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Hop along to conversations with the Kaz sisters, Ashley and Angela. You'll find a mix of silly, serious and everything in between. 🦘
This is sisters Ashley and Angela.
And this is sister Rooy.
So, Ashley.
Yes. How's it going?
How's it going?
Oh, well, you know, we had some babies.
We did have some babies. Two baby boys that we're looking at right now sleeping right next to each other on a baby monitor.
Yep, we, uh, had some boys.
Ashley is so sleep deprived right now, she can't even think and say.
Oh, yeah, apparently you can't either.
I can't talk.
Um, yeah, so we had a surprise baby, and then your baby finally came.
We've honestly had an interesting month.
Yeah, I actually. I should pull it up, because.
For the timing of events.
not so much that, but just for the texts of me and you when I went into the hospital, because I wasn't expecting my baby for another month. Yeah. Well, yeah, five weeks, so another month at least. I kept telling people, he had such a early month due date that I was like, I don't know if I'm gonna have a February baby. I don't know if I'm gonna have a March baby. And, guys, he threw us all for a loop because I had a January baby. Love that.
Birth stories are unpredictable, so God laughs at you if you have plans
and yeah, we are talking birth stories today.
Yeah. Let's back it up. Let our listeners know. We basically planned to talk in this episode about the fact that birth stories 1.
So unpredictable.
Clearly, God will laugh at you if you think you have any sort of plan of what you think might happen, because it'll just happen the opposite way.
Oh, yeah.
And, keep you on your toes
Yeah, we, Angela and I, we talked plans of, like, every outcome possible of what we would be doing if you needed help when you went to the hospital, when you were supposed to be due before me and all of these things. And, yeah, I'm just like, God was just laughing in our faces up there.
No, we had backup plans to backup plans, and then the. Those plans didn't even.
This plan. Yeah. Was a completely different plan than any that we even thought of. Well, I think we did briefly bring it up once. We were like, well, what if we. What if Ashley goes into labor first? And we, like, laughed it off and didn't actually go through with a plan.
Yeah.
We're like, that won't happen.
Yeah. So then the universe was like, yeah, that's actually what's gonna happen. So.
Yep.
Ashley took maternity photos of me on a Monday when I was pregnant
Anyway, to just give you guys a, ah, timeline here. I had a fun idea because I received this Maternity dress. Oh, yeah, that.
Yeah. Let's back it up to that day.
Yes. Because this is how the week really started. Was this a Monday?
Yep, that was Monday.
M. Just on a Monday. You know, Actually, the day before Sunday, I text Ashley and I'm like, hey, how do you feel about coming over and just taking pictures of me in this dress? And Ashley's like, yeah, I got nothing to do.
Yeah.
So I try on this dress. I don't even know if I'm gonna look good in this dress. I'm just thinking my sister has a fun amateur style eye for photography and will just take her camera and take photos of me.
My camera on my phone, guys. Yes.
She's that sophisticated. so she decides, yeah, she'll come over. And Jake, my husband, was cool to basically watch our toddler children while Ashley just took photos of me and myself.
Um, she has this little pond right next to her house. And so we were like, yeah, we'll work with that.
Yeah. Because I didn't scenery. I didn't do. We didn't do, like, any family photos or anything while I was, Ah, Pregnant. Thank you. Still apparently have some pregnancy brain later.
It's now just called mom brain.
Mom brain.
Yeah. Mom brain continues. Hopefully the math is better.
No, can't. I'm not gonna.
No, we're not gonna try. No.
I know it's gonna be bad for you. I just know that. Rude. Anyway, Anyway, Ashley comes over on now Monday while I've dressed up and I have an outfit. Just in case my toddler, Emma, um, does want to take some photos with me. And Ashley has her phone at the ready. Jake is watching our kiddos.
I brought some Starbucks. I got you a hot chocolate.
that was great.
Myself a coffee. I think that was decaf. It had to have been. I mostly did decaf during my pregnancy. So I'm just trying to, you know, think back what things could have happened.
Oh, yeah. But Ashley is making me do some weird poses very close to a pond. And we live in Florida, so we're kind of also slightly worried about alligators.
I'm like, deathly a terror. Deathly terrified of alligators for no reason. But, I do have a lot of dreams about alligators, which might have come up in our dream episode. I can't remember. But Justin, who, you know, my husband has lived here his whole life, and he is not afraid of them. And I just can't relate. I think it's just as an adult, I'm like, you know, more fears.
So we're joking about the fact that there might be alligators in this pond that we have never seen. Other than the anecdote dodal evidence through our neighbors who said that they saw a baby alligator years ago. So who knows how old that one is now and if it's even in the pond. Way side story. Anyway, there I can't talk. What the heck. So Ashley, though, while she's making me do these poses, is doing a ton of squats. This is the only reason I bring up this day, because Ashley is also pregnant.
Yep.
Just three weeks behind me.
Yep.
And she is having me do weird poses. And then, she's doing weird poses, trying to get.
Is like on a slant. It's like on a hill.
My calves.
I haven't done anything. You were in heels, too?
Yeah, I had a slight heel. It wasn't even a heel heel.
It was still makes a difference when you're pregnant.
1 inch snow. Stupid sandal heel. And my calves were sore because I don't do diddly squat. Didn't do.
Well. Let me say you still look beautiful in the dress
Well. Let me say you still look beautiful in the dress. And, because you helped make me look beautiful. But thank you. No, you definitely made yourself look beautiful. I just took pictures of your beautifulness and made. And, um, we should share some of those.
