***Note: I have my Birth Slideshow at the end so decide if you want to watch the video or read the story first.

Due date: June 12th

I took a picture each day past 40 weeks as something fun to do to keep my mind off of not being in labor and to also post to FB so people know I’m still hanging in there. I used a fake 41+3 picture because I wanted to make sure I was really in labor before letting people in on the news.

Friday June 21, 2013

I was 41 weeks and 2 days and scheduled to have my BPP (biophysical profile) that morning. I could choose either Friday or Monday and decided being able to see my little guy was doing okay in there would help me through the weekend of still being pregnant. We picked up my friend Tia to come with us because I was just a little too anxious & my midwife wouldn’t be able to be there. The sonogram went perfect. Baby got a score of an 8 which was the highest he could get & my placenta was a grade 3 which was okay because I was 41 weeks pregnant! I even asked if she could see anything near the baby’s head and she said like the cord? Yes, the cord. I couldn’t help but be a little nervous about where the cord was. She couldn’t see it anywhere near his neck and I’m glad she didn’t make me feel like a freak for asking. She even estimated the weight for him being around 8lbs and 3oz.

After our appointment we decided to make it a fun day and go to the movies and to dinner. We went to Premier and caught a matinee for Monster’s University

Then we went to our favorite place for dinner, Olive Garden! Jared & I were having a conversation while we waited for our food about what we would do the next day if I didn’t go into labor that night. (we had something planned each day & that really helped) His mom had tickets to a play that she wasn’t going to be able to make it to and she said we could have her tickets. Well it had kind of been an inside joke that nobody had faith in me to go into labor because each night Jared would say “Oh I’ll finish the dishes in the morning” or “I’ll do that tomorrow”. So Jared (finally!) said “Well we wont make it to the play tomorrow because we are having a baby tonight!”

It wasn’t 2 minutes later that I felt a gush. Yes, a gush. My water broke! My water broke in Olive Garden!! (7pm) When my water broke with Jaidan it was in the middle of the night, on the toilet and I heard a POP. Well there was no pop as I sit in the booth at Olive Garden. Just a gush and then another gush as I moved to see if that’s really what was happening. I’m pretty sure I said ‘oh sh*t’ with a terrified expression on my face. So many things began racing through my mind. My serious first thought was how am I going to get out of here without anyone noticing me gushing all across the restaurant. I do NOT like to be the center of attention so this was my absolute worst nightmare. Jared informed the waitress that we needed our food to-go now instead of bringing it to the table because my water had just broke. She was like Oh Congratulations as I tried to stuff the bright yellow dinner napkins between my legs. I decided that would be more noticeable than if I just casually walked out.

I wasn’t exactly sure how much would be coming out once I stood up so I did it quick and it was a LOT. I was so embarrassed. (Mostly for the workers that would have to clean it up) I made it to the bathroom & in to a stall and called my midwife. I had to assess the color of my fluid and yet again (just like with Jaidan) it was green. I sent a picture to Donnellyn & she said it was light green and not to worry. (TMI picture here)

After leaving a mess in the bathroom and a trail out of the restaurant I managed to make it to the truck. I got home and just stood in my garage because I didn’t want to leak in the house. (Every few minutes it would pour out.) And no I didn’t even think of depends or anything like that.

I made a few phone calls and Tia came right over. Megan, Raven & my mom came over shortly after. By this point I was pretty excited knowing that it was going to be soon. Kacie (my hair girl) came over & gave me my labor braid she had been telling me about. Since I was going to have a birth photographer I wanted to have cute hair if nothing else. 😛 Plus it would help keep my hair out of my face.

Around 10-11pm we decided to walk a few laps in our cul-de-sac to see if any contractions would start. Not. One. Single. Contraction. So we sent everyone home & went to bed.

Saturday June 22, 2013

4:30am I woke up to contractions & timed them at 5-6 minutes apart. They were bearable on my own but I went ahead and called my doula, Jamie. Tia, Megan, Raven & my mom came back over around 6am because they didn’t want to miss anything and surely this was the real thing! The contractions ended up filtering off by the time Jamie got there around 9. She felt the baby & said he was posterior (head down but facing my belly) and that was probably why contractions weren’t staying consistent. She did some techniques to try and get the baby to turn. We did belly lifts where she had me stand with my back against the wall while she pushed up and in on my belly. We also did some sling shifting and shifting on the birth ball.

Those didn’t move the baby and still no more regular contractions. 🙁 She & my midwife agreed I had too many people around & thought it wasn’t good for me plus she said I looked tired so I should go ahead and take a nap and then eat lunch and we could work on getting labor started after I was rested. Does this sound familiar? Maybe like my first birth!! I just couldn’t believe it but went ahead to my bed and took a 2 hour nap. I woke up, ate lunch on my birth ball and had a few contractions.

Jared spent the next couple of hours contacting different chiropractors in the area to maybe get an adjustment to help this baby move and get things going. My chiropractor was out of town and apparently the rest of them were too. We finally found an acupuncturist in Ft Worth that would meet us at her office at 7pm. We ordered pizza for my mom and Raven as they were keeping Jaidan at the house and then me Jared and Megan went up to my appointment. I was kind of bummed having to go anywhere in the condition I was in but I was willing to try anything at this point. I was nearing 24 hours of my water being broke and still not being in labor!

