Lydia's Birth Day

This is the super long version of Lydia's birth story. I guess I'm making up for lost time on here! I just don't want to forget anything!

On Friday the 22nd, I noticed my braxton hicks becoming more uncomfortable, but I pretty much just brushed them off. I ignored them because I tend to cramp and have them quite frequently near the end of my pregnancy. Looking back though, I'm sure things were kicking into gear. I had an appointment that afternoon and being Good Friday, Matt was off from work, so he was able to come and we brought Stevie along to see the Dr. again. My Dr. gave Stevie a little crocheted bunny magnet (I'm guessing for Easter) and did the usual checks on me. She called the baby a "she" again this visit, "She's a little wiggle worm"...and I was still left wondering if it was a "slip" or was that just what she was calling the baby this visit? Anyway, during my "check" she asked if I had any dilation prior to this 38 week visit. I was immediately disappointed by this question thinking I must have backtracked somehow and closed up. At 36 weeks, I had been a centimeter and 75%. I declined a check at 37 weeks. My disappointment quickly turned around when she said I was an easy 3 and 95%! I was so excited and said, "I don't even care if this baby takes another 3 weeks! It's just so nice knowing I've got some work out of the way before it's really begun!" Then my Dr. said something about seeing if I make it through the night or that week. Well, been there done that. Last time she said that with Stevie, and he didn't come for another month!

Even though I dismissed the Dr.'s comment about possibly not making it through the night, it really made the possibility real to Matt and I that the baby could come at any time. With baby #2, I was much more distracted...afterall, baby #1 and other life responsibilities were taking up a lot of time and attention. As we got to my final month, however, I just had this feeling this baby was going to come early...and I wouldn't be ready! With Stevie, we tried everything to try to put me into labor. With Lydia, we tried everything NOT to, haha. So, ask Matt, the final month was spent with me in a stressed panic mode. It drove him nuts...but it probably drove me nuts even more. I had so much to do to get ready for the baby...and I knew I wasn't going to get it all done. Once her name hat (and the hat we ordered had she been a boy) arrived when I was 37 weeks, I relaxed a bit. We decided that was going to be how we announced her gender and name at the hospital...so the baby couldn't come before the hats did! Anyway, after that final appointment, I called my mom, and we went out for dinner at good old Micky D's. My mom told me to eat something good because it might be awhile before I ate again...joking about me going into labor that night. But, excitement about the coming baby and those uncomfortable, frequent braxton hicks kept me from really enjoying my meal.

I don't remember anything else that happened after the meal that night until...

I must've been contracting during the night but trying to sleep through them...again not thinking much of them. At 4:45am however, I realized I was pretty regular and feeling a bit in my bottom, so maybe I better pay more attention and time them. At that point, they were 5 minutes apart. By 5am, I was pretty certain they were doing something...umm, didn't take me very long to figure it out, haha, so I turned the light on to finish tossing some things in the hospital bag. Matt woke up, but immune to my weird ways, didn't think anything of me doing that at 5am. So, I snapped him out of that state by telling him he may not be playing his long awaited 1st paintball game of the season that afternoon! He says he still didn't really believe it till he saw me stopping during some contractions. I didn't really believe it myself. I kept saying, "It's so early!" (because Stevie was 1-2 weeks late). I really hoped for delivery day to be May 1st (my Dr. was on call then, it was a few days early), so April 23rd just felt ridiculous....and while I packed, I repeated over and over, "so if this is real, she's a girl! She's going to be one prompt little girl!" I was hoping my water would break, so I would be sure...but it never did. We got some more things ready, I took a shower...and noticed a little pink (helping me feel like it really was time), and I called the Dr. by 5:45am...contractions were still about 5 minutes apart like clock work and I was told to come in. Yup, I was going to anyway! My mom and dad came to our house to take care of Stevie (who of course slept in like a champ till 8:30am...on an exciting day we weren't home for!) and we were off. Both Matt and I were so excited. I walked quickly to the van through the dark rain, completely convinced in those steps that we were about to have a baby girl. On our way to the hospital, I called my aunt who's a midwife out of state. She asked how long my contractions were...and I wasn't timing that, so again, I was nervous it wasn't real...but then they'd hit again, and I KNEW it was! I also had a feeling she was coming quickly. The half hour drive to the hospital was feeling like forever, and the whole morning I was telling our baby..."You have to wait till the shift change! You cannot come before 8am!!" (The Dr. on call that evening was large with large hands. So, I wanted to avoid a delivery and "checks" with "Big Man Hands")

