Birth Story

Let's start on Monday, Oct 10. I had my weekly doctors appt, where she told me that I was already dilated to 4cm, and since I had had steady contractions that had died off the night before, I needed to head to the hospital the next time I had contractions for no more than an hour. She also said, "How about if nothing happens before Wednesday morning at 5:30 we start you on Petocin?" I agreed, without really thinking about what I was agreeing to. Kirsta came down from Denver Tuesday morning and we spent that day trying to bring on labor ourselves by lifting heavy things, using my breast pump, and eating spicy green chili for dinner. After Jonathan got home from work that night we decided together that induction wasn't what we wanted to do, regardless if it meant knowing the baby would be out of me a few hours from then. I called the hospital to tell them I was nixing the induction, and the lady I talked to was the sweetest, most supportive nurse in the world! If I've ever been unsure about a decision, she definitely backed me up 110% and made me feel like the greatest person alive for wanting labor to come naturally. So I went to bed that night feeling wonderful, knowing that it would happen when it happened. And it happened.


I woke up at 2am with a sharp, shooting contraction, and knew that I had just had another one that incorporated into my dream. I got out of bed and after only 3 super painful contractions I knew this was the real deal, so I woke up Jonathan and then went and sat on my exercise ball and started timing. They were coming every 2 minutes and lasting about 45 seconds. Jonathan went downstairs to wake up Kirsta, who happily got up, got dressed and immediately started massaging my back during contractions. We called Melody (my mother-in-law) to come over and stay with the 4 kids at my house while we went to the hospital. I checked into labor and delivery at 3am on the dot, and we made ourselves at home in our labor room, where Kirsta took position as my personal fanner (is that a word?) because I was SOOO hot! I seriously felt like it was 1000 degrees in my room. She was also the worlds best coach, talking me through each and every contraction, telling me to sway my hips, yell ouch as much as I needed to, and never forget to breath. Jonathan set up shop behind me as my masseuse, and trust me, I did NOT let him stop until it was all over. Contractions or not, he was NOT to stop massaging. Lucky for him, it was short. :) My nurse, who is not going down on my list of favorite people, was taking her sweet time with everything, not seeming to give any kind of hoot every time I would yell, "WHERE IS MY EPIDURAL?" She'd casually reply, "Well, first we have to do this. It's coming, don't worry." Or something else not reassuring at all. I kept wondering how much time had gone by, but I refused to look because I knew I'd freak out if it had only been like, 15 minutes. Anyway~ finally my nurse said, "I need you to lay on the bed so I can put this IV in you." As she's casually digging around in both of my wrists I looked at her and said, "I need to push!" She just stared at me blankly. Like an idiot. Then she said, "Well let me take this IV out and when this contraction is through let me check you." She checked me and sure enough, I was at 10 cm!! She told me I was ready and what did I do? I BURST into tears. I was SO SO scared of what was about to come. I said, "So no pain meds?" And she just shook her head. A lot of people aspire to have natural child birth, but I am not one of them. I was scared that my body would tear in half, or that somehow I just wouldn't be able to do it, all the while know that I HAD to do it, pain killer free, and I was SCARED. She ran to grab the doctor, who never made it. A whole rush of nurses and residents came in and through my hysterics I pushed like I physically did not think my body could push, and 3 pushes later Addilyn was out at 4:48am. I regained my composure for a second to realize what just happened. Then I asked for my phone, called my mom and lost it again. I just kept telling her how scared I was, and she kept asking, "Why are you scared? The baby is already out." And I'm like, "I wanted an epidural!! I couldn't do it!! I'm so scared!" I guess it was scary. :) WHEW. Talk about an adrenaline rush for the next few hours. I was just bewildered and couldn't believe what had just happened.

There's no way I can ever thank Kirsta and Jonathan enough for all their help. I truly know that there is NO WAY I could've done it without both of them.