Birth Story

I never thought I would have a baby.  To be honest, I never thought I would get married, but here I am, both in less than a year.  Blake and I started out our pregnancy in Alabama planning on delivering at the same hospital that so many family and friends had delivered in, by a doctor that delivered several of my friends babies and completely confident and comfortable in the hospital of our small town where I knew much of the staff personally.  God had other plans.....

My husband was offered a job in Chicago when I was 5 months pregnant.  Normally I would be ecstatic!  I would have moved up here and immediately started looking for a fun city job and made new friends.......instead I was looking for a new doctor.  I started doing research but there were so many hospitals and not knowing anyone in the city I had no one to get a referral from.  So I googled it.....

I found a hospital close to where we were staying and while looking through the OB directory I found Dr. Davies.  The reason I chose him was not his many years of experience or his prestigious degree....but his name.  He had the same last name of my favorite aunt who coincidentally is also from Chicago.  I took it as a sign.  Lucky for me...he was the perfect fit!

My pregnancy went by smoothly.  Just the typical heartburn and acid reflux but that was to be expected.  Finally I was 2 weeks away and my mom came to Chicago from Hawaii to help me prepare.  Shopping bags were everywhere and I was so excited.  I was getting pumped!!

May 25th was my last doctors appointment before my due date of June 1st. and we decided to strip my membranes.  I just knew I would not make it to my due date so everyday I thought.....its going to be today!  For 4 days I waited and waited....everyone kept telling me that I would go past my due date and not to get excited but FINALLY it started at 3:30AM May 29th two whole days before my official due date! 

I had been having trouble sleeping for about a week and would stay up all night playing solitaire on my iPhone.  Sometime after 3AM I started feeling some cramps.  It was nothing big...almost didn't even notice except that at my last doctors visit she told me to look out for contractions and keep track how far apart they were.  I tried to keep track of how far apart they were but even with the help of my handy iPhone application I had no clue!  I have never been very good with time and so since they were so light I just laid in bed till 5:30AM enjoying the contractions thinking please God let this be the real deal!

At 5:30AM I went into the guest room to wake my mom and let her know that I was in labor.  It was still very easy...nothing that really took my breath away.  But it was consistent for hours!!!  Mom told me that I should probably get showered and dressed and that we would go in to the doctors at 8AM.  I sent Blake to work and told him that I would call if things were serious.

 

I was so excited.  I was also getting a little crabby....especially when I got to the hospital.  When they checked me I was only 3cm dilated.  BOOOO :(  They said that I was in the early stages of labor and that I would be more comfortable laboring at home.  To be honest I knew that it was early stages because it really didn't hurt.  It kind of took my breath away and I thought it should be hurting more that it was so I would kind of moan a little but the real pain that everyone was preparing me for didn't come.  After reading all my fellow momma bloggers birth stories on almost not making it to the hospital I wanted some kind of reference point as to how far along I was right then.

(above: At the Labor and Delivery ER about to be sent home)

Soooo, I went home and in true character I went to sleep....that is always how I handle situations that require patience.  I sleep through them.  I can literally sleep through anything....I just figured that the "real pain" of labor would wake me.

 

But it didn't......I woke up at about 4PM....still just in mild pain.  Nothing big.  I was getting discouraged.  But I called Blake and asked him to come home anyway.  It would be soon since the contractions were still steady.  When he got home it was about 5PM and I was ready to go back to the hospital and see how far along I was.  Still the pain was just mild but it had been almost 15 hours!!!!  I could not wait any longer.

When we got back to the hospital I was 5cm dilated and was admitted!!!!  YAY!!  Finally I had the validation that Kathryn Scarlett was really coming today!!!  Even though I didn't have extreme pain I knew that I wanted to go ahead and get my epi right away.  I had read and heard to many stories where the epi was not able to be given because it was to late and I DID NOT want that to happen to me!

(above: me getting my epi)

It was about 7PM when we finally got into our room and situated.  My doctor was not in yet and I was "stuck" with a resident (who was NOT my favorite).  I have video documentation that I was being very pleasant.  BUT my husband over heard her calling me a BITCH!  Grrrrrrr.  Oh well....I was not going to let her get me down.  So far I was having the best day of my life and I was determined to keep it that way.

After I had my epidural I was SO happy!  It was ridiculous.  It was as if someone else was having my baby and I was just waiting....I even took a nap!  I am a back sleeper normally and so while I was sleeping I turned onto my right side and I immediately woke up....Kathryn Scarlett dropped down and I knew it would be VERY soon.

One thing I noticed was that I was itching EVERYWHERE!  It was crazy.  My nose itched.  My chin itched.  My knees itched.  My belly itched.  My toes itched.  I think you get the idea.  I was itchy.

(above: me itching)

I had planned on having the entire birth recorded and talked to my doctor about it during several of my appointments but the resident doctor told my mom that it was "not normal practice to allow recording of the actual delivery".  I bit my tongue since I knew my doctor would be fine with it so when Dr. Davies said it was fine I wanted to say, "Ha ha, told you so"....but I didn't, LOL. 

My delivery only lasted about 20 minutes and that "urge" everyone says I would get never came.  I just knew it was time.  I really didn't even have as much pressure as I was expecting.  I just could feel her coming out like a poop.  I completely relied on my mother for coaching and directions, after all she had 6 children all natural 5 of them without any meds! By nature I am very strong willed but on this day I was so happy. I wanted everything to be peaceful.  I followed every instruction to the letter.  When my doctor said push I pushed.  When he said hold your legs in this way...I did!  My mother actually discribed me as 'submissive'!!  I can't describe the feeling of peace I had during the entire delivery.  I knew that this was the day that would change my life and the love that I had for my unborn daughter would consume every part of me when I saw her perfect face.  Since I am at a loss for words I will show you.....this video has been edited and (in my opinion) very PG but does show the birth of my baby girl....

Just a warning: viewer discretion advised.

(above: our first mommy, daughter photo op.)

She was soooooo TINY!  She was only 6lbs. 2oz.  When we left the hospital she dropped down to 5lbs. 13oz.  She was like my little doll.  I could not believe how easy the delivery was.  I was beyond happy!  I never thought I would have a baby and because my first was so easy I am already looking forward to my second. :) 

I even already picked out my next childs name.....wanna hear??

Boy: Robert Cruz Smith

Girl: Charlotte Victoria Smith