**WARNING- this is long, very long**
I've been meaning to write this down for a month now... I've been a little busy, but also a bit of a slacker. I'm just not sure where to start, but it's really important to me to have Georgia's birth story written down.
I think the best place to start is Monday, March 24th-- the day I reached 41 weeks pregnant. This was not a day I was looking forward to facing. I never thought in a million years that I would be 41 weeks pregnant. Georgia had been measuring big for weeks and everyone, including my midwife, thought I would deliver early. But on that day I was 41 weeks and knew that if I made it to 42 weeks my plan to have a home birth would have to be re-evaluated, possibly canceled and so on that Monday I had a very heavy heart. Actually a little bit of panic set in and I let my mind start wandering onto worse-case scenarios. John and I had many talks about my staying positive and not stressing out, but at times it was really hard to stay focused. I was beginning to doubt she would ever be born. I stopped answering the phone because it was just too hard to continually tell everyone that I was still pregnant and - just like them- I wished she were here to kiss and cuddle with too.
On Tuesday I had my weekly appointment with Aviva and, thankfully, John was there with me and my mom had Jacob. The appointment went well; Aviva and I talked about how I was feeling and what we needed to do just in case I did go into the 42nd week. She wanted me to schedule an appointment with the back-up doctor for an amniotic fluid index and non-stress test so that we would be certain everything was ok with Georgia. She tried to get things going by doing some cervical stimulation and sent us out to walk for 30 minutes. Then she did it again... and again and sent us on our way. Contractions started in the car on the drive home and I thought... maybe this was the day. But no. By the time we got home they stopped. I was really not looking forward to calling Dr. Marter (I had stopped going to him at 37 weeks because I truly thought Georgia would be born any day...), and I worried that he would be really disappointed in me and demand I go to the hospital and I definitely did not want to deal with his attitude about home birth and my "huge baby". He'd made it fairly clear early on in our visits that, although he agreed to be the back-up, he didn't think a home birth was such a great idea. But, I sucked it up (my pride that is...) and called him because I knew that was the best thing to do. I needed to know that the baby was ok in there still and so did the midwives, otherwise there would be no home birth. The appointment was set for Thursday.
In the meantime, I continued to do all the "natural labor inducers" hoping they would help. As Wednesday came I was doing my best to stay positive and trying not to get nervous about my meeting with Marter. My body was doing all the labor preparation stuff, but no contractions. I was really, really, really hoping I would go into labor on Wednesday so I wouldn't even have to face Marter. I wasn't so lucky.
But much to my surprise, Dr. Marter was as friendly as ever during my appointment. John came with me so I would have support... and because he wanted to know everything was fine too. Dr. Marter agreed that I should have the tests and started them right away. He also mentioned that if he were my only doctor I would have been induced at 41 weeks-- he would have never let me go this far. As I sat there with the fetal monitor around my tummy John and I talked about what was going on and how we hoped Marter would be pleased with the outcomes because we did not want to hear "you need to go to the hospital now" -- neither of us wanted to deal with that because we would've had to disagree with him until we talked with the midwives and had a second opinion. Thankfully when he looked at the test results he was very pleased with how well Georgia was doing and agreed that it was ok that I was still pregnant. (Although he did have to throw in that if he were my doctor he'd give me a "trial labor" and if it didn't go quickly I'd have a c-section... thus strengthening my reasons for choosing a midwife and home birth.) Just as a pre-caution, just in case Georgia decided she didn't want to come for another week or so, we asked him what day he worked at the hospital. He was working on Tuesday and he penciled us in. If I had to have a hospital delivery I wanted him to deliver me and not another doctor who just happened to be on call. Before we left he asked me to come in for the tests again on Monday... if I was still pregnant. Neither John nor I wanted to come in on Monday.
Friday was another stressful day. Davi was planning to come in the morning to do more cervical stimulation -- she was going to make this baby come over the weekend so I didn't have to do the tests again on Monday. I was letting the stress get to me, Davi was late, and I was starting to lose it. By the time she arrived I was ready to be in labor! She started the "aggressive" cervical stimulation process and then she, John and I headed out the door for a walk. We had a great talk about our neighborhood, as well as religion. I was really tired and the walking wasn't helping, but I knew I had to keep going because contractions were starting a little and I wanted them to continue! We repeated the process - cervical stimulation and a 20 minute walk- two more times and then she left, giving us instructions to take another really long walk, and said she'd be back early Saturday morning. Before she left we talked about Castor oil, I told her I'd decided that Saturday morning was my deadline, she admitted that if she were in my situation she would've taken it by now! She told us to go buy some and I could take it whenever I wanted.
