My Maine Birth - Morgan’s Maine Birth Experience at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine
My Maine Birth - Morgan’s Maine Birth Experience at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine
I had the pleasure of talking with Morgan this week. Join us as she shares her Maine birth experience story of her youngest son Patrick at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine. Morgan and her husband Andrew, along with their three munchkins, have been working their way around the Bangor area for the last nine years. This past year they bought a house and settled in nicely. She is a stay-at-home mom and loves every second of it! As a social worker, by training, she incorporates a lot of her work into her daily life. However, she has stopped working because she realized she could not spread herself so thin between her professional life and raising kids. Either way, she is doing a job she loves!
This episode is sponsored by MyMaine Photo. As part of my commitment to capturing these incredible moments, I am proud to offer Bangor Maine birth photography services throughout Maine. As an experienced Bangor Maine Birth photographer I am dedicated qualified to professionally capture the beauty and emotion of this special moment in your life. I also create a personalized and intimate photo album that you will treasure forever.
I also offer Coastal Maine Maternity Portraits and Fresh 48 newborn sessions. I would love to chat more with you! Click here to find more information on my services https://www.mymainephoto.com/birthphotography and Schedule a complimentary zoom consultation with me.
Keep scrolling for a transcription of this week’s podcast right here!
Angela: Hi Morgan, welcome to MyMaine Birth
Morgan: Hi there!
Angela: So to get started can you tell me a little bit about you and your family?
Morgan: Sure, so I’m Morgan, I live in Old Town with my husband Andrew and our three munchkins, William is almost 5, Maggie turns 2 this weekend, and Mr. Patrick is 4 weeks old tomorrow. We moved to Old Town about a year ago, my husband works for the University of Maine. We are UMaine alum and we have been puttering around the Bangor area for the last 9 or so years and we just bought a house and settled in this past year. So ya, that is kind of where we are at. I am a stay at home mom in the throws of parenting these crazy ya-hoos and that keeps me busy most of the time. I am a social worker by training, I did that for about a year when Maggie was first born, and I did my schooling when William was small but I kind of decided I couldn’t spread myself that thin - and do my job that I loved - and be a good mom. So for the time being I am at home with my kiddos, using a lot of the same skills at home that I would be at work.
Angela: Alright, can you tell me about when you first found out you were pregnant with Patrick and the care that you chose?
Morgan: Sure, so we like to joke Patrick is our bonus baby. Maggie was breastfeeding and I had just finally cut her off. And I am not a super-crunchy granola person, but I do the fertility awareness tracking for my body and I was just getting into tracking cycles, and I noticed my body was off and I was like - I think I might be pregnant? And Andrew was like - we just did this like a second ago it feels like. And we were in fact pregnant, and so I took a test at home.
I have always done my care at the hospital. I see a nurse midwife there, and she is lovely. I feel like that has always been a great in-between for getting access to a lot of the medical components of my pregnancy and labor and delivery - but also having somebody that is maybe a little more holistic, and someone that maybe listens to me a little more than just going by the standard protocol. It’s a little different this time around because an office here in Bangor just closed and the primary Maine Obstetrician just retired - so a load of women are scrambling to find providers in the Bangor area. So that was a little bit touch and go at first, to see if they were going to be able to fit us in and scheduling. But it ended up working out ok for us, so that was all well and good. But they scheduled me for a dating ultrasound I think somewhere around 8ish weeks - and from there started my prenatal care at the hospital. This time, they do a really neat thing, where they do bedside ultrasounds so they have a little portable machine that they can bring in - which they did once at the beginning after the dating ultrasound - to kind of I guess be an in-between, between having to go to a full ultrasound appointment. So that was kind of neat, I just like seeing their little selves in their and they don’t really look like anything at that point, just a little bean or smudge or something. I always find that so fun. So we did the early ultrasounds, and then a 20 week, and then a couple growth ultrasounds at the end. But I did all of my care there at the hospital. Then at the end, I ended up being induced for some blood pressure issues, which was not uncommon for me. With my other two I had kind of - just flying under the radar blood pressure, funkiness - right until the very end. And with Maggie it kind of skyrocketed and so they induced me, and that was a little bit chaotic and crazy, so I had an idea that might happen this time.
