 To prepare for Sebastian’s birth I practiced Hypnobabies homestudy course from about 26 weeks until he was born. The terminology in this story is a little different with “waves” being used in place of “contractions”. Because my first baby was a 42 week induction, as my due date neared I started “natural” techniques to try to jumpstart labor, and I was happy to hear at my office visits that I was having cervical changes that I had never had with the previous pregnancy. My due date however came and went without a baby so I started doing even more home induction techniques to try to get things going. On the 20th I did a few minutes of nipple stimulation which set up regular painless pressure waves that continued every 3-5 minutes throughout the day. I went and had my first ever acupuncture visit and went home truly expecting to have my baby in my arms before midnight. The waves continued to come regularly for about half the night and then unfortunately fizzled out. The next morning my husband accompanied me to my 41 week pre-natal appointment where it was discovered that my blood pressure was elevated quite a bit and because of that, in addition to my very favorable cervix (dilated to a 4 and 70%) (and my insistence that I was OVER being pregnant) my midwife agreed to an induction that day.
The induction was by nipple stimulation which worked really well to start regular pressure waves every 3-5 minutes, however I had to keep the stimulation up or they would peter out. After 4 or 5 hours of this, my midwife checked me and found that I was 5cm and 80% so she gave me the choice of continuing as we were doing or she could break my water. I chose to have the water broken. There was heavy meconium in the fluid which made me really upset and I was trembling uncontrollably, but Amber used one of my Hypnobabies cues to help me calm down. After my water was broken, I still needed to either be up and walking around or doing nipple stimulation to keep the waves coming steadily, but they were apparently growing in intensity. I was still very comfortable, no pain, just tightness of my abdomen during the pressure waves. I labored in the bathtub for a while, but really didn’t find this to be that relaxing, so I chose to do most of the rest of my later labor sitting in bed.
At some point I was checked again and found to be at a 9. I was so excited because I was about to meet my baby! The midwife left me to labor for a while longer, checking back periodically to ask if I felt “pushy” or “different” and the answer was always “no”. After several hours of this, she asked if she could check my progress and said I was still dilated to a 9 and she felt that the baby was a little tilted and therefore was not making the progress we wanted. She recommended I labor on my side for a little bit. This I found to be really painful for my pelvis (I had symphysis pubis pain my entire pregnancy) so we switched to laboring on the birth ball for a little while. It was while on the birth ball I started to actually experience pain with my contractions because I couldn’t really use my hypnobabies relaxation tools in that position. I don’t know how long I stayed on the birth ball, but I eventually said I had to move and we went back to the bed. Even though I was still dilated to a 9 and not feeling the urge to push, the mid-wife suggested she would like me to try a practice push. I did, and suddenly there was a flurry in the room because baby started to crown with that push! I then REALLY had the urge to push and after two more totally involuntary pushes Sebastian was born! He was placed on my abdomen because his cord was very short. After a few minutes my husband cut the cord and they brought baby to my chest. We had 10-15 minutes of skin to skin time while the placenta was delivered and a few stitches were put in (the same area I tore the first birth re-opened). It was a beautiful and peaceful birth. 
