When I got home from work Micheal and I decided to go for a walk. I was so ready to have this baby and I knew walking was good so off we went. We walked down to see my mom at the chiropractor's office. I was scheduled to get an adjustment the following week but Kimberly said she could go ahead and see me that day. She adjusted me and we all jokingly agreed that I would have the baby over the weekend. I was all for that! :-)
Micheal and I went home and made Little Ceasar's Pizzas from the kit we bought from the local cheerleaders. I rearranged closets and washed and hung clothes for Sarah. Micheal helped me and we got a lot done. I was nesting for sure!
We ate our pizza and I sat in my chair and Micheal sat on the couch and we talked for a long time. Mostly about the baby and how ready we were (although Micheal was still banking on the fact that he had another nine days before her due date!). I just remember it being such a nice conversation and we just had a fun evening together.
About 10:00 that night I started feeling some pains, I didn't say anything to Micheal because they kind of felt like gas pains and so I wasn't convinced it was labor. But they lasted all through the night and they were rhythmic. I got very little sleep that night. The next morning I got up and started getting ready to go to work. After I took a shower I decided that I was going to call in to work because at this point I was pretty convinced that I was in labor. I texted my boss and let her know that I would not be in. I tried to get someone to fill in for me but nobody was available. Luckily I had a very understanding boss so it was no big deal. When Micheal got up I let him know that I was pretty sure I was in labor but that it was very early. I told him to go ahead and go to work.
After he left I texted my mom and asked her to come help me finish putting Sarah's laundry up because it wasn't finished and I didn't want to have her with her nursery a mess. She was so excited and came right over. I tried to help her but I was pretty uncomfortable so she had me just sit down while she finished hanging her clothes. She also put the final items in our overnight bag for the hospital. My dad came over and cooked me breakfast. I ate it in bed. I texted Micheal and told him to cancel our plans with our friends that night. We were supposed to go to Lubbock with Heath, Courtney, Adam, Ches, Kamille and Colton. The guys were going to go go-karting and we were going to get pedicures. My plan was to have pretty toes for the delivery and for the foot massage to put me in labor lol. Turns out Sarah had other plans.
Micheal had lunch plans with his brother but at about 11:30 I texted him and told him I thought he should come home because we were going to have to go to the hospital soon. In the mean time I was texting my Doula and timing my contractions. They were pretty sporadic but no more than 4 minutes apart for the most part. I was so ready to go to the hospital but did not want to get sent home. I didn't want to have to be roaming around Lubbock while in labor. If I couldn't be at the hospital I wanted to be home.
A little before 12 Micheal got home for lunch and I told him to go ahead and eat but that we should head to Lubbock after he finished. (Mom and Dad offered to get us a hotel room if the hospital sent us away so that made me feel better) Around 1:30 we got in the car. Micheal and I took our car and Mom and Dad were going to meet us over there. It was a nice ride to the hospital. Micheal said a prayer while we were on the road and we just talked and timed my contractions. I was just so afraid they were going to send me home when we got there. I knew that if you could talk during/in between the contractions and were still in a good mood that it was most likely early labor. I also knew that if I was only at a 1 or 2 when we got there I was definitely getting an epidural. LOL. My plan was to go natural for as long as I could and take pain meds as needed. I didn't know if I could do it but I had always wanted to try.
We finally made it to the hospital. I remember when we got out of the car Micheal saw a diaper on the ground and he said "Look! Its a sign!" I sure hoped he was right! We got inside and the sweet volunteer ladies at the front asked me if I was in labor (I certainly did not look like I was). We told them I was and they got me a wheel chair. On the way up to L&D I tried to look like I was in more pain that I was because I didn't want them to send me away. LOL. We made it to labor and delivery and they had Micheal fill out some form and then took me to be checked. I changed into my gown and went into the exam room. The nurse's name was Marla and she was so sweet. I told her I had never been checked before as she was hooking me up to the monitor. I had a contraction and asked her "Is that a contraction?" She said it was and at that moment I breathed a sigh of relief! It wasn't just gas! Yay! Ha Ha! She checked me and told me that I must be superwoman because I was at an 8! At that moment I burst into tears. Micheal looked at me and asked if it was time to let people know and I said Yes! :-) He had called his mom on the way to the hospital but we hadn't told anyone else until we knew what we were dealing with.
They quickly began moving me to a room. I told Marla that I had been praying for every nurse involved in Sarah's delivery and she was truly an answer to prayer! On the way to our room I heard the Marla say into her little speaker that she had a woman in labor dilated to an 8 with a bulging bag. I remember thinking what the heck is a bulging bag!? Micheal texted Devan, our doula and let her know it was time! I had a list of people to text on my phone and Micheal was busy supporting me and texting away for the next little bit. My parents got there and brought us drinks. Which I thought was so funny because it was such a normal thing in the midst of such an incredible moment! My dad was all teary eyed and just standing in the corner and I told him that he was going to have to leave if he was going to do that. I said it through my own tears half jokingly half not. He wanted an excuse to leave lol. He later told me that he was glad I said that. :-)
I talked to Meg on the phone and cried. She was so sweet and was crying too. I don't even remember what all we said. Other than Meg I didn't talk to anyone else on the phone but I had Micheal in charge of texting everyone! I had a list on my phone of people to contact. Nanny and Pappy got there and came in and hugged me and we talked for a few minutes before they went back to the waiting room. We all kind of hung out for a little bit and I continued to labor. Devan (our doula) was such a blessing. She guided Micheal and I and helped me try some different positions to make me comfortable and continue to progress.
