*Disclaimer* this is a birth story and long due to my inability to keep you all updated throughout the pregnancy.
This was a tough pregnancy compared to my first two.
Lots of sickness, lots of hormones and then lots of early labor.
At 32/33 weeks she was already sitting so low it was causing pain in my bones.
Contractions would start. and then stop. Start. and then stop. Lost my MP.
Thankfully they never progressed to where they wanted to give me meds to stop them.
I actually prayed really hard it wouldn't get to that point because the medicine they wanted to give me were actually just advised against by the FDA and yet hospitals still use it!
I just put myself on modified bed rest whenever I felt contractions coming and did what I could to stop them.
By 35 weeks I would get as close to five minutes apart of non painful (compared to real contractions!) and even had several other unmentionable signs that labor could be soon.
OH and she dropped even lower to the point where her head was grinding.
I was also 50% effaced and dilated to a 2.
We all thought for sure I would have her early but she hung in there.
I went through a roller coaster of emotions because I was getting so impatient.
I had to come to peace with the Lord that this baby would only come at the Lord's timing and when she was perfectly 'baked'.
My mom came out early to make sure she didn't miss the birth.
that relieved alot of stress because I was worried I would have the baby and no one would be around!
I made it to my first due date of June 28th and knew that she was coming soon.
(I had secretly been in contest with a certain midwife because she felt for sure the baby would come around July 7th but the baby had consistently been measuring for around June 28th. Not a huge difference but in the last month every day seems like a month.
June 29th came.
Lost MP AGAIN but this time more significant so I had a fleeting thought maybe today but remembered I had an appointment in the morning I couldn't miss, a midwife appt at noon and Aaron had an anotomy test he couldn't miss.
Mom and I snuck out for frozen yogurt.
June 30th came.
Went to appt.
Felt really tired and sore.
Came home rested before Midwife appt.
Aaron told me jokingly to tell her to do anything to make the baby come today so he could leave class.
I did tell her and we both laughed but then she said I was to a 4 and way more effaced and soft than last week.
So she offered to strip my membranes which as soon as she did it, I just knew that baby was coming that day.
I started feeling crampy and little contractions here and there but nothing that caught my attention.
I was focused on getting an assignment done that was due that night.
Around six Aaron called wondering if he should come home.
I told him no, nothing too steady is happening and I didn't want it to be a false alarm or false hope.
I started timing them as they were starting to get a little painful.
He came home half an hour later and sure enough I was in real labor!!
I think it was the Lord that prompted him to go home because as soon as he was home the real breathe through ones started to happen.
I locked myself in my room to breath, relax and finish the assignment.
Around 7:30 I couldn't relax and submitted my assignment with the title, I quit cuz I am in labor!
I decided to take a bath and start listening to my relaxation and birth affirmations from Hypnobirthing.
I was amazed at how when you are fully relaxed you can actually feel the contractions doing what they need to do.
I was so relaxed I told Aaron I was not moving and I was having the baby right there.
I felt in the moment, that if I moved I would go crazy like with Brayden's birth.
So I made Mom and Bekah leave so not to put disturbing memories in poor Bekah's head.
Then my water broke.
I labored alone because Aaron sitting there starting at me got disturbing.
So he played Fifa and came if I shouted for more ice.
After a few really hard contractions I became really discouraged that I could be doing that for hours. I just wanted her out! I kept telling myself she would be there by midnight.
I kept looking at the clock and losing concentration.
I decided right there I was going to the hospital for drugs.
I told Aaron to get my mom back ASAP cuz I was getting the drugs.
my exact words, "Aaron, this is not me in transition (Totally was in transition) and not having a contraction. I am getting the drugs and having a Brookelyn birth."
Aaron- "honey you don't want a drugged baby and a big fat nurse holding you down"
"YES I DO take me now"
"Ok honey , we will go"
We left at 10:35
We left at 10:35
Made it to hospital and walked in myself, without screaming like last time, and they wheeled me to a room.
I told them to get me the drugs.
Strange thing was no one was getting me the drugs!
They checked me and said 8 but as soon as she was done I felt the urge to push.
So I started pushing and in the middle looked at the nurse and said, I am not getting the drugs am i.
She just smiled very nicely and said no I am afraid not.
All of a sudden I felt someone grabbing my hand and trying to push me down.
It was a big fat nurse! NO joke!
I started laughing and pushed everyone off me.
They got irritated but I knew what I was doing and didn't want their help.
I literally kept pushing 4 nurses away cuz they were all trying to hold me down.
How in the world are you supposed to push strapped down?!
They backed off and let me do my thing.
Out she came and put on my chest at 11:01pm.
All of a sudden Aaron walks into the room.
Oh yeah he came with!
I was so focused on my breathing, staying relaxed and getting the baby out myself I hadn't even noticed he wasn't there.
I was so ecstatic after her birth I couldn't sleep all night long.
My goal was to feel in control, relaxed and have a natural birth.
I accomplished all that with the Lord's help.
I am glad that I went in to the hospital instead of staying home because the woman that ended up catching the baby did such a wonderful job of letting the baby come with contractions that I was pain free by day 2 postpartum! It was nice to have her coach me through the last hard minutes of delivery.
The labor and delivery ward were in overflow mode so I had to share a room and Aaron had to sleep at home.
Horrid?
Actually not at all.
Aaron needs his sleep so I was actually glad he got to go home and get well rested.
The poor baby next to me cried non stop but when its not your child crying its easier to listen to.
I was able to sit back there all alone and just hold my new baby.
Without any responsibly to get up with the toddlers, make food or clean the house.
I took advantage of the nursery and the call button.
It was a little break :)
Everyone came up the next day to see new baby.
When Aaron came to visit me we just sat on the bed talking, holding baby, watching tv and just having alone time.
It was so reassuring too to know that the babies were at home having fun with Grandma and Bekah.
I would not have relaxed so well if the kids had been in a different situation.
This is her face most of the day.
She has her eyes open ALL the time!
I will lay her down at night, come back five minutes later and her eyes are wide open just looking around.
At the sonogram to find out her sex her eyes were wide open which is normally unusual as they don't open til about week 30.
She is so alert compared to my other babies. But she loves her sleep too and hasn't been too difficult at nights.
We are thankful to the Lord for working everything out in His perfect timing, allowing me to have the birth I wanted and giving us a beautiful little girl!!!!
The kids love their baby sister and the adjustment to three has been a piece of cake.
Except, every since my Mom left my house is a wreck!!
Thank you Mom for all you did to keep my house clean, kids happy and pregnant hormonal Jana happy.
Thank you all for your prayer support throughout.
Hopefully now that I am not focused on having a baby I can get back into my routine of blogging.
Off to feed Miss Cupcake!
