Happy Birthday, Baby Sister

The beginning of the story is here.

After a lot of hard work and discussion with Mike – we decided to have Molly break my water.  I knew things were about to get REAL as soon as she did that – but I was getting tired, and I was starving.  I knew that if I didn’t progress further, and soon-ish, my energy level was only going to go down.  It was 100% our decision, there was no pressure by anyone to do this, which was great.

She said “that is one tough bag of water” which – I believe it!  And she wasn’t kidding about things getting real.  In our Bradley classes we discussed NOT having your water broken for a lot of reasons, but one of them is because it acts as a natural cushion – helping the contractions not to be too off-the-charts painful. 

The contraction after she broke my water – I noticed a huge difference.

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

I also HAD TO STAND UP RIGHT NOW. (again, having to change positions right.now is something we knew to expect in late first stage labor) My awesome nurse, Donna, warned me that when I stood up the contraction was going to hurt more and there would be a lot more pressure. Again, she knew what she was talking about – and I knew to expect that.  Molly stayed with me after this also, I think she may have left the room for a few minutes.

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

I stood through a few contractions,  Went to the bathroom (remember, I was drinking a lot of water! so being able to pee at my own will was awesome), came back, leaned against the bed and really worked through a few more contractions.  I also went and sat on the toilet for a few contractions – that legs wide open, gravity utilizing position helped relieve some pressure.

Something they teach you through Bradley is that when you get close to transition and toward second stage labor you literally can not help but to make “animal like” noises during contractions.  And, again, dead on.  Up until that point, I would breathe quietly through each contraction – and go about my conversations after they were over!  Well, I knew things were changing when I was standing up through a contraction and I heard myself making these grunting noises we heard about in class.  I say heard myself, because I had zero control of the sounds coming out of my mouth.

I kept telling myself, okay, you knew this would happen, don’t freak out.  I also didn’t fully realize I was making these noises out loud – it’s called being in labor land – sort of this crazy place between your mind and reality!

I did this a few times and then I HAD TO SIT DOWN RIGHT NOW.  Now, we knew all kinds of labor and birthing positions but I wanted to be sitting almost all the way upright with my legs sort of down (those hospital beds do all kinds of crazy stuff, so I was able to sort of sit on the “edge” of the bed with my legs dropped down – again, using gravity to my advantage).  Donna the nurse, again, was awesome – she validated everything I was feeling as normal.

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

Pretty much as soon as I got comfortable transition started.  My legs started shaking, my shoulders started shaking – I had my eyes closed but I thought everyone could see what was happening – but, no, they actually couldn’t.  At least not until my teeth started chattering uncontrollably and I told Mike (even though, again, I KNEW what was happening) “why is this happening to me” – he KNEW then what was going without question. 

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

I kept thinking to myself, again, I thought I was saying it out loud, “this is so annoying”.  Mike, Donna and Molly again were awesome at assuring me things were going in the right direction and not to be afraid.  Mike kept saying, this is it and my mom stood by my side and held my hand.  I know I thought several times “why am I doing this. I don’t want to do this anymore” – again, exactly what they told us would happen in our Bradley class!

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

Molly verified what we all knew, it was time to get this baby out! I was allowed to push when I wanted to.  Except, I sort of freaked out inside my head – and I would start to say with each contraction “I can’t” but everyone pretty much in unison would say “yes you can!”

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

I started sweating like a mad women and I was using my mom and Mike’s hands as leverage to push – I probably nearly broke their fingers.  But my hands were so dang sweaty, I was getting frustrated because I kept losing my grip!  Because at first I couldn’t get  my mind straight around the whole “if you just push, it WILL FEEL BETTER” idea at first – my first few contractions weren’t all that productive.

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

I could feel her head starting to engage, and the awesome thing about being in control of your own body, is knowing when you need to take a break.  I didn’t push through one whole contraction because I just knew I needed to let things stretch out, if you will. After that, I was ready – my mind and body were finally working together.

I kept my eyes closed through pretty much all of second stage – I just listened to Mike, Mom, Donna and Molly. I heard Molly tell me she had hair!

