Azalea
December 4 7 pounds 4 ounces
Last year on December 3rd it was just another Thursday morning.
I woke up and got ready to go into the office knowing it was my last day before self imposed maternity leave. I went and sat on the edge of the bed to kiss Ben goodbye and as I stood up my water broke! I did not believe it at first because I wasn’t even having small contractions or cramps yet. We both got VERY excited because we knew birth was eminent now. I decided since I was feeling fine that I was still going to head into the office to finish up work before baby came. I spent about 2 hours at the office hoping some contractions would start but nothing. After work around 11am I decided I wanted some Panera so I went and picked some up on my way home. As I got home my mom and Ben were both just sitting in the family room waiting for me thinking I was crazy just running around town! But still nothing… we decided to take our dogs for their daily walk staying a little closer to home than usual just in case. Also I was leaking fluid this whole time and didn’t want it to freeze . I curb walked, walked sideways, slow, fast.. whatever I could do to feel something! But nothing. Came home after about 2 miles of walking and decided to get the Christmas lights up before she came. Still nothing. Then went disc golfing to get more waking in, nothing. Off to Meijer to buy an exercise ball to roll around on to see if that helped, still nothing. Back home, it was late afternoon at this point and mom and I decided to do a puzzle just to relax.
Some people stopped by with flowers and snacks and it was a good time.
I started to feel a little worried that nothing was happening and at 6 o’clock I talked with my midwife and she suggested I eat a small dinner and then do the Miles circuit. This takes about an hour and a half so I got started around 7:30 or so. I watched some HGTV while doing it and finally on the third position I felt something! About 12 hours after my water broke a cramp, wohoo! But they quickly turned to nothing and I decided to go to bed at 9:30 because I might as well get some sleep before she arrives. I laid in bed for maybe 5 minutes and had my first contraction, 2 minutes later another, 2 minutes later another. I thought, “this was it!” I texted Ben that maybe he should come upstairs. By the time he got up there I couldn’t lay still anymore these were back to back already. He called the midwife to let her know, and she said she would head our way (about an hour away) it seemed like minutes later I asked him to fill up the tub because I needed a change. I labored in and out of the tub but each time I got out I realized the tub was so much better!
Midwife listens to fetal heart tones in the birth pool.
By the time the midwife arrived around 11 or so I already felt like I needed to push or brace against the contractions. We gave it about 45 minutes more and I clearly was in transition because I had maybe a minute break in between to quick rest and recenter my concentration. Ben said after the fact I was saying things like “this is so hard” “not sure I can do this” but to this day I don’t remember ever feeling totally out of control.
in the birth pool, surrounded by affirmations and lights
Then came pushing which was a godsend!
I barely felt any contraction pain while pushing I was just excited because she was so close! Also I knew we were close to midnight and we had someone guess she would be born on the 3rd so I was doing my best to have her. But finally after slowly figuring out the best way to push she was born into the water on her own at 12:47am. This was the most ecstatic and powerful I have ever felt in my life and I hope that the confidence and joy I felt that night is what she feels everyday of her life.
Weighing the baby : 7 pounds 4 ounces