Wednesday, July 14th, was my last day of work in the office, I left early to go to our appointment at our midwifes with Allen where she checked our 'progress' and told us while we were leaving, she would expect a phone call when we got home, saying I was in labor. Well that did not happen, instead Kaylin waited until I was able to get almost a full night's rest and then wake me up.
I woke up, Thursday, July 15th, rolled over with my BIG belly and looked to see what time it was. 3:00AM!! I have never been this awake at 3:00AM, and also I was pretty sure I had just felt something strange in my midsection. I laid there in bed and like clockwork, 3:10 I felt it again, and 3:20. I had let Allen sleep during this time because I did not want to wake him incase it was just false labor. Well it wasn't. 3:30, there it was again. So since we had gone through the birth classes, read many books, and read tons on the internet we knew I needed to get up, change positions, try to eat something, ect. to see if the contractions would stop. Nothing stopped them.
Allen suggested I call Mom, so I did. She asked details of what was going on, and I told her... then just a few minutes in, she told me to hang up and call our midwife. I hung up with Mom, came to check on Allen, who was now falling back asleep on the loveseat in our living room curled up with a blanket, and tell him that Mom said we should call the midwife. He then preceeded to ask me if I wanted to call her. I should have known I was in labor then because I said "No, I don't want to talk to her right now." So he loveling picked up the phone and called her house.
Her husband answered and said she had just left the house. By this time it was just around 5:00am. Who leaves their house at 5:00am?? Well she had just left because another client called and was in labor. She got to her just moments before we called! But not to fear, today there are cell phones, so Allen called our midwife on her cell, and told her what was going on. She felt like I could really be in labor so she had another midwife, Natalie, come check on us. Natalie arrived just before 6am.
She came in, set up her equiptment and checked me. I was at 5cm dialated, and my contractions were about 3-4 minutes apart by this time. I was in labor! From this point on, everything was really an 'out of body experience.' Looking back, it felt like a complete daze. My body had switched from everyday mode to, labor mode and I was just along for the ride. Many people say labor is painful, and horrible. I would not describe Kaylin's labor that way at all. I would say her's was peaceful, relaxing, and really almost fun! It was so relaxing, I was able to take a much needed nap on our couch during the middle of it!
Cathy, our midwife, was able to come to our house once she was done with the first birth (wow! what a long day for her!) She arrived around lunch time, she asked if she could check my progress and was suprised that we were already at 9cm. She asked if I felt like the contractions were getting stronger or closer together and if I felt like I had gone through the 'transition'. I was sort of confused by this, because to me I felt like things were just the same as they were at 5 this morning, and at this point, my water still had not broke! So I just went back to 'laboring'. I was in and out of the birth pool, walking around our house, sitting on the birth ball, and moving around anyway that made me comfortable. I spent most of my time laboring in the water, they referred to the tub as 'the midwifes epidural.' I truly believe that!
At 3:30, they checked me again, I was at 9.5cm. Cathy asked if I felt any urge to push. I did not. I did not really feel much discomfort. I was more worried that I wasn't feeling any discomoft that worrying about any pain! During the next contraction, she asked me to try to push to see if Kaylin could fit. I did. She could! So Cathy asked if I wanted her to break my water (that still had not broken at this time) and I looked at Allen for his support too. We decided not to, I would try it on my own. So I did and I broke it on the next contraction. Kaylin was almost here!
I pushed hard for about 30 minutes. Then, the worst part of the whole day... The Ring of Fire. Oh my goodness. I've never felt anything that horrible in my whole life. At this point, I thought, "NOPE! Not happening!" "I'm Done, she's not coming out, something else is going to have to happen!" But then I grabbed onto Allen's shoulder's for support with a grip, I have no idea where it came from, and we waited a few moments, and rested and with one or two more contractions, she was here!!!!! Our precious bundle of joy was finally here! She came out, and Cathy caught her, and immediately brought her to my chest.
I can still feel the way she felt when Cathy first laid her on me. She was perfect, so perfect, I had never seen anything so amazing. I am still in awe of God's wonderful creation. He truly made a woman's body perfect to give birth, nothing else was needed. We were so blessed to give birth to Kaylin Avery in our home, in our bed. Nothing else has ever been so sweet. Thank you Lord! Your creation is perfect, in everyway!
