a birth story.

gentry gayle, 1 minute old.

With the birth of my son quickly approaching, I have been thinking a lot about the birth of my daughter. I have yet to put her birth story into words so sixteen months later- it seems it is time.

I have to preface this by saying that it took 2 years, thousands of dollars, many miles driven, a lot of hormone medicine, and several uncomfortable procedures to FINALLY become pregnant ... Naturally. God works in mysterious ways. We were a couple months out from taking the huge step of doing IVF (invitro fertilization) when BAM! I got pregnant without any meds, any help from a doctor. So needless to say, we were shocked but oh.so.ready. 

I had already decided I wanted to have a natural birth. And was already seeing a midwife throughout the infertility daze.

We quickly signed up for a natural birth class series. I started doing prenatal yoga. I was ready for this. And even though I was sick those first 20 weeks, it hardly mattered. I had fought hard for this feeling of having a baby grow inside me. It was and is magical.

Our due date was April 11, 2013. On April 12th, my husband and I decided to go on an impromptu date. We decided on burgers at Sidebar and a movie at the Kentucky Theater. 

We made it home pretty late that night and I was so ready to dive into bed and get a good night of sleep. But as I started to doze into a state of sleep, I began feeling some tightness in my belly that felt different than the Braxton Hicks contractions I had been having the weeks leading up to this moment. 

I moved to the couch around midnight and spent the night watching TV and dozing in and out of sleep while labor began. By morning, I knew it was real. My contractions had been about 20-30 minutes apart all night and were slowly getting more frequent. Our plan was to labor at home as long as possible so I had no intention of heading to the hospital anytime soon. We stayed in contact with our midwife as I utilized our home during labor. 

At one point, I was outside walking around our backyard and our sweet neighbor came out and asked what I was doing. She couldn't believe I wasn't racing to the hospital but I knew it was not time.

As the day went on, the contractions became even more frequent and more painful, just as they are supposed to. I relaxed in the bath, I ate snacks, watched some golf and then at about 5:30pm, I had a contraction so painful- I knew it was time. I was leaning over the side of our love seat and I yelled out in pain.

The car was packed. Let's go! 

We arrived at the hospital and I had to stop several times on the way up to the birthing center to breathe through contractions. We finally made it and discovered they never received our registration papers. So they start asking me questions much to my dismay. I just wanted beyond those double doors.

After a couple minutes, we were admitted to the one room with a tub. YES! 

I walked in as nurses swirled around me, preparing the room and swoosh! my water breaks! Good timing. I cried to the nurse, "I think I just peed on myself. I can't stop!" She reassured me I did not, in fact, pee myself, my water had just broken.

I anxiously waited for the tub to fill so I could maybe get some relief. They monitored me for a bit and things seemed to be healthily progressing but when they checked my dilation progress, I was only at 3 cm. 3 cm!? I wanted to throw a childish temper tantrum. The contractions were too close and too painful for me to only be at 3 cm. 

I made my way into the tub and stayed there for what seemed like hours. My husband by my side the whole time. Never wavering. Consistently telling me what a great job I was doing.

father and daughter, a new kind of love.

By the time I got out, my body was a prune. They checked me again. No progress.

My patient, amazing nurse and friend, Rachel, was in contact with my midwife this whole time. My midwife eventually decided to offer me some morphine to ease some pain. They were afraid I was getting too weak and tired, having already been in labor for over 20 hours.
I remember rocking back and forth on my yoga ball, my head resting on the edge of the bed, my mind starting to doubt and saying several times "I don't know how much longer I can do this," with tears forming in my eyes. And then my darling Rachel who just so happens to be a doula and massage therapist, suggested I get in the bed and she would rub my feet. I dug deep into my soul and decided the morphine was just not an option for me at this point. But a foot massage, I can do! I got into the bed and she massaged my feet for a while. To this day, I am convinced this was the magic potion I needed. 

I laid on my side to see if I could get some relief. I was checked again. 7 cm this time! Things are happening! And literally, a moment later I felt the urge to push. I told Rachel I was feeling pressure and I couldn't resist the urge to bear down and try to push this baby out. 

The next thing I knew, Rachel and another nurse were preparing to deliver this baby. My midwife was on the way but there was no time to wait for her- this baby was on her way. As I lay on my side, husband cheering me on, holding tight to the side rail of the bed, screaming in a way that I never had before and seemed so out of character for me, Gentry Gayle flew- yes, flew out of my body at 11:57 pm (3 minutes from tax day). I went from 7 cm to a baby in my arms within 40 minutes. If you don't know a lot about birthing rates, this is very rare especially for a first time mama. I pushed maybe three times and there she was. The sweetest little face I had ever seen.

WE did it.

I accomplished what I set out to do- have a natural birth. I felt strong. But I also felt BEAT. Many women told me about this immediate relief/euphoria they felt in the moments after birthing their babies. I didn't feel that so immediately. It wasn't until I was moved into my new room, holding my baby with my husband sitting on the bed with us that I felt ease. My family was a unit of three. It was perfect. And I felt proud of all us.

mother and daughter, a dream come true.