(This post was written in March 2015, a few days after birth)
She's here, she's here, she's here! We were blessed with our daughter's arrival on Sunday morning and have had such a wonderful time getting to know her and introducing her to her big brother.
I love a good birth story, and I'm surprised at how quickly you can forget all of the details, so I figured it was high time to get to writing. So, here goes nothing.
Saturday had been a long day. I was uncomfortable, Kid was ornery, and Hubs had been very busy all day long. I had a need to get out of the house, so we made a plan to go out to dinner and run a few errands in the area. I had a craving for a greasy burger, so we went to the local malt shop.
Dinner was great! We had fun together, and Kid was such a gem. Little did we know it was his last night as an only child. Though that exact thought crossed my mind later that night as I lay in bed.
Once we got home, we began our typical bed time routine. I had been on bed rest earlier in the pregnancy and was still on a limited lifting protocol. I was not allowed to lift my own child, which was so so sad! Kid, Hubs, and I headed to Kid's room to change into jammies and to "row-row" (sing bedtime songs and rock). Kid and I rocked in the rocking chair and Hubs went "nigh-nigh" on the floor. I got teary as we row-row-ed, thinking about the numbered days we had as a family of three. I would be 38 weeks pregnant the next day. Only two weeks left.
Kid went to bed as usual. Hubs and I left the room and hung out in the living room. I retreated to bed to read and, at 11:45, realized I had a lot of energy. This was not the norm for me - my bed time is usually around 9! Then I remembered the 3 hour nap I had taken that afternoon. That was why I had so much energy. Not that I was going to be giving birth soon! Hubs came to bed after watching a basketball game. I continued to read for another half hour and turned out the light.
I woke up Sunday at 5:30 morning with a poop cramp (sorry, TMI). I went to the bathroom but the cramp didn't go away. It wasn't that bad, so I thought I'd lie down again. I got up once more and felt the need to poop again. Then I realized that this could be the start of labor. But weren't contractions super painful? Can't talk, take your breath away, really bad? This wasn't so bad. I took a lap up and down the hallway and threw up in the kitchen sink. Pretty, I know. The poop cramps didn't go away, but they weren't getting much worse.
Either way, I flipped my bedside light on, which I knew would wake up the hubs. I told him that I thought I was having contractions, but I was still talking fine so they weren't that bad and we weren't that close to delivery. He got up and called his dad, who was going to sleep on the couch until Kid woke up. I got dressed through the contractions and gathered a few last minute things for the hospital.
It felt like my father in law was taking forever! I headed out to the car and told Hubs that he should back out of the garage. We could just wait in the driveway until his dad showed up and we would head out for the hospital. Only a 10 minute drive, we'd be fine! I knew things were moving along more quickly than they had with our first kiddo, and I was antsy to get to the hospital.
But HOLY CRAP! All of a sudden contractions hurt like a B! I reclined the seat, but then got out of the car. We were in the driveway, I was swaying back and forth with my head against the cool exterior of the car. It was cold outside, but I was sweating. I tried to get in the car again but it hurt to sit and my father in law still wasn't there. Where was he!?
I couldn't wear pants anymore. I got undressed from the waist down, no longer thinking about the hospital. There I was, in the middle of our garage, naked from the waist down. I reached down to see if I could feel anything and there was something there. Baby's sac. Are you kidding me!? I'm at home! This was not the plan! The contractions had started just 15 minutes earlier. Labor does not progress this quickly. Kid took 7 hours. This was crazy fast!
I ran inside yelling "owie, owie, owie" (you know, because I'm a two year old). And for some reason, I found myself on my hands and knees in the tub. Hubs followed me in asking if he should call 9-1-1. "I don't know, OW!, yes! Where is your dad!?" I yelled from the tub.
The fire chief showed up (he lives down the street) at the same time as my father in law. I'm sure he was shocked, not knowing why the fire chief was walking up to the door. I saw the chief walk into the bathroom and yelled at my husband once more, asking an ETA for his dad. I remember asking the fire chief if he had delivered a baby before (he hadn't). Husband's dad was in the house and, between cuss words, I called him into the bathroom.
Then, the EMTs arrived on the scene. One was crouched near my head. My father in law sat on the toilet seat near my rear. Delightful.
My father in law is an amazing man. But I never thought he'd be so up close and personal with my hoo-ha. I mean, really?! But I really didn't care. All modesty was out the window. I could now feel part of the sac outside of my body and it hurt. I wanted that little girl out, and I wanted her out now.
Thankfully, he is a family practice doctor. Delivering babies is part of his job.
A moment later, I "swore a blue streak" according to my father in law and he said, "Well, okay! Push!" I felt a gush of water as he broke the sac and pushed once. And then I heard it. A nice little cry. At 6:08 am. I heard a proud grandpa as he wrapped her in a towel and then heard the two year old finally stir from his sleep, yelling, "Mama!" I flipped onto my back and I held that little sunshine close and delivered the placenta. Daddy got a turn to hold her. Grandpa washed his hands and went in to Kid's room.
The lucky little fellow got to meet his sister before we headed out in the ambulance. I walked down the stairs and got ready to go in the ambulance. I held the little peanut the whole way. Upon our arrival, we got some wonderful skin to skin time and a good hour of nursing.
This second birth was such a different experience than the first. With Kid, my water broke 6 weeks before my due date. We had a good chunk of time together for some skin-to-skin, but he was quickly whisked away to the NICU. This was much more relaxed, much more natural. And my un-medicated body felt so much better. Sure I was sore, but I could get up, I could walk around. I felt good.
------
Our Little Nut is 6 months old now. She has two tiny teeth poking through her gums. And I absolutely adore my birth story. I didn't have any complaints about birthing my oldest, but this was so ... fast. So wonderful. And so unexpected!
Sorry they're all phone pictures.
