Your Birth Story

Dear Rachel,

I'm going to tell you about your birth.

When I was 38 weeks pregnant, I went to my last OB appointment. She checked and told me that I was 2cm dilated already, but not to get excited about it. That night, Daddy and I went to dinner at Grandma's house. Daddy's Uncle John said I 'had the look' and that he guessed I wouldn't last the weekend.  He was right!

The next day, Thursday, nothing happened.

On Friday, Grandpa Allan, Grandma Marilynn, Auntie Crystal and Uncle Connor came over for dinner.  I was so tired! I was exhausted just from ordering pizza and couldn't wait for them to leave so I could go to bed.

The next morning, I woke up with some odd feelings. I was having contractions!  After waiting a bit and staying in bed I realized they weren't going away. I got out my baby book and started writing down the times. They were all over the place, not painful at all, not consistent. I parked myself in my lazyboy and watched the last of my Sex and the City DVD's, laying on my heating pad. I felt fine. Nana always said that 'when it happens, you'll know'.  Well, I had no idea, so I figured that must mean it wasn't it. She had also said that her labours were hours and days long, so not to call her in the early hours so that she didn't have to be put in suspense for ages.  So, I watched my DVD's and just kept writing down the time.

In the early afternoon, they petered off and stopped. I had a shower. Then I had a nap. 

Around 4pm, they started up again and this time they came a lot faster. They still didn't hurt. Just after 6pm, I called Nana.  She was confused when I told her they were every 5 minutes or so for the last 2 hours, they lasted a minute, but they didn't hurt. She told me to call Telehealth (a health hotline where you get to talk to a nurse). After I finished the last DVD, I called. The nurse freaked out! She told me to get to the hospital right away as the contractions were now 3-4 minutes apart. 

I called my friend Jordanna (Auntie JJ) and told her it was time. She was meeting us at the hospital to help me stay calm during labour. Then, just as I was finishing packing my bag, Grandpa Allan and Grandma Marilynn showed up. They brought a bassinette for you to sleep in and a pink hippo.  We told them I was on my way to the hospital and they were so excited!

On the way to the hospital, we returned my SATC DVD's to Blockbuster.  When we got to the hospital, Daddy asked if we should park or if he should drop me off. I said I was fine, let's park. It was only across the street that I had to walk. 

As soon as I got out of the car, I had a contraction. Only this time it was huge and it hurt like none other. I could barely walk without having another and another and another. It took us forever to get across the street because they kept coming and they hurt so much! NOW I knew it was time!

We got in and met  Auntie JJ. The nurses checked me and said I was only 3cm dilated and that I should walk the halls a bit to see if that would get things moving more. The three of us walked for an hour. We got up and down the hall maybe twice. I kept having to stop. I tried every different position: standing, sitting, squatting, rocking, leaning...  nothing helped. Daddy yelled at a nurse that I was in labour and needed a room! They brought me back in and checked me again. The nurse was kind enough to notice that I was 'hyper contracting' and that there wasn't much of a break between the contractions, they just kept coming one after the other. I already knew that! She asked if I wanted an epidural. I wasn't sure! I asked the nurse how far along I was and when she thought that you would be born. She said that since it was my first baby and I had been having contractions for about 5-6 hours at that point, she figured it would be until the next morning. I wasn't sure I could last that long. I could hardly talk enough to tell them to get me an epidural. Daddy was very happy to hear that.

They set me up in my own birthing room then and had me answer a whole bunch of questions between contractions (which didn't really happen). Then they kicked Daddy and Auntie JJ out of the room and told me that it wasn't long then. By 11:30, the pain would be gone. They were right! The doctor put in my epidural and it worked perfectly.  Within 20 minutes, all feeling was gone from my waist down. It was a very odd feeling, but such a nice break from the contractions. Daddy, Auntie JJ and I sat around chatting, joking, and hanging out for awhile. We were making bets on when you would arrive. I bet 7am, Auntie JJ bet sometime around 4 or 5am, and Daddy said 2:12am since that was what time he was born at. We all laughed at Daddy because it was 1am and things weren't moving that fast.

The nurse told us to take a nap. She said it would be a long night and I had some work to do, so it was best to rest.  She told me that a baby's heart rate often dips during transition, so not to get upset if she suddenly put an oxygen mask on me. She also had to flip me from one side to the other to make sure that the epidural was equal on both sides. With that, we dimmed the lights and closed our eyes.  At 2:09, Daddy piped up and said he only had 3 minutes to win. We laughed and dozed some more. Four minutes later, the nurse stood up and put the oxygen mask on me. Then she started to roll me from one side to the other, but froze halfway, turned on the lights, opened the door and yelled for the doctor, then told Daddy and Auntie JJ to grab my legs. I was barely awake and you were coming!

The doctors and nurses came in, the bed was prepped, my legs were grabbed and in a couple short pushes, you flew out.  You were wailing in no time and scored nice and high on your Apgar.  Daddy and Auntie JJ went with you to take pictures of you being wiped off and weighed (8lbs 6oz) and measured (20inches).  Then they wrapped you up and put you in my arms.

You were unbelievable. There aren't words for what it feels like to have your first child placed in your arms. I could not believe that you were mine and that you were that wiggly thing that had been growning inside me for 9 months. And I could not fathom how beautiful you were, with your little face all scrunched up and pink. You smelled incredible. I had no idea that a new baby could smell so delicious.  I turned to your Daddy and said, "I want ten!" I was so certain in that moment that being a mom was what I was meant to be and I just wanted this incredible moment to happen again and again and again. And again.

I had to stay in the birthing room for an hour after you were born to make sure that nothing happened to either of us. I got to start nursing you right away and you did well at it. We called Nana and Grandpa,  Grandma, and Grandpa Allan and Grandma Marilynn. We had Nana call Auntie Kristi to tell her right away. The first grandbaby! I can't even describe how excited everyone was to hear of your birth.

They pushed my bed to the ward room after that. Auntie JJ, Daddy and I sat around staring at you for awhile, then Auntie JJ left to get some sleep. At about 4:30am, Daddy left to get some sleep and I was left alone with you. Just you and me.

I couldn't sleep. I just lay there watching you. Picking you up and holding you, then putting you back in your bassinette and watching you. Then picking you up again so I could inhale your smell and stare at your beautiful little face again. I had no idea what to do with you, other than adore your every bit.  I had never been happier in my entire life.

Love Mommy