(we somehow didn't get a picture with Will and us at the hospital)
This might be a little much for some, so please don't read on if you don't want to know some things about the birth of Grace. For those of you that this interest, here we go.
First of all I was huge, well not really all of me, my belly mainly. Seriously big. Some even said it didn't look real, it was surrealy round. (yep just made that word up, surrealy) But I was measuring right on schedule. I had an ultra sound done at 34 weeks to make sure the placenta was out of the way, all good. The doctor that read the ultra sound said that he would put the due date at the 13th instead of the 27th. Doctors should never do that. It just messes with your mind and makes those last oh so comfortable weeks of pregnancy even longer. So each week I went into my appointment and each week my mid-wife would say this baby could come any time. The baby was really low and I was at a 3 and 40%. (if you don't know what that means ask and I'll tell) But I stayed that way for the first 3 weeks of August. So what did I do, everything! BBQs, swimming (to actually be a normal temperature!) parties, concerts and I even went camping at 9 months pregnant! Bring it on. But nothing was making this baby come early.
What was my 'last appointment' before my due date I went in and told the mid-wife I want this baby to be born. And considering the size of Will I was getting a little nervous about the size of the baby.
So she striped my membranes (told you not to read if you didn't want to know everything!) and told me to go walking in the mall (it was in the high 90's that day) and see if that would get any contractions going. Will was home with grandma. Off I went to the mall. Only spent $15 on a shirt and earrings and didn't have one contraction! Nothing. Went swimming. Nothing.
Went to bed. Nothing. The plan was for me to go into the hospital the next day and have her break my water for me and see if that would put me in labor. She said the babies head was so low as soon as the water broke it would makes things move along.
3:29 am That was the biggest kick/punch I have ever felt from this baby. Serious strength in it.
3:30 am Whoosh. Hum Bri I need a towel. Proud to say I didn't get anything on the clean sheets I had put on 6 hours earlier. I was really amazed at how much 'water' comes out. Then I took a shower. Contractions FINALLY started. and they were consistent.
3:45 am Called my mom, we need to go to the hospital. See you in a few.
3:55 am We left. Will was sound asleep, key under the mat, Grandma on her way. It is so nice the hospital is so close. Called the mid-wife or really the call center place to call her. Made every green, and went the speed limit. Contractions still every 2-3 minutes apart and to the point that I couldn't talk through them. Not to the crying point yet.
4:05 am (these times are approximate, I really didn't keep this good of track!) Got to the hospital. I thought I was done with all the water, oh no there is more in there. Gross feeling of peeing my pants. And as I was walking to the elevator I thought, I hope the security guard doesn't notice. Why would I think that? He can clearly see I was in labor and that's what happens.
4:07 am Check in. Between contractions I was able to talk to the nurses who recognized my name because I was coming in later that day to be 'induced'.
4:15 am In the room, have the cute hospital gown on, pee in a cup, have an IV put in (one that blow my vein, then another that worked) call the anesthesiologist for the epidural.
4:18 wow these contractions hurt but relief is coming
4:25 wahoo for epidurals. He gave me a extra boost that made it so I couldn't feel my legs at all. But I thought it was kind of funny. I could kind of feel that my toe was touching something so I asked Brian what it was. Well your other leg!
4:30 Mid-wife gets there. She said that she thought she would have heard from me earlier but glad that I went into labor on my own. (ok enough with the time until the baby arrives) I really like my mid-wife she is just the nicest person and just great. We tried a lot of different positions to get me dilated to a 10 all around. Switching from side to side. Brian and she would push on certain pressure points during contractions and seriously helped so much.
It was so great this time around, I was able to focus more on what was happening. Concentrating on what was really happening to me to be able to get this baby out. When the epidural wore off a little, well a lot because I could move my legs on my own, I went on all fours. I guess the way my pelvis is tilted it really helped to get it opened up to be in that position. And honestly it was easier to get through the contractions being that way. I think I stayed that way until it was time to push.
6:30 Pushing time. Now for those of you who don't remember my first experience with pushing let me remind you. I pushed. Then I pushed some more. 3 and half hours later and help from a vacuum William came out.
So with this one I was ready. The mid-wife promised I wouldn't push that long and we would get this baby out with out any help. Ok, I'm good with that. Let the pushing being.
I was really amazed at how different positions for pushing helped relieve pressure. At one point she said to let go of the side of the bed. I didn't realize that I was basically going to pull off the side of the hospital bed. She told me because I was tensing up so much it wasn't allowing the baby to come. It really helped! Brian was so good and being there and letting me squeeze his hand off. He knew how to help in the right way for me. I wouldn't be able to do it without him.
