Inspired by a beautiful true story a good friend shared with me, I am finally going to sit down and tell you about Spencer's birth. The inspiring author wrote of a home birth that had recently happened a couple days before, and the excitement and energy she emitted into her writing reminded me of the same spark I felt for days after Spencer was born. It was truly a magnificent experience, one that I cannot capture fully into words, and which confuses me to try. I find myself giving to much and too little detail and then writing far too much, boring my readers into blogsearching for another entry from another person to fill their blog reading-appetite. So here goes.
This is my official personal copy of my birth story. In many ways it is a journal entry, so I will not apologize for the length or the details, but I'll try not to make you uncomfortable with too personal details.
I woke up on Saturday. I had been sure my baby was coming days before and now that it was a weekend, it seemed like the perfect time! When I woke up I knew like I knew every morning when I woke up, well I didn't have my baby last night! Maybe tonight? I went with John and Thomas to watch him play football. We started playing catch, and I had some crazy strong contractions that made me double-over so John took me home. I was surprised how strong they were and that I had about 10 or so. I wanted to have my baby so bad! I called my parents, they started driving to Utah, I took Thomas to the babysitter, and I tried to relax and walk and do all the things you hope will encourage your body to believe you are ready!
On Sunday night I was still trying to tell my body I'M RELAXED! Okay? OKAY! My dad flew home and my mom was starting to feel useless. She visited her sister, I finished up some craft projects, and John kicked it around the apartment. Thomas slept. All of the sudden I had a very strong contraction. I tried to turn in my chair and felt like I couldn't move! I started crying because I felt like I got slapped in the face. I remembered that labor is hard and wondered what I was thinking wanting to go through it! I stood up and John hugged me and told me it would be fine.
An hour later my mom was back from her sisters, and I had had a couple contractions. John was sure I was really in labor, but I was waiting now to be sure. After the first contraction I started getting into it and my body dealt much better. I walked and rocked through the moderate pain. When one would start, I would take a deep breath a "gift to the baby." It was nice, the house was clean, my scentsy candle was melting vanilla, and I tried to tell my mom stories and things. I wanted to catch her up on everything I'd read about labor during my pregnancy and all the exciting fun tidbits I had learned. I kept getting interrupted though, and not being able to finish my train of thought because of the contractions. John went to bed at 10pm when I had been in labor for about an hour, realizing it was his last chance for some sleep. My mom sat on the couch, and I spent a lot of time rocking and leaning on the entertainment center for support. I enjoyed spending this early labor time talking with my mom. I called Joanne, my doula, or birth assistant, and told her I wasn't going to sleep! I was getting excited and happy. Finally this was my moment.
I packed last minute items into my bag, like my cell phone, snacks, make-up etc, and my mom and I talked about whether or not she wanted to come to the hospital with us. We had been planning on my sister being there, and my mom being "on her way" from California. We whispered plans to each other. Then we heard a little cry and "Mommy" from Thomas' room. He moaned, and then the next sounds he made were all too familiar to us. He was sick, and making a mess in his bed. My mom sprang into action, and said, "I got this." I called Joanne and told her we had a flu bug at our house, and she said she'd wait then instead of coming over. For my mom and Thomas it would be a rough night of waking, sickness, and laundry.
At midnight Joanne came over. By this time I was sitting on my exercise ball for most of the contractions. I was eating homemade bread toast, but having a hard time getting through one piece. The pain was starting to get strong enough to necessitate not talking although I didn't talk at all during contractions because I was trying to follow the "rules" and talking is distracting yourself and wasting energy so I tried not to. Joanne started pushing on my lower back. I had been concerned that I wouldn't be able to communicate that I was having a contraction but as I took a deep breath and stopped talking it was obvious. For all of you who know me, if I stopped talking during contractions that alone would make it quite clear, don't you think?
I drank a lot of water and made a half a million trips to the bathroom. I tried to hold Thomas when he cried and/or woke up, but if I started having a contraction I'd have to give him back. After a while I couldn't hold him anymore. I could tell my labor was getting more "serious" and I was feeling more serious but not quite out of the happy talkative part.
I'm thinking it was around 1am but I'm not sure, Joanne encouraged me to call my midwife and tell her that I was in labor. I did that but the midwife started asking me what I felt were stupid questions at the time like, "are you planning to have your baby in a medicated or unmedicated birth?" and "did you test positive for group B strep?" I started having a contraction so I gave the phone to my mom and made a face at Joanne, who was enjoying the moment. I nodded or shook my head to my mom for answers, and then she hung up. I kept drinking juice and water, and sitting on my ball. I updated my facebook status and went to the bathroom another million times. My mom and Joanne talked in whispers and Joanne continued putting counter-pressure on my back. I felt like I couldn't labor without the counter-pressure, it is so wonderful!
I decided it was time to wake up John around 3am, because I was starting to feel like I was procrastinating going to the hospital. At about 10 pm or so my contractions had been 5-7 minutes apart and then they stretched out to more like 10 minutes apart, and then I stopped timing them once I was sure I was in "real" labor. They never felt as intense or on top of each other as they had after my water had broken and I went into labor with Thomas. Or as my friend described it, like "being hit by a truck." (When her water was broken.)
To Be Continued . . .
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