We arrived at the hospital around 6:45 I think. I was checked at 4cm and 100%. The nurse looked at me, and asked, "What do you want to do?"
"Umm, huh?"
"What do you want to do? Do you want to leave and go home?"
I was more than confused and had to wait to wrap my mind around the question till a contraction was over. For real? Go home? I was having some good contractions at this point...no way! And my labor with Stevie wasn't all that long. I guess they couldn't read me well to know the intensity of my contractions? They kept acting like it wasn't real labor since my water hadn't broken. It was very weird and very frustrating. So, we were stuck in triage. Matt and I walked around to try to get things moving along even more, and I needed to stop and hold onto him for the good ones. They started coming on top of each other while I walked. I decided to head back to the bed in triage to relax a bit. Poor Matt. I kept asking him (more like drilling him), "When am I going to a room? What are they doing? What's that noise, it's driving me nuts! Tell them I want to go to a room!!" The nurse was busy on the computer and on the phone...I heard her talking about how I delivered a 9 lber. That was the talk of triage, but apparently they weren't as focused on THIS delivery, haha. I was very irritated....afterall, I was in labor. Finally, at 7:45ish (it seemed like a lot longer) the resident came by to check me again. I just wanted to go up to a room to deal with these contractions how I wanted...and relax a little about being "settled in." As she checked me, a look of complete shock swept over her face. "Do you have a high tolerance for pain?"
"Why?"....Well, because I was a 6 but could be stretched to an 8 with bulging bags (a term that sounds so lovely)! I was finally able to get the wheel chair (you know, after we waited awhile for that) and head up to a room!

By the time they got me up there, monitored me and baby for awhile and got my iv in (again more blow-outs...but Matt did superbly! hehe), I didn't have time to use the tub, which is where I wanted to be. The Dr. on call came by at 9, called me "calm as a cucumber" (ha!). (I guess I need to kick and scream to be taken seriously, haha.) I was a 9.5, they broke my water and left...leaving me to wait for the irresistable urge to push. During this time, I had back labor...so Matt was able to rub my back while I sat on the exercise ball. Man, that doesn't give you a break between contractions! (I didn't have this with Stevie, and Matt didn't get to "do" anything for me that labor.) I started thinking an epidural would really sound good at this point. After an hour, I still didn't feel like my uterus was going to push on it's own (and it didn't with Stevie either) but I wanted to get it going, so the resident came in. I gave a few pushes. She and the on call Dr. already started getting the gowns on...I couldn't believe it...I actually asked, "So, you really don't think this will take me 2 1/2 hours?" haha I started pushing sometime after 10, I don't know the exact time. I pushed for less than a half an hour this time (soo much better), but boy, that is where the pain meds would be totally worth it. Lydia Faith was born at 10:29am!!

Honestly, I don't know how this is, but she hurt more than Stevie as she entered the world! Her little self! I think it was because the Dr really tried to protect me from major tearing (thank you Dr!!)....and she had me breathe when she was crowning and do some half pushes. That's when I got SUPER vocal, cool as a cucumber flew out the window....grunting, blowing like a horse, and generally making awful loud noises. I remember wondering what the people in the hallway thought. That hurt so bad. They also mentioned her head came out transverse. The resident had guessed her to be about 7 1/2 lbs, but when she saw her "huge" head coming (which wasn't so huge), she thought she was way off...until she noticed her head was coming sideways.