Yeah, we'll show some.
Because there were some good ones.
Really good ones.
I literally told you I was going to delete them all from my phone to save up space. And I kept some. I lied. They're still there. All of them. All 200. but I did favorite some. And some are now on my frame. My digital frame.
That's so nice.
And I will delete most of them, but keep some of them because, uh, there are some good ones. Pretty proud of my amateur self.
She is a great amateur artist over here.
The next day would have been Tuesday. So that's Tuesday. Okay, so then Tuesday. And, um, then Wednesday. So that's
So that's Tuesday. And it's so early in the year that on the next day, Wednesday. Jake, my husband and I.
The next day would have been Tuesday. Love you. I came over on Monday.
Oh, thank you. Thank you.
Hashtag mombrain.
So then Tuesday. I'm so excited. I'm such a nerd. Jake and I are doing like our resolution for the year was we were going to do this specific budget thing. So anyway, on this particular day. Yeah, I'm such a nerd because it was so. We were so excited that it was our budget talk basically. And it really got you hyped.
You're like so happy talking about m it.
I know. And anyways, can't relate. So I sent see though that Ashley had just called me and I just missed it. So I was about to call you back.
Yeah, that was Tuesday night.
Yeah. But then you. Ashley ended, up calling Jake immediately after me missing her phone call and not calling her back in time. And Jake is just like, shout out.
To Jake, I can rely on you to answer your phone. He took out of everybody that I tried calling that night. Two people, three. To be fair. I'll get to my side of the story next.
Okay? Okay.
Okay. Okay.
So yeah, Jake is, he answers and Ashley is just like very serious. Like, is Angela there? And do you want to continue telling the rest?
Yeah.
On Tuesday, your pregnant belly felt like constant pressure on the outside
So Tuesday I ended up feeling just so. I just don't even know the feeling, how to describe the feeling. I just felt weird all day.
Different weird.
And my pregnant belly just felt like constant pressure on the outside. Like he was just constantly pushing up against my abdominal wall type thing. And so I waited for Justin to be done with work. And I think around like 6:30, 7:00, I was just like, I just need to go lay down. Justin was like, maybe you just need more support, um, like this time around for your belly. So I will go to Walmart, I will get you belly bands for the rest of the pregnancy for you to wear and look at some things that I can get for you. And I was like, okay, cool. He took Ace with him and I was just like chilling on the couch until they got back. So then he came back all the things and was like, I'll put Ace to bed. and I was just like, yeah, I just like, don't feel great. And Justin was like, have you felt him move today? And then I was kind of freaking out because I was like, I haven't really been paying attention because I've just felt weird and like crappy all day and have just been laying around that I Just didn't even.
You were too focused on your own body, just, like, even though he was inside your body. Yeah.
And Ace was so good that day because literally I laid around all day, and he just let me lay around all day. and so then we're both freaking out, and I'm like, I don't know if I felt him. And so we both are, like, pushing a little bit on my belly, trying to get him to move. We go and tell Ace to get his flashlight to, like, shine a light through, because sometimes they can react. and, like, finally he reacted, but I still wasn't like, was his movement lower than what it should have been? And so then I was kind of freaking out in my mind. So Justin goes lower physically, or you're.
Just saying, like, a fainter feeling compared to his normal kicks and hits?
just less frequent. Like, I didn't. I didn't know if he just was moving less frequently that day because I hadn't been paying attention.
Yeah.
Yeah. So I was like, okay, he moved. But I don't know if that is any indication of anything, bad. So, so Justin goes and puts Ace to bed, and I'm like, I'm gonna go lay in our bed with my pregnancy pillow for more support. And I was there for maybe a half hour. And around 9:30, I had this, like, shooting pain in my right side of my lower back and down to my uterus. And, like, it was cramping. And we haven't really gone into our labor stories with our first children, but that's another episode. Yeah, but with Ace, I didn't have my water break naturally. I didn't have, like, normal contractions with him or anything. So I didn't really know what contractions were, other than just, you know, cramping and uncomfortableness and whatever. So. But this was in my back. So I was also like, what the heck is that? And I was like, well, let me get up and go pee. So I go pee, and I'm, like, looking up what pains I'm getting on Dr. Google, and I'm sitting on the toilet, like, scrap scrolling my phone, looking at what things could happen or could possibly be happening. And I was like, okay, could be this could be that. Worrying myself even more probably. And then I stand up and I notice that there is blood in the toilet. And so then I really freak out. especially since I had the two previous miscarriages early on in between the two pregnant. Between my two sons now that I have. And, so this is when I Called Justin because he was laying in bed with Ace, and I was, like, watching him on the monitor, and I was like, pick up your phone. I don't want to have to go in there. Because he had just fallen asleep or he was in the middle of falling asleep. I didn't want to interrupt because Ace had been having a hard time with falling asleep lately. So I was like, okay, well, let me just jump ahead of the gun because I know what we're gonna do. We're gonna go to a hospital. So let me call Angela. But tried and true, she doesn't answer.
I would have called back real quickly, though.
That's what you say.
I really did have it next to. To me. But Jake was right next to me too. So.
Yes. So then I called Jake and he did answer. and so he was like, hey, Ashley. Like his normal. Like, how he answers the phone, like, hey, Ashley. Like, what's up? Like, everything's all fun and good. And I'm just like, are you guys. Are both of you home? I think I was like, is Angela near you? Are both of you home? and he was like, yeah, she's.
Right next to me.
