Finley Jones and Charles Lorin

Here is the birth story of Finley Jones and Charles Lorin.

On April 1 I went in for an appointment at Selah (used to be named Agape, it's the same birth center we used for Christian's birth out in Rigby) after not having had an appointment for 7 weeks. At my 21 week appointment, I measured 4 weeks ahead but that was how Christian's pregnancy was so we didn't think too much of it.  I was supposed to be 28 weeks but I was measuring 37, 9 weeks ahead.  Kathy said she didn’t feel comfortable not recommending an ultrasound, so she referred me to Teton Radiology to have an ultrasound done.  I also learned that I was anemic, which explained the tired, breathless feelings I’d been having.  

I was sort of freaking out because of this unexpected thing (pregnancy hormones...) so Thomas took care of scheduling the ultrasound. Thomas got ahold of Teton Radiology and learned it would be more money than we wanted to pay for an ultrasound, and so we decided to have our ultrasound done at Madison Women’s Clinic, which is where I went when pregnant with both Audrey and Ethan.  They could do it and we’d get to meet with Dr. Allred (who we love) and we would have a foot in the door in case anything was discovered that was abnormal or “high risk” and we needed to transfer care.  Turns out Dr. Allred remembered us- he recognized Thomas' voice from down the hall, asked questions about why Thomas was there, and pulled strings so we could be seen that day (April 2) and have the ultrasound done and all that.

The appointment was very short notice, so we had no time to find sitters for the kids, so it was sort of a circus in that little room. It took longer than we expected (surprise, surprise- we didn't remember how doctor's offices worked... it had been too long!) so Thomas had to end up leaving before we even got to see Dr. Allred. He had another meeting to go to, but it wouldn't be long, and he hoped to make it back in time. Well, he didn't. Dr. Allred came in and I explained what had already been explained to numerous staff ad nauseum, that I was measuring large for dates (which he confirmed) and we wanted to have an ultrasound done and his advice once we determined why. We managed to catch Hillary at the end of her shift and she stayed late to do a quickie for us.

I walked back to the ultrasound room with 3 kids in tow and no husband, and she started scanning me and when I saw her switch a label to "Baby B" I asked her "So... am I seeing this right? Are there 2?" She said yes and I started to cry. The kids were like "What??? There's TWO BABIES???" I returned to the little room and Dr. Allred came back. Thomas joined us shortly after- he cried when I told him the news. :)

So we learned we were expecting twin boys, which totally shocked me (Thomas claims he knew all along- I never took his teasing seriously).  We transferred our care to Madison Women’s Clinic with Dr. Allred. This was such a journey for us, to go from wanting a waterbirth at a birth center to deciding to birth in a hospital OR. IT was a hard journey that taught us much. We were blessed with a doctor who listened and respected our desires (and one who did not), and helped us to understand what he felt we needed to ensure we were all healthy and well. The staff there at Madison Women's is definitely not used to women being informed and making choices for themselves without a doctor expressly telling them it's okay. We definitely missed our caring midwives, but we worked on the inspiration of the Spirit that this was where we needed to be for our care. It was hard to trust at times, because things went so well during the entire pregnancy, it seemed unnecessary (glucose test fine, Group B negative, etc). But we knew it was right.

Because we were going to be birthing the twins in the hospital, we decided to hire a doula. Leigh Short was our choice and she was wonderful. We took Hypnobabies with Christian, and we planned on using it again with this birth. Leigh brought such peace and comfort to us through all of this.

We had most all of our appointments with Dr. Allred, only a couple were with Dr. Evans. Our experience with Dr. Evans was not awesome. I don't tolerate lies well from doctors, is all I'll say. We knew we really wanted to have John (Dr. Allred) with us for the birth of our twins. He was so patient with us. We had several false starts to my birthing time, my pressure waves would pick up and establish a pattern, continue for several hours and by bedtime they would settle down. We made it to 37 weeks, 38 weeks, 39, and then 40. At my 40 week appointment we expected Dr. Allred to talk induction with us, but he didn't. He supported us in going as long as the babies and I were healthy.