And then.....she was here! SHE was here! For most of the pregnancy I was convinced she was a boy until that morning I went into labor. Matt leaned into my face with a soft but elated whisper voice and confirmed what we both already knew, "It's a girl!" I looked down at her, overjoyed, and the first thing I noticed was the white creamy vernix (which my mom has said I was the only one of the 4 to have) and, "She's soo tiny! She's so tiny!" She was such a skinny thing! The Dr. (who was a riot...her English wasn't always very clear) looked at me and said, "Tiny?"
"Uh huh!"...Ok, so maybe she's average size but compared to Stevie, what a peanut! Then she peed, haha, and I immediately felt badly as I looked down at her tiny little self as she cried thinking, "Ohh, one day you will have to do this." I don't ever want her to feel such pain, but oh the joy! I held her for a long while as she sucked her middle fingers, and then they asked us to guess her weight as they put her on the scale, and I had no idea. 7lbs 9oz! She was born so quickly she had the perfect little head and face...no cone head or marks! :)



I called my mom who was busy with Stevie and getting the Easter meal together (sorry about that, Mom) and told her the baby was here. She was shocked she was born so quickly, and said she couldn't wait to know the details till she came. So, I told her she had a granddaughter! She cried and was so excited...she had been wanting her girl to have a girl I know.

Then my aunt called to give me last minute advice for the labor and delivery, haha. Welp, didn't need that!

Then my cousin, Chrissy, called to see if I had been sent home or not! Definitely not! haha

We were so thrilled! The Dr. kept telling me how weird I was...her word...I think because of how quickly and smoothly it went...and apparently how "calm" I was, surprising them all. The nurse told me I should go into business birthing babies. Ha. She was cute. And at that moment, the last thing in the world I wanted to do was experience that ring of fire again. As I held our little girl, I leaned over to Matt, "So, your little girl already has you missing paintball games!" He told me over and over again how much she was worth it! What a man! What a Daddy! It was quite hilarious as people called him asking about paintball that afternoon and him saying, "Well, my wife and I just had a baby this morning so..." I could've listened to that all day...and I did! She even came with plenty of time for him to make it though if he had really wanted to.

We had the most wonderful time together, Matt and I, with Lydia. It was like a weekend away, haha. We joked that having a baby is what it takes to get a weekend away. Stevie had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa, and we were so thankful he did well away from us (and that I did too...we had never spent a night away from each other...or that much time apart during the day either). He was always ready to leave with them (gladly, haha) when they left the hospital. My recovery has gone amazingly well this time around...a true answer to prayer. I can't even believe it, after such a rough go the first time. I am all for another smaller baby again the next time! Though, we calculated, had Lydia been born a week late, she easily could've been just as big as Stevie too!

Lydia was originally due (by the old fashioned method of calculating) April 23rd! So, see she was a prompt girl! Though her changed due date was May 5th, so she came almost 2 weeks early! We love you so much, Lyddie!!

June 4th

That's Stevie's birthday!!

I'm about to share our story of labor and delivery (and yes, it's long!). I'll try not to go into grave detail about "personal stuff," however, it is labor and delivery. If you'd like to excuse yourself to another room (like my husband was asked to do...umm, more on that later), or to another blog, feel free. Last chance, here we go!

Wednesday night we went to bed. I tried to sleep as best as I could with my aching back and sciatic pain. Around 11:30pm, I got a shooting pain down my leg (sciatica), and I jerked up really fast. Well, it was almost really fast. Matt's arm was on the sleeve of my t-shirt, so after a good yank, it was really fast. Then an immediate gush. I paused, not quite sure what happened. Then, "Matt. Matt. Matt!!! I ...I...gushed!" Yes, I meant my water broke. He finally realized what I was talking about and woke up for me. :) I called my dr who happened to be on call that night (praise the Lord! His timing is perfect!), and she had me come right in. I called my parents, showered, and we were off. On the way, I called my aunt who is a midwife and has been with us every step of the way for the pregnancy. Earlier that day, I had an ultrasound and non-stress test due to the lateness of this baby's arrival. The ultrasound estimate for the baby was 9 pounds 8 ounces. The technician flat out told me it could be off by a pound, and "let's just say this is NOT s 6 pound baby." Thank you, gentle lady, way to inspire confidence....I was beyond a little scared. (Oh, it didn't help my dad was in the waiting room and called my mom telling her the estimate was 11 pounds...I guess he figured the pound increase would be 10 1/2 and rounded up to 11?...I had to do some damage control phone calling for that because the word spread fast). The "non"-stress test, well, the nurse kept saying several times I was failing. The baby's heart rate was not going above the line they wanted. She showed the results to the dr there and apparently, he "liked it," and I was sent home. Ok....I was like, if these things aren't enough to induce me...umm. Anyway, I filled my aunt in on the appointment. During the phone call on the way to the hospital, she told me to take the epidural as soon as I could. She told me to try for a natural delivery with my 2nd baby. She told me to "survive," I repeat, "survive," this one because of the size of the baby. I needed the epidural to save my strength to push him out. Yikes!

