Monday, December 14, 2009

Five, Four, Three...


It's a GIRL! We decided on Katie Maren DeGraaf and are going to call her by her middle name...but we are now rethinking the first name....We are going to sleep on it and will let you know if anything changes. She was 7 lbs 14 ounces and 20 inches long, born at 9 AM this morning, 8 days early. For those of you that don't want any more gory details that should sum it up, but it's a pretty good story if you want to stick around. And I think this story beats Kelley's...as funny as THAT was. (For those of you that missed it I wrote about it here.)

Many of you know that I was SURE this baby would be early. Kelley was 10 days early on her own, Tyler was 2.5 weeks early. I had to be induced with him because of preeclampsia and almost was with Kelley for the same thing. I also have been having Braxton-Hicks with this baby for months and almost thought I might end up with a preemie! So we passed the preemie mark, 2.5 weeks came and went, 10 days early came and went and I was starting to think I might end up with a Christmas baby after all. It seemed like the one time we really wanted an early baby we weren't going to get one. My due date was the 22nd, but I thought it would be so ironic if I ended up overdue with this one.

At my 37 week appointment I hadn't made ANY progress, but was dialated to a 2 + last Thursday, so was hopeful at that point. My midwife offered to strip my membranes to see if we could encourage things to start on their own, so that was tentatively planned for tomorrow morning. In the meantime I was taking warm baths, eating spicy foods, trying to encourage the natural process along. Last night I finally finished typing up arrangements for the daycare kids and put the finishing touches on the Christmas program I was in charge of for church. The kids rooms were switched, my house was cleaner than it has been in a LONG time, I was actually feeling like I was ready to go. I put on my facebook status that the 14th seemed like a good day, but figured that was probably just more wishful thinking.

This morning I woke up at 1:30 AM, 3:30 AM, 4:30 AM...like most nights lately. I couldn't get back to sleep and so finally decided to just go shower. I started to have a few painful contractions, but they didn't last long. Still I had this feeling I'd better get my hair fixed and makeup on if I was going to. Right before 6 AM I started to have more regular contractions. They were painful and 4-5 minutes apart, but not very long in duration and still bearable. At 6:45 I told Joey he might want to get up and get showered because we'd probably end up at the hospital this morning. I also texted my sister and told her I might need her at the daycare this morning. About 7:20 I decided to lay down and see if they went away. They didn't go away completely, but slowed down to almost 10 minutes apart, so I figured we could wait until it was time to take Kelley to school at 8:30 AM. Karmin showed up, Joey got up and dressed. Contractions were still bearable. Just before 8:30 AM I had one or two contractions that were pretty painful and so we started shuttling kids out the door. Joey gave me a blessing before we left. It very quickly went to the point I was thinking there was no way I was going to get through the natural labor I had planned.

I had another contraction hit me as I was getting in the car. It was all I could do to crawl up onto the seat kneeling backwards and within the two blocks it takes to get to the school I'm yelling at Joey "get the kids out of the car NOW!" We had Kelley and the other 7 year old neighbor girl from across the street with us and luckily they thought it was pretty funny and so were just giggling the whole way. I'm glad it wasn't traumatizing for them :) We stopped at the school and my water broke and then there was all this pressure at one time. I crawled out of the car thinking there was no way I was going anywhere else. Joey kept telling me "you have to get in the car". I insisted I couldn't two or three times, but finally crawled back in. We headed off to the hospital and by this time I was certain I was going to die. Joey turned on Lund Highway instead of Airport Road like he was supposed to. Luckily it wasn't right in the middle of a contraction, or I might have killed him. Traffic was CRAZY though...I mean for Cedar City. There was three or four people ahead of us the whole drive, so he couldn't just pass them all. (Had I been thinking I would have told him to just put on his flashers and gun it). He was thinking though and trying really hard to get us to the hospital in one piece. Of course everyone ahead of us was taking their sweet time.

Funny side note here...I will freely admit I was yelling my guts out in the middle of those contractions. I kept thinking about my mom. She had all five of us naturally and whenever we would see a movie with a women screaming during labor she says "That's not really how it is..." Apparently she was not a screamer. I was thinking about this as I could think of nothing else to do besides scream and hold Joey's hand. I didn't want to break the windshield or something and so was trying to be as still as I could. So at one point in the middle of a contraction Joey says "your pushing....don't push...just breathe". I said "I CAN'T, I'm pushing I don't care!!!!" I also told him "If I'm not at least an 8 when I get there I've got to have an epidural!" So much for the natural birth...or so you would think....

Well we finally made it to the hospital and he pulled up to the ambulance entrance thinking it would be faster. There was no one there though, so I hopped out of the car. I had kicked my shoes off, so only had socks on, walking through the snow around the corner to the ER entrance. There was a wheel chair in the front entrance and Joey got me to sit down. He wheels me in and I'm yelling "This baby is coming now! Laurie...." Laurie is my midwife and luckily her office is in the hospital right next to the ER entrance. Her staff saw me come in and everyone is staring at us, but a few people in their right mind wave us down the hall to labor and delivery.

