I rolled out of bed, still sleepy from the busy day at the Puyallup fair the day before, and got dressed and ready to head out to another prenatal check-up. At my previous visit, the midwife told me that if I was still experiencing contractions by the 18th that she would check to see if I was dilated and that she would do some things to help move labor along. I was ecstatic.
At approximately 9:15 am on September 18, while the midwife was checking me and "helping things along," I felt a little pop and a rush of water. We both gasped and looked at each other wide-eyed. We both started laughing as she said, "Oh my gosh, I just broke your water! Those are hard to break, so she must be READY! Looks like you're having a baby today, kid!"
I went home to gather up the rest of what I'd need at the birth center and to walk, etc, to get the contractions going before I checked in. I sent my husband a message that he should probably head home soon (he works an hour away), and I sent out a few "My water broke...be praying!" messages to some friends and family. I couldn't believe this was it!
We checked into the birth center around 3:00 pm, got settled into my room and went to the cafeteria for some food. As we walked around the hospital I could tell my contractions were getting stronger. By around 4:30 pm I could tell things were really getting going. After that, time lost all meaning to me as I focused on trying to relax through each contraction and let my body do what it was designed to do (when they tell you in the Bradley Method book to practice relaxation as if your life depended on it, they're not kidding. It is very challenging to relax when your body is working so intensely).
At one point, after some pretty hard contractions, the midwife checked and I was still only at 4 cm. She didn't want to break the news, but she knew she had to tell me and encouraged me to try laboring in different positions. We had to get the baby in prime position and let the contractions build as needed. I was pretty disappointed to hear I was still at 4, but I knew I had to do what I could to keep things moving forward. After only an hour of laboring in new positions I had progressed to 7.
Eventually I had strong urges to push during the contractions and things had finally gotten to a point where it was ok to push, and it actually felt better to push than not to. Then instead of relaxing, it was time to work hard WITH my body and meet my baby! I never thought I could push so hard, but just when I thought I couldn't, the midwife would say, "Harder!" and I'd push even harder. The midwife and my coach rather excitedly told me, "We can see about a 50 cent piece-sized part of her head!"
After so much hard pushing all I could say to that was, "That's IT??" I wasn't sure how much longer I could work at that pace, but I knew the only way she was coming out naturally was for me to push. I could rest later. With each new contraction I pushed until I felt like I couldn't push anymore, and then pushed again. Before I knew it (at 12:12 am on Sept 19), I was pulling my sweet baby onto my skin. She was here. I'd waited a lot longer than nine months for that, and it was every bit as sweet and beautiful as I'd imagined.
I still look at her in disbelief. I cannot believe I am finally a mommy, and that I actually pushed such a gorgeous creature out of my body after having such fun carrying her in my tummy for nine months. I know she'll be big before I'm ready, but boy am I trying to enjoy every little bit of her along the way. I am so thankful for this tiny person that is such a huge answer to prayer.