We were starting to get nervous, however, because the next Monday we knew was Dr. Allred’s last day on call at the hospital.  I felt quite strongly that I didn’t want to have the babies under Dr. Evans.  I prayed about it, and I felt like if Monday came and we ended up going to our appointment, I would ask for an induction.  

Well Sunday night we had lots of birthing waves, no real pattern, but shorter in duration than I’d had in the past.  We even had Michelle and Taylin Mickelsen come over, help with dinner and putting kids to bed.  I hung out in the closet for awhile (it was quiet and dark), listening to music.  It was Morten Lauridsen’s “Lux Aeterna”.   Thomas and I took a walk.  waves began to slow down a bit.  We sat and visited with Michelle.   I went to bed, but ended up getting up at around 4 because I just didn’t want to lay in bed anymore.  

I was still having early birthing waves, so we decided to just head into the hospital that morning, since we knew they wouldn’t turn us away, and we would be ending up there in a few hours anyway.  About 7:30 we left the house.  We checked in, and they put me straight into a room because they knew I was probably going to stay.  We met Leigh there. The nurse asked me questions, hooked me up to some monitors to see what my wave pattern was like. I felt strange, since I had 3 different bands on my belly.  I had my Early First Stage track on in one ear through parts of this.  My pressure waves were still early birthing waves, and didn’t have the kind of pattern they wanted to see, so when we chatted with Dr. Allred he offered us the option of induction.  He recommended breaking my water rather than Pitocin, the baby was low enough there was little risk of anything else coming out first.  I accepted, and asked that they break my water.  He was very supportive of our original plan, making sure that we knew this would be a major deviation from what we originally wanted.  I asked to use the bathroom and for 30 seconds to absorb and change my mental picture.  He was gracious despite being pressed for time to get back to the Clinic.  He broke my water about 9ish (sounded like he had a pretty hard time doing it, too- “membranes of steel” I think he called them) and things started along their way.  

The waves definitely started picking up in intensity over the next hour, which is when my perception of time went AWOL.  I had to have an IV in because my waters were broken.  i always hate that fat needle.  I listened to my First Stage Track as I could, and was irritated when the admissions lady kept coming back with things for us to sign.  It was very hot/stuffy to me in that room, and I was glad for the fan Leigh had gone to get for us.  I went to pee once and dribbled amniotic fluid all the way to/from the bathroom. They took some blood (the phlebotomist lady loved my veins, “I wish I could draw you all day!”) in case I needed to have a C-section or something (they ended up losing it and had to take more later).  I ditched my gross hospital gown and put on my comfy sleep bra.  I got barfy many times, which was awful and I hated. They checked me a few times. Nobody remembered to not tell me how much I was dilated, but I didn’t mind.  The waves were very intense, and I remember wishing so much that I could be in the water at one point.  

I know I spent a lot of time sitting upright, and I spent some time on my knees leaning on the back of the bed.  I started feeling like i had to poop, and they checked me while I was on my knees. I think she said I was 8-9cm but she couldn’t quite tell because of my position.  After that they wheeled me back to the OR.  Somebody covered me up; I was irritated by that because I was so hot but realized in some part of my brain it was for the best. I remember hearing the nurses at the nurse station whispering as I went by, and I felt their excitement for me. I hated going over the bumps at doorways.  We had to pause at the door to the OR for Leigh and Thomas to get their sterile things on.  I remember being really uncomfortable and irritated that we had to move.  The OR was cool but I was so hot I didn’t care one bit- it felt nice to me.  I didn't open my eyes, in fact I kept them closed or covered with a washcloth most of the time I was in there.  Thomas says i was rather snappy when I didn’t like something (a pressure or touch or position or anything) that someone did, but I remember thinking that I was being pretty nice…

