Our baby was overdue by 8 days. He was due November 16th, but November 16th came & went with no baby. Because I used midwives, and wanted to be as natural as possible, I avoided any internal exams to see if I was dialated or had any action going on. I just wanted to enjoy the end of my pregnancy since my husband was getting a vasectomy after our baby boy was born. Baby "C", as we called him, still did not have his name permanently chosen. He was either going to be Chase or Channing... I had created an adorable "C" letter that hung on the wall above his crib (which I will show pics of later!), so we knew it would be one of the two names. Danny was the one who really liked Channing & it had been his suggestion, and I had been in favor of Chase since I was just a few weeks along in my pregnancy. If Baby C had been a girl, he would have been Aubree Quinn. But alas, there was a penis. So, no Aubree. Instead, toward the last few weeks of the pregnancy, Danny said he really liked the name Andrew and wanted to go with Chase Andrew. We kind of still kept it to ourselves to decide which name would truly be his after he was born.
Thanksgiving morning: My midwife, Maggie, had me meet her at the Deland Birth Center for a non-stress test. We had received an odd report from the sonogram I had the evening prior and she wanted to make sure things were looking good. At the sonogram, he was still and not really responding to the prodding and shaking from the sonographer, but at the non-stress test, he was kicking & punching away. Probably from the excitement of knowing he was to be born in that gorgeous, peaceful, historical home and not JUST that- but he was going to be the FIRST baby born in their new birth center! :) (Yes, I am a proud, proud mommy!) At the end of the non-stress test, Maggie gave me two little glass vials that had crystalized black cohosh. She told me to alternate them all day and that they could kick-start labor for me. They looked and tasted like little sugar crystals. I spent Thanksgiving at home with my wonderful boys and husband, alternating these crystals each hour. Thanksgiving was really nice. It was actually our FIRST Thanksgiving at home. Normally, we've gone to be with friends, as I don't prefer being alone on Holidays. Holidays are meant to spend with your loved ones! But, this turned out fine. I decorated our table a little bit and we enjoyed a pre-cooked meal from Publix. It was actually not too shabby and I was happy I was able to enjoy a huge dinner, because....
I woke up on Black Friday at 6:30 a.m. with a contraction. They were here. The cohosh had worked. Baby C was ready to come! I tried to stir Danny, but he was hard to wake up, so I just got up and started preparing. My contractions started out at 6 1/2 minutes apart, but very quickly escalated to 5 minutes apart. I sent Maggie a text to let her know my contractions had begun, and she told me to meet her at the birth center around 10 a.m. I decided to try to relax in the bath while I waited it out. During each contraction, I found myself frozen, having to stop whatever it was I was in the middle of to deal with the cramping. I climbed into the bathtub, hoping that the hot water would help them feel less intense, but as each minute passed by they became MORE intensified. I called midwife Maggs from inside the bathtub during a contraction, and asked her in so-many-words, if this was going to get worse. After hearing me labor, she said forget about 10 a.m.! She was on her way & wanted me to head to the birth center as well. I felt a little frantic as I realized the contractions were getting stronger and stronger, and I needed to grab things and have someone here to keep my older kids. I think Danny was in some sort of daze, too, almost like he wasn't sure what to do first. We called my Grandma, who lives 25 minutes away, and told her so that she could be on her way to keep our big boys. But since we didn't have time to wait, we contacted our next-door neighbors. Man, I love my neighbors. In just minutes, Matt (from next door), was at our door to get our kids. And at this point, anytime a contraction would come, I would have to drop to the floor on my hands and knees to breathe through it. Even though I was in pain, I felt relief knowing my kids were safe and we could focus on getting me to the birth center.
When we got to the birth center, I felt SO relieved. Maggie and Rhonda (the Doula) were waiting, and they escorted us in. Rhonda was filling the birthing pool with hot water, and Maggie took some vitals. The rest of the day was a serious blur for me. I don't remember how long it was before I got into the tub; it only felt like minutes to me, but I know it had to have been longer. Every contraction that came, I was full force in labor mode, focusing on breathing and getting through it, so everything around me stood still. {L: my birth room}When I got into the tub, I felt that the warm water helped a little bit, but if I even allowed the intensity of the contraction pain to alter my breathing techniques, I would be in a WORLD of pain. I would grab Danny's legs and moan and cry. He was sitting in front of me the entire time, and every time a contraction would come, I would moan and squeeze his hand, and just pant, trying to continue to make myself breathe slowly. I saw the documentary "The Business of Being Born" (which I HIGHLY recommend!) prior to having Chase, and I remember inwardly cringing at the women in labor who were moaning and making all these crazy noises. I would never do *those* things. How embarrassing, right? WRONG. I naturally started doing those things during natural labor; the slow, low moaning sounds actually help you get through the contractions. If I didn't do them, it felt awful. Anyway, enough about that. Let's get to the GOOD part...
This was the birth tub I labored in
After a few hours in the tub (which again, felt like an hour tops), Maggie suggested I get out. As I slowly took baby steps into the room to the bed I'd be delivering on, I could no longer walk, so I dropped down to the floor again. Then, that was even unbearable, so Maggie suggested I lie on the bed. No sooner did I get up there, lying on my side, squeezing a pillow, the next contraction came. I felt this POP and a trickle of fluid, and I yelled "Something's happening!" With the next contraction, there was a huge pop and gush of water came shooting out. And I mean SHOOTING! And seriously- that was IT. Maggie came running over and it was on like no body's business. I felt the baby drop down with that huge gush, and there was tremendous pressure; nothing like I had ever experienced before with the epidurals I had used with my labor for my older boys. I just started pushing, and he was born 15 minutes later. He was sunny-side up, instead of down, which made it harder, but we did it. And here he is!
Chase Andrew
9lbs 7 oz
22 inches long
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| A day old |
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| With Daddy <3 |
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| I so CUTE! |
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| Sock Money Love |
1 comment:
I'm surprised they didn't just have you deliver in the tub. Will have to chat if we decide to go for #3. Not any time soon though, still enjoying my little one too much:)
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