Any good story starts out with a picture of a beautiful designer hand bag...
I adamantly refused to get a diaper bag this time around. I was not about to carry something with plastic lining and baby animals on it. No, I am going to be a new mom with style, gosh darn it! This bag was a lucky find at the Kate Spade store in the clearance section. My favorite designer has a clearance section?! I have been living half a life people...
Here's the real beginning of the birth story:
On Friday, the 13th I had a scheduled appointment with my doctor. The due date was ten days away. I love my doctor- he's the man. And the Bishop from a neighboring ward. I have great faith in the gift of the Holy Ghost, so having someone with that gift deliver my baby was very important to me. When I mentioned this to the doctor at my appointment, he responded, "You can have the baby tonight. I'm on call tonight." I kind of giggled and jokingly said, "No, my mom's coming into town tonight- I am supposed to be a hostess this weekend."
Well folks, on the way home from my appointment my water broke. While I was driving. In the brand new car. Kate and I were stopped at the last stop light before home when I gasped and said, "Oh my gosh!"
She didn't know what I had gasped about as turned on the Bluetooth to call Jimmy at home. I had this very nonchalant conversation with my husband:
"Hi Sweetie!"
"Hi Steph!"
"How's it going?"
"Oh, good. I just took dinner out of the oven and it should be ready when you get home. How did the doctor's appointment go?"
"It went great."
"That's good. How are you feeling?"
"Fine.... since my WATER JUST BROKE!!!!!!"
Kate and Jimmy had dual shouts of acclamation.
It was fun to mess with them a little.
Up the hill I drove while Kate excitedly jabbered on and on about being a big sister. We were giggling and planning. One of my plans was to labor at home for a long time. This was not to be...
Unfortunately, there was meconium in the amniotic fluid. Which caused Jimmy and I to be cautious and change plans quickly. When that happened- it was like lock down mode. I knew that things could be dangerous. We called labor and delivery to let them know we were on our way. Then a call went out to the doctor, who just happened to answer his phone while he was biking to his shift at the hospital! It was fun to tell him that this little girl listened to him.
After the hustle and bustle of getting things together, we drove down to drop Kate off at my in-laws'. In all the commotion, Jimmy forgot his shoes. See Picture below:
It was hysterical! So while I was counting contractions at the in-laws', Jimmy went and bought shoes at Target. We drove down to the hospital and secured the last stork parking spot in the lot. Then, when I stood up, more water gushed out. Of course I had Jimmy run in a get a wheelchair so people couldn't see the wet spot all down the front of my pants. Thank goodness I brought towels! (I almost edited out this part, but upon reading the title of this post, you are bound to know there's some serious body fluids accompanying birth. For those with queasy stomachs, read no further)
We checked in to the hospital and were sent to triage. Where I got to dirty another surface.
Upon admittance, we moved to a labor and delivery room. The contractions were amping up a little bit, but not too bad. Once hooked up to the monitors, I was ready to do this. Now, I went in ready to do a natural birth. Actually excited to have the baby naturally.
The nurses asked if I wanted an epidural while checking me in and I said, "I want to try naturally, but if I have to get Pitocin- I'll probably do an epidural."
Now, these ladies are pros. Because they heard the word 'probably' which in laboring mommy words means 'most definitely, yes.'
So on the top of my treatment board EPIDURAL was scrawled in bold print.
It was like a carrot dangling in front of a horse.
Each contraction I breathed through was all while reading that board.
I was still determined to do this naturally. And five hours into quiet steady breathing, the nurse mentioned that my contractions were not getting any closer together or longer in duration. I had been having one minute contractions, two minutes apart for five hours now. The intensity was increasing, but nothing else was progressing. Hmph!
I was able to stay on top of the pain- but I wasn't sure how much longer I'd be doing this. There went a little exchange in my head
Stephanie: "I can do this! I've been doing great! I feel good! How much longer can it take? I think I'm going to be able to have this baby naturally!"
Holy Ghost: "Get the epidural."
Stephanie: "No. I got this! I am strong. Women have been doing this for thousands of years. I can do this!"
Holy Ghost: "Get the epidural."
Stephanie: "Why?! I want to do this!!!"
Holy Ghost: "Get the epidural."
The Holy Ghost got the last word in before the nurse punctured my thoughts and asked, "Would you like an epidural?"
I agreed to the epidural but still felt sad about it.
Until they hooked my up to different monitors.
The baby wasn't doing well. At all.
Each contraction, her heart rate dipped dangerously low.
I knew things were bad when they called the doctor in using the calm nurse tone.
Over time, the baby did worse.
The nurses had already warned me that there would be a room full of specialists in the room because the meconium in the amniotic fluid. But now, I was panicking a little.
Scratch that- panicking a lot.
I know why I needed an epidural. There was no way I could keep it together and manage my pain. I needed the epidural to get this baby into the world safely.
After an internal monitor was placed, things grew worse.
I was put on oxygen. It didn't help.
Just as things were getting dire, the doctor came in to put in another monitor. When he started to prepare, he checked me and I was ready to push!
That girl came into the world after only twenty minutes of pushing.
The cord was wrapped around her neck, which was the reason for her distress.
When baby came out, she was so slippery, it looked like the doctor was juggling. Jimmy was poised ready to catch her!
We welcomed little
Genevieve Hope Graham
8 lbs. 10 oz., 20.25inches
6.14.14 at 5:23am
Choosing a name was tricky. We had a list. Even after she was born, we couldn't decide. I had already had the wonderful experience of skin to skin contact for quite some time. Then, the nurses weighed, bathed and stamped baby's feet. After all the preparation, Jimmy finally got to hold baby. He went down the list and said, "Would you like to be called Charlotte??"
No stirring. (What were we really expecting, anyway?!)
"Would you like to be called Juliet?"
Nothing.
"How about Genevieve?"
We got a mouth twitch. Then, because we had discussed this nick name for Genevieve,
"Would you like to be called Vivy?"
HUGE smile and what I swear, was a little nod.
Jimmy and I connected eyes and just knew. That was our little Vivy. And we both cried.
