Mikayla's Birth Story (Mama's Version)

Mikayla Jade

6 lbs, 12 oz

19 inches long

Born at 10:40 p.m, January 28, 2011

I'm finally getting the chance to write my version of Mikayla's birth story. Definitely TMI for some you, so if you just want the quick lowdown, the abridged version may be just for you...

The Abridged Version:
We were headed out to birthday dinner with the boys and MiMi and Papa. Contractions started on the way, and all through dinner I was trying to monitor what was going on. By the time we got back to the house, they were 7 minutes apart. (My instructions were to head to the birth center using the 511 rule: contractions should be 5 minutes apart, lasting for at least 1 minute, for 1 hour straight.) The kids were so excited to have birthday cake and give me a few presents...which we did in between contractions while I was laying on the bed. Within the hour, it became apparent that the contractions were not going away, and not only that, we totally bypassed the 5 minute apart mark, and they were now about 3 minutes apart. Oops.

MiMi and PaPa had already left for the lake to get their things, so we called neighbor Jackie (who is a labor and delivery nurse educator) and she quickly came over to help with the boys and drive us to the center, which allowed Scott to call everyone back and tell them that it was indeed for real, and if they didn't hurry, they might miss the whole thing! Upon arrival, I was already 9.5 cm. dilated...wow! They soon had me in the tub to help ease the pain, and wow was there enough pain to go around for everyone in the room.

Four hours and 40 minutes after the first "real" contraction, Mikayla slipped out into her Daddy's arms, and was quickly put on my chest. The boys both got to witness the miracle of birth, and Ont Onchee as well. The room soon had a party like atmosphere, and PaPa and MiMi and Denise soon joined us in the room to help celebrate.

I'll save the emotional gushiness for the unabridged version, but we are so thankful in so many ways for how the stars seemed aligned to bring this baby into the world. First and foremost, Scott was there for the whole thing! His presence, or possible lack thereof, had grown to be a fairly big stress point over the last few weeks. PaPa was in town, which we thought would be a real long shot. It wasn't during the work day, so both Denise and Angie could be there. And, of all things, it was on my birthday!? One of my friends labeled that "cosmic." Fitting? The ONLY thing that didn't work out was that our doula was out of town. Sigh. Though I can hardly complain...

The Unabridged Version:

The day of my birthday, we were getting breakfast, and I looked at Scott and said, "Well, guess she won't come on my birthday." He responded "Honey, there are a lot of hours left in the day..."

We were headed out to birthday dinner at 6:00 with the boys and MiMi and Papa. As we pulled into our parking space, I said to Scott "just so you know, I had 2 contractions on the way here that I'm pretty sure weren't fake." I got the deer in headlights look as a response. Dinner was...weird. I was concentrating on my body, and trying to have conversation...I know at one point we even tackled religion as a conversation topic (really?), but I did manage to put down half of a Panini.

By the time we got back to the house, contractions were 7 minutes apart. (My instructions were to head to the birth center using the 511 rule: contractions should be 5 minutes apart, lasting for at least 1 minute, for 1 hour straight.) I called our back-up doula, Jaime, (since Sally sadly was out of town,) Nicole, the photographer, and Denise. Jamie told me to "lay down, maybe take a shower, drink a glass of water...sometimes you'll have contractions for an hour and they go away." Well, for her birthday, this mama had actually already showered and done her hair for the first time that week, so a shower was out of the question. (After all, we were going to have a photographer at the birth...)

The boys were so excited to have birthday cake and give me a few presents...which we managed to do in between contractions while I was laying on the bed. Within the hour, however, it became apparent that the contractions were not going away. I asked Scott to step in with the timing and tracking. Another round of phone calls to the birth participants telling them it was for real and to get moving. In between, we tried to throw our last minute items in our bags. Packing, along with the phone calls, quickly became difficult, however, since we had totally bypassed the 5 minute apart mark, and contractions were now about 3 minutes apart. Oops.