Yeah. I was like, can one of you come over? I started bleeding. And his response, I can't remember if I had said anything about the bleeding yet. I maybe just said, can one of you come over and watch Ace?
That's what you said.
Because his follow up question was like, is Justin there? And I was like, he is, but he's gonna take me to the ER because I'm bleeding. And he was like, oh. And, like, demeanor shifted. Yeah.
And then I heard that through the speaker and I was like, yeah, I'll be there.
Yeah. Angela was like, I'm on my way.
Ashley went to emergency room after fainting at work
You're like, I'm peeing and I'm leaving.
We shut our budget conversation immediately down.
Appreciate you.
And I was like, I honestly packed a snack because I was hungry and then grabbed my purse and I was on my way to your. To your house?
Yeah. So, I tried calling Justin like two or three more times, so still never answered. And so finally I had to go in there and I, like, shook him awake, and he came because he had unfortunately fallen asleep with Ace. So I was like, crap, sorry, but, uh, we gotta go. so we ended up going. Or he comes out of the door, like, shuts the door. I'm like, I'm bleeding. We gotta go. Angela's on her way. And he was just like, okay. so end up going to the emergency room in our little town, which this hospital, guys, is not the greatest hospital. You might want to go there for, like, an infected splinter, but not something serious like a heart attack or definitely not some OBGYN stuff, because these guys did not know much.
Uh, after you relayed some of these details, it was like, jake, we're never going here.
Yeah. but it was m. More so for my peace of mind to just make sure something or anything was okay. Like, they were at least able to do an ultrasound and tell me that there was a fetal heartbeat. He was moving. And they were like. It doesn't appear that, you're dilated again. They weren't great.
But this was also your decision to go there was also. Because your main hospital you would have went to was like, 45 minutes away.
Yeah.
So that was.
And this one was 10 minutes down the road. And if anyone knows anything about me, I'm all about convenience. Even though this was probably more inconvenient to everyone involved.
But you didn't know that. This is hindsight 2020 vision now. But, yeah.
and so they could not tell if I was dilated at all, really. and. But they were to a point where they were like, we're going to get you on an ambulance and take you to your delivering hospital. So I was like, cool. That's what I would be more comfortable. Comfortable with doing. Anyway, so they told Justin to leave because the ambulance would be there, like, immediately. And, it was not. It took, like, an hour for the ambulance to come pick me up. Justin came home, packed a go bag for his hospital bag because homeboy was not prepared because I was again, like, five weeks early if this boy decided to come. And luckily that day, I had installed the car seat in, both cars. And, I had packed my hospital bag already. And I can't remember. I think I, like, washed and sterilized the bottles, like, two weeks before or something. Like, something was talking to me within because they were like, you need to do some of this stuff. And I did it for good reason.
That you did not know yet.
Yeah. so went into an ambulance. This is the second time I've been in an ambulance in my life. Have you ever been in an ambulance?
I have not. I have not been in an ambulance to travel, but an ambulance came after a car crash, that I was technically parked part of. And I just got my blood pressure checked in the back of the ambulance.
Okay.
The ambulance was not really for me. It was for the other person.
I fainted at work back in, like, 20. I don't even know. 17. 2016. Is that right? Man, that feels so long ago. Yes. Stupid math.
Yes, I knew it was coming.
Yes, it was back in, like, 2016 or 2017. I fainted at work, and they took me in an ambulance then. but it was, like, a fire crew ambulance, so this was like, just regular EMT ambulance. And I don't know, these guys were just, like, the youngest EMTs I've ever seen in my life. And I'm texting Justin from the back of the ambulance, and I'm just like, okay, ambulance is here. These guys are so young. I'm like, you know, naked on a gurney. I have a gown on, but, like, have no personal belongings or clothes. I just have my phone and this gown, and I'm actively bleeding. And these two just, like, young guys come in. I'm just like, oh, this will be fun.
They didn't make it awkward or anything?
No, they were completely professional. They were so. They were so nice. They were so good. got some stories From the guy that rode in the back with me. And, But I was texting Justin that these guys were so young. And by the time I get to my hospital, Justin beat us there, because, like I said, he came back home, got a bunch of things, and then went 45 minutes to my hospital and still, beat me from hospital to hospital. Ridiculous.
Ashley went into pre-term labor
and he walks back while they're trying to wait for a room for me in triage, and I'm just, like, sitting on the gurney with these guys. And so he gets in the back with me. He's just like, wow, you weren't kidding. These guys are young. And these poor guys were just like, we get this all the time.
Like, younger than 21 type of young.
One guy was in college, so possibly. Possibly. the driver, I didn't talk too much because he was driving, but the guy that was in the back with me, had a baby face. For sure. They had cool names. Well, one guy had a cool name.
Cool names.
That's what stuff. Hey, at least I remember their names.
Named EMT dudes.
Yeah. Anyhow, so that was my second time in an ambulance, and, I mean, they were fine. They were nice. It was just that they were super young. But all while this is happening, I am texting Angela because.
Oh, yeah, I'm getting updates. And I also didn't want to be super. What's the word? Pesky. Like, I didn't really know who all you're seeing how quickly things are happening. But by the time you're telling me, yeah, an ambulance hasn't even showed up, I'm like, well, Ashley's on her phone and I'm asking questions.
I mean, I was bored. I was just sitting there. Like, Justin had left me to go get everything. But I am texting Angela. So Angela comes and, you know, shows up to watch Ace while he sleeps. Whatever. Yeah. but if I had, like, talked with you for even two minutes or looked at you, I would have started, bawling.