0 Comments
 Probably one of the the most common question we get from clients and see on mommy group threads is "What should I pack in my hospital bag?" So we decided we would not only poll our own clients to find out what their favorite must-haves were, but we also decided to share our very own recommendations via the printable PDF checklist we usually only share with clients! (It's at the end of this post.) The Hygenic Stuff. Believe it or not, Depends (yes, the adult incontinence garments) are top on the list of labor and postpartum must-haves. Of course, don't forget the other stuff--like your own soap, shampoo, grooming tools (do NOT forget your brush and hair ties!) and maybe a touch of makeup to make you feel human, but our clients LOVE Depends--specifically the Silhouettes brand which come in black, nude, and even purple. They are discreet, don't leak, and can just be tossed after use, reducing the amount of dirty laundry you have to take home with you! They also don't bunch up or press on the sensitive lady parts like pads do. (When Amber saw them at a recent birth she *almost* swore off underwear all together in favor of these things). Another top must-have is chapstick. "I remember my lips being so dry when I was breathing through contractions," our client Melissa says, so maybe toss a few tubes in your bag. The Electronic Stuff. In the Information Age, electronics are now a necessity, especially at a time like the birth of your child. After all, your family might die of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) without your labor Snapchats, and you might want to Facebook Live yourself dancing in labor in an effort to go viral. And you HAVE to have a camera to take a TON of pictures, right? "My laptop was gold," Anna says. "We used it to watch movies and shows in early labor to keep us distracted." Also, a Bluetooth speaker is a great way to play your labor playlist. But don't forget all the requisite chargers for all your separate electronic items. Loryn suggests bringing a LONG charger cord or cordless charger in case the hospital outlets aren't conveniently located. "I never had a cord long enough to reach my bed in the middle of the night when I was nursing and needed my phone," she remembers. The Environmental Stuff. If you've hired a doula, it's likely she will help you set up your labor space with lighting and music, but you can take that same labor vibe into your postpartum room using things like ambient lights and fans. "Take a small lamp," Chelsey recommends, "so you don't have to turn on the overhead light for middle of the night changes, and it's just more relaxing in the evening." Anyone who has birthed with us knows our absolute favorite must-have is a strand of white Christmas lights. "We brought [a strand of] lights and after delivery we put them up in the recovery room," Lauren says. "It was glorious and kept the room cozy and calm." We love strands of lights because they add just enough light to the room at night to see what you're doing without disrupting sleep. We recommend a 20-35 bulb strand so it doesn't get too bright--Hobby Lobby & Walmart both carry them in the wedding section. Consider getting a strand for the room and one for the bathroom to keep the lighting dim and constant. This is SO important during birth and postpartum since bright lighting can disrupt the production of melatonin which contributes to the production of oxytocin, a hormone essential for labor, birth, and breastfeeding. Also, the hormones associated with labor and birth can make your body temperature during labor and postpartum shift from hot to cold at a moments' notice, and you may have little or no control over the room temperature, so a small clip-on or table top fan that you can easily move wherever you do is also a must-have.
The Clothing. It's totally easy to over pack on the clothing front. Our recommendation is to keep it simple and pack a few really comfortable, loose, easy-to-layer clothing items that are also easy to put on and take off. You may still have quite the baby bump even post-baby so don't pack anything that you are even slightly doubtful you will fit into. For labor, consider that you may be dealing with the cords involved with an IV, epidural, and monitors, so you may need to pack even less if you choose to use the hospital gown. There are plenty of options for buying your own, prettier, labor gown (like Pretty Pushers, which are sold locally by ShoMe Prenatal Imaging, or the ones carried by Latched Mama), but some moms may want to save those to change into after the birth so they don't get icky and messy during the birth process. Loryn says that she brought her own lightweight robe. "It made nursing super easy and it was quick to close when visitors came by. It also made those 15-minute-long bathroom visits easy to manage." Don't forget to pack clothing for your partner and the baby, but once again, keep it simple--two or three changes of clothing are usually enough. You aren't packing for a week-long cruise to the Bahamas, after all (although I am sure all moms everywhere wish this were the case).
