Cruz’s Birth

Well I had a plan. Here was my birth plan:

 I was going to labor at home in our bathtub.  After a few hours of contractions, we would leave home a few minutes earlier than the “in total despair” stage in order to do a drive-by at a burrito shop. (I was determined  to avoid the famine of “ice chips only.” ) At the hospital, we would enjoy the new low-intervention room complete with (fake) candles and different kinds of birthing balls. Finally, our son would be born, hopefully naturally but possibly with the aid of the epidural.

Here is what actually happened:

i had an appointment for an NST. (A Non-stress test is a 20-30 minute monitoring of the babies heart rate and the mothers contractions. it is standard procedure to get an NST twice a week after 40 weeks.)  So, I left Oakley with a friend, explaining that the test is no biggie, and that I would be back in an hour. Arriving at the hospital in my swagger wagon, I was delighted to finally get an “expectant mothers” spot in the parking lot for the first time this whole pregnancy. doing a little victory waddle, i strutted to the elevator and pressed the “up” button. The doors opened and an assortment of people entered the elevator with me, all of which were trying to either ignore my “growth” or come up with something clever to say. After an awkward silence, the man next to me decided upon: “oh please don’t go into labor and have that thing in here!”…to which the woman next to him interjected: “oh no—she is nowhere near delivering.” i assured them that I was in fact near delivering as i was 3 days late but promised not to give birth until I at least reached the second floor.

checking in at the nurses desk, I was told to “come back tomorrow” because they were at max capacity at the moment. I politely resisted and played the “I’m a crazy mom of a toddler and I am more than 40 weeks pregnant and I just arranged for my kid to be watched and carried this huge belly all the way across the parking lot (haha–alllll the way from the expectant mother’s spot!) and up the elevator—I would rather not go home and come back tomorrow…” They agreed to let me have the test if I came back in an hour.

After a quick tour of things I don’t-need-but-love-to-have  at Target, I came back to have the test and enjoyed chatting with the nurses about their children, labors & births, trying to gather last minute tips and advice. Time flew by and my 20 minute test turned into 1 hour, then two hours.  the next thing I knew, they were putting oxygen on me to “excite” the baby and calling my midwife. I was reassured that it was not an emergency–it could in fact be nothing at all– but there was cause for concern as the baby’s heart rate was not having any “jumps.” At this point, I called Ryland and said that he  better come in and bring our hospital bags as a precautionary measure…as well as a banana berry treat smoothie from smoothie king.

Ryland arrived with some french fries and a smoothie. Delicious.

Missy (aka–best midwife ever) came in the room shortly after and asked us if we wanted to have the baby today (!?) in the same tone as the guy from Chic-fil -A asking if we wanted the larger size fries instead of the medium. She explained the concern and our options–Ryland and I were both in shock but agreed that we trusted her professional opinion and that I should be induced. I don’t know why it was so shocking to go into labor at 3 days late–this fate was inevitably coming. I guess I envisioned my “plan A” and deciding to start the pain vs. easing into it was scary.

I was admitted around 6 pm and Missy broke my water to start the contractions. After watching the kardashians, friends, and the news, then taking a nap and face-timing with my grandma—nothing was happening. At 1:30 am, we started Pitocin. Ryland and i got our hospital socks with super-grip on and started touring the hallways of the maternity ward—back and forth—past the nurses station where they were munching on midnight snacks and chatting about tv shows. I wished I was them instead of pushing a cart of monitors, sipping applesauce, and doing lunges with a sinking belly. I joked with my nurse every time we passed the desk—“Is this supposed to hurt?…’cause it doesn’t. hahaha.” She turned up the pitocin a couple notches until it wasn’t funny anymore.

From 3 am-4:30am ish I labored in the bathtub of our hospital room. The contractions were difficult but not impossible. At this stage of the game, Ryland and I were still in the mood to watch “What does the fox say?” and laugh about it between contractions. I finally decided to get out and try the exercise ball until 5:30-6am. At this point, I was really thinking we were making progress.

Missy checked me around 6 am and said I was 4-5 centimeters. I cried. I was 3 when we started at 6pm the night before. I felt so discouraged and definitely started thinking-“that’s it, I need the epidural.” They re-made me a hot bath and though it felt really great, the contractions were getting unbearable in light of the fact I thought I had only made it “half way.” Between contractions I told Ryland: “I know the books say that just when you think you can’t do it anymore, it’s almost over—but I know it’s not almost over and I can’t do it.”

Right about then, I started feeling the urge to push. Ryland was doubtful that we were nearing the end (and to be honest, I was too) but like an amazing coach and husband, he said: “ok dear–I’ll to go get Missy.”  i could hear Ryland in the hallway say: “Sooooo, Katie thinks she has to push….” They returned with a buffet of what I thought were little white lies such as “you are so strong” and “you are super-woman” and “the other centimeters are going to go really fast!” for me to snack on as a distraction from thoughts of the hours ahead of me. I knew what they were really thinking was:  “oh, heck, she is nowhere near delivering.”–just like the lady in the elevator.

But instead, Missy came in, checked me and said “Katie, you need to get out of the tub, you are going to have this baby in a few minutes.”

Cruz was born 9 minutes later–so fast that Ryland didn’t get the chance to deliver him like he delivered Oakley. I was thankful that he thought to grab the camera though because I love the shots he got of our first moments together. :) After the fact, I couldn’t believe that I had done it-I made it through labor without the epidural! It didn’t feel like anything I accomplished, it felt more like something that just happened–something I was hoping for and was blessed with. And as for Cruz’s heart-rate, the cord was wrapped around his neck a little bit which could have been the cause. Anyway, he is a totally healthy boy, born on what would have been my dad’s 60th birthday, weighing 2 ounces more than his big brother–7 lbs 9 oz, 20 1/2 inches long. We are totally in love for the second time. Having babies feels like an out-of-this-world joy…besides enjoying a relationship with the almighty god, there is just nothing on earth as incredible as the blessing of children and the privilege of raising them to Ry and I. We can’t believe we get to do this!

Special thanks to: My nurse, Jessica—loved her bubbly personality. My midwife Missy–I am still standing by my promise to have more babies just so she can deliver them. She is incredible and calm and funny and encouraging but also super professional and trustworthy. The nurses of the delivery floor and maternity floor–i got advice and flattery and foot rubs the whole time I was there. My small group ladies and friends for praying hardcore for me throughout my pregnancy–they prayed for a quick natural birth for me and that is exactly what I got. My husband–he deserves as much “credit” for the natural birth as I do—He talked me through every. single. contraction. and got me out of my own doubtful head long enough to endure the pain with hope each time. My mom– for enduring 2 long days with a toddler-she took amazing care of Oakley while we were in the hospital.  To Eileen Ward of Yellow Melodies Photography for the amazing “right-after-birth” photos. **Still so glad cruz was born too fast for you to be there to witness birthing in all it’s glory!** And of course, ultimate praise and thanksgiving to God for being there with me and giving me the strength to make it through–for designing my body to birth children and for blessing me with the ability to have children. And for the incredible “wink” he gave us with Cruz being born on my dad’s birthday and being able to take him home on Father’s day. 

Eileen arrived just a few minutes after Cruz was born to capture some beautiful shots of Ryland and I with our new baby boy. Thank you so so so much Eileen! You are an amazing photographer and we will cherish these moments for the rest of our lives! you have truly blessed us with the ability to remember despite the chaos of these moments—that is what photography is all about–thank you!!! Check her out: www.yellowmelodiesphotography.com

Ryland was exhausted from birth-coaching and texting…check out his phone…