Oh, yeah, we both. I get out of the car when there's even a slight interaction with Ashley.
I'm just like, here's the monitor. I gotta go. Cause if I looked at you anymore, I was like, I know.
I think we were both teary eyed already. I was. And I know we were both just thinking, like, potentially the worst, like, oh my gosh, like, oh, it was so stressful. And I know I wasn't even part of it, like, truly in Ashley's seat, like, but anyway, I'm a super empathizer and that's what I was doing. Yes, sitting and stewing while having my snack, reading a book and trying not to bombard Ashley or Justin with questions, but super happy that Ashley is texting me to be, like, sending me updates. And then, I end up spending the night at your.
House, while you're in triage, finding out what the heck is happening.
Yeah.
yeah, Angela and I are like, conferring and discussing what possible things again from my Dr. Google. And what you probably were googling too. Goodbye, Dr. Google. And I just, Your text from when I was at our crappy hospital was also similar. It was just like, let's hope that's what it was. And you are just an early labor, which was never in my forecast for this week. And it was just like. Yeah, we also did not plan to have a baby this week from when we had this baby. so I just.
So this is still Wednesday night going into Thursday. Thursday.
That was Tuesday night.
Oh my gosh.
I can't do a calendar. I can't do a calendar. Yeah, that was Tuesday night. 9:30 is when I called you. So yeah, It was like midnight 12:30am when I got to my delivering hospital and, got into triage. Once I got to triage, they did tell me I was dilated 3 centimeters. And the. The frustrating thing was we didn't know how long I had been dilated. Because if anyone has been pregnant, if any of our listeners has gone through a pregnancy, you get checks of your cervix after a certain point in time at your office with your obvious. And I hadn't gotten to that point yet because I wasn't as far along as I should have been. So I was literally supposed to start them the following week. And so we just didn't know if I had been there for a while. Because, again, if you've been pregnant, you can be dilated at like, 3 or 4 centimeters without anything happening for a long time. and so we ended up getting admitted because I was having pain, which would have just been contractions at this point.
So the hospital and the doctors were confirming that was contractions that you were having.
Yes, they were contractions. They got the, things on your belly. Yeah. And like, got the fetal doppel, fetal heartbeat thing on my belly too. so they were monitoring him. And while I was in triage, they were ruling out, you know, anything that could have been possibly wrong with, like, the placenta or, I don't know what else there would have been. They took blood work for, infections and cultures and some other stuff to rule things out for why my body would be going into preterm labor.
Yeah.
so it sounded like my body was going into preterm labor because I was having blood and I was contracting, so they weren't going to send me home. They were like, we're going to just let your body do what it's going to do. but I was early preterm labor, so they weren't going to help further anything along either. So I was just kind of in this limbo. so that went on all day Wednesday.
Real frustrating for Ashley because her pain tolerance, guys, is like, negative.
It's weak sauce.
Weak sauce.
Ashley had a reaction to penicillin during her labor and delivery
Such a good term for it.
Don't think I could do a tattoo. Only have my ears pierced like, once. Pain tolerance not great. And really the contractions weren't bad. They really were bad, at like four in the morning on Thursday morning. So, yeah, Wednesday, I just, like, contracted all day and sat and did nothing in a hospital bed. And it was really in limbo. And, yep, waited. Waited for my body to do stuff while doctors just kept coming in telling me, we can't do anything to help you at this moment, at this point. So they were just giving me pain meds and an antibiotic in case there was an infection, because that is the most likely scenario. Of why I would have been going into preterm labor. And they also said they wanted to treat it in case, Like, for the baby. Yeah, they wanted to treat it while he was still inside me for when I did deliver. Nothing bad would happen to him. I don't know. So I ended up telling them, give me penicillin because I am not allergic to it. I have blood work that tells me I'm not. Guys, I reacted to this stupid drug. I had a full body rash. And if you know anything about my first labor and delivery with Ace, my son, it was very similar to that. But, It was way better than that this, time around. But I still reacted to this. I had a drug reaction. I have a lot of allergies to medications, unfortunately. but I was so sure about the penicillin family because I went to an allergist to rule this out.
I have questions for your allergist.
I have questions for everyone. Because it's the most frustrating thing that I still reacted to this stupid drug. And this is the only drug they gave me. They gave me pain medication, which is not normal to have a reaction to. and they gave me penicillin, which I've had a reaction to, I guess, in the past, even though my blood work says I'm not allergic to it. So it's gotta be this stupid penicillin.
So Ashley's writing off penicillin forever now?
Yes. I will be putting it back on my list. Stay away from stupid penicillin. End of that rant. Um, to just also put on there. I did, like I said, have a reaction. So I had a rash for, like, two weeks after giving birth. guys, when she says a rash, she was purple.
I have never seen, like, I don't.
Think the nurses had seen it.
I still scrolls through some of my photos, because Emma my daughter. She's always wanting to see pictures.
Yeah, she's, like, into photos right now.
So I'm scrolling through, and once in a while, I go. I get to those pictures where Ashley's sending photos of her legs and her ankles. And just anybody.
It's not. Yeah, it's not even the rash. We'll get there.
Yeah, yeah. It's so purple.
Anyway,
Ashley woke up Thursday morning with intense contractions needing an epidural
ended up, like, Thursday morning, 4:00am um, waking up with, like, real bad contraction pain. and that one.
Active. Activate active labor for Ashley in the morning.