The Linens. It's so nice to use the hospital linens during the birth process, not only because you may go through fourteen sheets and sixty-five towels in between trips back and forth from the bathtub to the bed, but also because (like the hospital gown) you just don't have to worry about all those bodily fluids ruining your favorite pillow or blanket. BUT sometimes, a familiar bedding item can really help increase your oxytocin levels (sensory input is also a necessary part of labor efficiency) and just make your room more comfy. For labor, we suggest one or two favorite bedding items that you wouldn't be distraught over if they got doused in amniotic fluid. But for postpartum, bringing your own pillow, blanket, and towel can be really helpful. "Those hospital towels = sandpaper and doll-sized," Anna comments. The Stuff You DON'T Need to Bring. While this list might seem sort of long, and even exhaustive (after we said to keep it simple!) there are actually things you really DON'T need to bring to the hospital. It's always a good idea to check ahead of time with your birth place to avoid making assumptions, but in our experience, hospitals usually provide:
 I was due June 14, 2017, bur Conner Oakley Smith was following in his big brother's footsteps by making himself comfortable and staying in mommy's tummy as long as possible. This was my second pregnancy, and I was pleasantly surprised to find it was going extremely well and was very similar to my first... healthy all around with some heartburn being the main thing I could complain about. My weight gain and energy levels were soooo much better this pregnancy though, and I have my new healthy lifestyle to thank for that. As my due date came and went I found myself surprisingly at peace with the fact that I was still pregnant. I had already mentally prepared myself the entire pregnancy in case I went past my due date again, so the pressure of baby not arriving yet wasn't there as badly as it was with our first son Trever. The day before my due date and the day after, I decided to try acupuncture with Paul at Joint Venture Chiropractic to help my body prep for delivery. I found it to be very relaxing even though I hate needles! On Friday, June 16th, we went in for an ultrasound to see how Conner's overall health and growth were doing. He was absolutely perfect and there was no reason for concern. That evening, Dan's parents watched Trever so we could go on one last movie date to the theater. During the movie I was having a lot of discomfort, some contractions, but nothing to make me think a hospital trip was in the near future, although that night I didn't sleep very well. I was having a lot of discomfort in my lower back and Conner was extremely active, kicking & punching, as if to say he wanted out! I woke up Saturday morning, June 17th, and just felt... different. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it felt like something was going to happen soon. I made all three of us a delicious pancake breakfast & while sitting down to eat it Dan decided to text my mom to see if she would be willing to watch Trever while we ran some errands. He could tell I wasn't comfortable and felt it would be best if we ran errands without having to also take care of our toddler. While out running errands my contractions were occurring every 5-7 minutes apart, but never got so intense that I couldn't continue walking or talking. We decided to eat lunch at Sam's Club and that's when I had my first very strong contraction... it was very intense and definitely felt like what I remember contractions feeling like in the early parts of my labor with Trever.  We went home where I proceeded to clean my whole kitchen and do the dishes. I was texting our doula, Amber, this whole time and she suggested I lay down and relax because she felt I was having a baby that night even though I l had my doubts! After an hour of laying on the couch while watching TV, I started to have more and more contractions but they weren't staying as consistent as I would have liked. Amber sent me the link to how to do the Mile's Circuit (a variety of positions to put your body in to position baby for birth). I did the first position for 30 minutes and my contractions began to get strong but were still 5 minutes apart. For the next half hour I did the second position and that's when my contractions got to the point where I had to breathe carefully through them. I have a very high pain tolerance so the contractions weren't painful at this point, just "intense". After Dan made us a delicious dinner, we went on a walk. We brought our dog Kota along, and almost instantly I was having contractions every 90 seconds to 2 minutes apart! It was now that I finally realized that we were going to need to head to the hospital soon. I was doubting myself before that but now it became all too real. I managed to take a hot shower when we got back to the house despite having contractions every 2 minutes. After my inlaws came by to pick up Kota to take to their house, we drove over to my parents house to bring Trever's overnight bag and give him kisses & hugs. This was the last time I was going to see my baby boy before he became a big brother and I was emotional over it!
Our drive to the hospital was only 15 minutes so I called the hospital to let them know we were on our way and would like a room with a tub. When we arrived they were all ready for us and brought us straight to our room. After 20 minutes of monitoring baby and myself, I received a saline lock in my arm just in case I needed any fluids. I was checked and it was determined that I was 6cm dilated and 100% effaced!!! Conner was still in 0 station so we needed to get up and move around to help him drop. We were than given the okay to walk the halls. With each contraction I would stop, hold myself against the wall, and slightly squat to help Conner get into the ideal birthing position. When we got back to the room around 9pm I received a wireless monitoring system with bluetooth connection so I could get into the tub. In the tub I was still having some slight back labor but with each contraction I was able to relieve the pressure from the weightlessness of the water.
