Graysons due date was Saturday, January 29th but he was born Monday, January 14th in the evening. I wasn’t expecting him to come early at all but I woke up Monday morning and started feeling contractions. I still hadn’t lost my mucus plug (that I could tell) so I didn’t think My body was ready yet. However, once I felt contractions that hurt, I believed it was going to happen soon.
I tried to go about my day as normal- helping kids get ready, preparing breakfast, doing laundry, cleaning up, etc. Malcolm was studying for his NPTE which was a week and a half away. He was headed out to the library to study when I asked if would stay home with us instead. He agreed :) And by the afternoon, my contractions were becoming more consistent.
Jamee, my sister who lives nearby, said we could bring the kids over to spend the night just in case it happened that evening. Malcolm took Reece and Brody over at about 4:00 while I stayed home and got my stuff ready just in case we needed to head to the hospital.
About dinner time, the contractions were becoming increasingly intense. They hurt. It didn’t matter what position I was in or what I was doing- they hurt. So, I filled the bath with water and tried to watch some funny shows on my phone. The bath was the only thing that helped with the pressure and pain.
I started to think that I should call my doctors office and let my midwives know that I was probably going into the hospital tonight. I had been having a lot of anxiety about who would be there to deliver because neither one of them were on call that weekend and I didn’t know the on call doctor. I was worried that whoever came would not be welcoming of a natural birth or would be inexperienced the process of natural delivery. But one of my midwives, Lynn Andersen, has mentioned that I could call before I go into the hospital to give her a heads up in case she could make it.
I had said many prayers about having this particular midwife be there and that all would go well. Although I didn’t know what would happen, I felt like everything was in Heavenly Father’s hands and it would be okay.
So, I called my doctors office but no one was answering. I was feeling discouraged. I finally reached he after hours line, after the closed, and the lady told me that she could not contact or leave a message for my midwives because it was after hours and they had already left. I was frustrated because I had been trying to call the clinic 30 minutes before their closing time to reach the midwives but no one had answered until the after hours line became available. I was sad and anxious but I had no choice but to just have faith and move forward.
I spent some more time in the bath until my contractions were 7 minutes apart and painful. I told Malcolm I felt like it was time to go to the hospital. (It would take 30 minutes to get to Renown Hospital in Reno from where we lived in sparks.)
So, he loaded all our stuff in the car and we headed out to door at about 7:20. On our way to the hospital, we joked around and tried to have fun. 😁 my contractions were becoming increasingly closer and more intense that by the time we parked at the hospital, they were 3-5 minutes apart. I had to stop and breath when a contraction came as we headed inside. I noticed women would look and have compassion on me and men would just walk past, barely even looking 🤣
We checked into the hospital at about 8:00pm and I was not able to stand up straight anymore when a contraction came. I told them who my midwives were and what clinic I was a part of. How it’s supposed to work is they would look up who the on call doctor is at my clinic and then call him/her to let them know I was there.
But when one of the nurses heard me say my midwives names, she said, “oh! Lynn was just here delivering a baby and was headed out- let me see if I can catch her!” I was so happy to hear that.
Lynn came through the door and said that they had notified the on call doctor (who was a student) and he was supposed to be coming but that she would stay until then. She checked to see how far along I was, and I was a 7!! I couldn’t believe it! Thank goodness! I told her that my last delivery went really fast once I made it to transition. So, she felt like she should stay in the room with me instead of just with the nurses.
They started me on a dose of antibiotics because I had tested positive for Strep B. At about 8:30, I started to feel like I was going through transition. I had turned down pain killers. I didn’t like
The epidural because of back pain and bruising I experienced afterwards. And the only other options during delivery were medications that would make me drowsy or “out of it” and I didn’t want that.
But by the time I reached an 8, it was so intense I was starting to regret my decision to do it naturally. But by this time, it’s too late and you can only go forward.
The student ended up not coming because of something and Lynn told him that she would stay to deliver instead. My prayers had been answered once again.
In these moments, when it’s most intense, and you are so close to bringing a child into this world, is when I have felt Heavenly Father’s presence the most. I almost audibly hear him in my mind encouraging me and sharing His love and comfort. I remember begging for His help to have strength and He responded with encouraging words and just telling me He’s there. It is a very powerful, spiritual moment. Transition felt like it lasted forever. I want to say it was lasted an hour but it could have been shorter. (It always feels longer to the person whose hand is held on a hot stove.)
Finally, after I had received all of my antibiotics, I was able to push. I felt ready to push and wanted to. I had never felt that before with Reece or Brody. Reece, I had an epidural and with Brody, we broke my water at a 7 and he was born 20 minutes later (literally just slipped out.)
This part was very intense as well. My midwife coached me on how quickly to push and when to slow down. It was very hard to control but I feel like I had so much heavenly help.
My water broke when he was coming out and I saw it burst and spray everyone 🤣 (eww). My midwife had prepared with a full wet suit 🤣. When he was all out, the first feeling I had was relief. He was born at 9:34pm. They put him on my chest but his cord was very short so he couldn’t reach up very high before my placenta was delivered. He was pretty blue and was crying. I remember saying, “he’s blue, is he okay??” And after a minute, they took him and gave him oxygen to help with his color. Malcolm cut the umbilical cord.
Grayson was such a sweet baby. I think he was a 9 on the apgar scale. I got stitched up while they weighed and measured him. I couldn’t believe how fast it went. I mean, transition was painfully long. But I had just barely checked into her hospital at 8 and he was born at 9:30!
Momma Hall met us at the hospital and held my hand when I wanted her to. It was nice to have a motherly figure there. Malcolm was great with putting pressure on my back and using hot pads when I needed.
After I was wheeled into the recovery room, they started me on petocin. The cramps were miserable and I couldn’t sleep even with a high dose of ibuprofen. I was supposed to have another bag but I asked not to have it. After a while of convincing my nurse (because she said 2 bags is hospital policy), she finally removed the petocin and my cramping stopped. The cramps were like intense contractions.
I was so relieved and so grateful that everything worked out okay. And that it was over. I was also amazed at how the Lord answered my prayers. He listens and He cares. And I’m so grateful for Him.
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