MiMi and PaPa had already left for the lake to get their things (in hindsight, not so smart), so we called neighbor Jackie (who is a labor and delivery nurse educator) and she quickly came over to help with the boys and drive us to the center, which allowed Scott to call everyone back AGAIN and tell them that it was indeed for real, and if they didn't hurry, they might miss the whole thing! I'm not sure exactly where MiMi and PaPa were on the highway when they received this phone call, but I'm pretty sure they were now breaking the speed limit. They had instructions to call Angie as well and tell her she better get on the road. The drive was a bit brutal. I remember gripping the "Oh S%$#" handle the entire time and hoping desperately that we could just get there...

Upon arrival at Nativity, I was already 9.5 cm. dilated and in transition...wow! They soon had me in the tub to help ease the pain, and wow was there enough pain to go around for everyone in the room. I had no sense of time at this point, but here is what I remember:

First, I was LOUD. In our birthing class, they had said that most woman in labor don't scream like the movies, but have more of a low gutteral moan. Not this Mama. I could have been in the movies, I think. (People afterward said it wasn't that loud, but I'm pretty sure they were downplaying it.)

Second, there was a sea of loving voices and faces surrounding the tub: Melanie, the midwife, whose steady voice and instructions kept me calm, Christy, her student, Bobby Lynn, the birth assistant, Jaime, my sister, my hubby, (who all 3 were supporting me from behind and trying to hold me up,) and my two beautiful boys. Well, some of the time, at least. Luka was all eyes and didn't seem to want to miss anything. Only twice did he run out of the room to give an update. TJ, on the other hand, didn't really like to see his mom in pain, and took a few more frequent breaks. As the story goes, when she was ready to come out, Luka ran out and said "TJ, quick, come on, the baby's head is halfway out. Don't miss it!" How cute that he didn't want his brother to miss anything! My sister has since said "I don't think I will ever forget the sight of her little head, halfway out, full of hair, with only one eye out."

Third: The pain was incredible. I know I kept asking "when is she coming?" The only answer I ever got was "soon." Well, that certainly cleared it up for me. And then another contraction would come, and I was loud again, and gripping the tub handles, and trying to breathe. Sally later mentioned that for some women whose labors are very quick, the body never really has a chance to adjust to the various stages of labor, or the increased pain levels. In other words, you never really are able to get into a groove, which might explain some of the intense pain, because I certainly cannot imagine that level of pain for women whose labors last 24 hours or more. Of course, it was also suggested that we have a "labor project" for the early stages of labor at home. You know, tidying up the house, packing your bag, organizing the medicine cabinet (that was mine)...yeah, that didn't really go as anticipated either...but then again, the only "birth plan" we had was to go with the flow, and use no intervention to the extent possible. So, if that was the only measurement, I think we were successful!

Fourth: The overwhelming and simultaneous feeling of bliss, relief and exhaustion the moment she came out. This part makes me cry. The look on the faces of those around me, including Luka, who had this look of pure pride on his face. Me saying "we did it!" and feeling like I had accomplished what so many other women the world over have done for centuries. And this little tiny creature, curled up on my stomach, screaming, but feeling the closeness of her mother, just as she had for 8 months before, dependent, and ready to be welcomed and cuddled and loved by her whole family.

Soon after, of course, there is a bunch of business to be taken care of: cord blood, baby weigh in, placenta delivery (I think Nicole took about 20 pictures of that alone,) first nursing session, an herbal bath for me and Mikayla, and of course the opportunity to have everyone hold Mikayla for the first time. There was a festive air in the room. The boys came in and out freely and were encouraged to be a part of all the action. Luka soon got tired and wanted to go home, but TJ was in it for the long haul, and he soon fell asleep next to me on the bed.

Our birthing guests soon trickled home, and we stayed in the room to tie up loose ends...I actually started to have pretty severe post-partum contractions that lasted up to 20 minutes...way longer than labor contractions where you had a break at least. Once again, I was on my knees rocking and breathing, but these suckers seemed to last forever! (This was totally unanticipated for me, and in fact they continued for the next 24 hours much to my dismay.) In any case, Scott got a little, nap next to TJ, and I fed Mikayla one last time.

Then, at 3:00 a.m., 7 hours after we arrived, we packed up the car and headed home. It was the most surreal feeling, driving through the Woodlands..."what the heck had just happened??" Seven hours ago was my birthday dinner and now here we are, driving home with a baby in the back seat??

What an incredible birthday to remember!