Soon I was starting to feel a lot of pressure down yonder with each contraction, so Amber & Dan felt it was best for me to get out of the tub. Upon standing up, I began to shake uncontrollably and have contraction after contraction right on top of each other! I was in transition!! They quickly helped me dry off and walk to my bed... stopping to breath with each contraction. When I got into bed, the nurse instantly put me into the fire hydrant position (imagine me on my side with my left leg up in a stirrup as if I were a dog about to pee on a fire hydrant haha). The nurse checked me at 10:10pm and I was now 9cm dilated which was probably a conservative guess because she couldn't feel my cervix and baby's head was very very low! They told me the doctor was on her way and that I needed to wait to push. My doctor, Dr. Erika Schneider, was not on duty that weekend so instead I had Dr. Tracey Doyle as my on-call doctor rushing to the hospital. Later I found out she was stopped by a train at one point and was able to get around it in record time somehow! Within a few minutes of being in this position my water broke. I remember a huge relief of pressure but also a sense of panic when it broke because I instantly felt like I could start pushing but the doctor wasn't there yet! With each contraction coming one on top of another, there were times I almost forgot how to breathe because I was too focused on the sensation of the need to push. Amber & Dan massaged my back and legs and towards the end Dan got into champion coach mode, got in my face, and had me breathe exactly like him. We had three different types of breaths that while doing them, physically made it impossible for me to push. Dan was amazing!!!! He kept me encouraged and repeatedly told me how incredible I was and that he was so proud of me! I was about to have another baby y'all!!! At roughly 10:34pm, the doctor walked in and asked me if I was ready to push... YES, I was definitely ready! They had me hold my legs and on the first push I was a little hesitant because I was in shock that everything progressed this quickly and I was actually able to start pushing! Three pushes later at 10:41pm, I felt the ring of fire and Conner made his appearance! I did it!! I had gone into labor on my own and had another successful unmedicated birth and it was seriously the best experience I could have asked for!  After an hour of skin to skin, delayed cord clamping, and a successful first feeding, they weighed him in at 8lb 11.2oz and 19.5 inches long. He was perfect! After I birthed the placenta, I once again had Amber save it to be dehydrated down into capsules to take as a postpartum recovery supplement. Since it was so late, only my parents were able to come to the hospital that night to meet the new little addition. The next day was Father's Day and what an unforgettable Father's Day it was! I am so thankful for my amazing supportive #birthsquad, Dan & our doula Amber! Also, so thankful to God for his protection and sense of peace during the entire pregnancy, labor & delivery. Welcome to the world Conner!    Lauren, CLD, PES Isn’t summer in Florida fantastic? The beaches, the unpredictable weather, the hair-raising humidity…
Pregnancy in the southern summer can be agitating. Researching the best local resources can be even more frustrating. So I’ve compiled a list of shops, groups, meetings, and people that I personally recommend as a must visit, do, or buy during and after pregnancy. 1. Chiropractic Care Carrying another human life inside you can take a toll on your entire skeletal system. Dr. Kaitlin Ross at Joint Venture Chiropractic will take the highest standard of care for you and your little one before and after delivery. Babies can benefit from chiropractic care as well. Click here for more information on infant chiropractic care. 2. Le Leche League Pensacola Breastfeeding isn’t always easy. Finding a support group doesn’t have to be. LLL of Pensacola holds meetings “to help mothers to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.” You can find their meeting schedule on their Facebook Page. 3. ICAN of Pensacola A newest resource for cesarean birth mothers is the Pensacola Chapter of ICAN (the International Cesarean Awareness Network). ICAN is a “nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC).” This could be a turning point for VBAC rates in Pensacola, and it is certainly a much-needed resource here since as many as 1 out of 3 moms in Pensacola have had or are facing cesareans. 