Today my little Annie is one week old. As I am holding her now I think back over this past week And can't believe so much has happened in a week.
At my 37 week checkup with the midwives we were told that she was breech and we'd need to have a version done to turn her. This was the first experience I had had with any of my kids with complications during pregnancy. I know how blessed I am that I can say that, but at the time I wAs just terrified. Two hours after we found out she was breech, I was in labor and delivery at the hospital getting ready for the procedure.
To say it was painful would be putting it lightly. It was excruciating! The first two times the doctor (bc the midwives can't perform that procedure) attempted it, she would go right back. It was only after my amazing husband looked me straight in the eyes and with complete love and support asked me if I wanted to have this baby vaginally, that I could push past the pain and fear of the pain and let the doctor try again. Thankfully the third time she moved and went head down. That was amazing the feel, by the way. Aside from the terrible pain I was in, actually feeling the baby do a summer-salt inside me was pretty cool.
After the version was done all of my Braxton hicks, that had been so prevalent throughout my pregnancy seemed to literally vanish. It was weird. She seemed to like it in there at that point. Then on Saturday, August 3rd I had another pregnancy first. I had false labor. It was weird. With my first three, I went into labor, I knew I was going into labor and a few hours later, the baby was here. Not with Annie! :)
Scott spent the morning at the concession stand since we had a tournament that weekend. My contractions got closer and closer and when they were painful enough and 3-4 minutes apart, we took the kids to Steve and Brittany's and went up to the hospital. About 10 minutes before meeting with the midwife to check my cervix, contractions stopped. I couldn't believe it. I thought that with my fourth child, I would know the difference between real and false labor. I guess not. And every pregnancy, labor and child is different. One thing that makes me believe that I was meant to have false labor and go through all that was that when we dropped the kids off, Brittany suggested Scott Nd Steve give me a blessing. I of course agreed. In the blessing it was said that I would have a healthy baby girl and that I would recover and we would both be fine. Since my first three babies had no complications, I didn't realize then how much those words would comfort both Scott and I in the following days.
I left the hospital on that day frustrated and disappointed. I wanted my baby, and I didn't want to be pregnant anymore. It wasn't until almost a week later that I would feel another painful contraction.
On Friday the 9th, scott and i had gone to lunch. We went to get the kids from the Porters and spent about an hour there, chatting and letting the kids play in the sprinkler and on the trampoline. I had one decent contraction, but didn't think anything of it. I was so used to being uncomfortable at that point that one contraction was nothing to pay attention to. Rhoud made a comment at some point that I needed to have that baby soon, to which I assured him that the baby was not coming that day and they shouldn't expect her the next day (my due date) either.
We got home, relaxed with the kids a bit and I noticed my contractions were starting to increase. We continued with the nightly putting kids to bed and around 8, we called Susan to see if we could call her that night if needed (more of a heads up than anything). At 8:30 I knew I thought I was in labor and called my midwife Nicole. She suggested I take a hot shower and see how things progressed from there. After 3 contractions in the showers I then knew I was in labor. We called Susan around 10pm, asked if he could come over. She got to our house at 10:30, I had two more contractions and we left for the hospital and Scott called Nicole on the way there to let her know we were heading that way. He also called Katherine (who was coming from Boise) to let her know we were going in. When we heard she was only just leaving Boise, we guessed she would miss the birth, but hoped she would make it.
When we got to the hospital (about 11pm) I was in a lot of pain, and started to really fear the next few hours. I knew what was coming, wanted it to come, but was terrified of it coming. We made it to labor and delivery and were met by Nicole, and a few nurses. After I received the pointless antibiotic for the group b strep (pointless bc of the length of my labors), Nicole checked my cervix and I was dilated to a 5 and I was finally able to get into the tub to labor. It was my first experience laboring in a tub, and wished I had done with all of my kids.
The water was distracting and comforting to the point that I thought I wasn't progressing. After about and hour in the tub I had Nicole check me again, I was dilated to an 8, and she said she could feel the baby's bag of water was really low. I had another contraction in the tub, mostly bc I really didn't want to get out, but bc of hospital rules, I couldn't deliver in the tub, so I had to get out. I moved to the bed where I was told I only had a few more contractions and she would be here. I was convinced I was being lied to, that the pain would never end. I had 2 (I think) contractions where I pushed, but only half heartedly, bc I was afraid of how much it would hurt if I really pushed. The plan had been for Scott to catch the baby (which had also been the plan with Jane and Parley, but bc I couldn't physically let him go, he had missed the chances) so a nurse stepped in for me to hold onto, which I really didn't like, but more of me wanted Scott to catch the baby, so I let her step in. As a second best thing I simply looked to Scott. I just watched his eyes, which brought such amazing comfort. Just having eye contact with him, we were communicating and his strength was there. His eyes would look at me and then for the baby, and that was enough for me. I knew he was where he needed to be, and that helped me to find the strength in me to push the baby out, although I did use the nurse apparently as well.
I remember having another contraction, during which I mentally refused to push, although my body took over and pushed some without my permission. After that I finally determined that I would do what it took to get her out.
With the next contraction I pushed, and I finally felt like she was coming out of me. Feeling the ring of fire start, and the contraction end, I pushed even harder to get as much from that contraction as I could. And with that, I felt her head slide out, a brief break in the pressure and then her body came out. A second later she was on my stomach and I was awe. She was here! My beautiful girl was here! The pain was over (at least that's what I told myself) and my baby was in my arms. Scott caught our little angel, and I was holding her. We had done it. For a few moments, I was in Heaven.
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