S02.E10: Erin's Little Miracle

[IndianPaintbrush]

So happy for Erin & Chad.  Erin's labor looked horrible, but at least it was quick. And she looked beautiful through the whole thing!  I was feeling her annoyance when she was hiding undercovers and the camera was in her face.  

 

OK moms, what is a mucus plug?  Is that a precursor to your water breaking?

 

[Tdoc72]

I'm glad that both Carson & Erin came through labor fine. But I wonder when she had to time to do her hair and makeup. When she was in bed, she had green foam rollers in her hair & it looked like no eye makeup. Dr. Vick sounded like he said to get to the hospital immediately. But then her hair was in a cute but messy bun & she had a couple coats of mascara on. With her condition, that should've been the last thing she thought about.

I've had 3 scheduled c-sections, so I can't help w/the mucus plug question.

Edited August 7, 2015 by Tdoc72

[Mountainair]

 

OK moms, what is a mucus plug?  Is that a precursor to your water breaking?

Basically, yes. I never lost mine or had my water break at home. Erin's delivery looked miserable but I loved how genuinely supportive both Gil and Kelley were during the whole thing. I can't believe Gil stayed behind that curtain, he looked close to tears the whole time. I would not want my dad that close to the birthing process. I love my dad but that's a little too close for me.

I wonder how many times Erin can give birth or even sustain a pregnancy. They may have to be one and done (at least via this route) which is just so ironic considering her own mother gave birth 19 times.

I was surprised to see Michaela looking at $100.00 flower girl dresses. If the bridesmaids dresses are about the same cost she's looking at at least $1,000.00

[Jenniferbug]

The mucous plug forms early on in pregnancy and seals off the cervix. Towards the end of pregnancy when the cervix starts to dilate, the mucous plug comes out. It doesn't mean your water will break or even that you'll go into labor soon- it's just a sign that your body is starting to prepare for labor. It can be lost weeks before a woman actually goes into labor. Some don't even notice they've lost it.

I'm really happy for Erin and Chad. They are incredibly lucky to have a healthy son. I wouldn't necessarily blame them if they try to have another baby since they are from large families and may wish for Carson to have a sibling, but I hope they stop there before the unthinkable happens.

[IndianPaintbrush]

Yeah, I think they will risk it again.  The Quiverfull movement seems to view the mother's health as totally secondary to having as many babies as possible.  I think Chad would happily stop with one, but I can see Erin feeling very inadequate compared to her mother and sisters.

 

Happy to see they repainted their bedroom green.  So much better than the Pepto-Bismol look.

[anstar]

but I can see Erin feeling very inadequate compared to her mother and sisters.

She told her mother, after Carson was born, that she couldn't believe she (kelly) had done that 19 times. Then she said she'd rather die than go through that again. Granted it was fresh in her mind, but she doesn't really strike me as the kind to look past it later. She has her miracle and she and Chad can dote on him. If she had never been able to carry a child to term I think she would have felt "inadequate" but she's done it. Tick that off the bucket list and revel in being the only princess in the family. I had a neighbor once who actually cried when she learned she was having a girl because she didn't want the "competition" for her husbands affection. Bizarre but I can kind of see Erin feeling that way (secretly and very deep down).

[BitterApple]

I had a neighbor once who actually cried when she learned she was having a girl because she didn't want the "competition" for her husbands affection. Bizarre but I can kind of see Erin feeling that way (secretly and very deep down).

I can see it too. I like Erin but you can tell she loves being the pampered princess wife and I think she's the type who wouldn't want any female competition for Chad's affection. Now that she's gotten the monkey off her back and produced a healthy kid, I think she'll relax for. While.

[andromeda331]

I'm just glad everything went okay and Carson was delivered healthy.

To go through all that she did and never knowing until the baby was born

if it would turn out well. That's got to be so hard.

 

Is it common to order bridesmaids dresses online now? It seems like a big

risk.

[birkenstock]

Didn't Erin order her bridesmaids dresses online? I remember seeing her wedding special on 19 Kids and they said the cut was wrong so Michael stepped in and sewed new ones.  I was in a wedding where the bride chose the dresses from David's bridal and I bought the dress online without trying it on.  We lived in different states - wasn't my favorite dress, but it got the job done. I think it's becoming more common since people are living further distances from each other and it's easy for everyone to buy. I agree it has the potential for distaster - I wasn't impressed with Jessa Seewald's bridesmaid dresses that she ordered online.      

