From about week 34 on, I started having lots of contractions. Sometimes they'd get stronger and close together for 1-2 hours, and I would worry that she would make her appearance too soon and have to deal with a NICU stay. Working in the NICU, I did not want that to happen. Once I reached about week 25, I was taking care of babies the same gestational age as my baby was. It was amazing to me to see that what I was holding and feeding, was also inside me, growing and thriving!
Luckily, my babe had no plans of an early entrance. In fact, just like her sister, she decided she didn't even want to come until well over her "due date". Let me just say- I hate due dates. They say a baby is term between 37-42 weeks, but give us this date that we then get stuck in our mind that says when baby should come. It can be stressful when the day comes and goes, and then you are left wondering and waiting even longer. Wondering if this baby will physically even be able to come out because they have to be at least 10 pounds or more at this point. Ok, maybe that was just me. I tried not to stress and worry, but I worked on my due date, and every day I was asked at least a million times " No baby yet? You know, sex works. Go jump on a trampoline. Drink castor oil. Bounce on an exercise ball. Etc. etc." ... Yeah. I know all that. And obviously, it doesn't work for everyone. Babies come when they want to come. And, sometimes, they need a little push. Emma was the same way, and maybe I am just the type who carry babies for a long time. Or my uterus is just a very, very comfortable place to be :)
Maya decided to stay 41 weeks and 1 day. Of course, she would have probably stayed much longer had we not given her a push to come. I was torn between induction and waiting another week. However, since I had so many false alarms and contractions that just never led anywhere, I didn't want to wait another week and still just have to be induced. So, Kyle and I talked it over and over and over again. I wanted to go into labor naturally, since I didn't get to with Emma. Mainly because I wanted to labor without pain medication. Inductions cause stronger and more painful contractions, and I couldn't handle it with Emma so I had an epidural. That epidural failed by the time I was ready to push, and I felt everything. Ouch! But, the sweet relief once she was out was amazing. I wanted to know I could do it without an epidural at all, if I knew I could deliver her without pain relief. I didn't want to do it because I wanted to prove something or say I was stronger than anyone else- just to know that mentally I was capable. Physically my body was, but I'm kind of a baby when it comes to pain. I just wanted to see if I could. We decided to go forward with the induction, I received a blessing and we prayed that everything would go smoothly and baby and myself would be healthy.
We were scheduled to show up to the hospital at 3 pm on Thursday, June 4th. As we left to take Emma to Kyle's parents, our truck shut down. The gas gauge doesn't always read correctly, and of course at this point it decided to deceive us into thinking we had a half a tank of gas. We were running behind, I was stressed, hot, and sweating. Luckily it stopped close to home, so Kyle ran home and grabbed a gas tank that had s little bit of gas in it. We made it to the gas station and filled up, but the truck wouldn't start! I had already called my dad by this point, and he and my brother met us just in case the truck had problems. We finally got it going, but 10 minutes before I was supposed to be at the hospital, and we still had Emma to drop off. So, my brother took me to the hospital and Kyle went to drop Emma off. I was stressing, and upset because I wanted to get one last family photo at his parents before Maya came, but there was no time. And now I would be showing up to the hospital without my sweet husband. I got there just a few minutes late and checked in, however, it wasn't until 4:30 that we got to our room. I was beginning to think maybe this just wasn't the right thing, and I had no nap, didn't sleep in, I was already tired! Once we finally got the pitocin started at 6 pm, the nurse told me I was lucky she got my IV in and started, or they would have sent me home because it got super busy and they had a few ladies walk in in labor. I was so glad to hear I wasn't going home, and finally felt a little peace about it all and knew it would be ok and this is where I should be.
My mom had 6 kids, 3 un-medicated, and 3 with an epidural. She kept teasing me because she had NO idea why I would WANT to labor without pain relief. By about 2:30, I was shaking uncontrollably, and having a really hard time staying relaxed through contractions. I wanted the nurse to check and see how "close" I was, but did not want to get back in that uncomfortable bed for even a second. Mentally, I was really struggling. I caved. Once I told her to get the anesthesiologist, she stayed in the room for what felt like forever chatting with my mom and Kyle- I wanted to scream at her because at that point I just wanted relief, haha. I got the epidural just before 3. That was hard to sit through! Once I got comfy in bed, it was so nice to relax. Why did I wait, again? ;) The nurse checked me and I was at an 8-9! I almost made it! Now I was kicking myself because I was so close. Within 30 min I could feel tons of pressure, and told her I felt like it was time. Yep- a 10 and her head was right there! She said not to push since my first came so fast and the doctor wasn't there yet and it would takee him about twenty minutes to show up.
Once my doctor showed up and 4 pushes later (at 3:58 am) my little 8 pound 20 inch Maya Rayne was officially earth side. No tears, no complications, it was wonderful! I felt like a million bucks. (complete opposite of how I felt after having Emma, I tore and fractured my tailbone delivering her). We delayed the cord clamping for a few minutes while she was on my chest, then skin to skin for the first hour. It was quiet, peaceful, and she nursed like a champ!
Even though it wasn't the "ideal" birth experience I had in my mind as far as going into labor naturally and lasting without an epidural, I figure by the last kid I'll be able to ;) I lasted much longer this time than I did with Emma! Practice makes perfect. No matter what the circumstances are of any birth experience, the amazing thing is that my body grew a tiny human for 41 weeks and 1 day, and I birthed that tiny human, and now my body is able to nourish that tiny human. How miraculous is that?!
Kyle and I aren't quite sure what we did to deserve such precious little daughters, but we are overwhelmed with gratitude that they chose us to be their parents.
PS- Your welcome for that marvelous rain storm she brought down with her :)
