This was taken the day before I went into Labor- 40 Weeks and 3 days- Done Loading!
The Contractions (or birthing waves) started around 7 pm on Wednesday night (the 16th). I was 3 days over due. The night before I had strong contractions on and off but they were gone by the morning. I realized later that they must have helped me progress because things went pretty fast!
I had just finished organizing one of the kid's toy bins (a burst of energy) when the contractions started. I got on my birthing ball and bounced while the kids got ready for bed. Josh was talking with Elizabeth and I had to tell him "Let's get these kids to bed!"
After they were in bed, Josh read to the boys while I turned on my "Fear Release" Hypno-babies soundtrack on my phone and relaxed into the contractions on the couch. They were definitely stronger and had more kick than the ones I had before, so I knew this was my birthing time! I was slightly worried that the hypno-babies wouldn't work for me, but right when I began doing it, I felt a ton better- relaxed and focused. The first contraction after I started was much milder and I was thrilled!
Around 9:30 pm, after listening to two hypno-babies sound tracks, we texted my friend to would come to help. She texted back saying that she had a big bake sale event the next morning and of all the nights, this was not the best night for her. Luckily we had someone in mind as back up and she said she would come over whenever we needed her to! What a blessing!
The contractions started coming a little closer together and I had Josh put his hand on my forehead each time they started and say "Relax". That was vital to me relaxing! During one contraction he was out of the room and it was A LOT more intense. He enjoyed having an active part in it all and was a great help! At 11:15 pm Josh gave me a Priesthood Blessing and we texted my friend and she came right over. I noticed that I acted a lot more "with it" when other people were around. We had gave her instructions about what to do in the morning and left for the hospital, which was 5 minutes away, at 11:45.
I was still very relaxed and not in a lot of pain, so we were worried that they were going to send us home. We joked and laughed about it. I definitely did not feel like walking around the hospital before we went in (or even showering beforehand like I had planned) so we went for it. They got us checked in and right away she checked me to see where I was at. I was at a 7! What a relief. My friend had told me that if I could make it to a 7 without an epidural, I could go all the way. I was listening to my hypno-babies the whole time and the nurse commented that I was one of the most relaxed, happy natural childbirth women she had seen (that may have changed later!).
I was wheeled down the hallway (to the farthest room possible- probably since I was going natural and the nurses didn't want to hear me later on!). I settled in and rode the waves. It was quite manageable. Someone came in to talk to us about an epidural, but we said that we were possibly open to it, but we were okay. At 2 am, Amanda our nurse checked me and I was at an 8. It was a little disappointing, but fine. She said she did not want to call our Dr. yet since he didn't like to get to the hospital too early, asked us to call her if my water broke or if I felt anything different and left us alone.
I got up and walked around for a tiny bit and layed down again. Twenty minutes had passed when I felt a super large wave coming on. It was intense and I began to make some noise. Another one came right on top of it and I yelled. Josh remembers thinking, "Oh, no- we may have a long way to go still." But right then I felt something. I had epidurals before so I didn't know what it would feel like. I felt a new pressure and said "I think something is coming!" I actually thought I might have a bowel movement (my water hadn't broken at this point).
Josh said "we better call the nurse!" and he called for her. She came in and said "I see the bag of waters. Don't push!" I said "How do I do that?" took a few deep breaths, said "Sorry!" and pushed through the intensity. Out splooshed our baby boy- in the sac! It went so fast! The nurse caught him, had someone give her another glove and opened the sac since she saw a chord and didn't know if it was around his neck. If Josh hadn't called the nurse, he would have been the one to catch him! I was still recovering from the big push and didn't see anything.
They whisked him away to the bassinet, cleaned him and gave him a few shots. I kept asking to nurse him. They brought him over- the sweetest little thing- and I held him skin to skin. The Dr. at this point had arrived and they had waited for him to deliver the placenta. I tore a little as well and he gave me some stitches. I had turned my hypnobabies off by then and I should have kept it on for that! The nurse commented on how he would have good luck for his whole life since he was born in the caul (in the sac). Later we looked it up and it said that it happens once in every 800,000 births although our Dr. said they see it sometimes. The baby nursed for a little and we got to know one another.
It was such a wonderful delivery- smooth and quick. I felt pretty good afterwards and got up and went to the bathroom an hour later. The baby was very alert and attentive and calm. Recovery went really well and I loved being able to get up by myself when I needed to. I couldn't have asked for a better birth experience and baby Declan is so precious!
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