So we were going along, just fine, kind of hanging in there, and at the end I was already super pregnant and uncomfortable and ready to be done - and my blood pressure kind of crossed over into the hypertension range - and my midwife was kind of like, maybe we should just get this over with and get this baby out. I was super ready. So he was born on March 23rd and I was 38 weeks 6 days, so a day short of 39 weeks.
Angela: Wow, so how was your time in the hospital.
Morgan: I have seen Erin Horr there every time, and she is lovely. We get along great, I always joke that we would be friends in real life if she wasn’t my doctor because I just think she is so cool. Really the hospital was great, I always think that really the nurses are just the shining stars of the hospital stay. They will do anything, they will answer any questions. You can just tell that the people at the maternity floor really want to be there. If I had to guess, I bet that is a competitive spot to be in, because you have to love it to be there.
This time, I had a routine check on a Wednesday and that was my 38 week check. And my blood pressure was high. So we were like, ok we are just going to push forward this schedule and get this going. But they wanted me to come in that night to get prepped essentially to start Pitocin in the morning, and I had to wait for a bed. Which was a little stressful, I didn’t have to do that with the other two. They were like call us at 7:30 and we will let you know if we have a bed. So we got the big kids packed up and sent off with the grandparents. Andrew and I had a quiet dinner and hung around the house - and at 7:30 we called and they said - call us at 9:30. At 9:30 we called and they said - call us at 10. So we called at 10 - I started to feel a little naggy at this point - because I feel bad, obviously there are other women who are having babies which is why these beds are full, and I’m just like - uhh do you have a room for me yet? But finally around 10ish they were like - yup by the time you get in here we will probably have a spot cleared. So we got there around 10:30 and they got us settled in and I actually ended up sending Andrew home, we live about 20 minutes from the hospital - I was like, well one of us should get some sleep tonight. So I sent him home to get a little bit of sleep. But that night was really good. The night nurses are wonderful and they are so kind, they brought me snacks in the middle of the night. They raided their fridge for whatever they could find, so that was nice. They started the cervical ripening around 11pm and they ended up having to stop that because my contractions became frequent enough. They were like, ok it’s time to just get rolling with the Pitocin, so that was about 4 in the morning. And at first - and this was my second time being induced - so I had a little bit of an idea what to expect.
But you know, it’s different every time. And so I started having contractions a little bit more regularly - and I could feel them - but they weren’t very intense or exciting. And I was just like, ok I guess we are just going to plug along here I guess. They periodically came and checked me and I was like 2cm or 3cm - nothing exciting - and I was just like alright, I guess we are just kind of hanging around. In my whole last 4-5 weeks I was joking with Erin because for my first two she was not on call when I went into Labor. So Dr. Rinaldi delivered my first two because she happened to be the on call doctors. So I was joking with Erin - you know, you have got to get to one of these. So she had me go in on the Wednesday night and she was going to be back in on Thursday morning at 7am. And so she was like - don’t have the baby without me overnight. And that’s what I was thinking about it at 4 in the morning when they started the Pitocin - I told the nurses - you all should just tell her I had the baby and it’s too late - I couldn’t get the nurses on board with that though.
But she breezed in at 7:30 or 8 the next morning so she was like ok - I didn’t miss it. But then they broke my water and that was when things started rolling. Almost immediately, it was like ugh - that was a lot more intense, contractions were much more frequent. With my other two I got epidurals, and I was very happy with that decision. I always tell moms - it isn’t for every mom and maybe it wouldn’t necessarily be for me every time - but I have not yet regretted it. So I was like, yeah, let’s get the lady in here to do an epidural. And that was very uneventful. I feel like that is the best work when you are taking about Maine Labor and Deliver - it’s like uneventful, boring - that’s good, we want it to be that. So that was fine. And with my other two, I felt like after getting an epidural I was able to rest and relax my body a bit more and with the other two I was able to get a nap in. And that was not the case this time. I was still feeling - not excruciating pain or anything but definitely significant contractions still - I was like hmmm, that’s different than the other two. It was 8:20 in the morning they gave me the epidural. And I was like, wow that was really strong pain - but manageable enough, we’re rolling with it. No big deal. They checked me and I had gone from 2cm to 6 cm in about 30 minutes or so. Time is kind of funky when you are in labor, so ya I’m pretty sure it was in about 30 minutes. And then I was really, really feeling it - then they checked me again a little bit later - 8cm now - and I was like ok we’re really rolling now. And the nurses were like we are going to go away but if the pain or the pressure intensifies call me - and it was like 5 minutes later and she was back again - I was like, it’s really intense now!
