If I had to describe myself in one word for this birth it would be: emotional. I was so emotional!
On Sunday evening after kids were in bed, I started having very consistent Braxton Hicks contractions. I went to bed knowing nothing would happen because I wasn't due until Wednesday and I NEVER go early and besides, I had made a deal with baby that we wouldn't do the labor thing for at least another week. Buuuuut contractions started picking up in intensity and I couldn't fall asleep for a number of hours. I finally fell asleep for a couple of hours, but got woken up with a hard contraction. I tried to doze in between contractions after that, but it didn't go very well. I remember saying a prayer that things would either stop completely or pick up, but neither of those things happened, ha! I finally got up and started walking around. I was feeling super frustrated and not ready AT ALL (weird, I know. Most women are dying to be done with pregnancy. I think I could be happily pregnant for 12 months). Contractions were between 5 and 15 minutes apart when Skyler woke up. He took one look at me pacing in front of the bed and said, "Whoa, looks like you're in labor!" Turns out that was the wrong thing to say because I gave him a look and burst into tears. "I've been up most of the night!"
It was Labor Day (yes, really) and Skyler's parents were hosting a family breakfast. There was no way I was going to go and have people watching me, so I sent Skyler with the kids. I had a Walmart grocery order to pick up that morning, so I got in the car and headed there. I remember having a number of really intense contractions while driving and thinking that this was dangerous! I got home and decided to turn on the new Cinderella movie. I was able to doze in and out as contractions came. They were getting more painful, but I could still take them laying down on my side and breathing through them. At some point, I also got showered. Skyler came back with the kids shortly after noon, and I was so disappointed that he hadn't left the kids with his parents because I knew contractions wouldn't pick up with them at home. But of course, I wasn't communicating well at all and Skyler had no way of knowing this. I was crying a lot and around 2pm, Skyler forced it out of me that I wanted his parents to pick up the kids. Skyler was feeling really frustrated with my lack of communication and he finally said, "Katie, you've got to talk to me!" I just cried more, but tried to do better. I was feeling so tired and overwhelmed.
Skyler turned on the US Open and I labored near him for a while. He fell asleep on the couch and I decided to let him sleep because I was doing ok without his help at that point and I wanted him to be able to rest - I didn't know how much longer this was going to take! I went upstairs to our bedroom by myself and contractions started coming on stronger. I remember taking contractions against the inside of the door frame, rubbing my back up and down the frame like a cat! I did this for probably an hour before deciding it was time to wake Skyler up; I needed support! He felt bad for falling asleep and got right to work. We labored together while watching a tennis match. I would lean my arms against the back of the couch and Skyler would give counter pressure on my back. Contractions continued getting more intense and frequent and we switched to having Skyler right behind me and wrapping his arms around to push on the fronts of my thighs. After a while of doing this, Skyler suggested calling the midwives. I didn't think I was that far along, but didn't argue. When the midwives got there around 6:30pm, I got emotional again and I remember them asking me if I could pinpoint why. I'm not sure I even gave a verbal answer, just shrugged my shoulders. The midwives watched and listened through a few contractions and told us they were going to hang out downstairs because Skyler and I seemed to be doing well on our own for now. Skyler and I worked through some very hard contractions and after another hour or so, the midwives came upstairs and calmly said, "Your sounds have changed and you're obviously getting pushy. We need to get you up to your room."
We all headed up to our bedroom and the midwives started getting things set up. I had asked for a birthing stool because I had liked it for my last birth. I took a few contractions in our bedroom and they were getting so intense; I was definitely getting the urge to push. During one of the contractions, my sister slipped in. I had texted her about an hour earlier letting her know things were getting closer. I remember looking up after that contraction and getting very emotional seeing her there.
I'm a very modest birther. You hear about women stripping down and not caring about anything. Not me! So it's not surprising that my midwives had to tell me, "Katie, I think it's time to take off your pants." I remember shaking my head and saying, "No, I don't want to." Everyone laughed, but I was serious! Well, the pants came off anyway and I got on the birthing stool. I tried pushing through a few contractions on the stool but I just wasn't feeling it. My midwives suggested getting on my hands and knees, so I did that for a couple of really hard contractions and still wasn't feeling it. They suggested getting into sort of a lunge position, and I didn't like that either. I couldn't really get comfortable and I wasn't feeling much movement at all. I decided to get back on the stool and push some more. I started feeling a bit of movement, but was feeling so tired and frustrated. "I don't want to do this anymore! Am I even close!?" My midwife calmly said, "Yes, you can reach down and feel for yourself." I could feel the bag of waters and that was very encouraging, but I still didn't like my position. I ended up back on all fours for a contraction, hated it, and was encouraged to get back into the lunge position to maybe help get baby in a better position. I wasn't planning or wanting to stay in the lunge because it was hard to hold, but a contraction came on quickly and I started pushing against it and everything happened so fast! Baby's head pretty much popped out! I was not ready for it at all. There was so much pressure and pain and intensity and I was very vocal about not enjoying it. Skyler was right behind me, helping to hold me up and encouraging me the whole time. One more push and the body came out and baby was handed right to me. I sat down, holding baby, and felt the shock and amazing relief that comes after giving birth. The midwives started checking baby and we found out we had another girl!
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