We get to the hospital, check in, and I'm still between 2-3cm, like I had been for over a month now, without any real contractions. The nurse went to put the IV in my hand, and that's when it happened. Matt slumped. He turned white. I'm saying to the nurse, "Umm, I feel it going into my wrist bone." She's not paying attention. The nurse blew my vein watching Matt about to pass out. Poor guy. He got some juice and was asked to leave the room. This causes Becky to worry about how he'll do for the rest of the delivery! The nurse then goes about poking my other hand, actually telling me she wasn't paying attention to me because she was watching, "Dad." Oh, thanks. She blew another one during conversation, saying I had weird veins. Thankfully, she decided to let the nurse upstairs try. She put it in a much better spot anyway (on my forearm) and did it on the first try.

There was an unbelievable feeling in me as we entered my birthing room and saw the "crib" our baby was to be placed in. It already had his little hat and diaper in it, just waiting. My parents arrived and stayed for about an hour from 2-3am. I walked with Matt a bit around the halls and rocked in the rocking chair. My contractions were odd...all in my bottom...and yes uncomfortable. Then Matt and I tried to rest between the monitoring and contractions. I watched the monitor for awhile and asked the nurse what it means when my "hill" goes off the charts. (There were 3 other patients' charts visible on the monitor, and mine appeared to be the only one peaking like that.) I guess it means my contractions were getting stronger...go figure. I listened to the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack and some of our wedding songs, and even slept a little. Things got a little more intense and by 5am, I asked to try out the tub with the jets. At this point my body was really shaking. Matt kept asking me if I was cold. In between contractions, I told him, "No, I'm in labor." After awhile, I told Matt I wanted something to help me "get a break." We held on though, taking one contraction at a time. The nurse came in to check on me and asked me if things were changing. I said the contractions were either getting closer together or more intense. I couldn't tell. I could hardly think. She told me, "Well, I hope they aren't getting any closer together...they're already pretty close." I "enjoyed" the tub for an hour in all when the resident doctor came in. She wanted to know if I would like to be checked. I told her in between shakes, "Uhhh, yes and no. I do, but I'm afraid I haven't made any progress." I could not make any decisions for myself during the rest of labor. So, she checked me. I was 9cm! This was 6am. I couldn't believe my ears! Many residents came by and said, "Hey, we heard you're really rocking this labor! No one would guess you're 9cm because you're so stoic." Ha! Thanks for the encouragement, but I'm not really ready to party. At this point, Matt called my parents to give them the update. Mom was ready to come straight to the hospital and had to interrupt my dad's early morning basketball game for him to come by too...even though he knew it would still be several more hours. The college security came down with the message and found my brother, who has the same name, and told him, "Hey, you're going to be a grandpa again. It's time to go!" Well, my 30something year old brother won't be a grandpa, but my dad ended up getting the message. Back at the hospital, my doctor came in and said she could break my water (I guess I broke up high and needed down low done) and then I could start pushing. Huh? Really? So, that's what we did.

