Ivy's birthday

We call it Labor day. 

I had my first contraction at 8:30 am when I was on the phone with my sister. I pretty much hung up on her because I wasn't sure what was happening. I called her back a few minutes later thinking I had had a contraction, but wasn't sure until they kept coming right after I got off the phone with her. David was about to leave for work and I told him to go and I'd call if they continued.  I had a few more contractions before he managed to leave so he decided to stay. 

 I had an appointment with my midwife that morning at 10:30 anyways, so we went. I was at a 4.5 when I saw her so we didn't go to the hospital. We tried to kill time by going to the mountains for a picnic. I thought it sounded like a nice place to be while in labor until we got there, and then I just wanted to go home.  I was pacing around the river eating a bagel sandwich, probably freaking out the other people there because I looked so distraught. 

I spent the whole day around the house laboring.  We had cleaned the house the day before, and I pretty much just paced around making a disaster of it. My sister-in-law brenda came over at one point to drop some stuff off and I was a zombie. I came out of the bathroom when she got here just in my underwear and was like "hey brenda".  She looked in my eyes and said "you look like you are in labor".  It was so funny. She was only there for a few minutes but I had to excuse myself a couple of times to go have contractions.

Around four my contractions were really strong and I decided to take a bath.  I wanted a stand for my phone and water bottle while I was in the tub so david brought me Ivy's rocking horse.  He cut me an apple too.  A few minutes after this photo the apple plate was dropped into the tub with me. I ate them anyways. I love this picture, it shows how bizarre the day was.

Shortly after I ate the bath water apples I peed in the tub accidentally and then demanded that david roast some butternut squash for me.  I was hungry and that is what sounded good.While chopping them he chopped his finger pretty bad and was bleeding all over the place.We started to eat the squash and then I immediately started throwing it up.  I remember sitting on the back step eating the squash and having contractions only partially dressed and being worried that our neighbor would see me.  I kept throwing up so we decided to go to the hospital. We got there at 7:00.  Walking in to the hospital was hysterical.  I was in pajamas and waddling, david was sort of frazzled and was carrying all of our bags.  We just parked in the valet parking spots and walked in.  It was so obvious to anyone that saw us walking through the parking lot that we were there to have a baby. We walked up and I told them I was in labor and they were like "ok go in this room and we will come check you to see if you are actually in labor before we admit you".  They didn't believe that I was really in labor and made me wait a half an hour before they even checked me or called my midwife to come to the hospital. Finally the lady came in and took a peek and was like "um, ok, you're at a 9 and the baby's head is right there. Have a seat and dont push." She pretty much ran out of the room. A few seconds later there was a whirlwind of people coming in to get me in a wheelchair and wheel me to labor and delivery.  David let my parents and emily know so they could get on their way there.

I had been standing up and walking all day through my contractions and did not want to sit in the wheelchair. Once I did, I didn't want to get up again. I dont remember who it was but they were like " well do you want to give birth in the wheelchair?", and I gave in and got onto the bed.  A few minutes later the midwife that was on call arrived there panting and sweating. Emily arrived too.  I had to pee so I got up and while I was up my water broke during a contraction.  I'll spare you too many details but it burst like a water balloon and I was so shocked.  I almost collapsed to the ground, and would have if david hadn't been there.  I swore a bunch and then waddled back to the bed.  I would squeeze davids hand during my contractions and his cut finger started uncontrollably bleeding because of it. Sorry david.  At one point towards the end david got up and cut a finger off of a glove to cover his band aid because it wasn't doing much to stop the bleeding.

I started pushing shortly thereafter, and did so for about an hour and half.  Ivy was born at 9:38. Pushing was brutal.  The midwives and nurses thought for sure she was "going to come with the next contraction! just one more push!" But she didn't come forever.

I had such a rush of adrenaline at the end, I was moaning like Tarzan and throwing up during contractions and then cracking jokes in between them.  Everything after she was born is sort of surreal and blurry to me. I think the first thing I said was "She looks like andrew!"  and I just kept repeating it, because she looks shockingly similar to David's nephew, Andrew. David was crying, and I was just sort of hyper. After she was born they went to put her on my chest but the umbilical cord was too short so she only made it up to my belly button.  They told me that they would have to keep her there until they cut the cord and then I could pull her up to my chest. I said "ok", and then I grabbed her and started pulling her up to my chest anyways. I wasn't even thinking   I had heard what they just said but I just wanted to hold her so I dismissed it out of my mind apparently.  They all screamed and grabbed at her before I did too much damage.  It was an amazing feeling though, and I instantly felt so comfortable with her.  I held her for well over an hour before I even thought to give david a chance to hold her.

We had gone to hypnobirthing classes throughout pregnancy to prepare for the birth.  We were terrible students though, and never practiced.  I still really value the information we got in the classes, but we didn't really much of the technique.  David made a playlist for me to listen to while I was in labor, and it was really great.  I remember just hearing it in the background, and I sort of tuned into it throughout everything.  I wish I remember what song was playing when she was born.  Now when I listed to the playlist at home I get really emotional and remember how I felt during labor and birth. Now all of those songs are so special to me, Ivy loves them too.  I really loved having her naturally with no drugs.  I felt really in control the whole time.  There was a moment when I was pushing that I told myself to remember what it feels like and to get an epidural next time.  But of coure, I have already forgotten  or disregarded those feelings and I want go natural next time too.

Later that night after everyone had left and we were all alone in our room together is when I really fell in love with her, and us as a new family.  After we went to sleep she started coughing up some amniotic fluid and it scared us so bad.  We had to scramble in the dark to find a light and see what was going on.  The rush of protectiveness that we felt for her was such a crazy feeling, and made us really feel like parents.  So many positive and scary feelings all at once, but I love it so much.