Hyrum's {Birth} Story Part 1 - Labor

February 22, 2016

Normal day. Get up, get dressed, wake the girls up, get them ready for school, out the door, drop off the older three girls, etc. I took Adeline to my sister-in-law's house because I had my 40 week check up that morning. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had come to terms with the fact that our Baby Jedi was way too comfy in my womb and was refusing to come out. Which was making me anxious, bitter, and sad.

At my appointment, I expressed my concerns with going over my due date since I had been measuring so big for the last six weeks or so. When the time came for me to be checked, my uterus was measuring large. A little too large for comfort, 44+ weeks. Dr. Miller felt it best to get an emergency ultrasound to check baby's weight, my placenta, the amniotic fluid, etc.

I was actually calm during this whole process. Perhaps because I prayed that whatever happened would be guided and directed by God? Probably. I called Charles and started walking through the hospital to the ultrasound area. I debated calling him in the first place... I thought, "I could just have the ultrasound, find out what the baby is, and NEVER tell anyone!"! But with my doctor's concern, I felt it best to have him there and to NOT find out baby's gender since I had a feeling we'd be meeting our Jedi sooner than I thought.

The ultrasound went well. We had the same lady that had been doing them so she didn't tell us baby's gender! She gave us a few photos of baby, but they didn't turn out the greatest since baby was in position for birth(yay!). As we were getting ready to leave, she mentioned waiting for a minute so she could call the doctor and see if he wanted me to go home. This is where I started to get a little worried, but I said a prayer that all would be well.

We were able to go home.

Around 1:00, Dr. Miller called me and told me that I had too much amniotic fluid and I would need to be induced the following morning. I was diagnosed with Polyhydramnios and we discussed what it meant and what could go wrong(prolapsed cord when water breaks, too rapid deflation of my uterus causing uterine rupture, etc.). There was nothing wrong with the baby or baby's size(which was noted to be on the smaller end of the scale...). We talked for a bit about my birth plan and how we could stick to it as closely as possible, but I had to be open to what was to come. The plan was to break my water first thing in the morning and see if my body would go into labor naturally before starting pitocin.

In a way, I was relieved after the call. I knew that Baby was going to come and I prayed that my water wouldn't break on it's own before I got to the hospital the next morning. I called Charles, my Mom, other family members, and messaged a few friends and my photographer about what was going on. I kept things very hush-hush since I was scared about what was going to happen. And I still had this kind of, "This baby is never coming out...", attitude. It wasn't pretty.

I spent the rest of the afternoon arranging babysitters, rides, packing the last of my bags, praying, preparing mentally, etc. We decided to take the girls out to eat at A&G's to tell them that their sibling was going to be born the next day! Caitlin figured it out before we even said anything, and the other girls were very excited! The bed-time routine was a little chaotic with all the excitement, and I had to teach Charles how to do the girls' hair since I wouldn't be there in the morning to do it myself, but everyone fell asleep really quickly!

February 23rd, 2016

I woke up around 4:00 a.m. and laid in bed saying prayers and reading scriptures on my phone. I searched Pinterest for labor and delivery scriptures. The scripture that stood out the most to me is found in Romans 8:18, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

I was scared about the pitocin and the pain that it would bring. I had pitocin with Caitlin's birth and it scarred me emotionally and mentally. And I was very uncomfortable. I had glossed over just how uncomfortable I was feeling in my pregnancy updates because I didn't want people to think that I was complaining too much or being ungrateful. But the truth is, I was very, very uncomfortable and swollen the last three weeks. My ankles, feet, arms, chest, neck, face, lips, stomach... everything was super swollen/bloated. I didn't even really recognize myself in the mirror some mornings. My heartburn was awful, my chest/ribs hurt constantly, I couldn't walk more than three feet without getting terribly winded, my boobs were being pushed to the sides because my belly was so high and swollen... it wasn't fun.

I got out of bed at 5:00 and started getting ready for the day. I took out my luggage and wrote a letter to the girls. I woke Charles up right before I left and headed to labor and delivery. The full moon was still in the sky and it was cool to look at on the drive over.

Once I got there, I was put on the monitors and had my IV placed. Jen, Baby Jedi's Godmother and my best friend, showed up shortly after. It was nice to have someone to talk to since I wasn't even having any contractions. My cervix was checked at I was at a three and Baby wasn't engaged. Baby was, literally, bobbing up and down like a cork. There was no pressure on my cervix which was causing no contractions. It wasn't safe for the doctor to break my water with Baby not engaged. We were scared about cord prolapse and decided to go ahead and start the pitocin to get a contraction pattern that would either break my water on it's own or allow baby to engage so that my doctor could do it. I was started on a very slow drip.