So I was probably at 5 centimeters. They think around that time, 5 or 6 centimeters. they couldn't. It was like, the position of things in my body, of my cervix and my body. anyhow, without going into too much detail, it hurt so bad while they were trying to figure out where I was at. But I, like, I think I crushed Justin's hand more than when I was actually pushing from the cervix check.
Yes, Yes, I can relate.
yeah, they're not fun, and they're not gentle about things when they're checking. so anyway, they're like, sounds like you are, um, in more active labor, and we can give you an epidural. I was like, yes, What Ashley has been doing. Give it to me. Give me the drugs so can get my epidural now. So happy. Epidural woman was great.
The epidural woman.
She even. She made so many comments about how, well and good I was being of just standing still and. Or being still. You have to be so still during these things, and they're getting put into your back. And, she was just, like, so impressed by me. And I was just like, that's because I want it. Give it to me now. And Justin's just like, seriously, I don't think I've ever seen you sit so still. I'm like, ah, yes. Release and comfort. And then I felt great. And so then took a little nap because I was exhausted.
We didn't stop the penicillin because I had a rash
Oh, I can't believe I haven't talked about the Benadryl.
I forgot about the Benadryl because the.
Reaction to the penicillin started because I had this rash. I asked them, and I don't know why. We just didn't. We just didn't stop the penicillin because that had to have been why I was getting the reaction. but I had noticed that I was getting a rash, and I was like, can I get something for this rash? And I really should have just been like, can you take this penicillin out?
I didn't know it would continue to drip in. Is that what that was happening?
Yeah, they. Because, again, they were treating an infection that they didn't know the results of yet. And so if I stopped it and there was an infection, it could have been bad for me and baby. And if there wasn't an infection, it was a gamble. So I was just like, well, I'll just be itchy, itchy, scratchy. Itchy, scratchy. And so I ended up getting Benadryl to help the itchiness. And, guys, Benadryl straight through the iv.
Quick and fast acting.
It made me so loopy.
And the text messages were great.
Made me so loopy. I was probably, probably slurring to my nurses and they were probably like, what is happening? And then I would just pass out in a good Benadryl coma. And it was fantastic until they came in and would check on me. But it was so fantastic. I was like, I don't even. Yeah, some of the texts. I should pull up those texts too. But I'm pretty sure I was telling Justin that I was slurring to the nurses and I was like slurring in my text messages. Yeah. I texted Angela and there were a bunch of typos too.
Mhm.
It was fantastic. I felt so great with the Benadryl iv. I was like, give me more every four hours. This is great. Really. Because it knocked me out too.
Yeah.
So I literally got the epidural. I was like, give me some more Benadryl, but make it the last thing that you do before you need me because otherwise I'm going to be out. Like I get like drunk off of this Benadryl. so she's like, okay, here's your Benadryl. Good night. And I'm like, see ya. Because she was done with her shift at that point. So pass out. Wake up at, like 8:00am really contracting. Even though I have an epidural, you can still feel like pressure and things. And I'm like, I think things are happening. And I can also feel like a gushing. And so I'm like, I think my water is breaking. Luckily my nurse came in and I told her, she checked me out. And she was like, yep, I'm going to call the doctor in. I was like, cool. During this time, if anyone has been in labor and delivery before, you know that the husbands don't really get great beds depending on your hospital.
This sleeping arrangements are always a little rough.
Yeah. So this particular room that we were in had a lazy boy that did recline, but Justin reclined it one time during our two night, three night stay there or whatever it was. And he feared for his life because this thing just like completely fell backward and he felt like he was going to fall out of his chair like.
Sweet home Alabama style, where the dad of Reese Witherspoon is wanting people to test out his recliner.
Yes.
And they pretty much break their back when they do.
Yeah. Justin thought he was going to completely fall out of this chair. And he feared for his life and was like, I can't trust this Chair. So he was sleeping in his truck bed. so I had to call him, and I was like, I feel like I need to push. You need to get your butt up here. And he came running, sprinting through the lobby, and they were like, all right, doctors are coming. We're here. They're like, you know, introducing themselves, and they're like, we're gonna get everybody in here because you're preterm labor. They want to make sure everything's good for babies. So they got, like, NICU people in there, pediatricians and whatever, and I'm just like, cool. More the merrier. Bring them all in. So Justin finally comes in. He's the last one to enter the room, and they're like, there's dad. And they're like, get in position. And literally pushed him out. Four pushes later, and, ah, we have this lovely, beautiful little boy. His name is Sam.
Yay.
Yay.
It was all a shock and surprise.
Yes. I, ended up, you know, telling all of my family, and they were thinking when I was calling them that I would be calling them about Angela going into labor, and I was like, um, no, I'm the one that's actually at the hospital right now, and I am giving birth to my. To my baby. So it was a shock to everybody. Yep. Ended up having him at the end of January. Crazy.
Ashley says her whole body was swollen due to an allergic reaction
He was supposed to be a March baby.
Happy birthday. Yay.
so he's good. I'm good. I ended up, like I said, having an allergic reaction. I also don't know if my body swelling is an allergic reaction to this drug or if it's just my reaction to being pregnant and water retention leaving my body. But, my whole body was swollen. my face, unrecognizable. Like, even my dad was like, didn't even know that was.
You looked literally like a fake character in a movie.
I keep telling everyone I looked like a troll.
Yes.
The trolls from Frozen. That is what my face looked like.
Oh, yeah. The cheek.
The rock. The rock. Trolls. That's what I looked like.
You know, it was so funny, though, where I obviously know who you are, and I just wanted to see if Emma, recognized her aunt looking like this.
That's so sad.