Dr. Perales came in around 3. She was so sweet as always. She asked me if I wanted her to break my water. I really wanted as few medical interventions as possible so I told her no. She said that was fine and said she would come back to check on my in a couple of hours. In my head I was like a couple of hours!? The way everyone was acting this baby was coming like now! And now I have to wait a few hours for her to come back! After she left my doula explained that it could take that long for my water to break, but if I let her break my water I would probably be pushing within the hour. I immediately said "Go get Dr. Perales." I decided if I was going to do this... lets do it now.
Dr. Perales came back in a broke my water. After that everything kind of gets fuzzy and I wish I would have wrote all of this down sooner, so I am just going to do my best. I labored in the bed for the rest of the time. They helped me get comfortable and eventually I ended up using the banana... that sounds so weird but its basically a birthing ball in the shape of a banana. I laid on my side and continued to labor. At this point things got pretty intense. I was no longer talking or in between contractions. I was at a 9 and starting to get the urge to push. My doula told me that if I had the urge I could push but not too hard. It was so crazy because I had heard that when your body is ready to push you have very little ability to stop it... and they were right. I just worked with my body and pushed with every contraction. Finally, Marla came back in to check me and she told me that I was still at a 9 but if I felt ready to push I could and once Sarah dropped lower I would be at a 10. At this point my Mom left the room and it was just Micheal, Devan and Marla with me. They were all so awesome. I continued to push and I kept asking if anything was happening. I just wanted to know all of this hard work was doing something. LOL. They continued to coach me and we got closer and closer. At one point I asked them if I was having a contraction and they both looked at each other and kind of laughed. They were in shock that I just wasn't in pain. I didn't get it either but I sure was grateful.
Finally, Dr. Perales came in the room and I knew something was finally happening! Sarah Jo was coming! I was having a baby! All of these thoughts were running through my mind. I told her I am so glad you are here! I pushed some more and it felt like forever. They asked me if I wanted a mirror so I could see. And I said no, I just want her to be here. They started talking about her hair and what color I thought it would be. They asked me to guess but I was in no mood for guessing games lol. RIght as she was crowning they told me that my water had meconium in it so NICU would be in here to check her as soon as she was born. I said ok. I was only focused on having my baby.
I pushed one more time and she was finally here. I don't remember her crying... but Micheal does (and my mom who was standing outside the door). I just remember her being so calm. They cleaned her up, checked her and laid her on my chest. Dr. Perales was working on me and I just remember being so uncomfortable in the stir ups. I kept asking when can I put me legs down!? The injections, the stitches, none of that hurt, my legs were just very uncomfortable. They were too short to fit in the stirrups properly so the nurses were having to hold them and it sucked. LOL. She stitched me for a while and I kept telling Sarah, "I'm sorry Sarah, I will be with you in a minute." I kept trying to look down at her but I couldn't see her super well because of how I was laying. I was so happy that she was here and just amazed at how calm and alert she was. She just laid there so patiently while they worked on me.
If I could go back in time and do it again I would have had someone in the room to video the event. I so want to go back to that moment. It was so powerful...meeting my child for the first time. But I felt like I didn't really comprehend everything because I was all over the place emotionally, and I was tired. I don't think I cried. I just was so relieved that she was here and that the labor part was over.
At that time the nurse came in and told me that everyone was waiting outside. I was so excited as everyone walked in. It was the moment I had dreamt of for so long. Introducing my family to my daughter. Nanny, Pappy, Mom, Dad, Adam and Ches all came in. It was such a special time.
We spent some time with them and then the nurse said it was time for us to get moved into a new room. Everyone left to go eat and said they would be back after they went to eat. The nurse told Micheal to put Sarah's shirt and hat on her and wrap her up while she helped get me situated for the move. Micheal later told me he freaked out when she told him that. He was like oh my goodness... I have to do this by myself!? I remember looking over and he had the little shirt almost on her... and then the next time I looked it was off again and he asked the nurse "Does she have to wear this shirt?". The nurse said no so he just wrapped her up. It was so funny! Micheal and I had a lot of laughs while he dressed her for those first few weeks. She was quite the wiggle worm and did NOT enjoy the process. LOL! He worked up a sweat every time I think. :-)
We finally got moved into our room around 10:00pm. The post partum nurse came in and helped us get settled. She was AWESOME! We loved her so much. She checked my uterus and made sure it was shrinking like it was supposed to. Praise the Lord everything was working like it was supposed to. I thanked her for being much more gentle than the nurses in the delivery room. LOL. She laughed and said they get that a lot in post partum. My parents came back in with Adam and Ches and brought us dinner. I had wanted a cold sandwich for my entire pregnancy! I couldn't eat them while pregnant unless the meat was heated. So that's what they brought me. We visited with them and they hugged on Sarah. I told my mom that we didn't need her to stay and she said to call if we changed our minds. And just like that it was just Micheal and I with our girl. We looked at each other and were like... "What just happened!?" Just a few hours ago we weren't even sure we were in labor and now we have a baby!
It was a beautiful experience. A life changing experience. A sacred experience. Writing this has been so difficult for me because I want to go back to that moment so bad and just relive it... her birth. It was incredible. I was so proud that I did not have to have pain meds and know without a doubt that my entire labor and delivery was anointed by God. That is the only way I know how to explain it. I didn't ever feel any pain... it was intense pressure and discomfort but no pain. We were prayed over by Pastor Larry a few months earlier and while he was praying he spoke natural child birth over me. It was out of no where and Micheal and I both attribute my amazing delivery to that moment of prayer. It was absolutely amazing. I couldn't have asked or imagined a better experience. Just like Ephesians 3:20 says. Our God is such a good, good Father!
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