Phoebe's Birth Story- Part Two

So if you read Part One, you know we are waiting on this baby!

At this point we have now hit week 42 and are officially overdue.

Both Dr. Bo and Kathleen talked to me about fearing labor or having an emotional barrier that was keeping me from going into labor but thanks to Hypnobabies I had never been so unafraid about labor! As I thought about it and prayed about it though, I realized I had quite a bit of hurt and disappointment with different things that I had not let myself really experience and I needed to deal with some things.

Kathleen told me to go home and have a good cry and I thought that was probably a good idea. The next day Chase took the kids to work with him and I watched a sad movie and bawled my eyes out. That really didn't do it for me though. When Chase got home we talked about the things I hadn't let myself mourn. I needed to mourn the fact that I was bringing this sweet baby home to a travel trailer. I grieved the loss of a not-yet home and that I was disappointed. It was part of God's plan but I really, really, really didn't like it. :)

I mourned for a situation with adopted family and our old church where Chase and I were married that was really going through some hard things and I grieved over a church home that I felt would never be the same even if it was still good and I just didn't understand any of it. Just hard things. I knew God was in control and that everyone there had peace about it, but it was hard. 

And oh my, I hate to cry but when I finally let myself...boy do the flood gates open!!! So after a good cry and Chase comforting me, I felt much better. 

Our dear friend Steve had been offering to let me ride the lawnmower for awhile in an effort to jostle that baby out! Haha! And that evening I took him up on it! There is a bit of property around where we were staying so I rode that lawnmower up and down and around and fast!!! Suuuuper bumpy too! It was a lot of fun actually. Then I slowed down a little and mowed the fields for awhile. 

I had a lot of contractions but no labor. That was a Friday.

The next day Kathleen said that if baby didn't come by Monday we would go in and start pitocin to try to get me dilated past a three. 

I. Was. So. Upset. 

I totally understood the reasons but I haaaaaaate pitocin!!! Everyone else was relieved we were finally going to do something but I was ticked. This was nothing like what I had wanted or looked forward to or prayed for or prepared for. "Lord, what the heck???" Yeah. I'm pretty sure I said it to Him like that. More than once. 

Saturday night we went to church at Imago Dei. They use a different church's facilities so they have services on Saturday night. I was really glad to be there because I love that church and I needed to spend some time worshiping and being encouraged and strengthened. The sermon was really great and it was convicting and encouraging but what got me most was a woman sitting next to me. She came all by herself and was visiting the church. She just hugged me as we exchanged names and started telling me what a great job I was doing (????) and that she was praying for me. She was so sweet, going on about what blessings children are. She was very strangely calming to me and really encouraged me. After the service she hugged me and held me tight and said I was heavy on her heart and that she had been praying for me during the service and would continue to keep me in her prayers. :) 

The next morning came and still no baby but since it was Mother's Day we decided to go to my Aunt's church, Frisco Bible and surprise her! We had a great service there with great teaching and I had come to a "Que Sera Sera" kind of place with the birth situation. I prayed we would go into labor naturally but if not, the Lord was going to help me handle it.

We had a great lunch with my Aunt and her family, did some walking and headed back to the trailer. 

I rested a little bit then decided to finish the mowing I started. I mowed and rode some fast, bumpy laps before going inside to take a shower. On the property where we were staying Steve has a BIG garage with a few bays and an apartment attached. I went inside the apartment to shower, jumped in and my water broke! At least I was pretty sure it did, since I had a big gush and then nothing for a bit. It was 6:15 pm and texted Chase (in the trailer with the kids) and Kathleen and finished my shower. Kathleen finished her dinner and ran down to the birthing center. I wasn't having contractions yet so Chase brought the kids in to get showered quickly before we left. 

My water had definitely broken and I sat on the potty as much as I could while I helped the kids get in and out of the shower and dressed. Captain Awesome grabbed everything I would need and got it all in the car, got the kids in the car, brought me more clothes and yet another towel and got me in the car. At this point I was wondering if we were going to make it to the birthing center. Almost immediately after I got off the phone with Kathleen and told her I wasn't having contractions, they started! Big hairy ones and every two minutes and while my hypnobabies techniques made them feel like no big deal, I knew baby would be here soon! I prayed again to make it to the birthing center and in the water! 

Suddenly my contractions stopped totally for the drive until we pulled onto the road where the clinic was and then up they started again, every couple of minutes! :)

We got there and inside about 7 pm and Chase got the kids situated in the next room while I was examined and they filled the tub. Kathleen said it would take about 15 minutes to fill the tub so I labored on the bed with my labor track playing and me just relaxing through my contractions. It was such an odd sensation to feel my body work SO powerfully but not have it hurt. At all. 