I have to admit at this point I thought I was probably being a little melodramatic. I wasn't sure the baby was coming right away, but that was all I could think to yell. Joey got me down to L & D and they directed us right to a room. I ran in the room and dropped my pants as fast as I could kneeling by the side of the bed in the middle of another contraction. Probably the biggest relief of my life was when I asked "is the baby coming?" I got a big fat YES! I don't know what I would have done if it wasn't at that point. The nurse kept telling me "Laurie's on her way, do what you have to do. I don't want to deliver this baby on my own, but I can...." Laurie walked in, I pushed maybe two or three times and she was here. Apparently she was already more than crowning when I got into my room. That was 9 AM.

It was really cool because almost before I realized that she was out Joey saw her and told me it was a girl. I was standing up next to the bed and I think he was behind me, so he had the perfect view as soon as she was born. It was neat to have him see that and let me know. No one else even thought about it until later. Of course most of the people there didn't even know my name, let alone that I didn't know my baby's gender yet.

And that was that. Five hour labor with Kelley, Tyler's was four, Little Maren was only about 3 hours total and nearly born on the highway at that. It was funny because I kept telling people I was afraid I wouldn't know when to go to the hospital and that something like that would happen, although I didn't REALLY think it would. That happens in the movies..yeah, just like people's water doesn't ever break in public places.... Kelley and Tyler were both pretty much no question as to when I needed to go in. People kept telling me "oh you'll know". Well I'll tell you what, until about 30 minutes before I delivered I didn't "know" for sure! My contractions weren't consistent or very long. Laurie told me afterwards, "Next time, you come in when you START having contractions...." Ya, that's a good bit of advice I think I'll follow!

Well, she's perfect. I feel great! It is true that recovery is SO much easier with a natural birth! I will have to write more later, but for now, I think I'll get back to my baby :)

18 comments:

Heather said...

wow! that's a great story. :O) I don't know if I'm quite so inspired to try a natural birth, but I love that you got to the hospital and she was here. I hate waiting and waiting for things to happen. Can't wait to see more pictures.

Lauren said...

Congrats! I'm glad everything worked out and you got to the hospital in time!

Sandra said...

Congrats! That is so neat. It's amazing how each delivery is different. I'm jealous that you go early. I was a day late with my first three. And only a few days early with the next two. Enjoy that baby...ahh man now I'm getting baby hungry again.

Unknown said...

Holy Cow! You are crazy, but I'm glad everything worked out for you! I can't wait to see more and hear more about it! I'm so happy for you guys!

Andrea said...

Congratulations! Glad you made it to the hospital. :)

Audrey said...

So happy for you! Wish my body was as efficient as yours seems to be :)

Sherrie said...

Oh Congratulations! I'm glad you made it to the hospital. Love her name! Can't wait for more pics. Take care of yourself.

rachaeljanae said...

Wow, that whole thing sounds so familiar. I remember thinking that HF prompted me to prepare for a natural childbirth because in the end I didn't have a choice. Congratulations, now you know you can do it! She's beautiful and I love the name.

Johnsonsblog said...

Kristy, That is a great story. I have a similar story with Breanna! I had both of mine natural and have never regreted it. With Breanna I made it to the hospital and they had to wheel me down to L & D and when I made it to the room they had me go into the bathroom to pee in the cup and change into the gown. When I sat on the toilet I started pushing so the nurse yelled at me to get in the bed. So totally naked I jumped on the bed, water broke and there she was. I was so happy. So on Breanna's birth certificate it says the nurses name as the one who delivered her. No dr's. I love it when they come fast!!!!

Heather said...

Congrats! She is beautiful!!! I love the name.

Rae said...

Oh my gosh, Kristy, I am just BEAMING from ear to ear hearing about your birth!! I LOVE Laurie--I really miss her. Congratulations--Maren is gorgeous! And don't you look amazing?! (And don't you love the benefits of natural birth?)

Anna said...

Great story!! Really, as soon as they were coming every 4-5 minutes I would have gone in. You are just so nice and laid back. Now you know, about the time you think you don't want to do natural after all- You're practically done!! Let's hear it for TRANSITION!! She's absolutely beautiful. So many pretty babies.

mandy said...

Congrats!! I can attest to the 3rd baby being the easiest. Hadley was 2 painful cntractions and pushing twice. It was a good thing that I have her at home and the midwife is my mother in law and already there, because I totally would not have made it!! We are so excited for you guys!

Lara Neves said...

Congratulations! She is gorgeous, and I love the name you've chosen.

Love your birth story, too. A lot like Chloe's was for me. I had to be induced with Sophia, or I'm sure it would have been worse.

Wish I could be there to hold her! And so glad she came early for you. :)

Merry Christmas!

Kate said...

I am so excited for you. She is so beautiful. I just really love the name. What a beautiful girly name. How fun to be surprised and to have a baby at Christmas time, man I miss those baby times, especially now that I am having a missionary leave.(my little AJ)

Jamie Jo said...

That's a great story, Kristy. I love labor stories. Glad she wasn't born in the car. I think the name is adorable! Maren is one I thought about when I was preggers with Milly. Have a fun Christmas with her.

Brady and Melinda Johnson said...

What a woman! She is beautiful and you are so brave! I think about you often and am so grateful for our fun times! GREAT job! Tell Joey I said so too! Miss and love ya lots! Keep posting!

Cyndie said...

WOW! What a story. I am totally wanting to do a natural birth, too, but the closer it gets, the more I am not sure I can pull it off... Kudos to you for pulling it off. :) You rock!