4. Storkland Now, if you’ve ever been to Storkland, GET OVER THERE, GIRLFRIEND! You can get lost in there. Truly. Tell a trusted friend to call and check on you if they don't hear from you by a certain time. DO NOT tell your significant other (JUST KIDDING). They have EVERYTHING ranging from breastfeeding supplies, amber and hazelwood jewelry, car seats, baby wearing products, cloth diapers, and every nursery theme you can think of. Storkland is one of those places that carries many products that you can’t find it at chain department stores. They also provide gift wrapping and specialized registries. Be careful sitting in their nursery rockers, you may never get up. 5. Emerald Coast Birth Resources A list of local professionals ranging in knowledge from birth, mental health issues, breastfeeding, caring of the newborn, and fitness can be found here. Aside from brick and mortar resources, the support of fellow mothers and credentialed professionals is essential to making your journey from pregnancy, through birth, and into parenthood as smooth as possible. 6. L.E.A.P.S. “Love, Encouragement, and Postpartum Support” is the motto of this fantastic mothering support group. Connecting with other mothers and being able to open up in a safe space can take the world’s weight off of your shoulders. Being a parent is tough cookies, you don’t have to do it alone. They meet twice a month at the Community Educational Center at Ever'man's Cooperative Grocery. AND just this week, they have added two new meetings specifically for parents of black and brown babies! See their Facebook page for more information on meetings. 7. Pensacola Therapy Services Did you know that approximately 1 out of 7 women will experience a mood disorder such as depression, anxiety, or OCD? And mood disorders aren't just for the postpartum timeframe! They can happen during pregnancy as well. We are so fortunate to have this amazing resource in the area--the owner of Pensacola Therapy Services, Eileen Wolfe, has done extensive training with PSI (Postpartum Support International) and specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mood disorders pertaining to pregnancy, birth & the postpartum. If you or someone you know is pregnant or with a new baby, and struggling with feelings or thoughts, contact Eileen today through her website! 8. Maternity, Birth & Newborn Photography You always want to have the perfect photos for the once-in-a-lifetime moments. Amanda at Finding Beauty in the Ordinary specializes in everything pregnancy, newborn, and family (in fact, she took many of our website pictures as well as the picture in the blog header!). If you desire to capture the precious moments of birth, Natalie Zepp or Cassie Ringl would be the people for you! 9. Mom-Baby Circle Ever need a moment to just sit and have non-structured adult conversation? Located at Old Thyme Remedies, Mom-Baby circle meets several times a month. Moms with babies and toddlers 3 years old and under are welcome to drop in. There’s no fee and it is facilitated by Belly to Cradle’s doulas (come see ME!). You can visit their Facebook Page and click on the Events tab for their next meeting time. 10. The Belly to Cradle Resources Page Looking for a childbearing resource not listed here? Pregnancy-specific fitness options, health food stores, or a list of all the OBGYNs in town?? Then have we got the directory for you! We have worked hard to provide a robust list of all the possible services YOU might need for your pregnancy, birth & postpartum--and if you know of a resource that's not on the list, or you are a provider and would like to be added, PLEASE contact us--we'd love to know about it! Happy Summer-ing! Your Doula With Pearls, Lauren Note from Amber: Everyone loves a good birth story, so we are excited and privileged to be sharing some of our clients' birth stories on the blog! We hope it will become a regular thing, so be on the lookout for more BTC Birth Stories in the coming weeks and months. All stories are written by the birthing mother, and as such belong to the birthing mother and should not be copied or reproduced elsewhere. All details and pictures are shared with permission. The pictures in this story were taken Against the Grain Photography and should also not be shared elsewhere. Thank you, Heidi, for sharing your amazing story with us!
