Around 12:30, Henry went down for his nap. I ate a bowl of cereal and headed out on the deck to enjoy more sunshine alone. I listened to my favorite album by Rend Collective Experiment while the contractions were 5 minutes apart and become stronger. The sky was blue and the wind was warm. I breathed in the warmth and enjoyed the contractions. I remember thinking it felt good-I was so grateful for the slow progression. After about an hour or so, Will and I decided I wanted a change of scenery. I remember checking my phone and seeing the date, 4/14, and had this surge of excitement. The Lord picked such a fun date. He knows how I love novelty dates (Will and I married on 8/08/08). It was like he was winking at me. We headed to our favorite hiking spot by our house. We were completely alone. All I could hear was the wind, birds chirping and the trees blowing in the wind. Contractions were around 4 minutes apart and were continuing to strengthen. I now needed the support of Will or a tree (sometimes both!) to breathe through a contraction. They still felt good. I loved every moment of this hike and couldn't believe the way the day was unfolding-exactly the way I had fantasized.
Around 3, the contractions moved to every 3 minutes. We reached that moment of trying to decide if we should go to the hospital. Contractions were painful but still very manageable. I thought if I had to ask it meant it wasn't time, but I also didn't want to be the woman to have a baby on the side of the road. Also, I was group B strep positive. Antibiotics must be administered 4 hours before delivery (how do you plan that one??). After some prayer, we decided it was time. We got in the car and drove to the hospital. The 30 minutes to the hospital felt like an hour. I sat in the back seat and got on all fours whenever a contraction hit. I remember being so grateful that there wasn't any traffic. We called the midwife to tell her we were on our way. We headed to the parking garage. I remember walking in, breathing through contractions and feeling eyes on me as though I was diseased. I asked Will if anyone had ever seen a laboring woman before. One woman yelled "epidural!" as we shuffled by. Another asked if I wanted a wheelchair. I yelled, "I got this!". She replied "you sure?".
The moment I walked in we ran into my midwife, Katie, who ushered us into a beautiful laboring room with big windows and a giant Jacuzzi that I eyed immediately. They checked me and found that I was 3 cm. I tried not to feel discouraged. I was given my antibiotics, which was a 30 minute process total, baby was monitored for 15 minutes and my bracelets were put on.
We all sat around laughing and joking between contractions. My nurse, Mia, was the sweetest woman. She reminded me of a girlfriend that I adore, and she made me feel so comfortable. Around 7pm, contractions really started to become painful. The joking stopped, and I got on the birth ball. Will would massage my back during each contraction. At 7pm, my midwife checked me to find I was 4 cm. I actually started to wonder if I could do this-not because the pain was unbearable, but because if THIS was what 4 cm felt like, how could I make it to 10? Will encouraged me that this wasn't a linear curve, and I could do the rest very quickly. I prayed he was right! At that point my midwife had to leave to be with another laboring woman at the birth center. She told me I could get into the Jacuzzi (we waited so as to not slow down labor). The Jacuzzi was HEAVEN. My body was weightless. I proceeded to go back and forth between the Jacuzzi and shower. I noted contractions were more painful out of the Jacuzzi. I just couldn't stay in the same spot for too long. Will and I were alone for most of the next couple of hours, with the exception of Mia who would come and monitor baby every once in awhile for a minute or so. But I barely noticed her. I remember as time went on, I didn't want Will to leave my side. Though I hadn't had a natural labor before, Will seemed to be an expert at supporting me. He said very little between contractions, and only used words of encouragement when a contraction came. He offered water, chicken broth and Ginger Ale to me regularly to keep me hydrated.
At around 9pm, I remember thinking and telling Will I couldn't continue on. I asked to be checked. Will asked me to go for one more hour regardless of how dilated I was. I agreed. At that moment, I was so grateful that Will was being an advocate for what he knew I wanted so deeply-a natural childbirth. Before I was checked, I collapsed on the bed and could no longer move. My body began to push. It was an incredible feeling. I realized that without me doing a thing, this baby would be born. I was checked at 9:10 and was 9cm. They called my midwife to tell her to come. I lay on my side, unable to move as my body continued to push. My midwife ran into the room, threw gloves on, and with the help of my nurse, flipped me onto my back. I began to help my body push. I LOVED pushing and I felt very little pain. After about 7 minutes, my sweet child was born. I held him on my chest and sang to him the songs I sing to Henry every night before bed. He immediately stopped crying. It was the most precious moment. The hospital staff was almost none existent as Will and I bonded with Theo. They didn't even come near to clean him off. After about an hour, Mia asked if I would like him cleaned. I remember thinking how wonderful and non obtrusive everyone was being. When it was time to move to our sweet, they bundled Theo and placed him in his bed for Will to proudly wheel to our recovery room. I pressed a button on the wall that played lullaby music throughout the entire hospital-signaling a child had been born.
While the end of labor is the most intense, for me, I so vividly remember each moment leading up to the delivery of Theo. I remember each face, the words spoken...while hazy, it was exhilarating. I am so grateful to God that he was in the details of day. Each member of my birthing team was supportive, kind, and loving. I felt pampered and so well cared for. It really was the perfect experience.