Dr Allred came in to check me, and I was still only at an 8 so they had to wait for me to complete ( I later learned he was frustrated they’d called him in too soon).  At one point between waves I whispered “no more, please no more”  but no one in the room answered me.  At that point I do remember it being silent in the room, but it felt full, sacred. Thomas and Leigh would say things to me- helping me keep my mouth loose and open, Ahhhing the baby out, “open, open, open” was my friend.  I remember feeling pushy several times but being told not to push if I felt like I needed to, in case I hadn’t completed dilating.  That kind of stressed me out.  Once I really couldn’t stop pushing (it caught me by surprise, I didn’t feel it so acutely with Christian.  It just hit mid-pressure wave and I sat up and said whoa!  I said (more like hollered, probably) I couldn’t keep from pushing, someone asked if that was okay (maybe Thomas?) and Dr. Allred said if I couldn't help it then it was probably just fine.  He had me roll back onto my back (I had been on my side while I was dilating the last couple cm).  I did not want to be on my back!  But I did it anyway and it wasn’t so bad once I got there.

Pushing did not seem to take very long.  I remember Leigh telling me to “ahhh” and after one wave pushing like that I heard Dr. Allred say “that’s not doing anything” and nurses telling me to hold my breath and push.  I found tucking my head under and bending into a ‘C’ to be helpful.  I didn’t “ahh” but I didn’t really stick with holding my breath either.  I stopped really noticing the wave sensations and just felt pushing urges.  I remember baby’s head crowning and feeling the burning.  I was prepared to enjoy that but I was interrupted by Dr. Allred stretching my perineum and labia around the baby’s head (ok that was an ouch).  Someone reminding me to keep my vocal tones low and relaxed- that helped a lot too.  I only pushed for 8 minutes and Finley Jones Scott was easily born at 12:48pm.  7lbs 2 oz, 20 ¾” long.  No tears!  Yahoo!  He was placed on my tummy and I got to touch him and talk to him.  He was so warm and had a sweet, high, wet-sounding cry.  He wiggled and squirmed.  A nurse said :”;look at that bald head!”  I said “Oh, you’re Here!  I’m so glad you’re here! Happy birthday! I love you!” and a few other things.  It was such a precious few minutes, I’m SO glad to have had them.  Thomas cried. :)  Apgars were 8 and 9.  Thomas got to cut the cord.  I think Finley was only on my tummy for a couple minutes, but it seemed like at least 10 to me.

They got right on listening to Baby B’s heart tones while I was meeting Finley.  I heard someone say “is that the baby’s or is it hers?”   Finley was taken to the NICU, and Dr Allred broke the second bag of waters (I’m pretty sure it squirted my foot) to put an internal monitor on Baby B’s head.  Heart tones were about 80.  I went back down to 8cm dilation, and Baby B stuck his hand out, having slid transverse a bit.  Dr. Allred pushed the hand back and turned Baby B so he was head down again.  He had me push a bit to help this process.  Heart tones dropped to 60, I heard Dr. Allred say to prep for a C-section.  My cervix closed further down to 5 cm, and Baby B’s heart rate dropped to 40.  Dr. Allred called for an emergency C-section.

A side note here- we had been told all through this pregnancy how rare it was to have the first baby born vaginally and the second baby end up a C-section. Dr. Allred told us it had been 10 years since he'd had that happen, when baby A is head down they are born vaginally he said. Both babies were head down so we didn't anticipate it being a problem at all. However, this felt okay. When I heard him call for a C-section, I wouldn’t say I was expecting this to happen, but it felt… right, natural, like I knew it was supposed to be this way.

