I had decided to do another natural birth. Everything went so well with Hannah and the recovery was so much better than after Aubrey. I kept my same midwife and things were going as planned!
My dad's birthday is May 22, so that would have been fun, having Dani that same day. Jared's mom's birthday is the 25th, so that would have been fun too!
My due date came and went. No biggie. I expected it. On the 23rd though, I woke up early in the morning with contractions. They weren't anything crazy, so I knew I still had a long ways to go. But because I was having contractions, I asked Jared to stay home from work. I wanted him home to help with Hannah and Aubrey.
But the contractions went away! They would come back for a while, then go away. Then come back! It was frustrating. Either let me go into labor, or go away for good! Stop messing with me!
We decided to try walking. It helped a little with Aubrey, and I was at the point I was ready to try most anything. So we went to the zoo! Walked around for about an hour. The contractions I was wanting to intensify went away. Figures.
This seriously went on all day. Contractions would come back stronger, but then go away. Then come back even stronger and go away.
It was close to the girls's bedtimes and the contractions started to stay. Again, it was nothing crazy. I wasn't crying from the pain and I was able to get myself through each contraction. We had to make a choice of dropping the girls off somewhere for the night, or staying home and putting them to bed. In the end, we stayed home.
Jared got the girls to bed. When they were settled and I realized the contractions were staying, it was time to call in a friend. I had a few on stand-by, but one of them wasn't answering her phone. Neither was her husband. Rats! So Jared called another and asked if the teenage daughter could just come sleep at our house and be a warm body there in case Aubrey or Hannah woke up. But it was my friend that showed up with a pillow. Makes sense, it was pretty late at night and they would have had to wake the teenager up.
It was time to go in! We got in contact with the midwife, headed out to meet her at the birthing center. I knew it was happening and didn't need to be checked before getting "admitted" to the center.
Jared was trying to drive so smoothly, but my contractions were getting stronger and longer. Every turn and bump hurt. I squeezed his poor hand so tightly that I'm pretty sure I left marks. He didn't complain once.
We got to the birthing center and the parking lot was packed. As we walked in, we heard some loud noises and realized we walked in right as someone else gave birth! Hooray for them! They wanted family to be there, so that made sense of why the lot was full.
I got set up in a room, thank goodness there was one left! The lady gave birth in one, there was another laboring woman in the second room. One lady had to go to the hospital because she was having a hard time. I don't know what I would have done if I couldn't have had a room!
But they got the tub going, my midwife, Michelle, checked me and let me know I came in at a 4-5. And she let me in on a little secret. She confided that the 3rd birth usually goes the fastest. She guessed I'd be pushing after only a couple hours.
I think we got to the birthing center around 11. I was so ready to be done. I hurt, nothing was comfortable. I got in the warm tub and that helped again, like it did with Hannah. I remembered what positions worked with Hannah and I tried them again. Hooray, they helped.
Poor Michelle was so tired and had so many women having babies at one time! She would spend time at the birthing center with the 2 of us there in labor and spend time at the hospital, checking on the lady there.
I was reaching the end point. I was hitting the stage where I didn't think I could do it anymore. Michelle kept saying I wasn't there yet. She'd be able to hear it when I was ready to push. Not even a minute later, she could hear I was ready. I guess my voice/groan/yell changed and she knew it was time to push.
I moved into a better position and got ready to hunker down. I don't know why, but the position that worked for me was almost on all-fours. I was on my knees and gripped the edge of the tub. They rested a towel on the edge for me to put my head on. I went all "crazy warrior lady" again and pushed hard as I can. No joke, 5 pushes later and she was out! Because of my position, she came out and floated up in front of me, so I had to catch her while Michelle and Jared helped me sit comfortably.
This baby was worth it. So beautiful! And so calm. Had the sweetest little face! Emilie Danielle came on May 24, around 1:20am!
I was feeling good. Dani was doing so great! She got the hang of nursing right away. I was ready to go home and rest in my own bed. But I had to stay for a few hours, to make sure I was ok to leave.
Finally they gave me the all clear!
We got home around 6, just in time for Aubrey and Hannah to wake up and come out. They were so surprised to see Dani! They went to bed while she was still in my tummy, then they wake up and she was out!
It was love at first sight for everyone!!
