The Birth of Mia Emeline

[JensJulyBoy05]

The birth of Mia Emeline 1/15/11

I spent my entire pregnancy completely on cloud nine and in disbelief that I was really, truly, FINALLY, pregnant. We tried to concieve for over two years and suffered two losses within that time. I cherished every moment of pregnancy, even the times I was exhausted, nauseous and couldn't eat a thing. We had waited so long for this. We were thrilled. As happy as I was, I will admit,  I also had moments of fear. After the previous miscarriages, I would sometimes question whether this pregnancy would make it or whether I would have a healthy baby. I knew in my heart that all was well and she was healthy, but sometimes I let my mind get the best of me. I guess part of me may have believed that my body was broken. My previous miscarriage still weighed heavy on my heart.

 

My pregnancy was pretty uneventful. I chose a great midwife who lived about an hour and a half to two hours away. I had interviewed local midwives in my area and hate to say, I was not impressed. I wanted someone who trusted birth, not an at home version of an OB and sadly, that's what they seem to be around here.  My midwife wasn't bogged down by the rules of licensure. I didn't have to worry about being induced if I had gone "over due" or given a million unnecessary tests, or being risked out if my baby was breech (the list goes on). She simply trusted birth and that is what I was looking for. I'm so glad we chose her. 

 

 

On January 9th, two days before my due date, contractions started at around 9pm. They started out about 20 minutes apart, and by about 5am they were at 10 minutes. I was a little surprised. I definitely expected to go at least a week if not 2 weeks passed my due date. Aidan was induced at 42wks1day, but looking back on it I think my dates were off. Anyway..since Brenda had a bit of a drive, we thought it was time to give her a call. She arrived at about 7:30am. Contractions stayed consistent at 10 minutes all day. I walked, rocked on the birth ball, and pretty much spent most of the day on my hands and knees. By late evening contractions let up and moved to about 45 minutes apart. Brenda stayed the night and by morning nothing was happening. We all had breakfast and she went home around 11. After she left, contractions picked up again at 10 minutes and pretty much stayed that way for the next 6 days. It's safe to say I got nearly NO sleep for a week. 

 

 

On the evening of January 14th (times become a little fuzzy here so I will try to remember the best I can) contractions started going below 10 minutes but were still all over the place. 7minutes, 9 minutes, 5 minutes, 3 minutes, then back to 7 minutes. What a mess. I was texting Vicki and Christy who were both giving me great support. It was definitely needed and much appreciated. After a little while of contractions being consistent at 5 and 3 minutes, Walker decided to give Brenda a call. It was maybe about 8 or 9 pm? I don't really remember. After he called Brenda my contractions moved back to 10 minutes. This is when I had my emotional breakdown and told him this baby was not going to be born tonight, Brenda was coming out again for NOTHING and that he should NOT have called her. Then I cried for about half an hour or so. lol. I was SO TIRED. Walker kept reminding me that I could do this. I was doing this. He rubbed my back, held me, encouraged me when I needed the encouragement. He heated up rice packs for my back. Applied pressure and did the hip squeeze... god that was heavenly!  He was amazing. I'm crying thinking about it. I finally told him that I NEEDED to get in the pool. I don't know how any woman in the world would WANT to lay on her back during labor. The bed was the last place on earth I wanted to be. Every time a contraction hit I needed to jump up and sway, rock, get on my hands and knees, etc. The bed was the most painful place on the planet. I asked Walker to fill the pool and get in with me so I could lay on him and get some sleep between contractions. He did. The pool felt wonderful. I was able to get on hands and knees and rock and then sleep on his chest in between. That was the most sleep I had gotten all week and it was great. At about 10:30 or so Brenda arrived. She came in to greet me and ask how I was doing. I sadly told her that she most likely came all the way across town for no reason because my contractions were ten minutes apart again. She didn't mind. She sat quietly with us through a contraction or two,then she left Walker and I to labor alone and went to rest on the couch. I so love her for that.