Since Jake was at my mom's we decided to go get the Castor oil and then head to Costco. On the way to the store my contractions started. They were about 7 minutes apart and not too intense. I called Davi, just to let her know, and then we went about our shopping for some things we needed for the birth and afterward. When we got back into the car I called Davi again and let her know they were still happening and getting a little stronger. She decided to head back to our town -- just to be in the area, just in case -- and we drove to Costco. While we were there the contractions started to get a little more intense. They were still 7 minutes apart, but intense enough that I had to stop and breathe through each one. (Nice, nothing like being in labor in Costco! We even ran into some old friends from the Singles and Mint Canyon ward, John and Laura Strong. As we visited with them I had another contraction... so fun.) By the time we left Costco and got to my mom's to pick Jake up the contractions had relaxed some. We stayed at moms for dinner and while we were there I got a phone call from Davi. Apparently she had been calling my phone, John's phone (which was in the car), and my mom's phone (dead battery) and started to panic because no one was answering. She had even gone to our house looking for us and since we weren't answering our phones she drove to the hospital thinking we'd gone there! Thankfully I finally answered my phone before she went inside looking for us! She and I talked for a few minutes about what my body was doing and she decided to head home since the contractions had slowed. She would be back at our house in the morning to continue the cervical stimulation/walking process. I was informed that we would be walking ALL DAY and that I should take the Castor oil in the morning and be prepared for a long day.
We left moms shortly after that and on the way home I confessed to John that I did not want to take the Castor oil or walk all day, I was just too tired. He was so understanding and supportive. He always is and I appreciate that so much! By the time we got home I was ready for bed. John and Jake were tired too so they started watching Cars in our room (hoping Jake would fall asleep) and I went to bed right next to them. It was 9pm; I can't remember the last time I was in bed that early. I must've been really tired because the next thing I know I'm being woken up with strong contractions. I looked at the clock and it was 3am... I felt like I had just laid down.
I was trying to pay attention to how far apart the contractions were. They seemed to still be about 7 minutes apart, but were much stronger than earlier. I woke John up and he got straight to work. He changed our sheets and put on the mattress cover and brought the birth pool into the house. By 4am the contractions were getting really intense and so John called Davi. She asked all sorts of questions and said she'd be on her way but that Renee would be here shortly. I was relieved, they really were getting strong. I called my mom, she was on Jake duty, and she said she'd be over shortly. Renee arrived at 4:15, she just lives down the street, and checked me so she could let Davi know how far along I was. Georgia was still very high, at a -3 position but I was 100% effaced and dilating. Everyone else (my mom, Aviva, and Davi) arrived shortly after that. They were all here by 4:45am. While I focused on my contractions with Renee and Aviva helping me, John filled the birth pool and my mom worked in the kitchen. Once the pool was filled John came into our room and supported me through each contraction and the midwives left us alone. My contractions were very intense and took everything in me to concentrate through. With each one I had to focus and remind myself to breath and stay on top of it, not let it get away from me. If I moaned loudly or yelled, the midwives were there instantly to check on me... and John. At some point John mentioned that we could actually have a baby by noon, I thought he was crazy! Noon was only 7 hours away!
For the next little while John and I worked through each contraction together. They were still several minutes apart, but there was no doubt that I was in active labor, they were so intense. Around 6am Davi came into our room to check me. She was a little disappointed that Georgia was still really high, a -3 still, and said I HAD to walk. I thought she was crazy... how was I going to walk through our neighborhood in labor, especially when with each contraction I felt like I was going to poop. I couldn't do that outside! I agreed to walk around our tiny backyard and so John and I headed outside. I had to laugh when I came out of our bedroom though-- all three midwives were sitting at our kitchen table and my mom was making them tea and coffee in the kitchen. It all seemed so surreal, like a normal day at our house, not like I was in labor at all. It's an image I will never forget.
We walked around our little patio twice and then I informed John that I had to go to the bathroom, I wasn't going to do it outside it would be too humiliating to have someone clean poop off the patio. He agreed and we came inside. Before I stopped at the bathroom we walked to the far side of our bedroom and another really intense contraction hit. I leaned on John and did my best to deal with the pain. About half-way through the contraction my water broke. It made a really loud noise and splattered all over John's pants and the floor. We both stood there in shock for a second and then I called for help. Instantly all three midwives were at our side. Davi told me to lie on the bed, she needed to check me again to see what came down first -- the baby or the umbilical cord, and the later would be really bad! I looked at the clock; it was a little after 6:30am.
Thankfully Georgia came down with my bag of waters breaking. I was now fully dilated and ready to push. I could feel her head was very low. Davi asked me if I wanted to move to the birthing pool, I thought about it, and said, “Why? Why would I move?” Davi just wanted to make sure I was ok with delivering out of the pool since we had talked about my desire to have another water birth. At that point I didn’t want to move at all, Georgia’s head was right there and very painful. She was going to be born on our bed… there was no way I was going anywhere!