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

Or, I sort of listened to them – they kept telling me to pull my legs back because if I did this baby would fly right out.  But I really couldn’t do it – I don’t know why – but I could not let them move my legs and I could not move them myself.  (but notice how mike is pushing me up? that was perfect and he knew to do it without me saying anything)

I felt her start to crown and I was pushing so hard but then I had to breathe and I couldn’t keep pushing and take a deep enough breath – I felt her slide back in as I took a breath and said “no, don’t go back in!”.

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

that was all the motivation I needed – the next contraction I used all of the energy I had – I pushed through the ring of fire (yes, it does burn, but only for a second) and felt her head come out and then her shoulders and body just slide right out.

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

That is when I opened my eyes.  At 8:28pm* on February 1, 2013 my second daughter was born.

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

I have never ever in a million years felt anything like this – this intense emotion of HOLY SHIT I JUST DID THAT and HOLY SHIT, THAT’S MY BABY!

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

When they handed her to me – I said “oh, hello!”

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

And I said a bunch of other nonsense that, again, during our classes I swore I wouldn’t say. It just kind of comes out and you can’t control it!  Lots of “I love you’s” and “I waited so long for you” comments.

I couldn’t take my eyes off of her – I did look at Mike and Mom, but I just focused all of my attention on her.  She was so alert – I can’t even explain how alert she was – her eyes stayed open almost the whole time.

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

We did skin to skin for a long while – during that time Mike cut the cord, she got her eyes taken care of and her vitamin K shot – all while snug in my arms. 

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

Third stage labor happened (seriously, when they say delivering the placenta feels like a warm massage, that is no joke.  it felt so good… very strange, but good!).

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

Donna took her to get all the appropriate measurements and weights.  I got one stitch.  Daddy & Grandma got to hold her. 

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

And then I got my baby back to feed her.

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

This is a new experience for me – and so far, so good.

Eventually we were ready to move to our recovery room – I was up, out of bed, within two hours of having her (I had to pee again!) and all things considered – feeling very awesome.  And ready to eat!

We did it.  Mike and I, together, created this gorgeous life and brought her in to the world the way my body was made to do it.  And it was, without a doubt, the most empowering experience of my life. 

Photo Credit: Bella Rose Photography

I owe a ton of credit to Gayle, our Bradley instructor for an awesome class – she prepared us so wonderfully for this.  And, get this, was responding to our texts that day from PARIS! How awesome is that?  Mike was the greatest coach you could ever want – he was so attentive and in tune to what was going on. He may now officially be a bigger natural birth advocate than me!  My mom was the perfect assistant coach – she snuck me snacks, told me what I needed to hear, and just having your mommy near by is sometimes all you need.

So welcome to the world, Aleesia Marie – I hardly remember life before you were in it.

Photo Credit: me!

*ironically, Gianna was born at 8:29am!

Here Comes the {newest} Girl

It’s time to get started on the story about how our newest girls life on the outside began.  And what better place to start, then from the beginning?

39 weeks photo credit: my iPhone

For about a week I had a form of prodromal labor – an annoying and frustrating thing that happens sometimes where you have regular contractions all day in my case, only for them to stop when I went to sleep at night.  I woke up on Monday 1.28 and thought, I can not work until “it happens” – I was miserable, uncomfortable, my clothes didn’t fit and I was just done.  Wednesday 1.30 was going to be my last day, it WAS my due date after all. 

goofing around with my cool chick

I actually went in to the office for a cervical check at 39w6d because I wasn’t convinced what was happening was “normal”.  This was totally out of character for me, because I had declined all cervical checks since 37 weeks – we knew they weren’t going to tell us anything and figured we might as well minimize the risk of infection by not doing them.  But, I was encouraged to find out I was 3cm, 80% effaced at that appt. 

On Thursday 1.31, I started my maternity leave with a threenager who didn’t want to get dressed for school, it was less than ideal.  My last appointment was in the afternoon that day and my mom wanted to come with me.  Before we left, Gianna was really upset and did not want me to go (or rather, she was begging to come with me) – which is totally out of character for her.  I saw my favorite midwife who was as surprised to see me as I was that I made it to that appointment.  She checked me again and I was at 4cm, still 80% effaced and she stripped my membranes in hopes it would do the trick to get REAL labor started.  Otherwise, we set up an induction date (& plan that fit our birth plan) for the next week, because, let’s be honest - I was over it.

