December 27, 2012. 40 weeks 6 days pregnant OH MY!!!
For weeks now I had been having inconsistent braxton hicks. Sometimes they were actually uncomfortable, but never regular. Never formed a pattern. From 35 weeks is about when the BH started. They really started to pick up at 38 weeks, which is when I imagined she would make her arrival like Rylan did. 39 weeks came, 40 weeks came. STILL no baby! The contractions really picked up in the last week of my pregnancy. They were happening on the daily at this point. Never regular though, although most of the time quite uncomfortable. Every night they would really pick up, about every 8-10 minutes, then I would go lay down to go to bed and they were gone. I tried everything to bring them on. I ate literally 3 whole pineapples by myself over the course of this week. I sat on my birth ball everyday, did squats, had a dance party with Rylan daily, ate eggplant, walked, walked, walked, walked, and walked some more! I went to the mall at least 4 times and walked around hoping something will happen. Nothing. She truly was coming on her terms. I dont know why I came so impatient, looking back I am so happy with how everything turned out, I cant believe I was in such a hurry! I think every woman gets to that point of "I DONT WANT TO BE PREGNANT I WANT MY BABY NOW"!! I was most definitely there. But, I am thankful I allowed my body to do what it was meant to do. I never really doubted my body, but I was becoming very impatient.
I went to the chiropractor at least 6 times the last 3 weeks of my pregnancy hoping she could adjust that baby on out! Nothing happened until little miss Indee said it was going to happen though!
Thursday December 27, 2012 I was 40 weeks and 6 days pregnant!! (BIRTH DAY) Pretty much I came to the conclusion she was coming soon, any day or moment and I just needed to stop thinking about it. I woke up and went about my normal day. Made breakfast, had a dance party with Rylan, sat on my birth ball. And I had the urge to clean and get the house in order, so I did that. I swept and mopped the floors, cleaned the bathrooms, organized, did dishes, and laundry...also decided to put the crib together! Although, I am not sure I will ever use it....( I cannot get enough of this snuggly little girl in bed with me, as I am sure she cant either). Anyway...by this point in the day it was NAPTIME! My favorite time of day. So, Rylan and I laid down for a nap..and for some reason I laid there the whole time and couldn't sleep...maybe it was the coffee I randomly decided to drink in the morning?? So, for the first time in weeks I didn't actually take a nap, just laid there...(go figure, actual birth day I cant seem to nap)! I did lay there for a while until Rylan woke up, and we got up, ate lunch, and got ready to head to the chiropractor! My back had been aching all day, so I figured an adjustment would do me some good!
TMI: for 3 days I had been losing my mucus plug, and on this day (birth day) I was pooping like crazy! Literally pooped probably 8 times throughout the day, and continued to poop while laboring at home.
Our appointment was at 3:30 pm, I got adjusted and shortly after contractions picked up every 4-5 minutes apart. The whole car ride home they happened that close together, and were quite uncomfortable but I just assumed they were uncomfortable because I was in the car, in extreme 4:00 traffic, driving...so I really didnt believe they were "real" contractions. I got home, and put a movie on for Rylan so I could relax a little, make dinner, and see where these contractions were going. They of course slowed down. Started coming every 10, 12, 8, 4, 6, 5 minutes. So, I assumed they would go away again. I made food, sat on the birth ball, and nursed Rylan for a while. Rylan's Nene (great grandmother) came over to bring him some XMAS presents, and the whole time she was here these contractions came. They were pretty close together and uncomfortable. Probably every 4 minutes or so, and to the point I had to move/sway/breathe through them. They definitely were requiring my attention. The whole time Nene was over, I was focused on these contractions, texting/calling my midwife about what was going on. For some reason Rylan threw up at this time...not sure if he was having some sympathy pains or a little stressed or what??
Nene decided she would go on home so I could get grumpy/stressed Rylan in bed, and go lay down myself to see what these contractions were going to do.
I put Rylan to bed and the whole time these contractions were coming. Every 4 minutes or so. I was still kind of in denial they were real...but I for sure was not able to lay down and sleep. I laid in bed for almost an hour, and they became much more intense. I called my midwife, Emily, and told her I was not able to lay down through them, and she advised I get in the bath and see how I felt afterwards. She told me I was welcome to come on in to the birth center at this point, but I was still in denial they were real.
I took a bath, and the contractions were getting stronger, although the bath felt nice, these contractions were not going away!!
I phoned Emily again and told her it was time to come in...and that we would be there in an hour or so. I then called my friend Sarah who was driving me to the center, told her it was time. I phoned my lovely friend Jenny to let her know, and let Zach know it was time. I was REALLY having to work through these contractions at this point, they were requiring all of my attention and focus. I tried really hard to breathe, relax, and work WITH the waves, rather than against them. I kept telling myself that my body was bringing baby DOWN and I needed to focus. I was laboring alone, and all over the place. I couldn't get comfortable in any position, and pretty much spent this time walking around, leaning on things, swaying through the waves. I kept getting on my hands and knees to work through the waves, and leaning over my birth ball. Nothing was making the contractions any more comfortable, but I was doing my best to work with my body. I remember I kept tensing my shoulders up, and realizing it and trying so hard to focus on keeping calm and aware. Rylan at this point woke up (probably all of the POOP trips to the bathroom I kept taking....I felt like I needed to pee or poop with every contraction..which I now realize is because she was DOWN and ready to come soon). Rylan was so very concerned, he didn't know what to think. I was trying to gather all my things and bags and put them at the door for when Sarah arrived, and Rylan just followed me around crying. I held him in my lap in between contractions to let him know everything was okay, but when a contraction came, all of my focus went to them, and he was crying a whole lot. I felt terrible I wasn't able to comfort him, but these waves required all of my attention. They were coming every 2 minutes apart and lasting well over a minute...which felt like BACK to BACK. They were coming one after another. It was about 10:00 pm at this point, and Sarah arrived. Her and Jantzen got the car ready and packed up, got the carseats (Rylan's and Sarah's son Judah's seats) settled and ready, and got the car warmed up. The whole time they were packing the car up, I was swaying through the waves, on my hands and knees, and on the birth ball. Sarah was comforting Rylan and getting him ready, letting him know everything was okay.