I pushed, and pushed, and pushed. For 2 hours, the doctor and Matt said they could see his head. Encouraging at first, not so much after 2 hours. Matt was wonderful. He stood by me, held my leg, and was so sweet in his words. He did NOT show any queasy signs whatsoever. The doctor kept saying what a great team we were. I loved hearing that...well, reflecting on that after. The doctor kept asking if I'd like my legs up. I had no idea what she was talking about and didn't care to ask...until a couple hours passed. I just couldn't respond. Between each contraction, I closed my eyes and tried to rest...even dose if I could, to gather all my strength. You just have no idea how long it will be. I heard pretty much everything going on (though the talking really was minimal except during the pushing). I heard the (annoying) ticking of the clock in the silent room and desperately wanted to know what time it was...how long it had been, but I saved my energy for more important things. My doctor kept commenting quietly, "she's just so focused." A lady came in all hyped up, and said, "Your mom is going crazy wanting to know how you're doing (a bit of an exaggeration, though somewhat truthful). Can I tell her you're getting close?" I had a hard time thinking and responding, but I got the idea I wasn't really all that close. I told her, "yes,"...thinking of course you can tell my mom I'm getting close. You can tell her whatever is going on here. I guess that whole privacy thing got in the way...I should've signed something so she could know what was going on. I didn't care who knew. Are you kidding me? She's my mom, and here I am obvious to everyone in the room, and those who came and went, how "I'm doing." My doctor asked again about my legs, and I let out an exhausted, "I don't know what you mean." "Ohhh, we can hold your legs up for you inbetween the contractions as well as during!" I'm thinking, all this time I didn't have to heave my legs in the air every time I went to push?!! I gladly took her up on the offer...finally! Yes, there were times, near the end, that a few emotions tried to take over...sort of whimpers, cries, "I can't do this anymore" feeling after pushing and pushing. I was drenched in sweat. But, I tried to push (haha, push) those feelings away, and I kept praying to be amazed by the strength and grace of our Lord. He was faithful...beyond faithful. The doctor kept saying, "Wow, you are pulling strength from somewhere." Yup, the joy of the Lord was my strength. Stephen even wiggled around to make the labor more effective. That was a weird feeling! The doctor kept saying he was "helping me" and that he loved labor as his heartrate was so steady. Don't get too comfortable with it little baby! After 2 and a half hours of pushing (and my doctor graciously extending her shift, cancelling meetings and appointments to see me through this delivery), at 9:15am, my big boy arrived (9 pounds 1 oz, 21 1/2 inches)! The doctor looked at Matt, giving him the signal, and he leaned into my face with tears in his eyes and complete happiness said, "It's a boy!" I heard some little cries and leaned forward with the rest of my strength to see my boy. I cried and just kept saying over and over, "That's our baby, that's our baby." Matt cut the umbilical cord, and they put him on my chest. I've never felt such exhaustion (haha), and yet, incredible joy and blessed-ness. The first thing I noticed was his weight and size! "He's soo heavy and big!" It was hard to hold him, but he was perfect. The doctor and nurses just kept talking about his size and how they couldn't wait to weigh him. Everyone loved his thick, black curly hair! So, I looked up at Matt and said, "So, is this Stephen?" "Can he be?" "Yes!" It was so amazing to see the look in Matt's eyes after Stevie was born. He just kept telling me what a great job I did (and later, he said, he had no idea I had so many veins in my forehead and face that could stick out so much! haha) and how beautiful our son was. I had been hoping to have a son to name after the partner God gave me, who I love so much. Stephen Matthew is named after Daddy, Matthew Stephen, and means crowned gift of God. We pray he grows to be a strong, courageous, faithful man of God like his Daddy, and Stephen and Matthew in the Bible.

I know I was blessed with a good labor, and a pretty quick one too (well, except for the pushing!). I really don't know when "transition" occured, and to my knowledge, I never yelled at Matt. :) I did throw the washcloth off my forehead though that the nurse gave me at the beginning of pushing. It was too cold and distracting. I guess I acted a little aggressive with that, but Matt said the nurse took it in stride. haha God's timing was perfect. My very own doctor was able to deliver him (she is great!!), and I even knew 3 of my nurses. I am completely humbled, yet more confident (strange combo I know) that I delivered our son, and all naturally at that. I certainly do not blame any woman who gets an epidural or pain relief, understanding that I wanted "a break," and I'm sure every labor and delivery is different for every woman and pregnancy. Natural devlivery was my desire from the start, but I will not say I did it on my own. My wonderful Matthew was a huge support, and undoubtedly, I was shown God's grace and mercy, as He gave me the strength and perseverance I needed. So, here we are, with our beautiful (ok, Matt, handsome!) son, Stephen, or Stevie for short. What a miracle he is!

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