The acupuncturist was super nice. I had actually went to a class with the TCBN when she was a guest speaker a few months before! I lay down on the table and she starts putting needles in me explaining what they were doing. I’ve heard it doesn’t hurt but I definitely felt them being put in. She kept coming in every few minutes and flicking the dang things. Ouch lady!

Apparently the needles on my pinky toes were the ones that would get the baby in the right position. I’m thinking oh okay Hocus Pocus, I just paid $110 for this lady to stick needles in me, I really have lost it. The pins in my right pinky toe kept popping out and she tried it 3 different times but it wouldn’t stay in. About 30 minutes into the session my eyes popped open as I felt the pin in the left toe spring out of my tiny toe.

I kid you not that my belly started contorting all diff ways and he was going nuts. Jared and Megan were watching my belly in amazement. I had a contraction. And then another and then another. I had 3 contractions on the table at 10 minutes apart.

On the way home we decided to stop at Chili’s & grab some dinner to go. The contractions were sticking around at 8-10 minutes apart so I started to get excited again. Every time they would stop and start back up again they wouldn’t just start back at level 1 pain, they were always increasing in intensity. So I actually had to pay attention to these a little. We got home and kept the lights in the house low and I just walked slowly around the house with my eyes closed focusing on keeping the contractions going. I took a couple bites of my food but didn’t really feel like eating. I kinda figured I would eat later.

After laying on the couch for about an hour?? Maybe 30 minutes? I really have no idea the time that passed but Jared kept asking me if I wanted to call my birth team yet. I would have a contraction and say ‘maybe’ and then when it was over I would say No. Finally after a couple crazy contractions I gave in and let him call the birth team. I didn’t want to wait too long but also was afraid to call everyone and make them come all the way out if they were just going to stop again. I don’t think I really realized that they weren’t going to be stopping. When Jamie got here at 11:30pm she felt my belly and said he was in the perfect position! I moved to the birth ball against the couch and we talked in between contractions. I think this is around when my birth photographer showed up also.

Sunday June 23, 2013

I went to the bathroom and had 3 contractions in the 5 minutes I was on the toilet. I decided I did not want to sit on the toilet, lol. I went back to the couch and I could no longer handle them myself. We figured out that every other contraction was long and intense and the ones in-between those were pretty weak comparatively. Jamie tried out her heating sock on me and Jared did hip squeezes to me during the contraction. It helped ease the pain so much and if for one second he wasn’t doing it the pain was much more intense. I remember wishing they would stop and I would finish them tomorrow. haha

At one point I moved to the birth ball again. I couldn’t help but notice how much Jonah had been moving all night. I asked Jamie if it was okay that he was moving so much because he was so crazy he acted pissed… as pissed as an almost born baby could actually be. (Maybe he could feel the pins in my body earlier too :P) Jaidan was not that active when I was in labor so it was kind of scary but she said it was normal!

I felt like I was going to throw up and I started shaking. I knew what that meant so I asked Jamie when I would be getting in the birth pool. The couch was comfy but not THAT comfy! We were still waiting for the midwives to come. (I didn’t know this until later but my midwife was stuck at another birth and they were having a hard time finding ANY midwife to come. Poor Jamie! lol) So Jared started filling up the water, got it too hot, then Jamie dumped the ice cubes from our freezer into the pool. Finally it was ready.

And boy was it HEAVENLY! It was much bigger than the pool I had with Jaidan so Jared and Jamie helped me into it. I experienced a whole new level of relaxation and found a comfy position leaned over the pool holding onto Jared. The atmosphere in the room was perfect with low lights, the water was perfect and knowing my family was hanging out on the back porch made me so happy. (Instead of making everyone leave I just kicked them out of the house and made them be quiet- I didn’t feel rushed or anything. They knew it could take a while) I don’t know when but someone said something about my dad being out back & I said really? Why? (I’m telling you, I was in denial that I was really in labor) Apparently he saw the full super moon and knew the baby would be coming and he wouldn’t be able to sleep at home anyway. 🙂

The contractions were much different than with Jaidan. With Jaidan I was able to imagine the contraction ‘rolling off my belly’ as my doula told me. This time I didn’t feel like I could get on top of the contractions. I felt like they were taking me for a ride and I just wanted off! I didn’t have to have the squeezing pressure of my hips with Jaidan but it was almost the only thing that ‘worked’ this time. I felt that I needed constant reassurance and coaching. Each contraction I had to tell myself that it was almost over and was praying that it really was. The pain was completely overwhelming. Jared said I took chunks out of him. It looks like that might be what’s going on here…

I was exhausted and tired of intense contractions. I almost freaked out on myself but realized there’s nowhere to go but forward. Just when I think I can’t possibly do anymore God gives me that extra burst of energy to push through. FINALLY I feel him moving down into the birth canal! One contraction would start the process of bringing him down & as soon as the contraction was over I would feel him slide back up. This kid was still moving like crazy too. What felt like contraction after contraction of him sliding down and back up I started to wonder what happens if I tire out and he never moves down. I know how self doubt works though so I pushed that thought out of my mind & imagined him making his way down without a problem. The pain was crazy intense and I know my ‘low tones’ were much louder than with Jaidan. Then the most amazing thing happened! My humming stopped and I could hear nothing but the water in the pool & my contractions no longer hurt!