I am SO SO thankful for Sarah. She really saved me here! While I was trying not to stress about Rylan and how upset/stressed he was it was very hard to not pay attention to him, although these contractions were requiring my full attention.
We finally got into the car and OH MY GOSH MY GAS LIGHT WAS ON. UGH. Of course. Leave it to me to not have gas in the car. So, we stopped at the gas station, and the stupid pump was broken and Sarah was trying to pump the gas the best she could with the stupid pump. Finally we got the gas and were on the way....and these contractions were INTENSE. I was so upset about having to be in the car through this, it was SO uncomfortable Much more uncomfortable than being in the car with Rylan's labor (even though with both babies I was pretty much ready to push in the car). I got that urge....oh no I thought...we are going to have the baby in the car! I was trying to focus and kept closing my eyes and wiggling around in the seat trying to get as comfortable as possible, and I remember saying "SHIT" with most of these contractions as they were intense. The whole way to the center, there was horrible fog outside, and poor Sarah was probably thinking the whole time about how we were gonna deliver this baby on the side of the road. The urge to push was there, but not as strong as it was gonna get thankfully.
FINALLY we got to the center at 11:06 pm and I got out of the car swiftly and immediately threw myself over the couch and my wonderful midwife Emily immediately rubbed my back and comforted me. I then threw myself on my hands and knees with the next contraction and she kept rubbing me. I told her "I need in the tub NOW"! They had the tub ready and warm for me, and I slipped right on in! OH MY RELIEF! That was amazing. I was so thankful to have made it there and to be in that tub. The contractions eased up a bit in the tub, but they were still coming every 1-2 minutes and lasting about 90 seconds. It was pretty intense. I just laid my head over the tub and tried to relax my shoulders, and Emily comforted me. I asked her if she would check me...which I didn't intend on doing, but I just knew it had to be about time for her to come out with the way I was feeling. Sure enough, I was 9.5 cm dialated, fully effaced, and she said I had an anterior lip. I decided to wait it out a bit, and the next time she checked me I got rid of the lip and was fully dialated! I REALLY felt her coming down now, I knew it was going to be anytime now. We were only there for 41 minutes before she was born, so sometime within that time I went from 9.5 to 10 cm and was pushing her out! With each wave I had to hold my butt, cause I literally felt like it was gonna fall out!! HAHA Emily ensured me it wouldn't fall out, but the counter pressure was wonderful!
My best friends Sarah and Jenny were cheering me on and being so supportive! Reminding me I could do this, because at this point I was moaning, and making alot of noise with the waves.
Finally with each Push I felt her head! It kept coming down into my vagina with each wave, then going back in a little when it was over. I felt it all! It was AMAZING!!! I kept my hand down there to feel her come, and her head was born!! As soon as her head came out, I gave one big push and her body slipped out easily! SHE WAS BORN!!!!!!!! That was at 11:47 pm, only 41 minutes from the time we walked in, to the time she was born! WOW! My body is truly amazing!
Right when she came out I had to adjust my leg around, and pulled her up to me, and started bawling. I couldn't believe she was here. In my arms. Couldn't believe I just did that! I am truly a birth goddess! What an incredible feeling!
I think this all made Rylan a little nervous hearing my make such load noises, because he came back and threw up when she was born....but Nene was there comforting him, and Sarah ensured him those were beautiful noises, and beautiful pains that was bringing baby sister into our world!
Her first apgar score was a 9!! Second was a 9!! And third was 10!! She was so perfect, healthy, and pink! And the moment I pulled her up to my chest, she opened her big eyes and was staring at me<3 such bliss. She was so incredibly beautiful, and I remember saying over and over how I couldn't believe she was here and how much she looked like Rylan. And she had SO much dark hair!!! Such a beauty.
We waited for the cord to stop pulsating, and Jenny cut it! Then little Indee pooped meconium all over me! I was convered in meconium, and had no worries. What a blissful moment.
Finally we wrapped her up and they helped me out of the tub and onto the bed. I got her shortly after and tried nursing. It took her about 30 minutes before she really latched on, and when she latched she was eating so well! She nursed for an hour or two after birth, then we got into the herbal bath together! OH MY the herbal bath was AMAZING!!! Felt so wonderful on my poor butt that nearly fell out, haha.
After our herbal bath Indee slept and slept! I ate some food, and my midwife examined my vagina...no stitches for me!!! YAY!!! I was dreading the thought of stitches, so I am very happy they weren't necessary! After my exam, we did her newborn exam to find she is so absolutely perfect! She weighed 7 lbs, 3 oz and was 20.5 inches long. After the exam I ate some more food, and we filled out paperwork and got ready to go home! We went home around 5 am, so we were there for about 5.5 hours! What an incredible experience. My best friends were there cheering me on the whole time, letting me know I was amazing, that my body was meant for this, and I could do it! My midwife was so supportive and encouraging, and everyone around was so incredible! I truly am just in awe of this experience. Such a perfect and smooth birth! I couldn't be happier with how it all turned out.
She is now 7 days old, so perfect in every way. She is a wonderful little chill baby, nurses so well, and loves to be snuggled! I am so in love!!
These pictures are RAW and REAL. The birth pool looks very bloody, but this is just birth. RAW!
Birth video coming soon!!!
I love you sweet Indee Rose!!!!!!
