"On the night you were born, it was dark and stormy outside..."
I love a good story, especially a birth story. I love how no two stories are alike, and yet they somehow bind people together. Here is one of my favorite stories, a [long] story I never want to forget...
I immediately heard her cry, and a euphoric feeling overwhelmed me. I began to cry joyful tears as they handed her straight to me and placed her on my bare chest. She looked up at me and we locked eyes for the first time, a moment I will never forget. She was so alert and vigorous, and she began to nurse almost immediately. I looked up at JJ, who had the biggest smile on his face. "You did it!" he said. "No, WE did it!" I insisted. I think we actually high-fived at that point... and then we announced her name: Charlotte Ann.
As Charlotte nursed, my contractions continued, but I was so enthralled with her that I literally didn't realize I had already passed the placenta. We waited until the umbilical cord stopped pulsing so that she would receive all of the benefits of the remaining nutrients before clamping it off. Then, JJ took the scissors and cut the umbilical cord, a proud Daddy moment! After Charlotte had nursed and we enjoyed quality skin-to-skin contact for over an hour, the nurse took her to weigh her and administer her first vaccine. We had felt strongly that her first contact with the outside world should be with my skin, not with nurse gloves or a metal scale, and the moments we shared during that time were so precious.
Later, our midwife came over and reassured us that we had done everything we possibly could have during labor, and she was so proud of us for sticking it out to the end. We had the natural birth experience we had prayed for, albeit a lot more intense at the end than we'd hoped. She confessed that only moments before Charlotte was born, the surgeon whispered to her that he was growing more uncomfortable with the prolonged labor and baby's unstable heart rate; he said he was thisclose to stepping in and intervening. Additionally, the umbilical cord had been looped around Charlotte's neck, and our midwife had been able to unloop it as she emerged!
We know without a doubt that God placed each individual in that room for a reason. He gave us a midwife who served as an amazing and faithful advocate, a surgeon who respected the natural birth process but was prepared to jump into action if needed, and most importantly a marriage that sustained even the most intense moments to bring encouragement, love, and life into this world! We are so thankful for our healthy, beautiful baby and for the blessing of this birth experience.
"...it was thundering and lightning outside, and you came storming into this world. You lit up the dark night sky with a bold and beautiful birth..."
That is our story. May God receive all the glory!
-L
***Note: I'm SO thankful to JJ for keeping a journal that detailed our labor and delivery experience. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to recall this level of detail, as time seemed to stand still that day!
I love a good story, especially a birth story. I love how no two stories are alike, and yet they somehow bind people together. Here is one of my favorite stories, a [long] story I never want to forget...
Thursday, August 14th, our "due date" had come and gone. JJ and I had never put too much hope in a certain date, as we knew most first time mothers deliver their babies closer to 41 weeks according to statistics. Nonetheless, we were ready. On Friday the 15th, I wrapped things up at work, cleaned off my desk, and told my coworkers goodbye... I was optimistic that they wouldn't be seeing me on Monday. That evening, we went to Bricktown for date night... a date night we hoped would be our last before the baby arrived. We ate Italian nachos at Zio's (a friend swears these induced labor with both of her babies!) and went for an after-dinner stroll. A 3 mile walk, to be exact.
When Saturday morning rolled around, we woke up slightly disappointed that those nachos and the walk had done nothing to move things along. With the weather getting hotter by the hour, we decided to go to the mall to walk some more. So we walked. And walked. And walked. Then, we rented a movie and rested at home all evening. I knew I needed to sleep as much as possible.
On Sunday morning, I woke up cramping at 6:00. These felt like menstrual cramps and were clearly different than the Braxton-Hicks contractions I'd been having for weeks. I excitedly woke JJ up and told him something was different... this finally was happening! It was a beautiful morning, so we drove to a nearby lake where we went for a peaceful walk, just enjoying the time together. The cramping contractions continued throughout our walk, so we were pretty confident that labor was starting. We went home and got ready for church, keeping our day as normal as possible. At church I felt such a peace as we worshipped. The tiny life inside of me seemed to dance with the music as we sang praises. I squeezed JJ's arm every time I had a contraction, and he would watch my face expectantly. We smiled knowingly at each other, as we held this incredible secret that no one else knew.
After church, we went home and took a long nap together. But, when I woke up, the contractions had stopped entirely. I started to become a little discouraged, and began doubting myself...had this only been "false labor"? Reluctantly, I began making plans to go to work the next day. However, at 6pm, the cramping contractions resumed slowly. We began timing them and noted a regular pattern this time. This was it!!! We went to bed early and tried our best to sleep.