 

I'm wondering if Michael is getting those dresses comped? She seems pretty thrifty and $100 per dress does not seem like it would fly for the Bateses and the other bridesmaids. They said the website name on camera so the company was getting potential business. I'm pretty sure I found the one Tori is wearing: http://daintyjewells.com/a-night-in-paris-more-colors/. I liked it a lot better than the flower girls dresses. 

 

I am super happy for Erin and Chad.  I've actually learned a lot about high risk pregnancies from their journey. That labor did look really intense, I'm so glad Carson was born healthy and Erin was ok after that difficult delivery. 

Edited August 7, 2015 by Cocka doodle dont

[Sew Sumi]

That bridesmaid dress will look horrible in pink (see the sidebar picture). I almost hope she goes with the taupe, which would be in tune with her "brown" color. 

 

As for Erin, I hope she stops with just the one. Those heparin shots aren't cheap, and I imagine insurance would stop covering them around the 4th pregnancy due to the risk. Given that everything about her pregnancy is risky, I guess we'll see just how dedicated to Quiverfull she and Chad actually are. Remember, Chad is one of 10 himself. 

 

How common is placenta abruption? Could this be something that she endures with every pregnancy? I guess they're lucky that Carson came early this time. given the dangers that abruption means for the fetus. I imagine that they will check her placenta with any subsequent pregnancies, should she make it this far again. 

 

She just seems like she isn't made to have kids. Is it really risking her life over and over again to please God? 

[BitterApple]

I agree that for whatever reason, Erin just isn't built for pregnancy. I can see her and Chad maybe trying for one more, but I'd hope they'd call it quits after that. My understanding is that it's not good for a woman to be on heparin long term. If she's trying for five or six kids, that's a lot of years to be injecting that into her system. The good news is that she and Chad seem to be a lot more realistic than dingbat Jill Dillard, who I could easily see trying to deliver a ten pound kid VBAC in a third world jungle.

[andromeda331]

They could also adopt.

[riverblue22]

They could also adopt.

 

Agree.  I can totally see Chad and Erin have a heart for adoption (is that how they say it?)  They could adopt a few boys and Erin could still be the princess.

[allonsyalice]

Is it wrong to say that watching Chad is making me rethink my stance on marriage for me? I honestly love watching Erin and Chad together, they're so sweet and they've gone through a lot and i'm glad they're happy. 

 

(side note, what did that child mean by "hot fudge cake"?? Ice cream cake? Because I agree, little child.)

 

I also hope that Erin stops at Carson, but I differ in thinking that she'd want to be the only girl. I'm sure that Erin would love to spoil a little girl and have a mini-Erin. 

[Fabricationary]

How common is placenta abruption? Could this be something that she endures with every pregnancy? 

 

0.3-1% of all pregnancies, according to UptoDate.  Abruptions can be partial (what Erin had, in which mom and baby are usually OK presuming baby is delivered quickly) or complete (in which both mom and baby usually die very quickly).  According to UptoDate, most abruptions occur before 37 weeks gestation, which may have contributed to why Erin delivered early.  I presume Erin could be at risk of this happening again given her clotting disorder and the fact that one placental abruption increases your risk of having another one by 8-12 fold according to UptoDate.  But classically the risk factors are smoking, cocaine use, abdominal trauma, premature rupture of membranes, and preeclampsia/eclampsia.

 

I saw a pretty scary case of partial placental abruption a while ago.  The mom was early into the 3rd trimester when her waters broke, measures to stop her labor didn't work, and she spontaneously delivered her baby so quickly there was no time for an epidural.   She did have some modifiable risk factors though.  Baby was immediately carted off to the NICU, and mom suffered a postpartum hemorrhage, but both ended up surviving.

[Ilovemylabs]

0.3-1% of all pregnancies, according to UptoDate.  Abruptions can be partial (what Erin had, in which mom and baby are usually OK presuming baby is delivered quickly) or complete (in which both mom and baby usually die very quickly).  According to UptoDate, most abruptions occur before 37 weeks gestation, which may have contributed to why Erin delivered early.  I presume Erin could be at risk of this happening again given her clotting disorder and the fact that one placental abruption increases your risk of having another one by 8-12 fold according to UptoDate.  But classically the risk factors are smoking, cocaine use, abdominal trauma, premature rupture of membranes, and preeclampsia/eclampsia.

