Baby Boy, born at 5:46 PM, 10 lbs 0 oz
This isn’t just a birth story though. It’s a story of testing of strength, patience, and determination. God has definitely taught me more than I realize with this pregnancy! My 2nd pregnancy was a rough one. I had excessive fatigue during the last month, unable to sleep, and therefore was just plain miserable. Labor was fast! My water broke and four hours later, after twisting and turning to keep a little boy’s heart rate up, Thayn came out with his head crooked! Not to mention his shoulder dystocia. It was a little frightening and scary!
With this pregnancy, I had a lot more pregnancy symptoms, heartburn (terrible), swelling, a little sickness, but overall it was a good pregnancy! I was pleased, and I felt good for the most part! I enjoyed being pregnant through most of it, and was very disappointed when my due date came and went. I was bound and determined that no matter what happened, that because I felt so good, I was going to allow my body to just go with the flow. Thayn was a week overdue and I was not nearly as miserable this time around. I kept puttering around doing what I could, helping to build our chicken coop, doing what little lawn work I could help with, and just simply getting outside to distract myself. The rain too has been testing my patience. I have been dying to get out in the garden, get it planted, and putting the finishing touches to the chicken coop/hog pen! But with all this rain, I have not had much of a chance. So there were several days when my poor husband had to sit in the house with me listening to me complain about being pregnant, being past due, and on and on. But as the days became over a week, I began to fear. Fear that I wouldn’t be able to do it, that he would be too big, and that I would never go into labor on my own! I prayed every night that I would go into labor that night. My patience was really being tested!
There are those that I wouldn’t know what to do without! Those that I had to call on to be encouraged! My great sister-in-law got the brunt of my frustration for going over! She goes about 2 weeks over with all of hers, so my whining and moaning were kind of directed at her! I praise God for her positive attitude and encouragement. “With the way Thayn came out crooked, he pretty much paved the way for ANY baby to come through!” I lived off that! The wonderful women at Auburn OB/GYN were just as wonderful and supportive! They were my motivation to look forward to the last 6-8 appointments!! I cannot thank all those who encouraged me enough! Thank you! Thank you!
I had an appointment scheduled on Wednesday the 25th at 10:30 am with an ultrasound technician to measure fluid amounts and to also have a non stress test. Being ten days overdue they wanted to make sure he was healthy and happy. Wednesday morning I woke up around 6:00 am. I had gone to bed early the night before and actually had a great nights sleep for once. I got up and I immediately began to have some good contractions and bloody show. I had had show the day before but nothing to go along with it. On this morning they were strong enough that I wasn’t really able to walk through them. I ran and took a bath to see if that would ease them, and it did not. I then called my midwife, Michelle, to see if she wanted me to wait and see if it was really true labor, or come in anyway. Wednesday is her day off from the office but she came in anyway to the appointment with me. Have I told you how great of a midwife I have? Janis, the student midwife that I had gotten to know over the course of my last trimester came along too. They checked me right away and I was at 5 cm. That really lifted my spirits!! I was 1/2 way done before even beginning! It was determined that I definitely wasn’t going home. My bag of waters has bulging too! With the other two, my water broke first and then labor kicked in. It was intense and fast so this was much different for me. It was relaxed, and not very strong at all. We proceeded with the testing to make sure that all was good. The ultrasound came back 100% positive. He had great fluid amounts. And the non stress test was done and over with in 15 minutes. He was moving around great and his heart rate was responding great during contractions too. I was in very good spirits! I had a healthy, happy little one that I would be holding in my arms that night! This was the first labor that I can honestly say that during each contraction I was thanking God I was progressing that there was no stopping me or him now. Doing this helped to keep my mind focused on the right, not the fears that would creep in.
We proceeded to head to Auburn Birthing Center. Stephanie, Michelle, Janis, and Britte were all there and a little later Melissa, the head nurse came in too. We had decided that we definitely wanted the kids there with us during the birth. The place was perfect!! Jordan was able to get the kids fed for lunch, and down for naps, while I was laboring in the birthing tub. He did great and it was decided that with everyone there, the kids would be just fine. These women were family women. They knew kids. And they were not afraid to tell the kids to sit down, be quiet, and get serious when they needed to be! It is safe to say that they had 4-5 mothers there that night. Jonie and Thayn were free to go in and out to see me, play, and eat. Janis was there with me, encouraging me, and just talking between contractions. It is amazing how close two people can become and then things you can talk about while working through a labor together. Michelle was in and about, always doing her great job of just reading me during contractions.