At 3am Monday morning, I awoke suddenly. The contractions were coming on stronger, and I could no longer comfortably lay still in bed. I began to move around our room quietly, careful not to wake JJ just yet. I wanted him to be as well rested as possible because I knew I would depend on him a lot when the sun came up. As the contractions grew more intense, I took a warm shower and began focusing on my breathing and relaxation techniques. By this time, JJ was awake and making me breakfast of toast and a banana. He then suggested we go for another walk to keep things progressing, so we grabbed a flashlight and headed out into the quiet, dark morning. The full moon was bright, and we walked for an hour. [I would like to thank all of my neighbors, who unknowingly lended their mailboxes as a leaning post as I braced myself through each contraction.] Although I was still able to talk, I was no longer responding to JJ's lighthearted attempts at making me laugh and I became very focused on my breathing.
We spent the rest of the morning preparing for our later trip to the hospital- me resting and pacing around the house as I worked through contractions, and JJ packing snacks, making sure the dogs were taken care of, and ensuring we had everything in the car we needed. Finally, around 8:30am, we looked at each other and agreed that we should head to the hospital. In hindsight, we probably could have labored at home a little longer, but we did not want to gamble with traffic and the admissions process.
It was a 30 minute drive to the hospital, and I was pleased that my contractions did not slow down (as we had learned that often times, a change in scenery or adrenaline can slow the labor process). We arrived at Labor and Delivery Triage to find that there were "no rooms in the inn"... the hospital was full of expectant mothers, and I was not dilated enough to meet admission criteria just yet (still at 4cm, needed to be at 5cm). Slightly disappointed, but ever more determined, we found a place to go walk around the hospital (carefully avoiding areas where I might run into my colleagues ; )
A hospital custodian noted us walking laps and asked if we needed directions. After we explained the purpose to our pacing, he stopped and asked if he could pray with us! And so we did. It was a ray of hope in our increasingly intense situation!
After walking for an hour, I was reassessed in Triage and was at 5cm. Finally, I was ready to be admitted, and we were assigned to a room. We signed AMA (against medical advice) to defer IV access, and we went over our natural birth preferences with our nurse. Since we preferred not to be hooked up to a continuous fetal monitor, our nurse intermittently monitored the baby for 20 minutes of each hour. For the remainder of each hour, we continued to walk the halls freely. It felt liberating to be able to move through the contractions, and JJ encouraged me with every step. It was now 3pm, and we transitioned into our labor and delivery room so that I could use the birthing ball and the bathtub.
The lights were dim and my favorite worship songs [from Bethel Worship and The Helser's soundtracks] were playing softly on my phone. We had notified family of our admission to the hospital but requested privacy until our baby arrived. We desired a very intimate birth experience, with only the two of us in the room. I tried to relax through the contractions in the bathtub for the next hour, and JJ continued to keep me hydrated with water and juices as well as light snacks for sustained energy. (Since I was having a natural labor, I was allowed to eat and drink ... one of many perks to this approach!). Sidenote: GU Chomps, which we eat during long runs, proved to be the best labor snack EVER!!! My nurse even drew my baseline labs while I was laboring in the tub because I was more comfortable there than anywhere else.
The lights were dim and my favorite worship songs [from Bethel Worship and The Helser's soundtracks] were playing softly on my phone. We had notified family of our admission to the hospital but requested privacy until our baby arrived. We desired a very intimate birth experience, with only the two of us in the room. I tried to relax through the contractions in the bathtub for the next hour, and JJ continued to keep me hydrated with water and juices as well as light snacks for sustained energy. (Since I was having a natural labor, I was allowed to eat and drink ... one of many perks to this approach!). Sidenote: GU Chomps, which we eat during long runs, proved to be the best labor snack EVER!!! My nurse even drew my baseline labs while I was laboring in the tub because I was more comfortable there than anywhere else.
Around 6pm, my midwife finally arrived from clinic. It was a stormy night, and it had been a busy day for her with so many patients going into labor. She determined that I was dilated to 8cm, and she helped position me on the "dilation station" (the toilet!) so that I was sitting backwards on it, with pillows supporting my head against the wall so that I could rest. This proved to be, surprisingly, one of the most comfortable positions! I was able to relax while JJ rubbed my back and spoke encouragement over me.
Over the next hour, I was able to rest between contractions, but I then began getting very tired and starting to question how much longer I could endure labor. I had officially entered the transition phase - the most difficult part of labor - and I began to doubt myself. I repeatedly began asking my midwife if I was actually going to meet my baby that day, because it didn't seem like it was EVER going to actually happen! When my mind started to wonder, JJ became my voice of reason and encouragement. He reminded me that I was made for this, and that we had prepared so well for this birth. He gave me the mental picture of our recent marathon when we crossed over the bridge at mile 23, feeling complete exhaustion but knowing we were near the finish line.
After much discussion with our midwife, we finally decided to break my water so that our baby would drop into position and labor would progress more rapidly. But before she could break it, I pushed it out - still in tact! Our baby dropped into position immediately, and I began to feel the excitement of knowing we were truly on the home stretch.
