Our Birth Story

Paisley's birthing story... On Thursday May 20th we had our weekly appointment and our doctor told me she was going to strip the membrane to help move things along, I was 80% and at a 3+. I would normally go back to work, but after our doctor told us to stick around town close, we thought we'd take the time to get ready. We went home and made a play list of songs to take to the hospital, we made sure our bags were ready, even though we had them ready about a week and a half before. I also cleaned up the house and made a yummy dinner.
I thought that that night I was feeling something different, but I think I was just excited that I couldn't sleep. We got up early the next morning and I took a shower. I could kinda feel what felt like braxton hicks, but they felt just like they had the rest of my pregnancy. We left the house about 10:00 am for a walk. We live on 3rd West and we walked all the way to campus, which is on 10th East. We had many potty breaks and took the long flight of stairs with some pressure on my step to encourage our baby to come! On our walk Kody and I talked about what name we thought was best. We were still stuck on Taylee or Paisley. We had pros and cons of both. We stopped a few times too cause my braxton hicks were stronger then I thought and I had to let them pass a little before I could walk comfortably.
As we got closer to the house we realized that we had walked non stop for about 3 ½ hours and fast, Kody and Teddy made sure of that. It was a beautiful day so we took advantage of that (it was rainy for almost two weeks prior to this day).
When we got home we made lunch and I sat down with a big glass of water. I was so sore, but it didn't feel sore from the walk it was in my hips and I only felt it when I was sitting. At about 3:00 I was just a little worried about the baby cause I hadn't felt her move as much as I normally did. We called Becky (my sister in law and Doula). She said if you have any questions just go in and check it out, so we did. We got in about 4:30 and because it was a Friday the office was already closed so they sent us to labor and delivery to get checked out. It was kinda cool to go there and not have to be scared about having the baby in the hall cause it was just a check up! They hooked my belly to the monitors and found the baby's heart. She had a little slower sounding heart rate so they got a vibrator thing to see if she was just sleeping... she was! As soon as they touched her head with that she went crazy punching! The nurse checked and said I was at a 4+ and called my doctor. I found out the braxton hicks that I was feeling were actual contractions. The nurse told me to tell her if I thought I was feeling one, and to tell her. I said, I “think this is one” and she said “Yep, that was the end of a contraction.” They really weren't so bad, just a little stronger than what I was feeling months before. Because my doctor was on call that night she told the nurse I could get induced then or I could go home and see if my water breaks on its own. We called our families and decided to wait and see, we also didn't bring any of our nicely packed things so we wanted to go home.
We got home about 6:00PM. Mom and Dad McDonald were on there way up with Derek and Kenzee and Mom and Dad Anderson were also on their way over along with Becky! I decided to get my mind off of what was going on and get myself ready. I curled my hair and did a little makeup- all the while Kody was timing my contractions, they were about 5 to 6 minutes apart, but not consistent. I was still feeling really good, so home was good for us!
When Mom and Dad Anderson and Becky got to our house we were just killing time. We made dinner and decided to play some card games. After about three hours (about 10:00) I was having contractions often, still not consistent. When I was having the contractions Kody or Becky would press my hips to help counter act the pressure... it really helped. Becky was pressing and I was telling her that it was most comfortable for me when I was in child's pose, so I got there and we heard a pop sound as the baby punched me. Becky, Kody and I all looked at each other and they asked me what that was. As I sat up, I said I wasn't sure and I realized my water had broke. We all got so excited and Kody ran to the kitchen to get a hand towel for me, we soon realized that was not enough! Mom and Becky helped me upstairs and Kody and Dad grabbed the bags. Kody was all smiles and so frantically excited that everything was happening, all I could see on him was joy. He was so good to get everything in the car so fast. He didn't forget anything. As Becky closed the door she told me to put on some music and relax on the drive over. I opened my eyes a few times only to see Kody smiling. When I got out of the car the clock said 11:00 PM. It was raining too... Every time I imagined going to the hospital, I saw it being the morning time, just getting bright and sunny. That night was perfect though!
Even though we had just been to Labor and Delivery, they asked us all the questions again. We got a room that we could have a Jacuzzi too (it was a bathtub really). Because my water had already broke the contractions were stronger, pretty much as soon as my water broke they were consistent. In the hospital you aren't suppose to get in the Jacuzzi after your water breaks, so we had to get permission from my doctor, so we waited in the room. It was hard at first to continue the relaxed feeling until Kody started the music and Becky turned down the lights. I started to tense my hands, as soon as I did Kody would tell me to relax and he would hold my hand. Mom was also holding my hand and Dad would rub my feet. Becky would tell me things like “You are doing what your body needs to to get baby here.” Every time someone said “baby” I thought that isn't her name, so I finally said “Her name is Paisley!” I could hear Kody say “That is what I was going to say!”
I was on the birthing ball for a while. I know this is yucky, but it is my birth store... I had the burps. It felt so nice to let it out though, I did apologize after each one though! I also threw up a few times, but it felt so much better when I did. I got in the Jacuzzi after a while, I don't know how long. It was nice, Kody was holding my head and I was worried the whole time that he was going to dip my curled hair into the water... he did. It was okay, but I couldn't stop thinking about it.