Around 5:00 pm I got a little lost. The pressure was there, but I wasn’t sure if I needed to push or not. I gave it a try a few times but it didn’t help much. So a quick check, and Michelle stated that I was at 8 cm (late I learned that I was actually only at about 6.5-7 cm, but Michelle has a way of telling you want you NEED to hear) and the problem was simply that my bulging bag of waters was dropping down, causing the pressure, but when pushed would give and not allow his head to come down. So a quick break of water and then things got INTENSE!! I was no longer praising God during contractions! They were strong, and no relief in between. The pressure was immense and I thought this was what I remember of labor. Intense, pressure, no relief, and now the pain was really starting. The other women took over with the kids, and allowed Jordan to come join me. I recall telling that that I needed him. I needed his strength to rely on, hold on to, his encouragement, and that combined effort to deliver OUR baby! I was starting to get snappy and have an attitude. Every woman knows what I mean. The pain was intense enough that I couldn’t see straight. Then the really great midwife kicked in – Michelle! She got into my head by getting in my face, putting on her professional, serious tone, telling me to take that frustration and attitude and push!! She knew!! She knew where I was and what I needed to do. I tried a push with the next strong contraction and what a relief. They told me to tell them when his head was coming down and with the next push, he was coming! I recall telling them that it was “the biggest poop of my life.” With the third push, his eyes were out. One more and his head. Another large push and NOTHING!! I was getting mad at this point. I tried once more and again, nothing. I was told to get out of the tub, but with his head out, it was a little difficult. Then came out the strength I needed in my MAN!! He picked me up in his arms and lifted me out of a 27″ deep birthing tub. In that moment an arm up by his head came loose. I flipped to my hand and knees and one more push and he was out!!
FORTY-FIVE minutes after my water was broken he was out!!! Jonie was right there at my head the moment he came. She stroked my hair and kept telling me “You did it, Mama!” She wasn’t in much during the intense part of labor, because my growling and howling was a little to intense for her, but she was there the moment he was born. She looked at me on my hands and knees and ask: “Mama, you gonna push another one out?” I had to painfully chuckle, but a stern “NO!” told her. At this point, I was once again praising God! For a healthy baby boy, for a wonderful husband and children, a wonderful midwife (midwives), a great place to birth, and not being pregnant any more! I couldn’t have dreamt it any better myself!!
Michelle took at guess at his weight at 10 lbs and 2 oz, but he weighed in at only 10 lbs!! I kept looking at that purple (bruised from being born so fast!!) face and thinking there was NO way I just delivered that child!! He was BIG! He was HUGE!! Janis got his length: 22 1/4 inches long! I had been telling Jordan from the time I was 6 months along he was gonna be LONG! His little butt protruded out the side of my rib cage. I’ve had a lopsided belly since then! While I got cleaned up, Janis kept taking some measurement. She got Michelle’s attention and gave us both a look that said “You’re not going to believe this!” She said his head measure 14″ circumference, while his chest (NOT including his shoulders and fat little arms in the way) measured 15 1/2 ” No wonder he got a little stuck!! This blood sugar turned out great too. They couldn’t believe that I was NOT gestational diabetic and that he was just that HUGE!! They checked me over, and were shocked that I didn’t even tear!!
I was praising God again! I praised God that, though my patience was lacking in the end, my fears were building, and I was doubting, that I really did it! I delivered that fat little bugger!! Jonie and Thayn were loving on him, he was happy, he was healthy, he was mine! I thanked God for my wonderful midwives, my WONDERFUL husband, who was there when I needed him, when WE needed him, for the strength He provided me, and once again, for my beautiful (though purple faced) baby boy! Cole Jacob Day!! I had faced those fears, his shoulders DID get stuck, but I still delivered that boy!!! God is sooo GOOD! I am so blessed!! So I guess after all that strengthening in patience, faith, and strength, I got the greatest prize of all! My heart overflows!! This is by far, my best birth ever!!
– Heather
Big brother Thayn, midwife Michelle, baby Cole, big sister Jonie
