Traveling Down the Tracks of Life With D & H: Corey

Corey's birth was an amazing experience. I was definitely nervous leading up to the actual moment of when I knew it would start, because I was determined to have a natural birth.

I had been "nesting" a lot towards the end of being pregnant with Corey. I did a little with my other two sons, but I seemed to go crazy this time.

I wanted everything perfect and organized around my home.

I felt like I had to expect that any day I might go to the hospital.

So, I made sure that laundry was always caught up, and that the house was clean.

I cleaned out some closets even towards the end.

I had no idea how far over I would go past the "due date," or if I would go into labor early.

This made me feel impatient and I was definitely ready to have my baby!

Three days after my due date, I still had not gone into labor and only had one short episode of false labor the week before, on a Tuesday. The contractions subsided that night when I walked around. So, two days later on Thursday, my due date, I was hoping that I would miss my appointment that day because I was in labor. However, I had not gone into labor yet. At that appointment, my midwife said that she would be surprised if I was still pregnant next week, and suspected I would go into labor over the weekend.

This is something every woman who has been pregnant for 40 weeks wants to hear, so I really hoped she was correct.

As the weekend went by, though, I was feeling like I probably wouldn't even go into labor for another week.

At church on Sunday, of course, everyone was surprised to still see me! :-)

That night Bradley and I went to evening service, and my good friend, Jacqueline, (who was actually due a week and a half after me!), said to me "It will happen tonight!"

I just smiled because of course we both had been hoping for a while we would just go into labor!

Bradley and I left at 8:15. I got home, put him into bed, and went about cleaning up the house before I was ready for bed. I felt a particular urgency that night about my cleaning because I very much hoped I would go into labor before the weekend was officially through. I washed my face with a "Pinterest" face wash remedy and even washed my make-up brushes. I had cleaned my bathroom mirrors and counters before Brad and I left for evening service, so I felt that my house was really in order then!

At 10 o'clock, feeling ready for bed and organized, I breathed a sigh of relief and laid down in my bed to relax and do some blog reading on my iPad.

About one or two minutes later I felt a "pop." I wasn't sure if I heard it, too, because the pop was so strong that I think I just associated a sound with it in my head. I had a suspicion it might be my water breaking so I made a beeline to my bathroom. Sure enough, it was, thankfully! I was so happy that was how my labor started, there is no mistaking it then! I calmly went out to the living room to tell David that my water broke. He went right into action getting things ready. I text messaged my friends, whom I knew would want to know, and would pray for me. Then I called my mom to tell her to come stay with the boys, and I called Jen, my best friend and birth coach, then I called my midwife.

My midwife could tell that I was not having any painful contractions yet and urged me to just stay home. I told her that my husband I were a little nervous, and felt it best to go to the hospital right away.

(While I was still in not much pain, very happy to be in labor!)

I know that laboring at home for as long as possible, is of course ideal, but my other two labors had started very quickly after the water had broken. I had to assume the same with this one.

I told the midwife I would be at the hospital probably a little before 11 o'clock. As soon as my mom and step-dad got to our house, we left. On the way I was still feeling OK, I just felt some slight cramping every now and then.

There was a song playing on the Christian radio station that I felt I could lean on for mental support. I had been hearing it the weeks before and just loved it- "Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)" by Chris Tomlin.

It is such a wonderful uplifting song and I thought it was very special to hear it on the way to the hospital. I definitely was remembering some of the lyrics while I was in labor.

When we arrived at the hospital, my slight cramping only got slightly more intense, but I was still feeling upbeat.

My best friend got there shortly after we were admitted to the room.

Then, while the nurse was going over some paperwork with me, the midwife came to check on me. She did not check me internally, just assessed how I was doing pain-wise. The nurse wanted to know how far along I was but my midwife said it wasn't necessary yet.

I just have to say this about labor and delivery nurses before I go on: I absolutely love them! This was my third baby, I have had a different nurse each time, and I have LOVED all three!! I have found them to be extremely encouraging and supportive!

I was especially thankful for the nurse I had this time, as she was a bit of a joker. When I arrived and she took my blood pressure, it was quite high, which is unusual for me. I knew it was because I was very nervous about having a natural birth. When she was going through the paper work she kept the mood light-hearted and was joking around with me.

(Just waiting for a sweet little boy)

Shortly after the paperwork was completed, I decided to go into the whirlpool tub to help ease the mild contractions I was having.

The tub has 20 minute cycles and for the first 20 minutes I was handling the contractions fairly well.

When my midwife came in and checked on me, it happened to be between contractions, so to her it seemed my labor would go on a long time.

She told me to use the tub time as a time to stay calm and relaxed, and then she advised me to get some sleep in the bed after I was done in the tub.