Shift changed for then nursed happened right in the middle of me pushing. During one contraction the nursed were talking to each other, and while I was letting my breath out I was trying to ssshhh them. But to everyone it just sound like I was breathing. So after the contraction, surprisingly, I told them to be quiet! I really couldn't concentrate with them talking during the contraction. I was proud of myself for telling them to be quiet.
The baby was crowning, with lots of dark hair just like Wills.
Head is out. The shoulders got a little stuck and she had to work on them a little to get them out. 7:35 am Then out came our baby. and we have a GIRL! I was shocked. Really I thought we were having a boy. But as Brian thought, there's no weenie! It's a girl!
Brian cut the umbilical cord.
When she came the mid-wife said, this is a big baby!
Then my baby girl gave me the first shock of her life. 10 lbs. 1 oz.
Seriously I couldn't believe it. I had just given birth to a 10 lbs 1 oz baby. And in an hour. And I still have energy. And I want to hold her and kiss her. And she looks so much like her brother.
Really I still can not believe that I birthed a 10 lbs baby. And only had 2 stitches, which she said were more out of being nice than really needing them. Somehow I'm made for having huge babies. But I'd have to say darn cute ones, that come out with cute chubby cheeks and legs.
Then off to recovery to love this cute baby girl!
I really loved this birthing experience. Maybe it was because it was so different than with Will. Maybe it was because it was my second and I was a little more prepared. Who knows.
So the outfits I had bought, one for a girl and other for a boy, needed to be taken back. No way was this girlie fitting into a newborn size. Brian took the outfits back and came back with 0-3 month size and a darling dress that he couldn't not buy. I loved that he is already tied around that girls finger!
At Grace's two week appointment she is keeping with the tradition of my babies and staying in the high 90th percentile. This girl already knows how to eat and put on the weight!
2 week appointment-
11 lbs., 99%
23 inches long, 99%
15.2 inches head circumference, 94%
Big Brother William, looked at her for about a minute then was more interest in the snacks I had and the cool bed that went up and down
First bath
Oh that feels nice
Sleeping with Daddy
I love this girls hair! So much of it and dark.
First of all I was huge, well not really all of me, my belly mainly. Seriously big. Some even said it didn't look real, it was surrealy round. (yep just made that word up, surrealy) But I was measuring right on schedule. I had an ultra sound done at 34 weeks to make sure the placenta was out of the way, all good. The doctor that read the ultra sound said that he would put the due date at the 13th instead of the 27th. Doctors should never do that. It just messes with your mind and makes those last oh so comfortable weeks of pregnancy even longer. So each week I went into my appointment and each week my mid-wife would say this baby could come any time. The baby was really low and I was at a 3 and 40%. (if you don't know what that means ask and I'll tell) But I stayed that way for the first 3 weeks of August. So what did I do, everything! BBQs, swimming (to actually be a normal temperature!) parties, concerts and I even went camping at 9 months pregnant! Bring it on. But nothing was making this baby come early.
What was my 'last appointment' before my due date I went in and told the mid-wife I want this baby to be born. And considering the size of Will I was getting a little nervous about the size of the baby.
So she striped my membranes (told you not to read if you didn't want to know everything!) and told me to go walking in the mall (it was in the high 90's that day) and see if that would get any contractions going. Will was home with grandma. Off I went to the mall. Only spent $15 on a shirt and earrings and didn't have one contraction! Nothing. Went swimming. Nothing.
Went to bed. Nothing. The plan was for me to go into the hospital the next day and have her break my water for me and see if that would put me in labor. She said the babies head was so low as soon as the water broke it would makes things move along.
3:29 am That was the biggest kick/punch I have ever felt from this baby. Serious strength in it.
3:30 am Whoosh. Hum Bri I need a towel. Proud to say I didn't get anything on the clean sheets I had put on 6 hours earlier. I was really amazed at how much 'water' comes out. Then I took a shower. Contractions FINALLY started. and they were consistent.
3:45 am Called my mom, we need to go to the hospital. See you in a few.
3:55 am We left. Will was sound asleep, key under the mat, Grandma on her way. It is so nice the hospital is so close. Called the mid-wife or really the call center place to call her. Made every green, and went the speed limit. Contractions still every 2-3 minutes apart and to the point that I couldn't talk through them. Not to the crying point yet.
4:05 am (these times are approximate, I really didn't keep this good of track!) Got to the hospital. I thought I was done with all the water, oh no there is more in there. Gross feeling of peeing my pants. And as I was walking to the elevator I thought, I hope the security guard doesn't notice. Why would I think that? He can clearly see I was in labor and that's what happens.
