Sadly, I didn't get to post anymore maternity photos before little Norah arrived. But I was happy that I took this photo a day before turning 39 weeks because Norah arrived just a few days later! I had a feeling my whole pregnancy that I would go into labor a week early, even though I knew most first time moms are typically overdue. Turns out my feeling was right! Here's the story about how our little cricket made July 3rd the happiest day of my life...
Late Tuesday night I began having contractions, they were stronger and than the contractions I had been experiencing the past few days. They were also consistently 5-10 minutes apart. After laying in bed for awhile, trying to fall asleep, I decided to get into our bathtub. My husband, Tim, woke up around 5 and came into the bathroom. I told him what was going on, he stayed right by my side offering his support in any way I needed. He also took the day off as we thought this might be it! By late afternoon however, my contractions weren't as strong, and were no longer consistent.
Feeling a little disappointed, but hopeful that Norah would come within the next week, I climbed into bed (wednesday night) and almost immediately fell asleep. I begin experiencing contractions later that night, but too asleep to fully realize it. Eventually I wake up because the contractions are strong enough, I look at the clock; it's 2:00 a.m. I immediately decide to get into the tub. The contractions are consistent again, and getting stronger. I had been on my phone face booking, and playing games. But soon the contractions are too strong to focus on anything, so I play my labor playlist. I try finding what position works best for alleviating at least some of the pain. I felt the contractions in the hips of my legs mostly, which I wasn't expecting. As I'm laboring, I'm considering calling Tim and waking him up to come offer what help he could. I just didn't want to wake him until absolutely necessary. Just when I was getting ready to call him, he came into the bathroom. I update him on whats going on. I stayed in the bath until about 7:00 a.m., with Tim bringing me food and water.
Around 9:00 am my contractions begin getting stronger, and closer together. They're averaging about 2-5 minutes apart. Tim began running around the house, packing the rest of our hospital bag. I had been texting my best friend, Crystal, updates. I was going to tell her when to come to our house, as I had wanted some photos of myself laboring at home. Not wanting to make her leave work unnecessarily, I kept holding off on having her make her way down. I hadn't been feeling the sense of urgency Tim was, so I told her to leave later than I should have. It's 11:00 a.m. and time to leave for the hospital, as Crystal is on her way to our house, I tell her she needs to meet us at the hospital instead. In the short time between contractions, I make my way to the car and climb in. After driving what seemed to be forever we finally made it to the hospital. I spent a short amount of time in triage before walking to my room.
Thankfully, they had the bath ready and waiting for me. While I got ready to get into the tub, Tim began getting other things ready, including our oil diffuser. I spent quite a bit of time in the bathtub, occasionally turning on the jets to try to add a little more relief.
After spending a couple hours in the bath, I decided to get try to rest in bed for a bit. Tim was amazing during labor. He was by my side the entire time... Unless he was going to get me something. As you can see in the photo, I'm trying to add pressure to my legs. I really can't believe how much I felt the contractions in my hips. I ended up not spending too much time laying down, it just didn't relieve the pain nearly as much as sitting did. I was a little disappointed by that, it's always been the most comfortable position for me when I'm relaxing.
Around 10:00 p.m. the midwife (the third one I've seen by this point, because I've been at the hospital so long) wants to check me to see where I'm at... I haven't even dilated a full centimeter. She then says we have two options.
1. She can break my water now to get things moving.
or
2. She gives me morphine to help me sleep for a few hours, then she breaks my water.
She would prefer to do the latter, she's concerned that because I've been laboring for so long already I'll be too exhausted to do what I need to when things become more intense.
After asking her questions and discussing the choices with my husband, we decide to go ahead with the morphine so I can rest. Although I wanted a completely natural birth I'm mostly ok with the choice. I was assured the morphine would wear off after a few hours and although it would cross the placenta, it would not be in Norah's system when she was birthed.
The morphine didn't really take any of the pain away, it really just made me more sleepy. When I finally drift off, nurses come rushing into the room and tell me to get on all fours, while placing an oxygen mask on my face. I of course become immediately concerned, "You guys are freaking me out." The nurse replied "Her heart rate just really dropped for a beat so we want to make sure every things ok. It's normal for it to drop, it just went lower than we like to see."
Norah's heart didn't drop again, so after about ten minutes or so it was time for me to try to go back to sleep. Unfortunately, because I was drugged up and had to move so much, and so quickly, I felt sick. Luckily there was a bin somewhat nearby, so Tim was able to get it to me in time.