Essentially he was born at 10;33am and it was at the point where they had to scramble to get Erin back in there - and she walks in and was like, oh you are holding that baby in, I can tell from the look on your face. So she got set up and said when you feel the next contraction, push - and I pushed for 2 minutes - and he was fast and furious into the world.
He was 6 1/2 hours from Pitocin to baby, for the first four I kind of feel like they don’t count because they were not very exciting - so really we did all the work in the last 2 1/2 hours there. But he was by far, my most exciting I think delivery. The other two were kind of leisurely - none of my labors were very long, but my oldest was about 12 hours from first contraction to baby - and my second was 10 hours from Pitocin to baby. So 6 1/2, I was like alright we are getting efficient with this.
Angela: How is breastfeeding going?
Morgan: Its going ok - I think that a lot of times, especially for new mom - it is a skill you have to learn and baby has to learn. It is natural, and beautiful and wonderful - but it also can be hard, and weird and you have to practice. So this time around I though I knew what I was doing, and I think God likes to keep us humble - and we had a little bit of a harder time, this time around. He had a really tight, tight latch which was really pretty painful at first. The benefit of him being my third is I know how to advocate for him a little better than with my other two. With my first I feel like it was pretty painful at first but I just didn’t say anything. This time I was able to say - I know that’s not right, it doesn’t feel good and it shouldn’t hurt like - can we figure something out. So he had a couple chiropractic appointments which were really neat. I was in the appointment watching and I’m still not exactly sure what they did, but they manipulated his little jaw and that has gotten a lot better. He has taken his sweet time to catching on to latching, and he is a little bit lazy at the breast - so he will fall asleep on me and I have to wake him up and try again - so he has been a little slow to gain weight. Which I am trying not to get disappointed about. I think there is a really wide range of feelings when you are just never sleeping and very hormonal. And part of it is - I love breastfeeding, there is that special bond and I get to provide that for him, and that closeness - and also formulate is outrageously expensive and I want to avoid that at all costs. So right now we are supplementing after feedings - which I kind of had to make peace with because ultimately - we want him happy, healthy and well. So we are trying to get him to gain weight, and we are trying to get him to clear some bilirubin. I call him my very cute oomph lupa he is still a little orange - but we are getting past that now. So they have us supplementing for the time being. So it is getting better, but it is a process. We spend a lot of time nursing, bottle feeding and pumping, which means - you don’t leave the house for very long stretches of time. But I am hopeful for things getting better from here. And it is that skill building really, he is catching onto pieces of it. And for me I am learning how he is different from my other two and what he needs compared to them. And then how to balance what he needs with what they need - because they are still very needy with their ages. So we are adjusting and we are taking our sweet time getting there. It is all on an upswing, so that is good.
Angela: Yeah, so how is the transition from two to three going?
Morgan: They love him! It is really cute. My 4 year old, almost 5 - he calls him little buddy - and he’s always like, how are you little buddy? And he just loves him so much - and he is like super touchy so you have to be like - ok yes you love him but give him some space. He does really well with him. He has a little bit of a hard time sharing me - he is super duper a mamas boy - we are best buds. So it is a little hard for him - he’s always like why is it taking him forever to eat? So I just keep explaining that babies do that. But he is getting there. And my daughter is Miss. Independent always, so she is kind of more ok with the sharing aspect but she is delighting in the opportunity to get into mischief while I am busy with other things. Like I was nursing Patrick the other day, and she kind of went around the corner where I couldn’t see her and climbed up on the kitchen counter and ate all the jelly beans in the easter basket. And I was like, oh you little stinker! So they are kind of figuring out what they can and can’t get away with - with mom having a new baby, and kind of adjusting to a new normal, really. We are getting there and some days are better than others. But they love him and that is so fun.