4:07 am Check in. Between contractions I was able to talk to the nurses who recognized my name because I was coming in later that day to be 'induced'.
4:15 am In the room, have the cute hospital gown on, pee in a cup, have an IV put in (one that blow my vein, then another that worked) call the anesthesiologist for the epidural.
4:18 wow these contractions hurt but relief is coming
4:25 wahoo for epidurals. He gave me a extra boost that made it so I couldn't feel my legs at all. But I thought it was kind of funny. I could kind of feel that my toe was touching something so I asked Brian what it was. Well your other leg!
4:30 Mid-wife gets there. She said that she thought she would have heard from me earlier but glad that I went into labor on my own. (ok enough with the time until the baby arrives) I really like my mid-wife she is just the nicest person and just great. We tried a lot of different positions to get me dilated to a 10 all around. Switching from side to side. Brian and she would push on certain pressure points during contractions and seriously helped so much.
It was so great this time around, I was able to focus more on what was happening. Concentrating on what was really happening to me to be able to get this baby out. When the epidural wore off a little, well a lot because I could move my legs on my own, I went on all fours. I guess the way my pelvis is tilted it really helped to get it opened up to be in that position. And honestly it was easier to get through the contractions being that way. I think I stayed that way until it was time to push.
6:30 Pushing time. Now for those of you who don't remember my first experience with pushing let me remind you. I pushed. Then I pushed some more. 3 and half hours later and help from a vacuum William came out.
So with this one I was ready. The mid-wife promised I wouldn't push that long and we would get this baby out with out any help. Ok, I'm good with that. Let the pushing being.
I was really amazed at how different positions for pushing helped relieve pressure. At one point she said to let go of the side of the bed. I didn't realize that I was basically going to pull off the side of the hospital bed. She told me because I was tensing up so much it wasn't allowing the baby to come. It really helped! Brian was so good and being there and letting me squeeze his hand off. He knew how to help in the right way for me. I wouldn't be able to do it without him.
Shift changed for then nursed happened right in the middle of me pushing. During one contraction the nursed were talking to each other, and while I was letting my breath out I was trying to ssshhh them. But to everyone it just sound like I was breathing. So after the contraction, surprisingly, I told them to be quiet! I really couldn't concentrate with them talking during the contraction. I was proud of myself for telling them to be quiet.
The baby was crowning, with lots of dark hair just like Wills.
Head is out. The shoulders got a little stuck and she had to work on them a little to get them out. 7:35 am Then out came our baby. and we have a GIRL! I was shocked. Really I thought we were having a boy. But as Brian thought, there's no weenie! It's a girl!
Brian cut the umbilical cord.
When she came the mid-wife said, this is a big baby!
Then my baby girl gave me the first shock of her life. 10 lbs. 1 oz.
Seriously I couldn't believe it. I had just given birth to a 10 lbs 1 oz baby. And in an hour. And I still have energy. And I want to hold her and kiss her. And she looks so much like her brother.
Really I still can not believe that I birthed a 10 lbs baby. And only had 2 stitches, which she said were more out of being nice than really needing them. Somehow I'm made for having huge babies. But I'd have to say darn cute ones, that come out with cute chubby cheeks and legs.
Then off to recovery to love this cute baby girl!
I really loved this birthing experience. Maybe it was because it was so different than with Will. Maybe it was because it was my second and I was a little more prepared. Who knows.
So the outfits I had bought, one for a girl and other for a boy, needed to be taken back. No way was this girlie fitting into a newborn size. Brian took the outfits back and came back with 0-3 month size and a darling dress that he couldn't not buy. I loved that he is already tied around that girls finger!
At Grace's two week appointment she is keeping with the tradition of my babies and staying in the high 90th percentile. This girl already knows how to eat and put on the weight!
2 week appointment-
11 lbs., 99%
23 inches long, 99%
15.2 inches head circumference, 94%
Big Brother William, looked at her for about a minute then was more interest in the snacks I had and the cool bed that went up and down
First bath
Oh that feels nice
Sleeping with Daddy
I love this girls hair! So much of it and dark.
5 comments:
so proud of you clara for pushing out a 10lb baby. You go girl. I can't wait to meet her some day soon.
So glad you posted the story! Can't wait to see her again, maybe things won't be quite so chaotic (ya right!)
What a wonderful experience! Did you end up seeing Julie? I remember Kathy asking me about her before Jack was born, saying you and she were both looking for a midwife or something.
Great work and such an adorable little girl!!
You're one tough cookie! She is beautiful!!
DARLING!!!! (PS- We were hopeful to attend that fam mission farewell last weekend in your ward so we could have seen you guys, but we had some schedule conflicts. Sad Days!)
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