At about 6:00 a.m. I decide I'm just in too much pain, and not drugged enough to sleep anymore. I let the nurse know I'd like a bath before they break my water so I can try to wake up a little bit. The midwife first checks to be sure I haven't dilated anymore. I haven't, so back into the tub I get before they break my water. Here comes another new midwife, she's ready to break my water and get the show on the road; and so am I.
Just as the previous midwife stated, things got intense pretty quickly after they broke my water. I start feeling it in my back as well. ANOTHER new midwife comes in to introduce herself (how many am I going to go through??). But as soon as she comes up next to me, I sort of yell at her to get away from me. She has on WAY too much perfume. After a contraction finishes, she asks me if I feel any pain in my back, "Yes." She feels my stomach for Norah's position. Norah has decided to turn posterior, so now I need to try different positions to try to get her to turn back around. I do not even want to move.
I get back into the tub, hoping it will help. I don't want to be on all fours, but the nurse says it's best to try to get Norah to move. I'm in full transition stage. I'm not sure how long it lasted for, all I remember is how intense it was, how the contractions were right on top of each other. Just as one would somewhat begin to fade, it would build up again.
Somehow I got it into my mind that because I hadn't progressed for so long, I was in all this pain for nothing and not progressing. So I started saying what so many women do during transition, "I can't do this anymore. I'm done. Get me the epidural." It's amazing I manage to spit any words out at all. Tim was as encouraging as he could be. I begin feeling the urge to push, but thinking I just need to use the bathroom (I still had it in my head I wasn't progressing, so this couldn't be that urge that everyone talks about) I ask Tim to help me to the toilet. Once I make it to the toilet I tell Tim again "I need an epidural."
He leaves the room to talk to the nurse, she follows the birth plan I gave them and tells Tim "Let's tell her to come to the bed and we can discuss 'options'," she was going to help him stall. Tim and the nurse ask me to come to the bed but I'm still having some intense contractions. Eventually they let up just a little bit, so I make my way to the bed. By the time I make it to the bed the urge to push is pretty strong. I tell the nurse I need to push, she tells me to wait so she can check me. I'm close, but not quite at 10 cm... So she helps me get the rest of the way. That hurt. The midwife checked Norah's position once more, she had turned back into the anterior position. Thank God.
They hook me back up to the fetal monitor again, Norah's heart rate keeps dropping with each contraction. They have me try different positions to see which Norah "liked" best. I also have the oxygen mask back on. The midwife is telling me to not push with this contraction, only every other one. Is she kidding me?? I can't help it! "Just don't add to it." If you've ever had a baby, and were told not to push, you know exactly how difficult that is.
Although I see the concern on Tim's face, and hear the midwife telling the nurse to to have the pediatric unit ready because of Norah's dropping heart rate with the contractions, I only felt peace. I knew she was going to be ok.
After 32 hours of labor and 45 minutes of labor Norah arrived!
Even better? Tim delivered her. At my midwifery appointments, she told me Tim could grab Norah after her head and shoulders were out. But this midwife allowed time to grab her head as soon as it began coming out, he helped pull her out the rest of the way (although I did not feel like I had any help).
I think Tim was momentarily too in awe to remember to put her on me right away because I heard the midwife say "Put her on mom's chest, dad."
Here she was. She was screaming at the top of my lungs, and she was perfect. I kept hearing the nurse and midwife say "Her lips are blue, her lips are blue."
But I'm just thinking "What are they talking about? She's perfect. She's fine. She's screaming." Once I saw photos though, she really was blue.
They did need to suction some stuff out of her mouth and pat her back though as she was pretty congested.
I knew it was best if she continued to scream and cry, but I really had to fight my instincts in wanting to comfort and soothe her into not crying. She didn't end up needing any special care other than continued clearing of her lungs and mouth.
She was born at 10:37 a.m. on July 3rd. She was 7 pounds 8 oz, and exactly 19" long.
Best day of my life.
Daddy performing his first diaper change ever!
It was no wonder her feet hurt my ribs so much, they were (and are) huge!
I'm so thankful that I got to have the birth experience that I wanted, for the most part. A part of me is still slightly disappointed in having morphine, but it was pretty necessary at the time.
A big thank you to all those that prayed for a safe and healthy delivery!
And another big thank you to my BFF Crystal, for capturing such a special day!
Now it's time for me to have some more snuggle time with my little cricket.