 I was sure Lydia would come in my 39th week because my other girls came at that time. I was having prodromal labor and had several false starts. I was listening to my Hypnobabies tracks to keep my attitude positive. At my 39 week appointment I was 70% effaced and dilated 2.5 centimeters. As my due date approached I began to get disappointed. I went to my 40 week appointment begrudgingly. I even took a wrong turn because I just couldn’t keep focused. Dr. Andrews said Lydia’s head had moved down and was in a good position. (She had kept me up the night before banging her head around!) He offered to sweep my membranes. I decided to let him do that. I didn’t think it would work and was at peace with waiting until 42 weeks if need be. Still I thought, well, why not give it a try? It did not produce any pressure waves (contractions) that day, but I did have a TON of pelvic pressure. I almost couldn’t walk around because of it. I went to bed that night appreciating one more night of sleep without a newborn. At 2:45 am on May 11th I woke up out of a very deep sleep to use the bathroom. I had a pressure wave as I woke up, another one on the toilet and then another by the time I got back to the bed. I was disoriented from sleeping and just wanted to go back to sleep! I decided to listen to my Hypnobabies affirmations and see if they were going to pass like the other times. It only took a few more waves for me to realize that they were getting intense very fast. I timed a few and they were about 2 minutes apart and lasted about a minute. I decided I would pack the last few items in my bag and wake up Billy just in case. (He didn’t have the first thing packed!) I thought it might be the real thing and I felt anxious. I wasn’t as calm as I had been earlier in the week. I decided to stop packing and just listen to my track. I wanted to wait at least an hour before calling anyone to make sure it was actually TIME. Eventually we were sure Lydia was on her way and Billy decided to call my mom and Amber. He couldn’t get my mom on the phone and I started to worry. We couldn’t leave for the hospital until Dad came to be with my sleeping girls. We couldn’t believe they weren’t answering their phones. Thankfully we are neighbors! He sent our other neighbor to knock on their door, but they still didn’t answer. Amber arrived at our house around 5 AM. When she arrived Billy went over to my parents and got them out of bed. I was having really intense back labor and was so thankful for Amber’s counter pressure! I didn’t want to go to the hospital too early, but the waves were so intense I started thinking it might be time. I was trying to keep Lydia in a good position, but couldn’t completely relax on my hands and knees. I found the easiest way to relax was to lean over onto Billy and relax my upper body completely. He got a good arm workout that way! We left for the hospital around 6 AM. Billy drove and my mom sat behind me. The car ride was hard, really hard. It was much calmer than the car ride to the hospital when Elena was born though! I had my hypnobabies tracks playing in my ear buds, and my mom rubbing my back. My body stayed pretty relaxed and calm. I didn’t say much, but I was thinking about getting to the hospital, the land of epidurals!! I was watching the clock between contractions and got pretty irritated that Billy and mom didn’t seem to know how to get to the hospital. They even took a wrong turn a block from Baptist Hospital. I was thinking “NOOO! That way! We are so close get me there NOW." I mean seriously, you have one job, people. Get the birthing lady to the hospital! Finally, we made it!
I was worried I hadn’t progressed into active labor. I just KNEW the nurse would say I was a 3 or 4. After all, I hadn’t been in labor for very long. We got settled into a room (thank goodness we didn’t have to wait in triage like at Sacred Heart). The nurse checked me and I was 6 cm! The thought of an epidural left my mind. Once, I knew labor was progressing nicely I didn’t consider it again. I handled my pressure waves much better when I could stay “in the zone”. I didn’t mind people talking or working around me, but answering questions and being forced into uncomfortable positions made me really frustrated. I remember thinking, “You can NOT slap the nice nurse.” Laying on my back in the bed felt like torture. I needed the time between contractions to collect myself, relax and get ready for the next one. I also found humming or vocalizing helped me quite a bit. By about 7:15 I was hooked up to monitors and IVs. Shortly after that Dr. Andrews came to visit me. He was usual light hearted self. I remember him remarking on my “fake labor calm”. By about 8 o’clock I was ready to try the labor tub. Right before I was getting in I had a crazy intense wave. I remember feeling a sensation like a spasm and trying so hard to stay relaxed. Then my water broke in a huge gush! It felt like such a relief I thought I had just peed everywhere. After I realized that it was my bag of waters not urine I wanted to get in that tub. I think my mom went to ask if it was still OK for me to get in. I was NOT going to wait around for the nurse to say no. I got my tail in that water as fast as a someone the size of a beached whale can! It felt too hot at first, then the next pressure wave hit and it felt amazing!  Sadly, my time in the tub didn’t last long. I felt my first urge to push very quickly after getting in, so out I came. The nurse was very adamant about one thing. Lydia would NOT be born in the tub. Once in the bed she checked my dilation. I was 8 centimeters and the urge to push has passed. She let me go back to the tub thankfully. According to Amber, I spent about 20 more minutes in the tub even though it felt like seconds to me. ***Once I am in active labor time ceases to be. There is work (pressure waves) and there is rest. I have no idea how much time is passing in the moment.*** I felt the urge to push again so out I came!! This time I was 9 centimeters. I decided to sit on the squatty potty and let my body push when I felt the urge. I think at this point I stopped listening to my Hypnobabies tracks. The earbuds and phone had fallen by the wayside while getting in and out of the tub. I believe they were playing in the background from my computer during the pushing phase. I just couldn’t concentrate on the messages with all the other distractions. In some ways that was good because I felt more present and talkative. On the other hand, I think I would have listened to my body a bit more if I was focused solely on the positive messages. I was pretty tired at this point. From the beginning of labor all I wanted was to go back to sleep! I could see the end in sight now. As I sat on the stool I let my body do what felt natural. I was bearing down and grunting a lot. I couldn’t stop myself and it felt good to follow my body.
