That is precisely how our Little G man came into this world!
The story starts out pretty "normal", but trust me and just keep reading :)
His due date was July 3. My mother-in-law was returning from a trip on July 2 and my dad was leaving for a trip on July 3. I was really hoping Baby G would come before my dad left considering Dad was unable to be here when Little E was born...and it would be the first grandson for him. Also, I was getting a bit frustrated. Little E came 10 days early and my due date for Baby G was quickly approaching. I actually wrote in my prayer journal on July 1, asking that he would come on July 2.
The evening of July 1 was like every other. I went for a walk (although shorter than normal) to try to get something, ANYTHING, going! I got a text from a dear friend that evening that read, "Anything happening?". My response, "NO". We went to bed as usual, though slightly more disappointed than the previous night.
At 2:00am I was woken up by what I thought was my water leaking (honestly, I am sure that isn't what it was any more, BUT I don't know what it was). I was actually having a dream that my water broke, so maybe that was just God's way of waking me up. I realized I was feeling a bit crampy, so I woke The Hubs and told him. We decided to call our midwife because with Little E's birth, I wasn't feeling much of anything when I got to the birth center and I was already 7 cm! We are further from the birth center now, and I know my labors go quickly, so I wanted to be sure we didn't have a baby on the side of the road, or in the car, or anywhere other than the birth center. The midwife on call was at the hospital with two other laboring mothers and was unable to leave to meet me at the birth center at the time I called (around 2:30). I tried explaining that my first labor was very not-normal and quick and that I was feeling the same way I felt when I was
7 cm with my first! Despite my attempts to convince her otherwise, she told me to just wait until my contractions were stronger and closer together. Honestly, that didn't really happen
with Little E. They never were very consistant. I was not really okay with her advice, but there was nothing else I could do. Even if I went to the birth center, no one would be there. So, I decided to follow her instructions. The Hubs went back to sleep.
I used our Ipad app to log contractions. After 3 hours of mild cramp-like contractions that were not getting any closer together (sometimes 2 minutes apart, and other times 9 minutes apart...seriously). I started getting antsy to know how far I was dilated. I kept thinking that maybe this time was going to be different and not go as fast...or at least that's what I was hoping at this point. At 5:00(ish) we called the midwife back (The Hubs called). She told us she could meet us in 45 minutes at the birth center, so we went about getting things in order. I called my mom to come stay with Little E and we sent the monitor downstairs to our friends on the first floor in case she woke before my mom arrived. The Hubs was on his way out the door, bags and Ipad in hand, when someone flipped a switch (that's how it seemed) and my cramp-like contractions that were totally 100% bearable, switched to extremely intense with the urge to push.
I literally fell to my hands and knees in our kitchen floor (that's when my mom walked in...you can imagine her reaction!). The Hubs didn't know what to do, so he called the midwife and told her I was pushing in our kitchen floor. While Baby G wasn't quite crowning, I could feel his head! I tried to get up after 2 or 3 contractions and walk to the car, but there was no way I was walking anywhere. The contractions were too intense and right on top of one another. Our downstairs friends/neighbors were a huge help at this point. They brought towels into the kitchen and called 911. The Hubs let the midwife know that we'd be coming to the hospital since it is a 5 minute drive compared to 30 minutes. The EMTs took forever (seemingly) to arrive and I wasn't happy when they did. Six MALE EMTs all standing over me, asking me hundreds (again, slightly exaggerated, but that's how it seemed at the time) of questions, and trying to convince me to get on this chair and get strapped in so they could take me to the hospital. I asked if we could have the baby here and then go, but they weren't going for that. Seriously, I was so frustrated. All I wanted was silence and a tub of hot water to immerse myself in. They were doing the exact opposite. The Hubs stepped in when one of them tried to physically force me into the chair. I tried to tell them that I wasn't injured or sick...I was just having a baby and I had done it before! It was all going to be OKAY!
My favorite quotes from the MALE EMT's were:
"It's okay ma'am, I completely understand"--what?!? No you don't! You've never birthed a baby before!
AND
"I don't think you are really as far into labor as you think you are."--SERIOUSLY?!? I can feel this baby's head. I know what's going on, despite your medical expertise.
I finally consented, and allowed them to carry me out to the ambulance. The thoughts of being in a moving vehicle during those intense contractions were unbearable! Thankfully, God was gracious and in my memory, those contractions seemed to ease up until we got to the hospital. My water broke while in the ambulance. When we arrived at the hospital they took me straight up to a labor and delivery room where the midwife met us. They tried to have The Hubs stop at the info desk to give our information...again, SERIOUSLY?!? I just (not-so-politely) told them he was coming with me because he wasn't going to miss this baby's birth due to hospital "procedure". Ugh! Did I mention they also wanted to give me an IV in the ambulance? I rudely declined. Honestly, I'm in the last stage of labor in a moving vehicle and they want to stab me with a needle for NO reason (did you know an IV isn't necessary for giving birth? Check out the research).
So we made it to Labor and Delivery. I managed to make the transition to the bed. Then the midwife asked, "Can you lay back so I can check you?" to which I responded, "Check me for what?". She wanted to see how far dilated I was. Had she not been listening? I was pushing...I knew I was 10cm and fully effaced. This baby was on its way OUT! Sure enough when she checked me all she managed to see was a head! So, I was right all along?!? Imagine that. :)
The Hubs told her that he wanted to "catch" the baby like he had at the birth center with Little E. Based on this hospital's reputation we weren't sure if they would allow that, but our midwife did. She sat in a chair beside the bed and after about 5 contractions The Hubs and I birthed our Baby G together with no assistance. It was really amazing.
fresh :)
proud big sister!
Papa and sister
never would have guessed he would be almost 2 whole pounds bigger than
Little E was at birth!
hanging out with Mama while Baby brother was getting weighed
After he was born, the midwife apologized for not believing me when I called at 2 and tried to convince her that I labor quickly. She was very sincere in her apologies for not being able to be at the birth center like we wanted. She even offered to let me smack her...I declined.
While it wasn't what we had planned for this birth, it was wonderful in its own way. We saw God's grace and sovereignty displaced in the little details. One instance is that if we had not already moved, we would have lived 25 minutes from the birth center and 25-30 minutes from the hospital...neither option would have worked and Baby G would have likely been born on the way to either place. But, because God in his sovereignty planned it out, we were just a couple miles from the hospital which allowed us to make it to our midwife before Baby G was born. God's hand was all over the entire thing...from our friends living downstairs to the nurse we had taking care of us after the birth (she is the mother of one of my mom's good friends).
Needless to say, we are strongly considering a home-birth the next time around. That way, the midwife comes to me and I don't have to try to make it anywhere...with births like mine, I think that is probably the safest option :)
I never wanted a hospital birth, but if I HAD to have one, I would want it this way...I avoided all the interventions and protocol that our hospital typically requires by coming in so late, and I was still able to give birth naturally with The Hubs as my supporter and partner. Really, it was perfect...dramatic, but perfect.
Plus, Baby G has a pretty exciting story of how he entered this world!
It's never dull here folks...that's for sure.