 

I saw a pretty scary case of partial placental abruption a while ago.  The mom was early into the 3rd trimester when her waters broke, measures to stop her labor didn't work, and she spontaneously delivered her baby so quickly there was no time for an epidural.   She did have some modifiable risk factors though.  Baby was immediately carted off to the NICU, and mom suffered a postpartum hemorrhage, but both ended up surviving.

Wow, I never heard of placental abruption.  Thanks for the info.  I, too, am so happy for Erin and Chad.  For someone like Chad who seems to be a 'doer' (the Bates have called on him numerous times to help them out with projects), it must have been horrible to feel so helpless.  Thank God she had a short, though painful, labor and delivery.  I had to laugh about Erin's insistence that she get an epidural as soon as she arrived at the hospital.  She obviously knows herself and realized she wasn't one of those 'natural all the way' women.  Good for her!  Carson had other ideas however.  Welcome to motherhood.  I have only one MINOR complaint.  I wish she wouldn't always have a wad of gum in her mouth.  It sort of distracted me while they had their romantic night together.

[trimthatfat]

So happy for Erin and Chad. I definitely think they will have 4 kids at most and even that is pushing it. I was not surprised at all that she wanted an epidural.  Chad is a great guy and Erin is very lucky to have him.

 

I have to say that I hate Erin's hair. It looks so Little House on the Prairie.

[BitterApple]

I agree the gum chewing is annoying. I notice it because she seems to have a massive wad of gum in her mouth at all times.

[Carolyn15]

I am glad to hear that everything came out OK . I was so happy to see that they had the baby in the hospital and used pain meds. I don't have kids but I know my family members all had some type of help with dealing with the pain . I can't remember did Whitney Bradley in the hospital ? 

[Absolom]

Whitney had Bradley in the hospital and had an epidural.  Alyssa appeared to deliver at a birthing center. 

[Sew Sumi]

I am glad to hear that everything came out OK . I was so happy to see that they had the baby in the hospital and used pain meds. I don't have kids but I know my family members all had some type of help with dealing with the pain . I can't remember did Whitney Bradley in the hospital ? 

Erin never got her epidural. She was yelling for it at one point, but Kelly told her that it was too late, Carson was on his way! 

[Absolom]

Erin didn't get the epidural, but that doesn't mean she didn't get some other pain medication and they didn't show it.  They frequently offer some other medications if the epidural isn't possible.  They don't offer as much relief as the epidural usually does.

[BitterApple]

Erin never got her epidural. She was yelling for it at one point, but Kelly told her that it was too late, Carson was on his way!

Man, that had to suck! To know you don't deal well with pain, know you're about to go through the worst pain in your life and be told that it's too late to get the epi? I would have been freaking out.

[Fabricationary]

I've seen plenty of women who progress in labor so rapidly that they don't have time for an epidural even if they wanted one, and it always turns out OK (although they all inevitably scream and cry to varying degrees before the labor team is able to redirect their efforts to pushing out the baby).  There are IV pain meds like nubain, local nerve numbers like a pudendal block, and, if all else fails, a local anesthetic like lidocaine if lacerations need to be repaired.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Fabricationary

[anstar]

I felt for Erin there because my first was like that too. Back labor that was excruciating, being told repeatedly that it was too soon for an epidural because it could stall labor and then being told it's too late, the baby is coming now! <grr> where was my window and how did I miss it? Only difference is I threw up with every contraction and didn't have an abruption. Super breeders like Michelle and kelly make it look so easy.

[bybrandy]

I think she'd like a girl to be girly with.   And I suspect that they will try for one or two more.  But I don't think they'll push it past that.   

[flyingdi]

That wad of gum keeps Erin from smoking on camera. Just kidding! That's how rumors get started.

[farmgal4]

Is there a recap of this episode somewhere?

[absolutelyido]

I thought it was cute when Gil said (about Chad), "I want to grow up to be like that guy".

[farmgal4]

Watched several episodes I hadn't seen today, including this one. I'm gonna say it again: I LOVE THIS FAMILY! Okay, I feel better now...

I am so grateful that Erin delivered this child safely. I worked in Labor and Delivery, and I've seen complications like hers turnout horribly. Thank God hers didn't. I thought she was a little trooper during that L&D and after Carson was born, I was bawling like a baby for some reason! Chad and Erin just seem like they were made for each other, and he obviously thinks she hung the moon. I hope they have a long, fantastic life together.