Thursday, July 18, 2013

Julia’s Journey {Birth Story}


baby girl crying

I feel incredibly blessed to be able to share with you baby Julia’s birth story. Let me start off by saying that Julia has been my easiest labor and delivery out of all three of my children. Each of my labor and delivery experiences has been quite different. With my first born I was nervous and although I had read and researched everything I could about labor and delivery – you never truly understand labor and delivery until you go through it. With my second child I had back labor and had issues getting admitted {which did little to calm my nerves}. This time around I was calm and collected and ready to rock out my labor and delivery!


It all started Wednesday June 19th at about 4:30 in the morning. I started to feel some contractions. Contractions I could time, so I knew they weren’t Braxton Hicks contractions – they were the real deal. I laid in bed awake timing my contractions and trying to rest as much as possible. By the time 5:30 rolled around I knew that I was not going to be getting any more sleep so I got up, showered, and made my bed. Then I started cleaning.  

I took the boys downstairs and let my husband get another hour of sleep while the kids and I ate breakfast and straightened up the house. By the time my husband emerged from upstairs the first floor of the house had been vacuumed and cleaned up and the boys were dressed for the day. We then called to share the good news that “It was on like Donkey Kong” – this is how my husband has let everyone know that the newest addition of our family was on its way and yes, he did this with each and every child. I then called the hospital to let them know I would be on my way.

My mother-in-law came to the house and picked up the boys so that my husband and I could head to the hospital. My husband had planned on our electrician to be at the house working on the basement for the day, so as they boys were getting in the car to head to grandma’s house for the day our electrician was walking in the door. Needless to say he was a wee bit freaked out that I had to pause during our conversation to breathe through a contraction.

Shortly thereafter we headed to the hospital and checked in. I was 4 cm dilated and very quickly admitted – as this was my third child, my contractions were 4-5 minutes apart, and we had forewarned the staff that once my water broke things tended to move quickly. The nursing staff was very surprised by the fact that I was laughing and having a good time jesting – you know- in between contractions.

I had a wonderful nurse {Ashlee} who took care of me. My contractions were coming every 3 minutes and were getting stronger, but they were still manageable {thank the Lord that I did not have to go through back labor with this one!}. I was checked again and once my blood work was back and I had enough fluid from the IV I was given my epidural. They had my husband leave the room when they administered it, which was new as he had always held me hand through this part of the process. Once the epidural was given I was able to just sit back and relax through my contractions.

After about an hour I was checked again and was told that my water had still not broken on its own and that they were going to break my water. I was fine with this course of action and very quickly my doctor came in and broke my water. My doctor informed my nurse that she needed a 2 minute warning and that she would be very upset if another doctor delivered my baby because she didn’t have time to run to the room.

My mother-in-law arrived at the hospital shortly after. She dropped the boys off at my sister-in-laws house so that she could be at the hospital for the birth of her newest grandchild {she has been at the hospital with me for all three of my kids labor and deliveries}. She brought my husband Portillo’s for lunch… I was not allowed to eat anything – nor did I want to.

Pretty soon I was telling my nurse that I was ready to push. She checked me and I was 10 cm dilated and apparently crowning. She raced off to tell my doctor that I was ready and within 2 minutes my doctor was racing in the door {literality running into the room}. My room was abuzz with staff getting everything ready and my mother-in-law was kicked out of the room {I have a rule about my husband being the only one in the room}. Within minutes of me starting to push my mother arrived {she was also not admitted into the room – as my doctor yelled out the door that there was just no time… we were “having a baby!”}

I love my OB and find her extremely funny. She is wonderful, efficient, and blunt. She calls it like she sees it, but has a fabulous sense of humor. Needless to say, when we are in the same room together we tend to laugh… we laugh a lot. So while I am having contractions and the staff is getting everything ready and just so, the nursing staff, my OB, and I are all laughing and have a good old time. Seriously. My mother and my mother-in-law were waiting outside the door wondering what in the world was going on and why I was laughing.

I gave one and half pushes and baby Julia was born. It happened very quickly and I could not believe just how quickly it happened myself. I remember asking my doctor, “Did I really just push her out that quickly?” … Then we all started joking around and laughing again.

baby julia right after birth

There was a little cause for alarm when my doctor informed me that I was bleeding more than I should be. I was given a shot in my numbed leg to help with my bleeding and very soon after everything was right as rain again.

Baby Julia was in my arms and she was PINK! She was sweet and beautiful and had hair! Once everything was cleaned up and put away my mother and my mother-in-law were admitted into the room and got to meet baby Julia for the first time. They asked about why were laughing so much and were very surprised by how quickly she was delivered. Soon after everyone but my husband cleared out and we were wheeled down to recovery where I had another awesome nurse {Sara}.

Me holding my new baby girl right after giving birth


This was by far my easiest labor and my easiest delivery. It was also my quickest. Julia was very accommodating in every way and has proven to be just as accommodating at home. She is a beautiful baby and I am truly blessed to be able to say that I am her mother.


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