The Birth Story

I can't believe it has already been 12 days since Aubriella Joy was born. In some ways it feels forever ago, and in other ways it feels like we just met her yesterday. Our days have kinda blurred together into a overwhelmingly happy, tired, bliss. We are falling in love with our baby girl more and more each day!

I wrote on January 29th, her due date, that I thought I was in labor. Turns out I was! From 4 am Friday morning, I had consistent contractions alllllll day. They never developed a pattern, but by the evening they were really uncomfortable.

We had lunch with Jose's mom, and we even drove to Nipomo to pick up our niece from school. My mom came over at dinner time and contractions were becoming increasingly uncomfortable. I suggested getting Chinese foot massages and at 7:30 pm my mom, Jose and I went to get massages. The sweet masseuse said she was praying for me the whole time that the baby would come that night (she didn't know I was in labor!).

Jose and I went home and watched a movie. When the movie ended at about 11 pm, it was time to get serious and start practicing our Bradley methods. Things were intensifying, and even though a bath relieved a bit of the pain, things got bad. I didn't realize it at the time, but my water broke in the tub. I mistook the "pop" for a kick and thought I imagined the sound. I also thought I accidentally peed in the tub instead of assuming it was my water! After all the reading we did, I don't know how I didn't put it together when I had three contractions on top of each other! Jose was trying to time them, and when it didn't stop for 6 minutes we knew something was up! I started shaking after this and threw up. Because of throwing up, I started getting nervous for the 45 minute drive to the hospital. I asked Jose if we could drive to San Luis and get a hotel room so we could be closer. He called the midwife (my favorite Helen was on call!) at 12:30 am and she suggested we first go to the hospital to get checked.

Jose followed his Bradley coaching to a "T" and asked me if I was sure I wanted to head to SLO. One of the tricks of Bradley is if the laboring woman can still smile, it is too soon to go. I think I managed to smile at every stage of labor, so he was a little confused. When I had a contraction on the stairs, Jose agreed that it was time to go! He reminded me that I wanted to do my hair and make-up before heading to the hospital, but I had no energy at all to care about vanity! I wish I could have found some strength because by the time Aubriella was born I looked like a worn out, wet cat. Oh well.

He drove a very smooth 85 miles an hour talking calmly to me while I stayed zoned out through the million contractions. When we got to the hospital at 1:30 am, I told Jose that I didn't want a wheelchair. I wanted to be able to brag that I walked to labor and delivery. When the ER let us in, they told me I had to sit in the wheelchair. Jose tried to tell him that I didn't want it, but I learned my lesson walking 20 feet to the door, and I gladly accepted the free ride.

The baby and I were monitored for a awhile, and when Jose told the nurse we might not be staying, she laughed and said "I don't think you guys are going anywhere!" Through a bout of shaking, I asked her if I was in real labor, and she laughed again and said she was pretty sure I was! She checked my dilation and I was already 4 centimeters! At this point there was no way I was going to leave! I labored on a birth ball in the shower for over an hour and I only came out because I was overheating and ready to try something new. When I was walking back to the room from the shower our moms were arriving.

Jose was massaging my back (because of my intense back labor) with all his strength, and my mom was softly massaging my legs and feet. Jose's mom was giving me sips of water between contractions. I remember thinking during this time that we were all working like a perfect team.

I was checked again at 6 am and was about 7 centimeters! I was excited to know that I was about to enter transition- the shortest part of labor- and nervous to enter transition-the hardest part of labor! We labored in the tub for awhile, with Jose massaging my back and me trying to do pelvic rocks because by this time we suspected that Aubriella was sunny side up. The rocks worked because at some point the back labor went away. I threw up again in the tub, and I'm sure if I had been out of the water transition would have been much harder!

When I decided I wanted to lay down for bit, the midwife arrived and checked my progress. She announced at 7:12 am that I was fully dilated and could push if I was ready! I was! Knowing we could be meeting Aubriella soon gave me a burst of energy! I even tried to smile for a picture!

Before pushing, the midwife Helen gave me what she called her pep talk. She basically said since this was my first baby we could be pushing for over 2 hours, and however hard I imagined pushing to be, it would be 4 times harder. I told her that was some pep talk! I opted to have a mirror set up to watch the pushing, and it was both amazing and unnerving to see the progress. After the first contraction, Helen announced she could see lots of hair. I couldn't believe it! I thought she was lying, but sure enough there was my baby. Helen told me she was taking back her pep talk, and said she thought the baby would be out in 30 minutes. Again I didn't believe her until I saw her start suiting up and getting the medical equipment ready! About 10 contractions, and 40 minutes late. Aubriella was born at 7:54 am! I survived the burning ring of fire (Jose asked to play some Johnny Cash in celebration), and had my baby girl placed on my stomach immediately. Jose was able to cut the cord and for about 20 minutes, she just stared at me and Jose with her big, dark, alert eyes. It was the most amazing experience ever!

WE did it! Even though we forgot to give the nurses our Birth Plan, every single desire of ours was met. There is not a single thing I would change about our birth, and if I had to do it over again I wouldn't do anything differently. I have a huge boost in self confidence, respect and am proud of myself for managing labor. It was not easy, and definitely hurt, but with tremendous support from Jose and our moms, I had the natural birth I wanted for me and Aubriella. I've replayed the labor over and over in my head, and can honestly say that it is a positive memory that makes me feel closer than ever to my husband.