Julia Rose's Birth Story

I walked in to my 39 week appointment and the midwife, Heather, said, "Are you in labor?"  I definitely was not feeling anything, but she said my belly was very low.  Then I sat down and she said, "Your belly is in your lap."  Then I laid down, she checked the position of the baby, and said, "Get your bag packed and the car seat installed."  I thought it was pretty funny, because I wasn't feeling anything labor-related and Sophie came at 40 weeks 4 days, so I was kind of expecting this one to come a little later, too.  But I took Heather's advice and went home and started getting things ready (washed her newborn clothes, packed a bag, cleaned the car seat, etc).  

Two days later I met Travis for lunch for our anniversary.  I overate, of course, so my regular contractions were a little tighter for the rest of the day and slowed me down a little bit.  But the contractions were not crampy and didn't hurt so I wasn't worried at all.  Travis noticed me slowing down a little that night and kept asking if I was in labor.  I definitely wasn't. :)

So I woke up at 12:24am with my first labor contraction (crampy).  Because it woke me up I started thinking maybe this is it.  But really I was remembering what Kate (another midwife) told me about how sometimes second pregnancies have false labor.  So I really was thinking this was false labor.  I wasn't losing my mucus plug like with Sophie--another reason I thought this wasn't it yet.  I went to the bathroom, then laid down again.  The next contraction I went downstairs because I couldn't sleep.  I didn't wake up Travis because, again, I didn't think this was it.  

For the next 45 minutes or so I went from sitting on the yoga ball breathing, to sitting on the toilet breathing, to the ball, toilet, etc.  The contractions were getting pretty close AND I knew the baby was really low AND our drive to the birth center was over an hour so I decided to wake up Travis.  He got up with me and told me to take a shower to see if it relaxed me and slowed anything down.  I had several contractions in the shower, but I did manage to shave my legs (I didn't take the time to do it before I had Sophie, so I made sure I did it this time). 

I got out of the shower and heard Sophie talking to Travis.  Of course.  So Travis tried getting her back to sleep while I labored in the hall listening.  She was calling for momma so I finally just went in and laid down with them.  Laying down during contractions is the worst, but I figured I could endure it long enough to get Sophie back to sleep (she plays with my hair as she falls asleep).  I held on to Travis' hand while Sophie held on to my hair.  Every time I had a contraction I squeezed his hand and he squeezed back and I breathed loudly.  Of course Sophie wasn't going to fall asleep with me breathing heavily in her face!  So I got up after a few contractions and told Travis that we just needed to wake up Mom and give Sophie to her (we are living with my mom right now--very convenient).  So we brought Sophie to her and I had a few contractions during that time.  I leaned against my mom's dresser and mentioned how these contractions were really close.  It was my first time to think this might be real. 

So Travis called Heather.  It was 2:07am.  I had been laboring for about an hour and a half.  I didn't want to call Heather in the middle of the night, but I really thought at this point it might be necessary.  She said to come on in.  It took us about 20 minutes to get everything ready and to get set in the car.  The last thing I told my mom was, "Don't get too excited.  This could be false labor."  I didn't want her calling everyone in the middle of the night.

Travis put the car in reverse and promptly backed up into my brother's car.  He just came in to town that night and we forgot there was a car there.  And we were a little distracted.  There was no damage, but we didn't check that until later. :)  It's half a mile from our drive way down the bumpy dirt road to the main road.  It wasn't as painful as I thought it would be, but I did have a few contractions along the way.  Then we get on the main road and in another half mile we get stopped by a train.  Of course.  

My goal for this labor was to stay relaxed and let my body do its thing.  I wasn't afraid of the pain.  I did it with Sophie and everything was fine.  I think the no fear thing really helped this time.  Train?  Bring it.  After the train we were on our way.  It's an hour and ten minutes to the birth center (when I drive) and it's all windy back roads.  I made sure I was calm between contractions.  At first I was talking with Travis between contractions and it was going really well.  After about 20 minutes I didn't want to talk anymore between contractions.  I just laid my head on Travis' shoulder and rested between.  The contractions were really close--anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes apart.  I didn't think this was transition because I was handling it really well and even telling Travis where to turn when necessary (he had only been to the birth center once before). He was Mr. Speedy, by the way.  It didn't even take an hour to get there.  As we got closer, I was really feeling the baby pushing down further.  She was knocking at the door.  And the contractions were definitely harder.  I was very tempted to take my pants off thinking that Travis would be catching the baby.  But we were so close to the birth center I tried controlling things. 

We pulled up to the birth center around 3:15am and we sat in the car during one more contraction.  The moment it was over I shot out of the car and told Travis I wanted to make it into the room before I had another contraction.  Also, as soon as I stood up I felt the mucus plug come out.  We walked into the birth center and Kate greeted us telling me I could go ahead and get in the water.  I could hear the birth tub jets on and almost started crying (tears of joy).  The water saved me during Sophie's birth so I was really excited to get in it this time.  I made it to the bed and leaned over it for another contraction.  Travis rubbed my back and Kate rubbed my hips.  It felt good.  As soon as that one was over, Travis helped me get undressed and helped me get in the tub.  Oh it felt good!  I had another contraction and then Kate checked the baby's heart rate.  A couple more contractions.  Then during one contraction my breathing turned into a sort of moan.  After that contraction was over I said I think I might need to push.  Kate told me to push whenever my body told me to.  I then heard Kate call another midwife, Sally, who was on her way.  Kate called her to see where she was and to let her know that I was pushing.  The next contraction came and I waited until I really felt like pushing.  I breathed out the pushes if that makes sense.  It was either this contraction or the next when my water broke.  Then the next contraction and push helped the baby's head start crowning.  We both really couldn't believe it was happening this fast.  The next couple contractions I pushed some more and felt the ring of fire.  It didn't hurt.  It just burned and told me that our baby was almost here.  Kate told me to imagine a tube of toothpaste squeezing out and in and out and in.  This really helped me take control.  I pushed but tried not to push too hard (even though all I wanted was for the baby to be out!).  Kate held my perineum under the baby's head.  Another push brought the baby's head out.  Kate told me to reach down and hold my baby's head.  She knew that I wanted to catch the baby, if possible.  So I held her head and then on the next contraction I tried pushing, but it was awkward pushing and holding the head at the same time.  So Kate held the head while I pushed and then when the rest of her body started coming, Kate told me to get her.  So I pulled her out and up to my chest.  It was awesome. Travis and I cried a little (Travis cried because it was so fast and over already). :) 

I stayed in the tub holding Julia Rose for probably ten minutes waiting for the cord to stop pulsing.  Sally finally showed up. :) Kate had me get up and move to the bed to deliver the placenta.  We got to hang out with our beautiful Julia Rose while we waited for my mom, brothers, and Sophie to get there.  Julia started nursing right away.  It was all surreal and beautiful.  I was so giddy that it happened so quickly.  She was born at 3:36am (first contraction at 12:24am!).  With Sophie I pushed for 2 1/2 hours and it was very hard on my body.  My recovery was rough and it took a long time for me to get back to normal.  The pelvic pressure was insane afterward.  This time it was almost like I breathed Julia out.  I was able to walk myself to the bathroom and take a shower by myself right away.  I am a fan of fast births.  I kept pinching myself throughout the next couple days--it just didn't feel real.

We are beyond happy and are enjoying all the snuggles with our sleepy, sweet little angel baby. :)