And she totally did. She was like, oh, Aunt Ashley.
There was a little me still in there then.
Totally. She recognized you in all. Every photo where you were swollen up. Just crazy.
Ashley says she got the flu shot during her second pregnancy
So, guys, we come back from the hospital. Like I said, have a beautiful boy. He's here. He's safe. the only thing that was concerning was, with him being so early. Luckily he was, like, early, but, like, late early. So, they were concerned about his lungs and he was on oxygen for, like, two hours and he took himself off of it. And, like, has been good ever since. so we get to come home and I feel way better than I did with postpartum m with my first son and that delivery. and then I wake up and I'm, like, swollen more and more each day. I have a rash more and more each day. And then I wake up with a fever. Oh, my gosh, I forgot about this. That was on like a Sunday or something. It was low grade and I, you know, just took care of it with some over the counter medication.
And
Then the next day on Monday, I woke up even more swollen and had 103 temperature.
Oh, yeah. And this is when our mom was going to go and see you anyway. Like, to help.
Yes. my mom came up and she was really going to come help because we had, Sam's m first pediatrician appointment. Justin ended up having to take him by himself to the pediatrician appointment. We ended up calling one of our babysitters to come over and watch Ace while Justin's dad drove up, from an hour away. And then my mom was already there. So she was like, I'm going to take you to the ER because 103 temperature and you look awful.
I was gonna say, who talked you into going?
Justin. And I had decided that I was gonna go, but I was going to go with Justin when he got back from the pediatrician. And he was like, no, Just like.
Mom's like, you can't wait.
Yeah. Mom was like, we're going now. So we go back to the ER and I tell them everything that's going on, and they just do like, swabs for Covid and flu to make sure that. To rule those things out. And then I had the freaking flu. I had flu. A, on top of postpartum and everything with my rash and swelling and whatever.
And guys, I laugh more so because I. I feel like if it wasn't for me, Ashley never would have gotten a flu shot during her pregnancy.
Well, definitely I was not going to because it was not a concern for my delivery date at that time.
Guys, I have questions for Ashley's doctor. Cause regardless, she said she was due in March. Technically, guys, flu season goes until May. Whatever. During my first pregnancy, my gynecologists, In Alabama were telling me, like, about flu. Flu season, whatever. They were very, very strict about it during my first pregnancy. So me being due around the same time with this second pregnancy, I thought, okay, it's a shoo in to get the flu shot, whatever. And for our children, or for visitors or whatever. We knew Jake and I wanted to make sure anyone who saw our new born when he was here, we wanted them to have their flu shot. so anyway, this was a request to Ashley because I knew her being our main backup of support, not knowing she was going to have her kid first before us. we had asked her to get a flu shot and her husband as well. And, anyway, she got it a few weeks prior.
I got it eight days before I started contracting and having blood that made me go into the hospital.
So, yeah, I just laugh because I'm like, of course, my sister, who always has these medical issues. We haven't even hit the iceberg with some of her stories.
Just know that I am allergic to a lot of medications and that is the root of my problems.
Yeah. But anyway, I just, I find it slightly ironic that she got the flu.
Well, it was very mild. I only had a fever and maybe a cough and, like, blew my nose.
Once a day, thank goodness.
And no one else got it. but man Justin shout out to my husband because he was, you know, a godsend during this time of me having the flu. No one wanting to visit because I had the flu. So we didn't have help within the first couple days of me getting medication for the flu.
And mom still came over.
She came over once because she was like, well, I'm already exposed, I guess. And she got her flu shot. I don't know.
And mom's just a tank.
Yeah. For real. Mom, like, never gets sick. Knock on wood. And then, like, I was postpartum. Um, we had a toddler. We have a newborn. Justin didn't get sleep for, like, the first two or three days, but now I'm back and, um. Stronger than ever.
Stronger than ever or stronger than never?
Stronger than ever. Okay. That's the phrase.
Just making sure I heard never in there.
And I was like, it probably just went with my van. Never than never van ever.
Ashley had her baby on Thursday
So while I was in the hospital.
Oh, yeah. So Ashley has her baby on Thursday.
And, Jake and I. Jake and.
I are just in utter shock.
We're.
I'm like, how?
Like, I had my baby before you. I mean.
I mean, the amount of times between me And Ashley and between Jake and I, where we're like, I still can't believe that Ashley had her baby before us. Because we were always saying, oh, we're totally gonna have our kiddo, uh, before our due date. Like, our due date was February 8th. And we. Like, I still thought that I.
And you thought you were gonna have a baby? A January baby?
Yeah. I just was really certain that, I was gonna have this baby early because that's what happened with my first pregnancy with Emma. And so I was just like, you know, there's still so much time in this day, Thursday to have our baby.
And, uh.
Uh, I think 9:00pm rolled around, and I was like, I don't think I'm having this baby today. I'm hitting the, clock where, you know, three, hours not gonna happen for the end of the day. So I go to bed feeling like I'm not having this baby. And next day, Friday, just regular day, I actually have my, a regular walk during the day. and I get home and I'm playing with Emma in our. Our playroom. And I'm sitting on the couch. It's like between 1 and 2pm where it's about time to put her down for her nap. I'm like, things are weird.
Like, how we both are just, like, our bodies. Yeah.
Something is just different. And I was already just on edge because I'm thinking I potentially could be going into labor any second. Like, because that's how it was with Emma.
And you were also pretty much a due
Yeah, I was almost to 38 weeks,
yeah, you would have been. I was 35 weeks. Okay, so you would have been almost 39 weeks.
