My mother had both my siblings and me one week early. My midwife predicted that Sophia would be early. And guess what, Sophia was born two weeks early...exactly two weeks. Because I'm such a ''by the book'' type of person, I mentally thought that she would be late like most first time babies are...
I woke up Friday morning, April 6th feeling different. I can't describe exactly how I felt. It wasn't a good or a bad feeling, just a different feeling--a way I've never felt before. I had no appetite, and normally I eat 6 small meals a day.
It was a beautiful day, so of course I was going to take advantage of this beautiful weather. I started having little contractions, but not a big deal...I just thought they were braxton hicks and was determined to get a good walk in.
Zach said to me ''you are going into labor today...we are going to be parents soon.'' I was in denial because mentally I had two weeks left of being pregnant and I had things to do next week. :)
Around 12 noon, Zach and I decided (well maybe I forced him, because he knew I was going into labor) to go down to get some lunch and walk with the dogs. Since I didn't have an appetite, I told Zach i wanted Coconut Mountain Ice Cream. This was the only thing I ended up eating all day. We started to walk the dogs down the pier and I could hardly walk, because the contractions were getting a little uncomfortable. They were uncomfortable enough that I had to stop walking for a minute or so, then I could walk for about 5 minutes or so until I had to stop again. Finally, I couldn't walk anymore, so we drove back home. The two of us kept looking at each other, smiling, just so anxious to meet Sophia. We kept saying ''this is it'', and ''tomorrow we are going to have a baby.'' So many things were going through my mind, but mainly I was excited the time was finally here.
By the time we got home, Zach was in focus mode. I hadn't really packed our ''birth house bag'' yet, so we both started packing...it was so surreal getting everything ready. Picking out her outfit that she would ride home in, putting the car seat in the car, packing the outfit I would come home in as a mama. Again, we were both just so giddy preparing for what was coming.
Next thing we new it was about 5pm and I was having 1 minute contractions every 5 minutes, so we calles our midwife. Carolee was on call this week and ended up delivering Sophia. We told her how frequently my contractions were and she said we could come in if we would like to get checked....so we did. She checked me and I was only 2 centimeters dialated. She told us we could hang out there if we would like, but she predicted that I won't be ready to come in until around 1.30 that morning. She told me to go home, eat something, take a bath and call her when I was ready. I asked, ''how will I know when I'm ready?'' She said, ''you will know.'' This didn't make sense to me at the time, but holy moly...you know!
On our way home, the contractions started to get a little more intense. I had no idea how intense and painful they would get. It's CRAZY what women go through to bring children into this world.
Zach drew me a bath, made me something to eat and let's just say the rest of the night was kind of a blur........so here it goes:
I was in the bath for probably an hour and the contractions got really intennse. Zach made me a little something to eat and I ended up throwing up the entire thing about 30 minutes later. I moved into my bedroom on the bed and tried to find positions that made it easier (if that's even possible). My water ended up breaking on my bed around 12.45am when I was on all fours. It was a big gush. Zach and my mom called Carolee. It was time to go in, and let me just tell you the car ride over there was INTENSE! Having contractions while sitting in a car is not fun!
We arrived at the birth house and I remember it being so cozy. The lights were dimmed, music was playing...it was as relaxing as the moment could be. Carolee drew me a bath right away, and I got into the bad. My mom and Zach were so amazing during the whole process. Zach literally NEVER left my side. He pressed his forehead against mine with every contraction and breathed through them with me.
He encouraged me and motivated me with every painful contraction. I remember him saying things like, ''you can do it, she's almost here,'' ''only 30 more seconds, only 20 more seconds, I'm so proud of you,'' ''you are so amazing, we are almost there.''
My mom held up a book with adorable baby pictures for me to focus on during every contractions. She also fed me water and coconut water with a straw in between contractions. We had the perfect birth team! Altogether, it was Carolee, two birth assistants, Zach and my mom. One of the birth assistants kept putting up a heart beat monitor to my belly what seemed like every 3 minutes to hear Sophia's heart beat. I tried many positions to cope with the contractions, from sitting on the toilet, to squatting to sitting in the tub and lying on the bed. I found the bed and squatting the most helpful.
Around 3.30am, I was 9 centimeters dilated and Carolee told me she was going to help me get to 10 centimeters. Whatever she was doing down there felt like the most intense pressure! She helped me get to 10 centimeters and it was time to push! I ended up pushing for the next two hours. CAN I SAY WOW!!!!! The ring of FIRE is all I have to say! I have to say that pushing wasn't the worst thing in the world...some of the contractions near the end were more painful. I was lying on the bed when Sophia started to crown, Carolee said, ''your baby has black hair and a lot of it.'' I was able to see with a mirror and it motivated me to keep going because it would be anytime now that she would come out. I was so excited to meet Sophia that I was focused on nothing else but getting her out of me. After her head came out, Carolee said, ''one more push.'' I pushed as hard as I could one last time and she was born at 5.31am! I pulled her out of me and placed her on my chest. Right away she started crying, Zach and my mom were balling and I couldn't stop staring at my beautiful miracle. Zach was so proud of me and what I accomplished. I have to say I felt pretty good about myself too :) About 15 minutes later, I birthed the placenta....I didn't feel a thing, in fact, it felt a little soothing, like a jelly fish coming out.
It turns out that Sophia was a little side ways and had her arm stretched up against her head. Yes, I pushed out a side-ways head with an arm. Later on, one of the birth assistants explained that the pain was probably doubled because of her arm and her head being side ways. She also explained that if I were in a hospital, most likely the baby would have dislocated her arm because when babies are born with an arm coming out like that, most likely doctors us forceps or a vacuum. Again, I LOVE my midwives! She was so calm and encouraging and took the time to help Sophia come out as gentle as possible with no dislocated arm :)
The other crazy thing is that I literally didn't eat anything the whole day besides my supplements and the 2 scoops of ice cream. How I had the energy to run this marathon until 5.30 in the morning is beyond me.
After I pulled her out and placed her on my chest, she didn't leave my sight..in fact, we have been nseparable ever since :) She layed on my chest for the next 3 hours. She took to my breast right away. They did all of the tests while she layed on me (besides her weight). Her APGAR test was PERFECTO! A perfect 10! Zach cut the umbilical cord and we got to look at the placenta. It was the shape of a heart. We left for home 3 hours later and the 4 of us took a 5 hour nap. A lot of people can't believe that we were home so quickly after the birth, but honestly, there was no other place I would want to be! I am pleased to day that she entered the world 100% naturally and drug free. The total labor time was 14 hours, 2 of them pushing. The birth was everything I could have hoped for, I wouldn't had done anything differently. There hasn't been a day that has gone by that I don't think about that day. I am forever changed.
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| Literally seconds after she was born. |
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| She wanted the boob right away. :) |
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| Proud parents.....excuse my hair. |
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| 7 pounds 12 ounces. |
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| So little |
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| Trying to get the latch |
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| Proud dad. |
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| Mama getting her blood pressure taken my one of the birth assistans. |
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| Carolee, making sure our little love bug is perfect. |
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| Carolee doing her APGAR test |
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| So content. |
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| Putting her into the car seat....hard to figure these things out for the first time. :) |
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