The track kept using the "peace" cue word, which I told you before I had changed to "The Prince of Peace" and wow, I told you before I had just pictured him standing next to me and giving me peace but instead I physically and spiritually felt fully wrapped in His arms. Sounds weird and is still a little touchy-feely for me to even type it out, but it was true. The Prince of Peace that I knew Him to be and verses that taught me those things, the Powerful, Mighty to Save, God of Power and Majesty was there. Just like always only I realized it like never before. He was indeed my Hiding Place and Rock that is Higher than I. I can't even fully explain what it was like, but I feel like I got a glimpse of Heaven-during labor no less! Lol!

Chase would come in and check on me and hold my hand. I couldn't believe the contractions were REALLY picking up but still no pain! I kept waiting for the real contractions to kick in and hurt...I think everyone else did too. :)

The tub was filled and I could get in! I wanted to use the potty chair first, just to be sure we didn't repeat the last birth! (Haha!) On the potty I felt the need to push and told Kathleen. She very sweetly and excitedly said, "Well, we can use the tub of water for your herbal bath afterward." And some other worldly creature came out of me and said "OHHHHH NO! I AM HAVING THIS BABY IN THE WATER! I AM GETTING IN IN JUST A SEC!"

"Oh, okay!" Kathleen said as she backed away from me a little and smiled. So glad she doesn't scare easily at this point and is totally a trooper! :)

So I got in the water...the wonderful, fabulous, amazing water. Had some more nothing contractions...they were taking a LOT more concentration but they still didn't hurt.

And thennnn...the pushing happened. Honestly the pushing totally took me by surprise. I was not in charge of the pushing like my other births, the pushing was in control of me.  It felt like a bus was sitting on top of me and squeezing me nearly to death. It jarred me and I lost concentration and it got SO painful! I suddenly realized that this huge baby was coming out of me and fast. I got very worried about tearing and full-on flipped out. The midwives, Kathleen and Lisa tried to calm me down and reassure me and then I heard my track playing again and heard "peace." Chase squeezed my shoulders, spoke some relaxation cue words in my ear, prayed for me and I was good again. I calmed down again between pushes and waited for a piano to land on me. Suddenly I was completely exhausted and didn't feel like I could push anymore but like I said- I was not in charge of the pushing. It just happened. A crazy powerful force would come over me and baby would come out more. My midwives mouths kinda dropped when I was talking to Chase and the baby and smiling in between pushes. We felt her little head in the water and got excited. Then a push would happen and it was all business. Very pressurized business, lol. I don't know how else to describe it. Pushing wasn't as easy as contractions, obviously but it still didn't really hurt...just was mega powerful. Then, tada! She was out! I pulled her up out of the water and then it gets blurry in my mind for a few minutes. Phoebe Mae was born at 7:54 pm. We called the kids in and they couldn't believe she was here and there had been NO screaming like last time! I was so proud and thankful and happy! We were supposed to sit in the water for a few minutes and were delaying cord clamping but my placenta detached early and we had to cut the cord and get out of the water to be sure to check blood loss.

Phoebe Mae 10lbs 2oz,  22 inches long

We got me in the bed and I got a shot of pit and another one to control the bleeding. Since we knew I am prone to hemorrhaging, the midwives got it under control right away with minimal uterus massaging. Also, there was no tearing!!! It was really fabulous. I got to nurse Phoebe right away and it was a little rough since she kept chewing on me. Kathleen noticed during Phoebe's exam that she had both a lip tie and a tongue tie and that is why she was chewing on me. She wasn't able to latch! She wasn't a happy baby her first couple of days but we had tie revision done and voila! She was a new baby-able to latch and nurse well and finally sleep. :)

Sidenote: We discovered while researching ties for Phoebs that Harmony had a tongue tie also and THAT was responsible for her speech issues! We had it fixed also and she is talking SO much better! :D

So...that is my birth story. So much answered prayer, if you remember the first post where I shared alllll the stuff I was worried about and/or wanted from this birth. This time I felt like a rockstar. It amazes me how God cares about what are my silly birth prayers in the grand scheme of things. 

There is nothing better than to have a care provider that wants what you want, is very very competent and is compassionate. We have found that at Bella Births twice now and are so thankful for them!

Chase is stinking awesome. I say it all the time and it just keeps getting more true. This experience brought us closer still. I will see if I can have him share his side of the story sometime...I am interested to see what he will say.

Aunt Lisa the Fabulous!

 It was so fun to have family come right away and see us!!!

My cousins came to meet Phoebe! Or "Fifi" as Tony calls her. :)

Another blissful part of the Birthing Center is the glorious herbal bath. Honestly it is kind of like sitting in tea. But it is awesome, lol! It just feels so good after labor! If you didn't get one after your birth I am sorry.

Dr. Bo finally gets to meet Phoebe and give her first adjustment.

After the bath and more checkups, we were given our discharge information and left around mindnight or one a.m. Some people think that is weird but it is so nice to go home to your own bed and spend the next morning as a family- at least if there is no medical reason not too!

So the whole birth and pregnancy was quite an experience. A lot of drama but it ended with a happy and healthy Momma, baby and family and THAT is quite a wonderful answer to prayer. :)

Thanks for letting me share with you guys!!!