Okay. Yeah, you were at 38. You would have been 38 weeks and six days.
Yeah.
so. And I had Emma when I was 37 weeks. So, guys, I'm like, my body could literally happen any minute. now I'm feeling weird cramps. Like, feels like period cramps. And this is not what happened with Emma. I had more contraction feel, feeling feelings in my uterus, with Emma. So with this pregnancy, I'm like, this is more of a cramp feeling. It's uncomfortable. But, it felt different. And I'm like, jake, I put Emma down for her nap, and I go in. Jake is working from home, and I'm telling him things are a little weird. I'm thinking, I'm gonna go to the bathroom, see if it's some type of bowel movement. And, I Literally go to the bathroom and right after I have the strongest contraction where I'm like, oh, snap, that was a real contraction. And I'm like, okay. I go into the office after going to the bathroom. This is probably like a five minute or less, experience in between where I go into Jake's office again and I'm like, jake, definitely having contractions now. We gotta start going. And his face is just like, okay. He starts wrapping up some stuff with his work and he has to finalize a couple things with his hospital bag because I had been reminding him, gotta go. And he did have a bag pack.
So.
But, I was last minute at that point.
I would have been like, justin, get a bag together.
Yeah, no, it was just a few last minute things, like charger things that you use on the daily that you couldn't pack. So we pack and get everything ready and I'm calling my mom, which our mom is already at Ashley's house watching Ace. We had a play date planned for us to all go over with Emma after her nap to go over and play with Ace and see it was gonna be a whole great afternoon. And instead I'm calling mom to be like, hey, actually this is just gonna be a drop off for Emma. Ah. And we're gonna go to the hospital. And so we have to pack up Emma's stuff to basically spend the night at Ashley's house.
Again, not part of any of our plans.
And mom's just like, okay, we'll see you soon. And, uh, we get to Ashley's house, who. Ashley has cameras at her front, door entrance.
And I have them all around on the outside.
Yeah, like the ring, all that stuff.
Yeah.
And,
Ah.
Cause Jake and I are already like, do we tell Ashley and Justin that we're going to the hospital now? and we're like, no, we're just gonna, we're just gonna keep everything a surprise until we get to the hospital, know what's happening, and officially were in labor. so anyway, I drop Emma off and I literally just go pee and hug mom and then leave. And we're like, you know, if anything's gonna ruin that we're going into labor now is the fact that they have cameras and they just saw us just do a drop off.
Yeah.
Cause that would make no sense to you guys as you're still in the hospital.
Yeah.
M. M. was experiencing back labor during her second pregnancy
So anyway, we are now on, um, the.
It was with the amount of stuff that you were dropping off with her.
Oh, yeah, probably.
And like, it wasn't Just like you.
Were dropping all of her stuffed animals with her.
Yeah, it wasn't that you were just like dropping her off with nothing. It was just that you had everything. But we didn't check the cameras until a little later.
Yeah. So anyway, we end up, going straight to the hospital, which for us it's like a 40 minute drive. And there's definitely some, there's definitely some traffic because this time it's like rush hour, fun traffic stuff happening. on a Friday.
Ah, terrible timing.
While we're, while we're on the road, Jake is driving and I'm timing, attempting to chime the difference, or the frequency and duration of my contractions, which they are getting shorter and shorter because on the way to Ashley's house, which is just 10 minutes to drive to Ashley's, it's like six minutes, ish in between. And then it's getting below five minutes and closer to like four and three minutes where Jake is like, okay. Yeah.
I was at like a three to six minute duration of my contractions for over a day.
Mmm.
M. Yeah.
Yikes. So things are happening very quickly.
All my contractions are all in my back. So weird.
Yeah. Back labor. M. So I know that because from my first pregnancy. But for this one we are timing things. we're just like, okay, the contractions are getting closer. Jake's not saying anything, but later in our discussions he's like, yeah, I knew that I was just wasn't gonna make anything worse to be like, oh my gosh, it's happening. but the thing that drove me nuts is closer to the hospital, there are all of these speed bumps in this area of this neighborhood that we have to go through. And going through a contraction over a speed bump, oh my gosh, it was the worst. But I didn't realize how bad and how into my labor I was and for why it was that bad. because we get to the emergency, room at this point, it is just after 5 o' clock because we have to go through the emergency room. We can't just go straight to the, labor and delivery area area of the hospital. So I have to wait in the ER room. Not even for like five minutes, but I'm just breathing through the pain. They get me a wheelchair and I'm just sitting there.
Angela's pain tolerance way better than mine.
Slightly. So we're just like, we have to wait like five minutes, maybe ish. 10 minutes in the ER because we're finalizing some Paperwork. and then they wheel me up, we go to the triage room, talking to this nurse and their on call doctor, who is not my doctor. but anyway, they believe that I'm in active labor based on how I'm, reacting. But because my pain tolerance isn't that crazy, like, they're, Or it's pretty high. They didn't think, you know, I was pretty far. That too far along. Yeah. so I already knew before my cervix check here at the triage, that I was at 3cm before, like a week before. And so my guess was I'm at 6 centimeters. That's what I was gonna guess. And the nurse and the doctor actually kind of guess what I'm at, taking bets. And so they're like, maybe six, seven. And then when they said that when they found out that I was at 3 cm, the nurse was like, hold up. I did not know this detail. But anyway, the doctor on call, I was not.
You know, you're in a good place when they, like, can kind of joke, joke around, like, and like, know things based off of your experience of. Or what, like what they're seeing on you.