I finally opened my eyes and actually looked around when this happened, and the room filled with noise and people (they may have been there all along, or maybe some of them, I don’t know.)  I was told to scoot onto this other bed thing (didn’t look much like a bed, more like a stretcher/metal thing), people helped me move because I had started shaking pretty badly.  People were all over the place doing things, all of them in sterile things/face masks and I couldn’t recognize anybody. They were strapping my arms and legs down to the table. Leigh was gone.  Thomas came and stood on my left and held my hand.  I told him everything would be okay.  He said “oh yeah!”  I think I told him I loved him.  He left, they told him he could come back once I was under but they lied.  :)  Stuff was crazy all around me but I was never scared for my life or for the baby’s life.  I knew it was going to be just fine.

The anesthesiologist came up by me head and told me his name, and that he would be taking very good care of me.  I can’t remember his name, (Bob maybe?) but he wore a bandanna underneath his surgical cap.  I liked him- felt safe because of him.  He asked me a few questions, things about allergies to medicines. They put an oxygen mask over my face, and he told me to breathe deeply and to relax.  They strapped my head down I think.  The last thing I remember was him telling me he was going to put something in my IV, the blue sheet going up vertically in front of my face, and a nurse came over and started tapping on my throat.  She apologized and said “It helps with…”, but I missed the rest because I went under.

Thomas had gone around to wait for Baby B in the NICU and to be with Finley.  Charles Lorin Scott was born at 1:08pm via emergency C-section, pooping and peeing all over the nurses. 7lbs 11oz, 21” long.  Apgars 8 and 9 again.  Both babies were completely healthy and didn’t spend more time in the NICU than it took for me to be ready for them in recovery, for lack of another place to be.  

I don’t remember anything until the recovery room, although Thomas says I woke up still in the OR and talked to people and asked questions.  I was very groggy, couldn’t keep my eyes open, and couldn’t breathe right.  It made me panicky.  I couldn’t talk very well either, my voice was really croaky and weak for at least a day.  I think I asked the same questions over and over.  I got to hold my babies, and someone helped me feed them.  I couldn’t see them very well because my eyes wouldn’t stay open very long.  I know Dr. Allred came in to see me, I don’t recall all of what he said, but I know he said that there was nothing anyone could have done differently, my C-section wasn’t caused by anything, it wasn’t anything we did or chose, it just happened.  I think the anesthesiologist came in to see me.  People kept saying I was nauseated and couldn’t have food but I was confused by that because I never remembered saying it, I only remembered saying that I was dizzy.  I think I ate some Jello at some point (it was blue?) but it made me feel sick.  Things were all kind of fuzzy.  Thomas was so excited for me to see the babies and to see which looked like which name we had thought about, but because I couldn’t see very well or stay awake I don’t think we talked about names until the next day. About 7pm I was able to move to the Mother/Baby unit.  

Recovering from the general anesthesia was worse than any pain I felt from the c-section.  I was nervous that it would hurt a ton, but the nurses were super good about keeping me up on my pain meds and I was never in severe pain.  I was on oxygen through a nose tube thing for about a day after the births, since I still got dizzy.  It dried out my nose for days and my nose would bleed for about a week after.  I had a catheter for pee and for extra fluid from my uterus.  I also got these lovely foot massagy things that were neat for the first few hours but they got old.  They kept me from sleeping.  I got really dizzy the first time I got up (to pee and to shower)- like smelling salts dizzy. After that, though I got a lot better at getting up. I could get up to pee by myself just fine by the time we went home Wednesday night.

Throughout this whole process as I drifted through varying states of consciousness I remember vividly feeling other people with me - I know I was never alone, there were always nurses or somebody around me, but I could feel hands on my shoulder that could not be seen on this side of the veil.  I could hear whispered words of encouragement that nobody else could hear but me.  I KNOW we were watched over as we went through this. I know that there were people on both sides that were excited about these boys coming. I never ever thought I'd have a C-section, let alone be happy because of one, but I am glad we were in the place we needed to be so that Charlie could stay with us here on Earth. I'm grateful that we had Dr. Allred there- I trusted him fully and that was so comforting.  The outcome was very different than we planned or expected, but I know it was right for me, for each boy, and for our family.