I remember two things from this time period. Amber reminded me how great it was that I was getting to push the way I wanted! My thought was, “Yeah, whoop-di-doo. It doesn’t seem that great right now." Even so, her comment brought me back to my goals. As hard as this was, I was getting to experience something amazing. My body was working to bring my baby into the world all on its own! Not surprisingly, my other thought during this time was about food. It was around 9:30 when I asked the time. I was so surprised and encouraged! I was going to have a baby before lunch time! YAY! My baby was coming so soon and double YAY because I was going to get to eat lunch! SCORE! Eventually it became obvious to my entourage that I was actively pushing so they called the nurse. She wanted me on the bed so I complied. I tried to get into a squat position using the squat bar, but I couldn’t get comfortable in a way that satisfied my nurse. She asked me to lie on back and use the squat bar to prop my feet. I wanted to avoid being on my back, but at that point I was just tired. I didn’t mind trying it her way. Dr. Andrews came in at some point as well. It only seemed like a few pushes and I felt a lot of stinging down there! OW! I remember announcing to everyone in the room “Guys! This really hurts!” The crowd at my crotch informed me there was a not so tiny baby crowning--I was shocked. I mean I was aware that I was having a baby today, but I didn’t know it was like right NOW! I didn’t experience the ring of fire with Elena so I didn’t put two and two together.  With their encouragement I put my hand down there to feel her head. WOW! I was shocked, overjoyed, and tired silly all at once. I’m so glad my photographer got my reaction on camera. I remember saying, “I’m going to have a baby today!!!” Like that was new information to the hospital staff! It felt real for the first time though. That was the push I needed to get her all the way out. I left my hand there for a moment to rest, then out she came in another push or two. One moment you are one sharing the same body and then suddenly your are separate. Seeing your baby, your tiny companion out in the world is breathtaking. I had a second where I just felt in awe, and then someone said, “take your baby”. There she was a sweet, slippery bundle.  This pregnancy I had more conflicting emotions that with the others. Miss Lydia was a big surprise. Even though I always wanted her, I worried about the challenge it would be. That moment though, that moment when you hold your child in your arms it all becomes clear. When I held her I said, “ We didn’t know we needed you, but we did. We did need you!” In that moment I knew. I knew my heart had an empty space and she filled it. God gave us such a gift when he surprised us with Lydia. Of course the not so fun parts come after I held my bundle of joy. We waited to cut the cord and the placenta took a bit to come. I had some stitches so I needed some shots. That is worse than birth in my opinion. I did not pass out after this birth (like Elena’s), but I had one close call. The nurses were ready and kept me alert. The rest of the family began to arrive, but Lydia didn’t want to stop nursing. She wasn’t going to sleep and be passed around for pictures! We knew right then she had a little spunk in her. We did finally get her weighed, swaddled and passed around. She was a healthy 8lbs. 7.8 oz. and 20 inches long. I feel so blessed that I had another routine, healthy labor with another healthy baby. I’m also beyond grateful to my birth team for all their help. Bringing new life into the world is a crazy hard, amazing process. I’m always humbled to get to experience it.  |
This is us.We are Women. We are Moms. We are here to help your family blossom. 
Archives
September 2019
Search
All
|