Over the next hour, I was able to rest between contractions, but I then began getting very tired and starting to question how much longer I could endure labor. I had officially entered the transition phase - the most difficult part of labor - and I began to doubt myself. I repeatedly began asking my midwife if I was actually going to meet my baby that day, because it didn't seem like it was EVER going to actually happen! When my mind started to wonder, JJ became my voice of reason and encouragement. He reminded me that I was made for this, and that we had prepared so well for this birth. He gave me the mental picture of our recent marathon when we crossed over the bridge at mile 23, feeling complete exhaustion but knowing we were near the finish line.
After much discussion with our midwife, we finally decided to break my water so that our baby would drop into position and labor would progress more rapidly. But before she could break it, I pushed it out - still in tact! Our baby dropped into position immediately, and I began to feel the excitement of knowing we were truly on the home stretch.
I began pushing at the peak of each contraction. Ideally, I wanted to deliver in a kneeling position or on all fours, but suddenly our baby's heart rate began to plummet with each contraction. My midwife calmly but firmly moved me to the bed and onto my back so that she could have better access to our baby. She quickly assessed that our baby's head was engaged in the birth canal but was moving rapidly from side to side, making it nearly impossible for me to deliver her! This incredible midwife kicked off her shoes, rolled up her sleeves, and manually assisted my baby's head in the birth canal, steadying her so that she would have better access to oxygen. She quietly requested the surgeon on call to my bedside "just in case." The beautiful thing is that I was truly unaware of her concern at this point; she was nothing but encouraging and reassuring towards me, and I was so mentally focused that I didn't notice the surgeon and 4 additional nurses setting up a table with instruments, "just in case."
JJ, having never left my side, also noticed that my breathing had become more shallow and this corresponded to the baby's decelerating heart rate; he urged me to breathe deeply and reminded me that I could help control her heart rate. The clock was ticking, and he knew that it wouldn't be much longer before the surgeon would want to intervene. We locked eyes, and all I could hear was his voice, urging me to stay focused and to finish strong. (He had hoped to actually deliver our baby, but with the intensity during the last hours of birth, it was best that the midwife oversee that part. He had stayed right by my side, where I needed him most.) With his support, I was able to push through my fatigue (literally), and finally, at 9:50pm, I was able to reach down and feel my baby's head as she emerged!
JJ, having never left my side, also noticed that my breathing had become more shallow and this corresponded to the baby's decelerating heart rate; he urged me to breathe deeply and reminded me that I could help control her heart rate. The clock was ticking, and he knew that it wouldn't be much longer before the surgeon would want to intervene. We locked eyes, and all I could hear was his voice, urging me to stay focused and to finish strong. (He had hoped to actually deliver our baby, but with the intensity during the last hours of birth, it was best that the midwife oversee that part. He had stayed right by my side, where I needed him most.) With his support, I was able to push through my fatigue (literally), and finally, at 9:50pm, I was able to reach down and feel my baby's head as she emerged!
I immediately heard her cry, and a euphoric feeling overwhelmed me. I began to cry joyful tears as they handed her straight to me and placed her on my bare chest. She looked up at me and we locked eyes for the first time, a moment I will never forget. She was so alert and vigorous, and she began to nurse almost immediately. I looked up at JJ, who had the biggest smile on his face. "You did it!" he said. "No, WE did it!" I insisted. I think we actually high-fived at that point... and then we announced her name: Charlotte Ann.
As Charlotte nursed, my contractions continued, but I was so enthralled with her that I literally didn't realize I had already passed the placenta. We waited until the umbilical cord stopped pulsing so that she would receive all of the benefits of the remaining nutrients before clamping it off. Then, JJ took the scissors and cut the umbilical cord, a proud Daddy moment! After Charlotte had nursed and we enjoyed quality skin-to-skin contact for over an hour, the nurse took her to weigh her and administer her first vaccine. We had felt strongly that her first contact with the outside world should be with my skin, not with nurse gloves or a metal scale, and the moments we shared during that time were so precious.
Later, our midwife came over and reassured us that we had done everything we possibly could have during labor, and she was so proud of us for sticking it out to the end. We had the natural birth experience we had prayed for, albeit a lot more intense at the end than we'd hoped. She confessed that only moments before Charlotte was born, the surgeon whispered to her that he was growing more uncomfortable with the prolonged labor and baby's unstable heart rate; he said he was thisclose to stepping in and intervening. Additionally, the umbilical cord had been looped around Charlotte's neck, and our midwife had been able to unloop it as she emerged!
We know without a doubt that God placed each individual in that room for a reason. He gave us a midwife who served as an amazing and faithful advocate, a surgeon who respected the natural birth process but was prepared to jump into action if needed, and most importantly a marriage that sustained even the most intense moments to bring encouragement, love, and life into this world! We are so thankful for our healthy, beautiful baby and for the blessing of this birth experience.
"...it was thundering and lightning outside, and you came storming into this world. You lit up the dark night sky with a bold and beautiful birth..."
That is our story. May God receive all the glory!
-L
***Note: I'm SO thankful to JJ for keeping a journal that detailed our labor and delivery experience. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to recall this level of detail, as time seemed to stand still that day!
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