Yeah. Although Jake did not appreciate. Jake did not like the vet thing. I was like, I loved it. I don't know, it didn't bother me one bit. But anyway, the male doctor that was there, who was going to do the cervix check, like, I remember you telling me your cervix checks were terrible. And I don't remember that being so bad in my first pregnancy.
They weren't bad in my first pregnancy because, with Ace, I did go past 40 weeks with him. so I was getting the cervix checks, like, in the office, and they were not. They were uncomfortable, but they were not bad. And the ones in labor and delivery.
I think it's like, Yeah, I think it's like when you're in. But Jay, like, Jake said he saw my face when this guy did my cervix check. It was so terrible. I was like, I know what my sister is talking about now. That was miserable. and, I just. I couldn't even tell you. It shocked me at how painful that was. And then for the guy to tell me that I'm like, at 9 centimeters. I think that also just activated more like, oh, my gosh, it's happening now. There's no workup. It's just, this is it. We are in it. And I was like, okay. And, Jake said just once, I knew that mentally it was like, go time.
My water broke at 6:52pm and baby was born 10 minutes later
so then because I was so far along, everything just had to happen so fast. The nurse is like, okay, we gotta get all these paperwork signatures done.
You gotta move you to actual out of triage. You gotta move you to labor and delivery.
They had to move me fast. They had to call the doctor that was gonna be on call from my practice.
Did you have to take an elevator or anything? Like in the bed only?
No, only for the wheelchair up. from the ER room to. To the triage room was my elevator experience. Okay, so no. And then, yeah, they moved me from the triage room to a delivery room. And then, thank goodness, my, the doctor that was gonna be with me, she wasn't my main doctor, but she was the doctor from my main practice. And thank goodness she finally got there because we could not stand Jake and I. The guy gynecologist that was there, he just, couldn't read the room. He kept, wanting to tell us what, our kids, like, what he would have potentially named our kid. And like, even when my doctor got there, he still came in to, like, check if he thought. He actually thought I had had the baby and heard the cry. But that was actually me. He was like, oh, I thought the baby was here. And we're just like, no. And thank goodness the nurse could pick up on, like, this guy should not be here. She had even made a comment like, he's no longer allowed in this room type of thing. but anyway, that guy was just a little much.
That reminds me of friends when Phoebe goes into labor with the triplets. The guy is all about whatever show it is.
Yeah, it was just like, I cannot read the room. It was like I couldn't tell if he was trying to distract me or what, but it was not the thing to distract me. Um, but my labor happened so fast. I got to the ER room when I was at 9 centimeters.
I just think at like 5:30pm Ah.
Yeah, at 5:30, the doctor. I was in the triage room. And I just remember looking at the notes afterwards for the hospital where, then when my main doctor came in, or not main doctor, but the doctor from the office came in and she wanted to double check where I was dilated to. and when she went to check my cervix, basically, she didn't try to pop my water, but that's when my water broke. And I know in the hospital notes it said 6:52 is when my water broke.
And.
And then 10 minutes later, boy was born. I'm like, thank goodness. It was so short.
Yeah. But I didn't say that for mine. Mine was 15ish minutes from when I. My water broke and I started feeling pressure. I texted Angela, like, I think it's happening. I called Justin, I said, I gotta push. I'm holding it until you get here. And that was like the timestamps. It was like 15 minutes.
Yeah. Crazy, because it's just not how first pregnancy went. But, yeah, this time around, it was just like, I was annoyed with the one on call doctor. Just so happy my one doctor had come through who was on call for my practice, the pushing and everything. Even though it felt so long in the moment. Cause I did not have any epidural or drugs.
yes, she does it all natural again. Better pain tolerance.
I just wanted to. I like to feel and know everything that's happening for my body. And luckily, this boy came fast. He was ready to come into this world. And, basically, we had our boys within 34 hours.
34 hours. So what did you name your boy?
My boy is Zachary Frazier.
Zachary Frazier. And mine is Sam. Henry. I didn't say Henry for my middle name earlier, but, yes, Sam is 34 hours older than Zachary.
So crazy.
And I just like to throw it back to episode one or two. It had to be the pregnancy episode, if you haven't listened.
Yeah, one of them.
I'd just like to throw it back and say I was so confident that my baby was going to be bigger than Angela's.
I know she does.
She's like, my boy's gonna be bigger than yours, y' all. My boy came so early that he is the tiniest thing.
He's tiny.
And Angela has the bigger baby. But you also have the baby of the family so far. Unless anybody else decides to have any babies.
Of the grandkids.
Yeah, of the grands. But, yeah, we have two boys now 34 hours apart, and it's just crazy.
It is just crazy. So we. We love.
We're still shocked.
We're still shocked. We love it.
We're hanging out with our baby boys. Just podcast and stuff, letting the toddlers play together
We're hanging out with our. With our baby boys.
With our boys. Yep. Just podcast and stuff, letting the toddlers play together. It's great.
Yeah. And, as much as we might be tired, we're rocking it.
Yeah.
For now.
Yeah. We'll see how long it lasts. But we're feeling good.
Yeah.
It really just goes to show that our birth stories, anybody's birth stories, are.
So different because, yeah, you can plan for anything, but you will not have, like, it won't be what you planned for.
I know. And honestly, it's just like. Because our story is just kind of so crazy, it makes me love it more. We'll always remember that. Their births.
Yeah. Again, just absolutely. Shooketh.
We are shooketh.
And with that, we'll see you guys next time.
Yep, next time. Bye.
Bye. Mhm. Ra.