After she left, however, the contractions did intensify and I remembering saying to Jen "There is no way I can sleep through this." After the tub cycle was done, I continued to stay in without the jets on, but then after 5 minutes or so turned them back on. I started another 20 minute cycle, and as the contractions intensified, I had to have my husband on the left side of the tub, and Jen on the right, each holding my hands while I breathed through a contraction.

When the second tub cycle was finished I decided it was time to get out and try the birthing ball (basically an exercise ball).

I sat on the ball, facing the bed and would lean on the bed between contractions. When I had a contraction, Jen would rub my upper back and my husband would rub my lower back while I grabbed on to the blankets of the bed and breathed through it.

It was almost 2 o'clock and that is when the nurse said she would come back and check on me internally to see how far along I was.

I was definitely ready to get on the bed, probably not the best for laboring and getting the baby ready to be born, but it's what my body wanted to do.

The nurse checked me and I was between 4-5 cm, and after she checked I felt like I really wanted to just go on my left side and curl up for contractions.

This helped me, and my husband was seated to my left, so I was facing him, and Jen was behind me on the right side of the bed, rubbing my lower back and holding my right hand.

Eventually, as the pain intensified, I curled up even more on my left side and I needed some cool, we cloths on my forehead and neck. I remember thinking how thirsty I was but I could only take small sips between contractions, because I could not handle drinking much more even though I wanted to.

When the midwife came in and checked on me, she saw how I was handling labor and whispered something to Jen and left.

Jen then told me that I was in transition. This was definitely the part I was most nervous about as it is the most intense.

I had a feeling I was. I felt like it took all of my concentration to get through the pain, and I was definitely more vocal at this point- I had been just breathing through the contractions for the first couple of hours, but as it got more intense, I would let out low vocal sounds.

I also, out loud, asked Jesus to help me between contractions, I knew He was the only one who could help me.

Praying for strength is what helped me get through that toughest part.

When it was close to the very end, my midwife came back in and just leaned into my legs, rubbed my thigh, talked to me and calmed me down.

I felt like she helped bring me down from going crazy. At least that's what it felt like. :)

I was very much ready for the pain to be over with and to be able to actively start getting my son out and in my arms. She checked me and said I was fully dilated and that I could start pushing.

I never did feel that feeling they say women can get when they know they can push, but, I pushed anyway with all my might. I do feel badly that I was actually screaming "Get him out!" at this point. Something snapped inside of me and I knew that as soon as he was out, the out-of-this-world pain I was going through would be over. I pushed a few times and he was stuck, I was not aware of this, but Jen called me later to tell me this part. His shoulders were blue and the midwife had Jen push the call button and then quite a few other nurses came rushing in. She then had me push again, hold it, and continue to push and he came out at 3:40!

They put him on my chest and said,
"look at your baby!" I was in shock from the pain and only glanced at him but kept looking at the ceiling saying "I can't, I can't" They then cut his cord and quickly took him to the table (I thought this was strange as I thought they would let the blood flow continue through his cord before they clamped it), but didn't think much of it as I was still in a little shock. Then, the midwife said "There's a cry!" Jen told me later that they were concerned because he did not cry when he first came out, which I didn't even notice! I'm so glad she was there to get details for me, as Mommy and Daddy were in a little shock. :-)

I was feeling better now that the laboring was over, and kept saying over to Jen "I dont' have to do that ever again without pain medication, right, Jenny?!" She assured me no, that I did not have to.

When they announced Corey's weight, I had another surprise! He weighted 9lbs 10oz! I had no idea he was that big! The other midwife at the practice I went to, estimated I would give birth to a low 8 pound baby. So, when I heard the weight I said to Jen "I did not just push out a baby that big, did I?!" It really was a shock to me as I never would have guessed one of my babies would be that large! I was on a diabetes diet for getstational diabetes, and my other two children were 7'13" and 7'11". Corey is a healthy baby thought, just large. :)

And I was actually more fine with him than with giving birth to my other two! I'm so thankful that I did not need stitches. I texted my friends his weight and said that I didn't need stitches followed by, "Praise The Lord!" It really was amazing to me.

(A calmer moment after birth)

I am so thankful that God led me to choose the midwife practice I did, more than half-way through the pregnancy! The midwives were such an encouragement and I felt I had the perfect birth experience (for me) that I wanted! God it so good!

Corey is a sweet little two month old now, quite a bit bigger than he is in this picture. :)

(Waiting to go back with Mommy just after getting checked out by the nurses)

Even though it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, it really was an amazing experience and I thank the Lord that He got me through it! I really could not have done it without Him! I am also thankful for my amazing husband, who does not like medical situations, but was VERY supportive and helpful during my labor.

Also, my best friend, Jenny- she was an wonderful help and I'm glad that she was there to remind me of things that I wanted for my labor.

I'm also thankful for all of my other close friends, who were praying for me during the labor and had been listening to me the weeks and months before about my fears, and encouraged me when I was getting closer to Corey's due date.

It really is wonderful to have a group of women you can talk to and get encouragement from!