My mom thought it would be a good idea to take Gianna overnight “for when I went into labor”. I was sure she was being ridiculous, but went along with it.  Mike and I went and walked some laps around the mall and the contractions started up again – their usual annoying pattern.  We went to dinner and ran to target to get a few random things I figured I would need after the baby came.  We got home, and the contractions were still there but I figured once I went to bed they would stop.

Except I woke up at 1am with, without question, what is referred to as “bloody show” and contractions that were significantly stronger. And five minutes apart.  I timed them for an hour and then I woke Mike up.  We hung out, me bouncing on the exercise ball, cleaning big sister’s room, doing all kinds of random stuff to make SURE those contractions weren’t going to stop! And the didn’t.  I called the midwife to find out which hospital she was at and we decided to go to the hospital around 3:15am after calling my mom and my sister – we were kind of anxious.  We got there, things were noticeable, but I was really feeling okay. Nothing I couldn’t handle, really.  We were prepared for what was coming next, thanks to our Bradley classes.

We went through triage, the resident on call wasn’t convinced I should stay (he also thought my water broke. but really, I just peed myself apparently.) so I walked for 2 hours – and let me tell you, I literally walked the entire 2 hours – the contractions were getting stronger and I was never so happy to feel uncomfortable in my life!  Although,that same resident told me that I didn’t look like a women in labor and not to plan on sticking around. The L&D unit was hopping that night – every room was full and every triage bay was too – they were serious about making sure you were in active labor before letting you stay!  When I was finally checked again – I was 6cm and earned my labor room!

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography

We got back to our room around 9am, did all the things we needed to do to get checked in and went over part of my birth plan with the nurse while we waited for the midwife to come in.  I only wanted a hep-lock and no fluids (I stayed hydrated with lots of water, popsicles and ice chips!), and that was fine with them.  I also only wanted intermittent monitoring – again, this was okay. 

yay! baby day! photo credit: my mom!

She got me a birthing ball and the games continued!  slow and steady contractions.

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography

I walked.

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography

And bounced.

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography

And walked.

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography

And changed positions.

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography

The contractions continued on, I would need to stop and breathe through them, but when they were over I just went about my business and pretty much laughed a lot. 

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography

I wouldn’t have known I was in labor if I wasn’t the one feeling it!

Mike was by my side the entire time, encouraging me to do something different, try a new position, breathe and focus when I needed too. 

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography

My mom was there too, she hung out and let Mike handle things but she made me laugh a lot! And she snuck me chips.  My midwife, Molly, let me do my thing – she came and checked on me but like I said, things were BUSY in the L&D ward that day – but I knew if I needed her she would be there.

Around 1, I wanted her to check me because things were picking up and I was feeling a migraine coming on.  I was 7cm.  She offered to break my water if I wanted her too, but Mike and I didn’t want to do that yet, and Molly thought it would be better to try and get the migraine pain in order before things got more intense.

So I opted for some fioricet for my headache and a quiet room with some meditation music. 

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography

I slept off and on for about an hour and !woke up feeling slightly better.  And stronger contractions.  Which was encouraging, actually – I knew things were moving in the right direction

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography

Until I had to puke!  I actually felt a lot better after that, headache wise. 

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography

The contractions were MUCH stronger now, but still only about 3 minutes apart on average.  This gave me a good recovery period between them even if they were about a minute long or more.  I had some double-peeking, or one contraction right after another - I needed Mike to really help me focus and breath through them.  But they weren’t PAINFUL as much as just a lot of pressure.  It’s hard to explain – but it was just like a muscle cramp (which, really, is all that is happening!) in my stomach – contractions don’t HURT like you are getting your arm cut off, they feel more like a charlie horse.

We tried some other positions to use gravity to help move baby down.

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography

The next step, was to have Molly check me one more time for progress and then possibly break my water.

photo credit: Bella Rose Photography