Two Days Late, Right On Time: Livie Grace

Had you access to the parking lot surveillance at the hospital yesterday afternoon about lunchtime, you would have seen our car wheeling into the parking lot through the exit. 

And here is the story of why...

Up at 6 am, my day started as it usually does. By seven all my kids were up and I made them waffles. By 9 I still hadn't taken a shower for the day and I was having contractions, so I decided I should go ahead and do that. 

Even though I've already had three babies, I am a complete novice when it comes to natural labor having been induced with each one. So, when I finally decided my contractions were painful and frequent enough to sit down and time at 10:30, I was still following doctor protocol and trying to decided if I should call them or not. They had instructed me that I should be having minute long contractions that are five minutes apart for an hour before I go to the hospital. Mine were 5 minutes apart, but lasting only 30 seconds and although painful, not unbearable. The contractions kept coming and I felt anxious, so I called the doctor around 11. 

The nurse suggested I drink a bunch of water to make sure it wasn't just dehydration and call her back in about 20 minutes. I called Tony just to let him know what was going on and got up for water. In the time it took for me to get up, chug three glasses of water and put some clothes in the dryer, the contractions started coming every 4 minutes. I called Tony again and suggested he head home. Then I called the doctor back and she told me we should go ahead to the hospital and she would let them know we were on our way. 

I started gathering my kids, their packed bags, my packed bags and had everyone ready when Tony got there. He made record time from his office...thankfully. We loaded up and headed to my parents house to drop off the kids and by this time the contractions were coming every three minutes. 

The contractions were painful but still not unbearable and the few minutes in between I felt completely normal such a different experience from being induced in the past. 

On our way to my mom's I sent her a message to let her know we were dropping and running and we had a record unload time for kids and car seats. Really, I have to say, everything ran like a well oiled machine. 

Once the kids were out of the car, Tony went into Nascar mode and we booked it for the hospital. We actually contemplated running a red light at a very busy intersection when we were getting close to the hospital- and a small part of me was actually afraid Tony really would. The contractions were every two minutes and I was wishing myself inside those safe doors. 

This is where you would have seen us wheeling into the exit at the hospital. The entrance gate was down and we simply didn't have time to explain who were were and why we needed to get inside. I'd like to draw attention to the fact that although we came in at an unsafe (and undisclosed) speed and crooked, we did not bumper car our way down the entrance. Tony really should look into a Nascar career. 

I did not want Tony to take the time to park, I just wanted inside. He objected to leaving the car under the portico, so we compromised and he dropped me off at the door where I waddled in and held the elevator (pausing for a contraction) and he parked and ran in. 

The kind volunteer lady at the front desk did not deserve the papers I flung in her face with my preadmission information I had failed to turn in during the previous 40 weeks of my pregnancy (I'm sorry already, ok? Now I see why the suggest doing it...). And never in my life have I seen someone write my name so slowly as I panted through another contraction. "They are every two minutes, we need to get back fast" I told her. 

Finally we went through those blessed doors, down the hall and into Labor and Delivery room number 5. This was sometime after 12:30. I was already 7 to 8 centimeters dilated and according to the lovely and gentle Dr. Walker who was on hand, he thought we'd have a baby sooner than we'd have an epidural. 

Given my history of epidurals not working, I didn't see a reason to suffer through what feels like a nail being pounded into your back when it probably wouldn't work anyways. I also refused narcotics through my iv, even though I definitely wished for them just a little while later. 

Although it felt like an eternity of pushing, and I was to later find out my water was only broken for 16 minutes, Livie Grace was born less than an hour after we arrived at the hospital. No pain meds and with the most, helpful and loving husband by my side to champion me through the painful process. What would I do without him? 

I laughed and I cried when that sweet baby was laid in my arms, my heart was surging with joy and relief and love undiluted by the drugs of unnatural labor. I'm so grateful that modern medicine makes it possible to intervene in childbirth when the baby is in danger, such as with my sweet Kaylen who could easily have been stillborn had medical intervention not been possible. But I'm really grateful that I got to experience natural childbirth- with it's liberal dose of pain- because at the end, I got to experience a release of emotion that I have never had before. And it was beautiful. 

Our beautiful third baby girl was 7 pounds 7 ounces and already fills our hearts with her tiny presence. Welcome to the world my sweet Livie Grace.