My daughter, I don’t think she really fully grasped that he was a human - the first few days she kind of treated him like he was a lamp or a chair or something - like there’s Patrick. And then I think she just kind of caught on - she calls him baby Pat, and she’s like oh Hi baby Pat - in her sweet little voice. They love him and it has been really sweet to see how they treat him. And then they are also bickering with each other a lot more than usual, and kind of scrambling to figure out the new dynamic. So it is kind of that, low expectations thing, just being graceful with ourselves - and letting it be ok that this season will be a little rocky and we will adjust and knowing that it is intense but it is short. And pretty sure we will be sleeping a little more and getting into a routine. It’s not forever but it is hectic. What is that phrase they say - the days are long but the years are short. It’s like - trying to slow down to appreciate the little moments with them. My son is so cute, he is a helper at heart - he really has such a big heart and loves to love on people. So in the car the other day, Patrick was getting hungry and he started to cry and William figured out he could put Patrick’s fingers in his own mouth to help calm him down - so he stopped crying and I was like - wow William what are you doing? And he was like - I put his fingers in his mouth. So I was like, wow good job Big brother - you figured out a solution - that was helpful, nice work! So it’s kind of fun to just see them care for him, and they do so well with him. Some moments are rockier than others but kind of being able to slow down and enjoy them has been special. We sit in my recliner sometimes and all three of them snuggle up with me and the cat will lay across the top and its like - whoo-whee - we are snuggled in. But it’s kind of special to have that closeness too.
Angela: Aww, savor those little snuggles! Is there anything else you would like to add?
Morgan: I think the only thing I would add is - you have to be your own best advocate. So if something doesn’t feel right, ask and say something. If you wish something could go differently - ask. I had hospital births with all three and they have their rules about how things have to be done - we live in a pretty prestigious culture - so they can be a little more strict about certain things. But, you never know what the answer is unless you ask and a lot of times you can work through the pros and cons and maybe you can get some compromise to meet your comfort level. So definitely advocate for what you want and it is ok if that is a little unusual. But I guess, just be confident in asking. Like Me - quite frankly I was ready to have a baby so I was like - yeah, let’s induce - I’m good with that, I was so ready to be done. But I think asking the questions, being willing to kind of feel dumb at the expense of having new information, that’s kind of important. And thank your nurses, they are the angels. Those doctors get all the credit at the end, but we all know the nurses did all the work and they are just always lovely. That was the highlight of all of my births - was just the relationship with the women who come in every couple hours, and check on you and they bring you the things you need. They do the morning shift and night shift so you get them for a full day. And that’s a really sweet relationship - even though it’s short - those ladies I will probably never see again, except maybe bumping into them at the grocery store or something. Its just something special about those shared experiences. So thank your nurses, and stand up for yourself, I guess those are my end points.
Angela: Thank you so much Morgan for sharing your birth story today!
Morgan: Thank you for having me, I’m so glad we could do this.
And that’s the end of another episode of the MyMaine Birth Podcast! Thank you for joining me and listening! I hope that the stories shared here have been inspiring and informative to all of my listeners.
If you’re looking to capture your own birth story, I highly recommend considering my Bangor Maine birth photography services. I am a skilled professional Bangor Maine Birth Photographer, and am very passionate about capturing the raw and emotional moments of the birthing process, annnnd I also design a personalized and intimate photo album, creating a beautiful and lasting memory of one of the most special moments of your life. Find all of the information at https://www.mymainephoto.com/birthphotography And schedule a complimentary zoom consultation to see if we are the right fit.
Thank you again for tuning in and I look forward to bringing you more amazing birth stories. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! And I’ll See you back here again, next week.
