1 month ago, our baby girl came into this world! Here is how her grand arrival happened…
Around midnight I started feeling some contractions. I was not sure if they were the real thing because they were so far apart some were 10 minutes some were 15 minutes apart. Therefore, I went back to bed thinking it was all a dream. However, an hour later, the pain was still there and I could not sleep through them. I started walking the apartment and sitting on the exercise ball while Jordan timed them with an app on his phone. They were now 8 minutes apart. I was pumped because it was the early stage of labor. For the next 2-3 hours, I paced the apartment while Jordan timed and got the hospital bag all packed up. By 3:30 a.m., my contraction were between 3-5 minutes apart and I made the call to the hospital telling them we were on our way. I was in a small amount of pain, but nothing I could not breathe through and squeeze Jordan’s hand. At 4 a.m., we made it to the hospital and Jordan dropped me off at the Emergency Room door since the main doors were not open till around 7 a.m. We had taken the birthing class at the hospital on November 12th that included a hospital tour; so, we knew exactly where to go.
When we got to the 4th floor at the hospital, the nurse was waiting for us at the desk. She took us to room 477. It took an hour to get us checked in and hooked up to make sure everything was going good. I made sure they knew I wanted a NATURAL BIRTH, therefore, I didn’t want to sit on the monitors or have any IVs so I could be free about the room to move and help the labor progress. I was also checked upon arrival finding out I was 3 cm. It was a relief to know I had progressed from my 1 cm two weeks before. I was excited to know that it was happening and that there was not turning back!
Over the next few hours, I paced the hospital room and worked out my contractions on an exercise ball. We had a change over in staff and we got the most wonderful nurse ever, Beth. At around 8, Alice, our midwife, came in to check on how everything was going. She told us that I needed to get a precautionary IV because I was anemic during my pregnancy. I continued to pace the hospital room. I still was able to hold decent conversations with Jordan and the nurse throughout the morning. My way of dealing with the pain every 2-4 minutes was to stop and just take deep breaths through the contraction. Alice comes back at 9 and checks my progression. I am 5 cm! I just had to keep doing what I was doing. 🙂
At 11, Alice came back in to check my progression. She talked to us about breaking my water if I had not progressed since my first check at 4 that morning. Turned out, I was 7 cm! Again, it was very exciting news. While in labor, you are in a lot of pain, but you never know if anything is actually happening. I have heard many stories of women who go through labor and barely progress even though their pain is intense and they feel like something is happening. Therefore, I was very excited to have progressed. Alice was also very happy with my progression and decided to let me keep going as I was waiting to break my water or waiting to see if it breaks on its own. At this time, I chose to spend some time in the Jacuzzi Tub. I thought the heat would help with the increasing pain and the jets would feel really good on my body. I went well for an hour in the tub, and it was a nice change-up. However, I was ready to start walking again. We walked the hospital room for another hour and decided to take a rest. To my surprise, I was able to nap for about 30 minutes. Of course, I was not completely sleep, but I rested and Jordan took a good nap!
At 1, it is time for another check in with Alice. I was between 8-9 cm! Man, it felt so good to be so close to being done! Alice decided it would be best to break my water and help the labor progress even more quickly. I knew my pain was about to get worse, but I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Alice described that with my water still in tact, there was a cushion between the baby’s head and me that helped alleviate some pressure. When the water is broken, there is no more cushion and my pain would intensify. There are no words to describe the pain I started feeling after my water was broken. I spent the next 2 hours on the exercise ball and breathing through my contractions happening every 2-3 minutes. At 2:30, Alice could tell it would not be long before it was time for me to push. She brought her knitting into the room and just waited with us; encouraging me through the pain. While on the ball, I began feeling the urge to push. It was not a huge urge, but I knew I need to be in a better position to start. I got back up on the bed, and Alice checked my progression again. I was only 9 1/2 cm. She told me that I needed to resist any urge to push because I was not fully dilated. Resisting to push was extremely hard. Around 3, the urges became more known and the last stage of labor began!
I began pushing around 3. Jordan stood on one side and the new nurse stood on the other. I had heard there were more ways to deliver a baby than just on your back laying down. However, that is what felt most comfortable at the time. I don’t want to go into the gruesome details on the next hour. At one point, the baby’s head was crowning and Alice asked if I wanted to see it. I yelled “NO, I am ready to be done!” Isabel Anne came to us at 3:54 p.m. She was laid on my chest immediately and my first thoughts were “YOU ARE SO SMALL!” She was so beautiful! She did not come out crying. This is actually a good sign. If the baby comes out sleeping, then labor was not stressful at all for the baby. I was overjoyed!
The nurse begins to tussle her about to get her to cry a little. Jordan cut the cord. He describes it as the toughest thing to cut! On TV, the other men do not seem to have a hard time, haha. They took her over and weighted and measured her. The nurse would say the measurements out loud, but I do not remember hearing them. I think I was in shock that I just delivered a baby and in awe of her laying over there! It was a bit of confusion and love mixed together!
Overall, my labor and delivery went very smooth. I am so glad I went all natural and knew what to do at the right time. God really watched over Isabel and I through the whole process and blessed us completely! We give all the Glory to Him for allowing us to be parents to little Miss Isabel!
Just a side note, we had the best nurse, Beth. She was extremely helpful and very supportive of my natural birth. She also kept us updated on every little detail and answered all my questions (there were quite a few!). Beth’s shift ended at 3 with us. I was in the middle of delivery, but I noticed her in the background watching and making sure everything continued to go smoothly. She had been with us for 90% of labor! We thank God for having such a helping hand!!
Mandy B. Stenberg came exactly 24 hours after Isabel was born and took was GREAT pics!
Overall, my labor and delivery went very smooth. I am so glad I went all natural and knew what to do at the right time. God really watched over Isabel and I through the whole process and blessed us completely! We give all the Glory to Him for allowing us to be parents to little Miss Isabel!
In Him,
Emma
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