As the next contraction arrived I was encouraged to push and I gave it everything I had. Georgia’s head crowned. Davi told John to move from my head to my feet so he could catch his baby. I could not believe we were that close to the end! For the next 45 minutes I pushed with each contraction and since they were still about 7 minutes apart I got a really nice break in between. Each time I pushed Georgia’s head came down a little further. I was so thankful that Jake was still sleeping at this point. He usually wakes up between 6:30 and 7am, but because he was still asleep my mom was able to come in and hold my hands as I pushed. The position I was in felt wrong for effective pushing. I was laying half-way on my back and half-way on my side. It felt weird, but with my mom holding my hands and helping me partially sit up I was able to continue pushing. At some point Davi asked me if I wanted to feel Georgia’s hair, I declined, I could feel where her head was already.
With a little movement at each push – and John literally watching her inch her way out—Georgia Ann finally arrived at 7:24am, John called the time of birth. She was immediately placed on my stomach and John came to stand next to me and see our brand new daughter. It was an amazing and surreal moment. She was beautiful and healthy. (We both commented on how she looked exactly like Jacob.) After all the wait and worry she was finally here. As we spent those first few minutes with her there were many tears of joy. We had done it, I had done it, she was here and healthy. She was truly a miracle from God.
Eventually John cut the umbilical cord and Aviva and Renee made sure everything was ok with Georgia while Davi helped me deliver the placenta. Unfortunately my body really wanted to keep the food supply it had created for Georgia while she was in-utero and I ended up having to get 40cc’s of Pitocin to help my uterus contract so the placenta would come out. I was losing quite a bit of blood as well and so I was given something else to help too. Aviva started an IV of fluid to help my body also. (It was actually really funny watching her try to find somewhere to hang the IV; she ended up using our mini-blinds.) I knew I was in capable hands and that if it was a serious problem I would be immediately taken to the hospital so I had no worries about the situation. I had the same problem delivering the placenta with Jake, so Davi and Aviva were prepared. When my body was finally ready to go Aviva and I were standing in the middle of my bed, I couldn’t help but laugh.
While all of this was going on Georgia was bonding with Daddy and Gramma, John made all the important phone calls, our bed was being cleaned up from the birth, and the unused birth pool was being emptied into the front yard trees and plants. Once that was finished everyone came back into the bedroom and John, Georgia, and I got comfy on our bed and spent time together—just the three of us before Jake woke up.
At 9:30 we heard Jake stir and then he ran into our room like he does every morning. At first he was a little concerned that so many people were there, although he knew them all. John met him at the foot of our bed and brought him up to see me and meet Georgia. He was in such a good mood, but as soon as he saw the baby he seemed a little uneasy, he just looked at her with no reaction. We encouraged him to kiss her, acknowledge her, anything, but he did nothing. After a couple of minutes he touched her and smiled. It was a precious moment. I had been looking forward to him meeting her my entire pregnancy, it was a moment I wanted captured in my memory forever.
Sometime while Jake was meeting Georgia Davi got a call that another patient was in labor so she had to leave. Aviva and Renee were still here and decided it was time to find out Georgia’s statistics. When Aviva put her in the scale we all watched… waiting to see what she weighed. As the needle passed 10 pounds and bounced down to 11 we were all in shock! When it settled on 10 pounds, 8 ounces no one believed it was right and so Aviva weighed her again and… sure enough, our Georgia girl was really 10 pounds, 8 ounces. Amazing!
The rest of the morning was spent with the four of us cuddling in bed. It was wonderful! We are now a family of four. It doesn’t seem real, and yet here are these two beautiful children that John and I created.
Georgia’s birth was so much different than Jacob’s. After waiting so long for her to arrive I am grateful her labor and birth went so quickly. With Jake I labored for a total of 29 hours, Georgia’s birth was a little less than 41/2 hours. It was much quicker and more intense than I ever imagined it would be. I’d been told that second births are generally quicker than first’s, but this was so completely different. Apparently my body was made for giving birth because it does really well with it. I did not tear with either birth. My body gives itself a rest between each contraction so it stretches and allows the head to come through without causing any damage. I am so thankful for that, it helps the healing process go much more quickly.
I am grateful to be a woman. Grateful for this body that it works the way it does. Grateful for the opportunity to experience this amazing, life-altering experience called birth. I am so glad I do things the way I do… it’s perfect for me. I cannot imagine giving birth any other way. I loved being at home. I love this brand new spirit sent straight from Heavenly Father. It’s such an amazing responsibility and opportunity to be her mother. We’re so glad she’s here.
One month & the monkey
TheFeministBreeder
