the reason why he stayed in the NICU. He wasn't able to eat enough and keep it down. Before every feeding, the nurse would take his feeding tube and a syringe and pull out the milk from his stomach to measure how much he had digested and how much air was in his stomach. Then she'd push it back down. It sickened me. I was so angry! You just want to yell, "Leave my baby alone!" But, thats how they measured his progress and determined how much more he could handle without spitting up all the food in his stomach and dropping more weight.

Each day, I'd walk---verrryyy slowly---to the NICU while Scott stayed with Ruby. I almost passed out the first time. Having your stomach muscles and diaphragm cut totally stinks. Just sitting up in bed required major help. But each day seemed to get better and I got faster. Walking to the NICU helped me recover more quickly.

I felt guilty every time I left Benjamin. Just horrible. The worst mother ever. But I had to be with Ruby too. That'd been the hardest thing about twins so far. Juggling both their needs and trying to give them equal attention and love. It almost felt like I was living a double life, since my two babies were never together in the hospital. And it made me so sad that they weren't able to be. I kept thinking of how they much thinking to themselves, "Where's my brother!? Where's my sister?!" They had been together every second until leading up to birth and now they were ripped apart.

Ruby was a gem the whole time. I feel so blessed that she was such a calm, patient baby so I could spend time with Ben. She hardly cried. In fact, I don't think she did once. Except when the stupid nurses would keep pricking her poor foot. They did the bilirubin test THREE times because they kept worrying about jaundice. Oh man I was so mad at them. Again, leave my baby alone! (And she never got it.)

It was just a painful, emotional, crazy, blur of a time. Longest 5 days of my life. Scott and I took turns crying over Ben multiple times. One of us would be strong and positive while the other one cried. Then we'd switch haha.

I was in the hospital for three days and I was so done. The nurses kept pressuring me to stay for a fourth day, but I had to get out of there. They were driving me crazy. Jake needed us at home. And I felt certain that Ben would be strong enough to go home soon.

But the thing about the NICU is that the nurses/doctors never give you a definitive answer. Each day I'd get excited thinking that today was the day he'd be released and each day I was told "no" or "We don't know." It all depended on him keeping down food and gaining weight. I broke down in his room the morning we left the hospital with Ruby. The nurse rushed to my side and asked me what was the matter. I just vented a bit and told her how I had hoped I could've taken him home today with Ruby. She told me she knew this was hard but that he'd be released "soon." Which to me sounded like "never."

The NICU is filled with wonderful nurses and doctors but it totally sucks. It zaps you of energy and emotional strength fast as you watch your child lay there and you constantly wonder just how much pain and loneliness he's enduring. It just plain sucks.

So we said goodbye to our Benjamin for that day, used our Henry Mayo Hospital gift card for having the first babies of the new year (woot woot! the selection at the gift shop was pretty stellar ;), and rode on home.

When we got home we were talking to my parents and what does my dad say?? "So, was it hard to leave Benjamin at the hospital?" I burst into tears. haha. It wasn't the right thing to say to me at the moment. And my dad felt pretty bad. Boys.

The next day was Sunday. My uncle Ron, Dad and Scott were all going to the NICU with me and they were going to give Benjamin a blessing. As we were getting ready to leave, the NICU called. My heart stopped because I feared the worst-- that maybe something had gone terribly wrong. But to my surprise, I was told he could go home! The new formula they tried had rice cereal mixed in and had helped him keep it down. He gained weight! It felt like a miracle. I cried tears of joy this time.

So Scott and I gathered everything and headed to the NICU while my parents watched Jake and Ruby. It was awesome to walk in those doors knowing we would be walking out with Benjamin. It was a happy day. But my heart ached for all the little babies still in there.

There was a whole checklist of items to take care of in order to leave with him. The nurses had to show us how to feed him, how to burp him, they had to see that we could change a diaper, etc. We had to watch a video on CPR for newborns. He had to do a car seat test and sit in the carseat for over an hour while the nurses monitored his heart rate. He checked out on everything.

Nurse Katherine (our favorite) loaded my bag with formula and things and said, "Goodbye Nugget!" As we walked verrryy slowly down the NICU hall (still recovering from my c-section) all the NICU nurses and aides lined the halls on either side of us and clapped as we walked out. I nearly cried again. They were so happy Benjamin was well and going home too! It was kinda magical and just filled my heart.

*****

Flash forward...the twins are now 14 weeks and I'm just finishing this super long post. That should be a clue on how crazy busy and tiring life has been. Quite the whirlwind. In the beginning, both Scott and I were up every. single. hour. because the babies were up every. single. hour. We cried from exhaustion a few times (mostly me :) It's hard to remember just how small they were, my itty baby babies. Now they're both about 13 pounds and doing just awesome.

Ruby is still my calm, serious girl. And Benjamin is still keeping us on our toes with his impatient demands for attention and food. Life is getting easier to manage and they are sleeping mostly through the night, thank heavens. We're still tired but functioning. We love them dearly and they complete our family!