Brody's Birth Story

I had not been nervous with this pregnancy. When I was pregnant with Reece, I was so anxious and nervous all the time. Mainly thinking about delivery and then caring for a newborn. I was blessed this time around to not be anxious until about 2 weeks prior to my due date. I had one major panic attack and got a blessing from Malcolm.

 On April 30^th at 12:30am, I started having real contractions. The kind that feel like someones stabbing you in the abdomen with a butter knife. (Gross, I know. But.. seriously. They hurt.) They started about 15 minutes apart and kept getting closer together over the next few hours until I was 2 to 5 minutes apart. I got in the bathtub at our apartment to ease the pain/pressure. And then I started throwing up. Each and every contraction made me want to vomit. I remember thinking that was so cruel! Not only was I dealing with the contractions but wanting to (and actually) hurling every 5 minutes. Then, around 3:00, I felt like it was time to go to the hospital. My contractions were staying consistently close together. Malcolm went to pick up Christie and she slept on our couch while Reece was asleep in her crib. 

We got to the hospital about 3:30am. (Why do I always go into labor during the night? I'm double exhausted! Next baby I am guaranteed to deliver during the day right??)  They had me dress in a hospital gown and checked me. (I was going to go back home if I wasn’t at 6 cm yet.) 

Thankfully, I was at a 6 so they kept me there. They went through the ton of generic hospital questions, “Are you allergic to any medicine? Have you ever done drugs? What’s your great aunt Marjorie’s dog’s social security number?” You know, all of that. Then they failed putting the IV in my right wrist and left me with a pretty good black bruise. But then successfully got it in my left. It's pretty darn hard to sit still for a needle while your having a contraction and trying not to hurl on your nurse. Bleh. That was the worst part. So they gave me some heavenly anti nausea drugs to make me normal again. Which worked instantly after taking it. 

My Midwife, Marie Horne, wanted me to walk around and keep moving before getting in the Jacuzzi tub. She said sometimes, at this stage, the Jacuzzi will slow down your contractions and you could get “stuck” at a certain point. So, we walked around a little and an hour later (about 5:30am) I was at a 7. Then, at that point, she talked us into breaking my water. I felt like I was far enough along that it was okay and Brody was in the right position for delivery. (With Reece, we broke my water when I was barely a 4 and her delivery was looooooong- and I pushed for 3 hours. I considered breaking my water so early as having something to do with her being posterior but I don’t know.) I just didn't want that same experience with Brody so I tried to wait it out as long as possible.

Eventually, we decided to go ahead and do it. We broke my water at a 7 and things got REALLY intense after that. I was able to manage the pain up until that point with breathing, pressure on my lower back, leaning against something, or sitting in the tub. But after my water broke, NONE of those things helped. I didn't want anyone to touch me. All I wanted was “counter pressure” or something to pull against so I pulled against Malcolm’s clothes and arms. Which is kind of funny because Malcolm's pet peeve is having his shirts stretched out. And I stretched his shirt out to the MAX. I wonder now what he thought about that! 

 Here's where things get good!! I remember feeling “pressure” like what women talk about when they need to push but I did not realize that I was anywhere close to the pushing stage. Wasn't I just at a 7?  So, in order to manage the pain, I asked Marie if we could try getting back in the tub. I got in the tub and remember telling Malcolm that when this next contraction came, I’d want him to pull against so I grabbed his arms and pulled to counteract the pain I was feeling. Then, to everyone’s (including my) surprise, Brody was COMING! Coming, like NOW. And that's exactly what I screamed. “He’s coming, he’s coming, right now!” Everyone kind of said “Uh huh, yeah, you’re in labor.” But when Marie looked and actually saw that I wasn't messing around (Brody's head was crowning) she pushed the emergency button and called for the nurses help. 