I then felt the urge to push. After only relaxing, almost to the point that I was asleep between surges, the urge to push was strong. I needed to get out of the Jacuzzi, but I didn't want to move. Kody and Becky got me out and I crossed the hall to my room. On the way over I saw Papa Jo, Jill and Kenzee. I was so excited that they made it. When we got back into the room I heard Becky tell Betsy (my nurse) that I was pushing and would be ready for the doctor to come in soon. Becky then started to tell me “down and out, down and out”. She also told me sounds were good if I felt it, but they needed to be low and deep. Not high or crying. It really helped!
I realized then that Jill wasn't in the room. I knew my limit was 5 people, and didn't think I was to it yet. I really wanted her there too for her first grand daughter. I also knew how much she loves her son and I wanted her to be able to see him as an amazing husband. I had never seen him so happy as I did that night and I wanted him to have his family share it too. When she came in I think she was playing with my hair, that was relaxing. I also had to have someone holding both of my hands while I felt a surge and I couldn't have them covered at all. I freaked out once because my hands were covered, but Kody realized why and helped me get the blanket off.
The next thing I remember was Betsy telling me I was at a 10, but not yet 100%, so if could control my pushing then she would call in the doctor, who I thought was already there, but in another room. She told me to push and I did and then she told me to stop... and I did! I was so happy I could do that! Becky started to tell me down and out and I had to say it out loud too. I repeated it over and over and had to visualize it in my mind. Paisley was moving down and I was helping her out. This whole time I wasn't feeling like I was doing much, I felt like my body was controlling what it knew to and Paisley was doing what she needed to to come.
I then remember Betsy leaving for just a moment and then Kimberly (my doctor) coming in and telling me she needed to turn on a few lights so she could see better. I opened my eyes for the first time since coming over from the jacuzzi to see her. There where a lot more people than I thought. My sister Beth came at some time and I saw her then, plus a lot of other people. My doctor is a cute shorter blonde usually kinda spiky hair and a dolled up face. When she came in she had a few spikes on top and shinny lip gloss that was it! I loved it! I told her “Hi, I am so glad you are here!” She told me thanks and the same! She then told me a few other things, but I couldn't hear her, I told her she needed to be louder and she told me to “Push”. Kody at this time was laying on the bed pretty much with me, well he was sitting on it. He had his arm around me and was letting me sleep on his shoulder between surges. I felt that if I could sleep between surges I would have more energy to push when I needed to and it wouldn't help for me to do anything during the contraction, it was going to happen either way. I pushed for about five hard pushes and Kimberly asked Kody and I if we think she had hair. We quickly said “No chance!” She told us we were wrong, she had a lot of hair. We were shocked. Kimberly told me to push and I felt I wanted to stop for just a second and she told me to keep on going so I did. I then felt all the pressure I had felt from after the walk, all the weight that was on my hips and pelvis, all the everything that was uncomfortable release at once. I let out the biggest sigh and I felt amazing! I then felt the most love I have ever experiences as Kimberly quickly placed this white funny colored baby, still attached, on my chest. She was screaming and wiggling, but all I could see was Kody and our baby. She was perfect, we held her close together and just smiled for what seamed like an hour. They took Paisley to the back of the room, I could still see her, to get cleaned a little. I needed a few stitches, they were not comfortable! But I just focussed on my baby in the back of the room and how I was going to be able to hold her and snuggle with her and Kody. My stitches were minor. I was also given pitosin, which helped me feel better faster. Beside the pitosin after birth, the only other thing I had was a helpock start (just a ready needle in case of an emergency). Also because I was a natural birth mom, in my birth plan I asked the nurses to ask me my comfort level instead of my pain scale. It was nice to not have to think about pain. I used the Hypno birthing methods to practice or for my pre-birth classes. It sounds funny I know, but I really think that you have to be prepared if you are going to do a natural birth, just saying you want to won't work. You have to know you can (even if it is in the back of your mind). Going into the hospital earlier that day I wouldn't have been able to tell you that I wasn't going to have an epidural. But putting in my mind good thoughts, and positive thinking of birth right before it got hard helped me stay focused and I didn't ever feel that I needed the epidural, so I didn't get it. At one point I asked my sister in law to tell me I didn't need it because... and had her finish that thought for me. She just said, you are in control and your body is doing what it needs to to have Paisley here safely. You don't need anything to control something you are already controlling. our body will work with your baby to do what it needs to to get baby here. That was the only time I felt a little doubt or anything besides relaxed, and it only lasted for a few moments. Kody said that even then it seamed that I was still totally calm and had things under control.
We left the labor and delivery about 5:00AM and I didn't sleep the whole next day, I tried, but I was so excited and I was on a natural high that I felt amazing. The next night though, I was really ready for sleep. The nurses came in just for Paisley to eat and then we got to sleep again. We had to go to a feeding class on Sunday, but after that we were able to go home. We were so excited to leave. Looking back on it now I can't believe we did it!
Paisley was born at 4:15AM and weighed in at 7lbs 1oz and was 19 ½inches long.
Labor from time water broke to birth was 5 hours 15 minutes, pushing time was about 30 minutes.
Family present at birth: Kody, Becky Anderson, Beth Bodily, Mom and Dad Anderson, Mom McDonald with Dad McDonald and Kenzee in the hall. Thank you to each of you for being their for our new family!