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At about 2am I told Walker to go ahead and get some sleep. I was SURE nothing was going to happen and there was no point in us both being exhausted the next day. He would have to care for Aidan in a few hours and he needed some rest. So I stayed in the pool and he climbed in bed. Soon after he was snoring things seemed to pick up a bit. I started getting more vocal with my contractions. It turned from breathing through them to a deep low moan. After a while I turned to look at the clock and realized they seemed to be about 3 mins apart or so but I still wasn't convinced this was the real deal. They had been 3 minutes apart before. I wasn't impressed. I woke Walker up at about 3:30 (I think) because I needed more hot water. At around 4:30 I noticed that with a few contractions my body would give a very slight push and I thought wtf is that about? I was no where near the pushing phase. What the hell? Well actually, according to me, this wasn't even real labor yet. lol . Walker went and got Brenda, who had been awake and just quietly listening. She later told me that she knew it was almost time and she knew when she got there the baby would be born that night but she waited quietly and knew we would come and get her if we wanted or needed her. (Did I mention that I love her?). She came into the room and I asked her to check heart tones. (Not sure why.. it was definitely unnecessary. But I probably thought I was going to be in labor for another 100 years so I figured might as well lol.)   I said to Brenda "what is up with the pushy business? I don't feel ready to push? Why is my body doing that!? It's too early! lol. Again, I was induced with Aidan, and I had such *intense* pain and pressure I was BEGGING to push in the hospital... I was kind of expecting that, I guess. This was still way too peaceful to be the real deal. lol. Brenda's simple response was "Just do whatever your body wants you to do hunny." Well alright..lol. I kept moaning through contractions. Walker sat in front of me holding my hand. Brenda stayed off to the side quietly. It was dark and peaceful in the room. Just one small candle lit. I had been laboring in the dark all week. The light bothered me. At about 5 something my body gave a slightly harder push. Still confused, I thought, "I'm not in transition... I'm not screaming in pain... I'm not flailing about losing my mind, throwing up, or crying that I can't do this, all those things I felt in transition with Aidan. This can't be it. " I was seriously still in denial. lol. Next contraction my body gave another push and I looked at Brenda and  calmly but shocked said ..... "umm.... I feel a head... " Brenda wasn't really that surprised she just said "ok". LOL.  I remembered to blow so I wouldn't tear and all of a sudden my baby slid right out into the water. I reached down and caught her and brought her to my chest. At 5:25 my daughter was born. I was a crying mess! And I mean the full on ugly cry! I couldn't believe it! I never felt the "ring of fire", I never felt any pressure, I never felt my water break. It all happened so fast! I couldn't believe it happened that quickly and easily. Without even a single *voluntary* push! I couldn't believe I JUST HAD A BABY. OMG! I DID IT!!!! (I'm crying again right now lol) She was so tiny!! And completely covered in vernix. As you all know I didn't yet know SHE was a SHE. I was expecting a HE so I kept saying HE until Brenda suggested I take a peek between the legs and double check. lol.  IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!! OMG!!! I cried some more. Walker cried. We were completely overjoyed. We had both secretly hoped for a girl but I was just so convinced we were having another boy. What a wonderful surprise! Throughout my entire pregnancy people would constantly ask how we could NOT find out the sex. I'm SO glad we didn't. That was the most amazing surprise of my life. I'm still amazed. 

 She nursed a bit while we were still in the pool but I wasn't able to pull her up enough to get comfortable. Her cord was kind of short.  Brenda later said that her cord was about 12 inches. So Walker cut it at about  20 minutes maybe? Could have been longer, I don't remember. We had already made phone calls and sent pictures, and everything and I was still a crying mess. LOL. I know it was no longer pulsing and I REALLY wanted to get out of that pool. I stood up, blew on my thumb (midwife's little nifty trick) placenta came right out and I got out of there. I bled a bit so I took a few doses of hemhalt (herbal tincture). We got into bed and Mia nursed like a champ. She wasn't weighed or examined until a few hours later when I asked for her to be weighed. Brenda left us to bond and snuggle as long as we wanted with no interference whatsoever. Aidan walked in just as I was getting out of the pool and said "YAY I'm a big brother! Wow, it looks like someone got dead in here. Can I play my nintendo wii?" Then he left. lol.

 

 

We didn't have a name picked out so she was just the "little girl with no name" for about two days. Finally we chose Mia, a variant of Maria meaning "wished for child". It suits her perfectly. =)

 

 

Mia is healthy as can be and nurses wonderfully. (She sleeps most of the night too.. be jealous =P ) She is so alert and so curious. Always wide eyed and looking around since the moment she was born. She already seems to have so much going on in that little mind of hers. I'm so fascinated by her. I feel wonderful and completely empowered. Her birth was truly a life changing experience (so cliche I know). Thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. I couldn't have asked for a more peaceful and calm way to bring my daughter into the world. I couldn't have dreamed for a better birth. It was just so simple and I would do it all over again tomorrow. This was also such an intimate moment between my husband and I. I have never felt closer to him or more in love with him. This experience definitely brought us closer together. It was such a beautiful moment and I will forever cherish that memory. He was incredible and I feell so incredibly blessed to have him. I still get all emotional thinking about it. 

 

 

Now if you'll excuse me, I must go and cotinue shopping online for everything pink, ruffled, and covered in glitter. =P

 

 

PS- Sorry for any typo's or for any parts that don't make sense. I'm sure you can tell I am full of emotion while writing this and totally still high on birth and baby love. Oh and of course I'm NAK. ;-)

[JensJulyBoy05]

Feb. 8, 2011 at 8:40 PM

Sorry the format sucks. I copied and pasted and thats how it came out. I'm nak so couldn't fix it lol. 

(Original Poster)

[Eco_Momma]

Feb. 8, 2011 at 10:33 PM

<3 I already told you on Facebook but I'm so happy for you! You were so beautiful during your pregnancy and you are a wonderful Woman/Wife/Mother and friend.

  Just.... you should have had Mia on the 14th and she could have shared a b-day with Jonah! <3 <3