Nate's Birth Story

Nate's labor story was WAY different than we had previously experienced. With Anna and Christopher when I felt my first contractions they were regular and 5 minutes apart... contractions, call doctor/midwife, head to the hospital!! And we went into labor at night!

You all know part of the labor story, just from keeping up with us during those last days:) Thursday and Friday! But basically after being checked on that Thursday I was soo crampy and ready:)

Then Saturday, I felt decent so I took a couple of pictures of our church participting in OIAM. The kids and I visited with some friends at their house. Then I fed the kids lunch and jumped back into taking some pictures.

About 2:30ish, I'm back at the house getting the kids in bed for naps. I finally crash in bed with the computer getting a few emails done. And then I lay back to sleep..... and a contraction!!! A REAL contraction...

So until 3:30 I timed the contractions and they were only 10 minutes apart. But since they were regular and walking made them come a little more quickly I got Brian. Knowing that I was having contractions... Brian immediately got on the phone to make arrangements;)

Within minutes we had church members at the house ready to keep the kids for us.

I felt bad going to the hospital.

Really!!!!!... the contractions I felt were strong. But they were 10 minutes apart. Longer when I would sit down. I really thought that they were just going to send me home.

Since I wasn't in active labor we stopped for food (needed to eat a little dinner before labor!) and attempted to visit a commuinty member in the hospital. I finally got checked into the hospital about 6-6:30ish.

I went into triage and my midwife was there. When she checked me I was 6-7cm dilated and she said my water was bulging... ready to burst! Hmmm, all the pressure I had been feeling... so obviously they wanted to keep me.

So from 3 to 8:30pm my contractions stayed about 10 minutes apart. When I did have them they were STRONG!

Brian said I was really hyper during those hours... really talkative! I like to think I was psyching myself UP for the real labor!

At 7:30 they started to give me the antibiotic for the Group Strep B. And then we had to wait an hour before my midwife would break my water to give the antibotic time to work. I was VERY fortunate that she was willing to just give the antibodic without keeping me hooked up to the IV the entire time!!!

After walking and waiting around (getting paperwork done with the nurses), we got ready for LABOR at 8:30pm when my midwife broke my water.

Like I thought, the contractions came on STRONG and regular and we got started laboring to meet Nate!! During actual labor once my water was broken I stayed pretty in bed trying to relax!!

I've never experienced back labor before.... but whoo buddy!! My back had soo much pressure and I felt it up and down my spine. Which is why in many of the "laboring" pics that Andrea took, my midwife was rubbing and applying counter pressure to my back.

My labor progressed like my midwife had predicted.... but what slowed us down was actually PUSHING!! (which was actually a blessing since we were able to get a 2nd dose of the antibiotics into my body, so Nate didn't have to have blood drawn and tested!)

I usually look forward to the time when I can start pushing... it usually feels a "little better" than the contractions. But not pushing NATE!!!

We had a couple of things hindering us all because of Nate's position. So I tried all sorts of positions to try to get Nate to move so he could be delivered!!!! Honestly, if I would have had an epidural I wouldn't have been able to move and attempt to change Nate's position..... the Dr would have had to manually turn and move him.... OUCH!!!

I have to share that it was in the middle of pushing that my MOmma walked into the delivery room!! She was there for Anna's birth! She has her own labor experience as well as Anna's and Hannah's births... funny how a MOmma's presence is always comforting.

Anyway, we tried all sorts of positions and finally Nate moved. I tell you one of the most painful things was when the midwife was pulling my belly to the right (since Nate was laying on my left side) during a contraction and attempting to push. Whoo-hoooo!!

Nothing was better than after 1.5 hours of actively pushing to have Nate placed on me!!! He was soo sweet and big :)

There is always a feeling of relief especially since I had been pushing soo long and had gotten really tired. And the on-call doctor had also made an appearance, so I know that they were getting a little worried.

When the nurses took him to be weighed. They first asked everyone in the room how big they thought he was.... LOL!!! I don't remember all #s that were shouted out, but I remember my mom saying that he couldn't be bigger than 9 lbs because he looked smaller than my brother who was 9 lbs!!

Imagine our surprise that he weighed 9 lbs 13 oz!! He was a chubby monkey:)

Andrea was there and took some great pics;) Here's her slideshow of the delivery!! We are blessed to have such as sweet friend willing to travel soo late to capture Nate's birth!

And I had the BEST staff!!! I loved my midwife;) I love how "granola" she is and was willing to let me labor without being hooked up to the IVs the whole time. And she was also very willing to let me push in ways I thought would be beneficial and then suggested new ways.... she's a super hero in my eyes since her final suggestion was what got Nate out;)

The head nurse and her "shadow" were soo encouraging and friendly. They took good care of us the rest of the night as well as the following night;) They totally let me shower as soon as I got out of bed in the wee hours of the morning;)

I'm sure I left out something....

But I am sooo fortunate to have had a GREAT labor. Even with the GSB and antibiotics, I had very little medical intervention.... no IVs. I could move around:)

And more importantly..... Nate was such a healthy little guy!! And that he's here now and always ready to be snuggled;)