I remember her yelling at Malcolm, “Pull her out of the tub and set her on the chair!” (The Jacuzzi tub is not meant for laboring in, just managing pain.) So Malcolm pulled me up out of the water and set me down on a small fold up chair next to the jacuzzi and by the time I was in the chair, the baby was birthed. So, I pretty much birthed a baby in the air while being transferred to the chair from the tub.) Malcolm was just grateful to not get any blood on his shoes. HAH! Yes, that was the first thing he said to me after Brody was born. Not "Wow, good job, honey" or even "I'm so glad that's over" Just, "Is there blood on my shoes?! (looks down at his shoes) No, Pheeeewww, Okay." 

It was really exciting. And the whole time "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac was playing on my phone. I will always have this memory when I hear that song!

It was quite the rush, I must say. I did not know what it felt like to be that far along in delivery. It was really intense but I thought I had a while to go still. And everything went so fast. I kept saying, “It’s done….it’s done…it’s all over…” while enjoying my new baby boy on my chest. I was so happy to have him and I felt so....relieved and grateful. Throughout the whole process, I had felt the whisperings of the Spirit giving me comfort, peace, and encouragement. I could hear Heavenly Father cheering me on and feeling His love for me. I shouldn't say whispers. They were more like heavenly shouts. They were very distinct and powerful enough to get through to me while I was going through something so intense. It was very special and I will never forget that.  

I looked at Malcolm. I had so much going on inside my mind and heart. But all I could think to say was, "He is SO cute." And Malcolm responded with, "Yeah, he kind of looks like a potato." 

Marie asked me later, “Did you feel any pressure, did you know at all how close you were??” I said, I remember feeling pressure, almost like a bowel movement but I had NO idea how close I was!” I said I basically had to push ONE TIME. And she corrected me saying, "No, you never pushed. He was coming anyway!"

Because Brody came so fast, I tore quite a bit. About the same amount I did with Reece. So I got wheeled back to my hospital room where they stitched me up.(I felt so bad for the nurses who had to clean up the Jacuzzi Room, wheel chair, AND the hallway to my room. Delivery is messy business, guys! Marie did not know how to do that many stitches so she called Dr. Codd in from Seasons Medical (my OB office where they work together). He “coached” her on how to do the stitches and it took 45 minutes. I was a champ during delivery but oh boy was I wuss during stitches. I kept saying, “You’re going to numb me first, right???” They did. But then if there was ever a time when I felt it even A LITTLE, I’d say, “Wait, wait, wait, I feel that! More numbing, please!!” That was almost the worst part because it took so long.

Those next couple days in the hospital where it was just Brody and I were very sweet. It was just me and my little man. He took on to nursing very quickly. He could also go longer stretches (about 3 hours in between feedings) instead of the 2 hours around the clock many newborns do. Although sleep deprived, sore, just physically/ mentally exhausted, I really enjoyed that time with him.  

It was quite the experience when we introduced Reece to Brody. Malcolm brought her in where I was holding Brody in bed. As soon as she saw him, she just stopped and stared and was thinking very hard about what was going on. She was silent for about 10 minutes. We kept saying, “The baby in Mommy’s tummy came out! This is Brody, your little brother. You are a big sister! Isn’t he so little and soft? Are you okay Reece? Reece?” And she just said “ …..Yes.” Then when she got to hold him, she perked up and just wanted to kiss him all over. She couldn’t stop kissing and touching and caressing him and holding his hands. And then she didn’t want to leave him! It was so cute. But she is definitely stronger than she thinks so I felt like I was constantly saying, “Be soft, please!” And trying to show her what soft means without Brody getting demolished. 

Photo Credit: Cami Nichelle Photography

https://www.facebook.com/camistarksphotography/

I had felt a desire to go natural in this delivery. My main reasoning was for a quicker recovery. Compared to my recovery with Reece, it has been SO much better. I almost felt 100% at 2 weeks PP. I needed a quick recovery since I moved across states the same month I delivered a baby. It’s been a huge blessing. And my delivery was quick (which I prayed for) enabling me to do it naturally. Heavenly Father answers prayers.