Happy Birthday to Noah! A Birth Story

Well I've done it again! I have neglected my blog and I really don't like it! I would love to be able to sit and write on here every day but it just has gotten so busy and hectic around here. When I have down time I try to catch up on cleaning and Noah is such a mama's boy right now and hates it when I get on the computer! ha! Oh well. I'm back. I think. :)

Today is Noah's FIRST birthday! Yes, it's been a whole year since I labored and had our precious son. What a blessing it has been to have him around. We are going to have a party tonight to celebrate the big event so maybe pictures will follow soon if I can get them on here fast enough. :) I haven't taken any pics of the kids lately, so that will be something I'll have to make sure and do tonight!

I figured that since I never posted my labor story about Noah, that today would be the perfect day to do so!

Here we go!

On December 2nd, before I went to bed, I noticed that I lost my mucous plug (I hadn't done this with Rebekah so I assumed this was a great sign). So I made sure all our stuff was ready (you never know how fast it will go) and decided to head to bed. All throughout the night I felt like something was different, and I had to pee all night. But no contractions. I know it's a weird detail to share, but all I knew was that something was different and I was hoping it would go fast. Little did I know what was in store for us!

So, I woke up on Decemeber 3rd and started having mild contractions. J was called by a friend for help with a flat tire, and we wanted to help. However I didn't want him to leave me at home, just in case this was it (she didn't live close). So we got ready, loaded the car, and headed over to help her. When we were done, I decided to call and let my midwife, Ann, know what was going on. At this point I was pretty uncomfortable but I knew it was not time.

We decided to eat at Chick fil a and walk around the mall to pass the time and hopefully stir up some heavier labor! :) It seemed to help some. My appt with Ann also happened to be on this day, so we headed over to see her, hoping that I had made some progress. Turned out I was only dilated to a 1 I think. We were supposed to go to our family lifegroup that night, but decided to just go home and get some rest. That evening and into the night, contractions came and went. They always tell you that you know it's "real" labor when contractions are "longer, stronger and closer together". But it's still hard when you are going through it to understand what your body is doing. At some point I called Ann again because I was anxious and in pain and didn't know what to make of it. I was so worried that this baby would surprise us and just come really fast. I found out at this point that she had TWO other mamas in labor at the same time! So I was encouraged to take a hot bath, relax and take it easy. (For those that don't know, this is supposed to help your body to what it needs to do. If it is real labor, nothing will slow it down - but if it isn't you will be able to relax and sleep). Jason's mom came over to help with Bekah in case things started progressing.

My friend and chiropractor, Cindy, came over and checked me and I was still only at maybe a 2. I was so frustrated. By this time I had thrown up a few times, and contractions were stronger and I really felt like things were moving along. I just kept wondering what was making my labor so hard if nothing was really happening.

We stayed up a little while and then I took a Benadryl (per midwife recommendation) and tried to sleep. I kept waking up for each contraction, and I couldn't get comfortable. As a crazy sidenote, this was also the night that an apartment building in our complex decided to catch fire. Jason is the courtesy officer at our apts so he had to go check on it. I was so irritated that of all the nights, this had to be the one where a stinking FIRE had to start. ::sigh::

So, we all (somewhat) slept for a while. The next morning, December 4th, was the same stuff. I was throwing up more (something I was grateful that Jason's mom was there for because J hates it) and I was just so exhausted and tired of being in labor. Jason was also tired of not having support, so I texted my midwife and chiropractor and then we finally decided to meet at the birth center/chiro office to get adjusted and checked.

They tell you not to come too early to the birth center because you might get turned away if it isn't real labor. The state has a crazy law that if you don't progress within a certain amount of time then you have to be transported to the hospital. We were trying to avoid this, which is the reason I hadn't gone up there yet. However, we got the go ahead to see what was going on.

So, I got adjusted which was which SO awesome and then it was time to see what was going on with baby.
(Contractions were seriously crazy at this point. I couldn't stand up or move when they came. And one side of my belly hurt like crazy - you could see a huge bulge on that side every time a one came!)

When Ann checked me, I wasn't dilated very much more. I must have been like a 3 or 4. I can't remember. This is when it was determined that Noah was asynclintic. Basically, his head was turned a little to the side. I will spare you most of the other details, but I've heard (and experienced) that this makes labor longer and more difficult than it would normally be. My body was trying to progress and couldn't because of his position. So, Ann let me know that we were going to try and do everything possible to get him to move and get me to progress, but to also be prepared to possibly go to the hospital if it didn't happen.

Then came walking stairs (Oh. my. word. This was painful), walked around outside, labored on the toilet (weird, I know, but works!). I got adjusted often (I have THE BEST chiropractors and they both worked on me during labor), took homeopathic pills, and did whatever the heck they told me to. I was so determined to not have to go to the hospital. Our family showed up in the waiting area. My parents brought us dinner. I DID NOT want to eat, but was told that I needed to if I wanted things to keep moving. So, Chick fil a chicken soup and Sprite it was. :)

Finally, baby turned the right way, (after more walking, laboring on a birthing ball, on the toilet more, and in the tub) and I was dilated to an 8! Woohoo!

The rest is kind of fuzzy for me. But I remember when my water broke and shortly thereafter got situated in the tub to get ready for his arrival. He was born not too long after that. Maybe a few hours. I pushed for 19 minutes in the tub (the most wonderful and pain relieving thing ever!), and got to walk to my bed, baby in hand right after! Jason actually caught Noah himself and got to cut the umbilical cord when it was time, too. Noah weighed 6lbs 14oz.

I had the MOST AMAZING team working with me and I know for sure that I wouldn't want to have done it with any one of them being gone. Although it was probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, it was definitely the most rewarding and one of my best accomplishments. :) I wouldn't change any of it for anything.

I also found out later that there had been another lady with an asynclitic baby a few months prior to me that had to be transported and that there was talk about how great I was doing for persevering, even when it got hard and I thought I was done. Thank the Lord I didn't know this while I was going through it. I kept telling myself I was being a baby and that all women have it hard. (Which is basically true) But I didn't have a clue that mine was harder than usual and that was good or I think I'd be begging to go to the hospital! haha! Also, my bleeding afterward was better than expected (as in, less), and I didn't even tear! Everything about this labor was blessed - and I didn't even have so much as a tylenol for the pain!

For those of you that don't know, Rebekah was born in the hospital. Another story for another time, but suffice to say that this experience blew my labor experience with her out of the water! What a difference having a midwife and team of supporters that love me made!

And now, one year later, we have the most precious, handsome, and funny boy around. God has provided us with the most amazing kids and I love them more than life itself!

Happy Birthday Noah!

And happy Friday to ya'll!