Birth Story!

Today was the birthday of my Madison. Her 9th! Since she was my first home-birth, I thought I'd share the story of her birth. I'll write the others later :)

I had had 2 births in the hospital, with my boys as the only "good" outcome :)  Neither were totally horrendous, but definitely less than desirable. So I was really happy when we moved and found that there was a midwife in the area. I had found out I was pregnant in May, and my due date was Dec. 26th. After we moved I had my ultra sound. I found out that my dates were TOTALLY off. I was actually due Jan. 31st. Talk about disappointing! Who would be happy to add a whole month to their pregnancy?! But I was very happy to find out we were having a girl after 2 boys! (I was beginning to despair and think I would never have any girls! LOL...)

When I was 8 months along, my sister came out to stay with us for Christmas. I took her out to see our property (which at the time was around 730+ acres) on our four wheelers. During our ride she had raced ahead of me, not knowing that the road was very rutted and next to a ditch. Needless to say that was one of the worst experiences of my life. Watching my little sister bouncing out of control on the four wheeler, screaming for me to help her and being completely helpless to. All I could do was pray, over and over, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" No other words, but none are necessary. All that is necessary is to call on the Name of Jesus, and that's what I did. The four wheeler flipped and she landed on the other side of the ditch and the four wheeler landed on top of her. I got to her as quickly as I could and parked, and jumped across the ditch to her. The four wheeler was on her leg so I lifted it off her and told her to move out of the way of it. (It was obviously the Lord's strength that lifted it as those things weigh ALOT, I tried pushing it the next day and couldn't even budge it) She did and then I told her I needed to go for help. She was a little (OK, A LOT) out of it from the concussion she received in the fall. She didn't want me to leave. I prayed with her and then I turned to go to my four wheeler only to see it rolling down the hill and curve itself into the end of the ravine. I tried to get it out, but couldn't so I had to run for help. Now mine you I was 8 MONTHS PREGNANT! Help was about a mile and a half away and there was a big ravine between me and them. So I ran. Running and being largely pregnant isn't easy. Plus it was Dec. and cold so it hurt to breathe. But I ran! I prayed the whole way and was really having a hard time climbing up the other side of the ravine. I was crying and then I got stuck on some thorny vines. Literally got stuck. At that point the 23rd Psalms came to my mind. We had been reading it every day for the last 2 weeks or so during our devotions. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for THOU art with me!" That was all the encouragement I needed. I got up, got out of the thorns and got through the fields to where my husband and the workers were. They were leaving (to feed the cows) and didn't see me coming but thankfully the one worker was in the back of the truck and finally heard me screaming. The end of the story is that my sister had a concussion, lots of bruises and a broken ankle! Nothing serious Thank The LORD! I had started contracting and was monitored at the hospital, but didn't dilate at all so I was sent home to rest and after a day or so the contractions stopped.

OK, I realize that wasn't exactly part of the "birth" story, but it's important to my pregnancy and birth story!

Anyways, So, my mom came out to help and I started having contractions on Friday night. I waited 'til Sat. evening to call the midwife. She came and stayed the night 'til 5 am. My contractions kept stopping every time I would do something to be comfortable. ie...sitting on the birth ball, taking a bath, etc...  and I wasn't dilating. So the midwife left at 5 and told me to call if they picked back up. Around 8 or 9 am they picked back up and when she came back I was dilated past a 4! YAY!

Now I must back up at this point and say that I had tested positive for group B strep with my first son and then was told that once you had it you would always have it and have to have antibiotics during labor. I now know this isn't true, I have tested negative in subsequent pregnancies. Besides which there are things to do to keep it at bay for your labor and delivery. If you'd like to know what you can ask, and I'll let you know! :)

So because of the group B strep thing I had agreed to have an antibiotic shot. Once you have the shot you HAVE to have your baby in 24 hrs or you have to have another. The shots were $80 a shot. So, when she had come the night before she had given me my shot around 10pm. Well, my labor kept stalling. (I now know that this is "normal" for me. My labors start and stop for days) I stalled for a few hours dilated to a 6. The midwife gave me some homeopathics to help me along. They didn't work. She gave me some herbs to help me along. They helped a little. I used the breast pump. That HURT! It's almost as bad as pitocin! Made the contractions very hard and painful, but it did the job and I got to a 7 finally. So she broke my water. Yep, that made it even more intense! Still Not as bad as pitocin. Finally around 9 pm I was at a 9 with a lip. She told me that with the next contraction she was going to see if she could push it back. With the next contraction she did and my baby was on her way out. My midwife was awesome helping me to breathe. She had me do the "pretend you're gently blowing out birthday candles" breathing for the head to crown and I only had a little skid mark, no tears! Then while she was coming out the midwife was praying for her. Out loud! James helped deliver her. The first baby he helped with :) She was so slippery he almost dropped her. (She wouldn't have fallen but a few inches as I was on my mattress, but still...) She was then passed to me. After a 48 hr labor I had the most beautiful baby girl in the world! Her cord stopped pulsing before it got cut. Daddy cut it. Her brothers came to admire her. James Michael loved her. Jason screamed, was scared to death of her, and wouldn't touch her. LOL, this went on for a few days! It's kinda funny, but I have no clue why he reacted that way. He's over it now :D She was 7lbs 8oz, 20.5 inches long, with brown hair and dark eyes. I was hoping they'd turn brown, but they're blue! She nursed awesome and was such a precious baby.

She was a finicky eater. She would nurse for 5 mins and then stop and 20 mins later want to eat again. She puked like crazy every time she ate. She did grown though! She was very small (all of my girls were) and only weighed 12 lbs when she was 12 mos old! She is still a finicky eater. She would eat like a bird all day long, instead of eating meals if I'd let her :) She is growing into a beautiful young woman. Scary. She is my actress, my drama queen! She is my joy, she is my MES! I love her to pieces!