I finally got the WONDERFUL urge to PUSH! There’s no way to explain it other than feeling like you have to take a big fat crap. Sorry people, I tried to think of a way to say it more politely but it wouldn’t convey the same emotion you need to feel here!! lol. I felt my baby’s head moving every inch of the way & it was amazing! I ‘rested’ in between contractions and took a breath to let that one leave my body before the next one started. The neatest thing for me was that nobody was telling me what I’m dilated to and that I need to push. I wasn’t even checked for dilation at all and my body got to tell everyone else when it was ready to push. My midwife was softly saying encouraging things & that was so wonderful. They used the Doppler to hear the baby’s heartbeat when I contracted and each time his heartbeat was so strong! It made me feel confident that everything was going perfectly and I just kept pushing.

It kind of burned once his head started to come out but it was a nice burn.  I heard someone say something about he’s crowned & his head is out. Just a couple more pushes and I swear that baby boy swam out on his own! I had to fish for him! I pulled his slippery body out of the water and he was so strong he whipped his little head around! I did it. Again! I birthed another baby! Oh he was so precious and he looked nothing like Jaidan. He had his own little facial features and I love him so much! He was covered in vernix unlike the meconium Jaidan covered us in. The first things I noticed about him was the bridge of his nose & his eyebrow bone, how light his skin was & how solid he felt. Everyone watched me and Jared as we welcomed our second son, Jonah Liam, into the world on June 23, 2013 at 4:39am.

My sister (Amanda) ran to get Jaidan. Since it was almost 5am he was obviously asleep. I had wanted him there the second Jonah was born so I was a little sad about that. (It actually took me a good few weeks before I felt okay about the way that played out. Ah hormones.) We showed him the baby and asked him what he thought and he said ‘good’. lol!

As we were sitting in the pool Jared noticed and mentioned that I was losing a lot of blood… Donnellyn made me quickly get out of the water because I had a tear somewhere & they weren’t sure where. I was kind of freaked out and searching everyone’s faces to see their level of panic. Donnellyn said ‘big stick’ and jammed a shot of pitocin in my leg so I would deliver the placenta quicker and stop the bleeding. I’m not exactly sure which one the pitocin does but it gave me painful cramps. I guess the placenta had started to separate? Idk exactly but afterwards she said it wasn’t that bad & we did good. Thank the Lord for a knowledgeable Midwife that took care of me!

She did up my stitches, we had our herbal bath and then did the newborn exam where we were all quite shocked to learn that Jonah was 9lbs and 12oz! I just couldn’t believe it, I cried! No wonder I had been miserable the last month of pregnancy. My belly was insanely heavy to carry around. The neat thing was that Jaidan was only 7lbs 4oz and pushing them out felt no different. Except that this time I only pushed for 9 minutes!! Yeah! He was also 21 1/4″.

Baby boy is now 9 weeks old and the best most smilin’est baby ever. 🙂 He was certainly worth it all!

Thankful

I’m SO thankful to my first doula, Lesley, for introducing me to home birthing. For having my water broke over 24 hours each time I would not have been given the opportunities to birth naturally at a hospital. (Not without a fight anyway I’m sure!) My water was broke for 30.5 hours before my 17 hour labor started with Jaidan. This time my water was broke for exactly 24 hours before I went into my 9 hour labor. That’s just how my body works and why I’m so thankful that God puts people into our lives for a reason.

I’m also very thankful for my Birth Team:

The husband, Jared- he didn’t leave my side! (Not that he had an option with the death grip I had on him)
My midwife, Donnellyn, being the best midwife ever & her soft encouraging words while I was in labor
Assistant midwife, Rosetta for being available last minute and for being so dang sweet and comforting.
Student midwife, Teree, who also has sweet words
Doula, Jamie for being there the whole time with me and Jared & adding such a sweet comforting presence, not to mention semi playing midwife in case nobody else showed up in time 🙂
Photographer, Natasha for documenting my birth so well with her amazing pictures
Acupuncturist, Linda for helping start my labor
Hair Doula, Kacie  umm did you see my awesome ‘labor braid’ 😉

My mom for being ‘on call’ the whole month of June for me, washing and cutting the fruit & vegetables, running errands, watching Jaidan, cleaning my house, and for just plain being my awesome mom.
My sister, Raven for playing with Jaidan & letting me focus on the baby while knowing my other baby was being taken care of too
My sister, Amanda for hanging out at my house in the middle of the night knowing she still had to go to work the next day!!
My friend, Tia for being there for me at all hours of the night
My friend, Megan for also being amazing support
Everyone that prayed for us during the pregnancy, labor & birth. 🙂

Go here for Jaidan’s Birth Story