This was not part of my birth plan, but I had to think about things from the overall point of view. I didn't want a c-section, so I opted for pitocin to help baby engage. I had to be attached to the monitors, which was fine, but we were having a lot of trouble getting my contractions to register since my stomach was so swollen. It was irritating, but we finally found a spot on my belly that worked. Charles came in after he and Adeline got some breakfast an after he dropped her off at his sister's house. My Mom followed shortly after!

My friend, Taycey, showed up in the late morning since she had to go into work for a bit that morning. She started taking photos at that point. {All of my official labor and delivery photos in this post were taken by Taycey Post Photography!} I was checked again with no change in dilation or effacement. I was getting frustrated at this point and watching the number on the pitocin drip creep upwards as I had no change in my cervix.

It was very difficult to stay positive because I was so afraid of the pitocin. It was working by noon. I had a few painful contractions and I had established a contraction pattern, but there was still NO CHANGE in my cervix.

I started feeling some of the side effects: shaking, aches and pains, feeling jittery/anxious, etc. I also had so much pressure in my vagina from having so much fluid that it was hard to be in the bed. TMI warning, but it felt like I was sitting on sausages(sorry... not sure how else to describe how swollen it was down there...). I opted to go on walk instead of just sitting on the labor ball and standing next to the bed. The labor ball put pressure on my vagina and helped with the pain and discomfort, but I needed to move. I was pretty bored and I felt bad for everyone in the room with me. Nothing was happening...

All of the photos in this collage were taken my Jen, in the red coat!
She was pretty excited about the labor selfie on the left!

These photos were also taken by Jen.
The top two were while I was being monitored between contractions.
Bottom left, Charles taking a labor selfie with me.
Bottom right, holding hands while having my cervix checked.

I walked for about two hours, being monitored on the labor ball or bed for 20 minutes each hour. I was checked again and progressed to 4 cm, but Baby wasn't engaged yet. I wanted to just go home at this point... I was feeling pretty defeated. My pitocin was upped every half hour after that. Things got a little more intense, but I couldn't really feel much moving around and sitting on the ball. My contractions were every 2 minutes.

My doctor came in and we discussed how slowly things were going and talked about why he still couldn't break my water safely yet. Even though I was finally dilating, Baby wasn't engaged. We decided to keep on the pitocin, increasing every half hour, until Baby engaged or my water broke naturally. I told him that once my water broke or was broken, things would go fast! He said, "Slow and steady wins the race!", and then I said, "It'll be a sprint finish, though!".

My photographer had to leave to pick up her kids. And since things weren't happening, we weren't worried that she'd miss anything. We'd just keep her updated and play the waiting game.

Shortly after 4:15, I was checked again and noticed right away that Baby was FINALLY engaged. My nurse told me not to move because she was going to get Dr. Miller to break my water! I told Jen to tell Taycey and for her to get back as soon as possible! (Vivian was born 45 minutes after my water was broken! I knew it would be fast once my water was broken!)

The actual process of him breaking my water took about 10 minutes because of the angle I was in. I wasn't suppose to lay back because baby would disengage. Dr. Miller kept checking and rechecking to make sure that the cord wouldn't prolapse around baby's head. It was painful, yes. I was breathing heavy, but not because of the pain. All of my fears about having something go wrong were right at my doorstep. I prayed through each breath.

Then I felt the gush... and it was a LOT of fluid. It was like Lake Amniotic in there! Dr. Miller kept his hand in there initially to make sure the cord didn't come out, and then once everything was all good, he removed his hand and the nurse started pushing on my upper belly to get all the extra fluid out. It sounded like someone was dumping buckets of water onto the floor.

After all was said and done, I felt my belly and noticed that I could breathe again. My ribs didn't hurt. My sides no longer hurt. My boobs were resting normal. And I could see how baby was laying in my belly! It was incredible! I felt SO much better! I didn't realize just how much pressure was in my belly until after all the fluid was out!

I was too scared to get out of the bed yet since I was scared of how strong the pitocin would make my contractions feel. The first one came, and it wasn't terrible. Then another, not so bad. Then another, not so bad. I realized at that point that I needed to pee pretty bad, so I decided to go to the bathroom and that being up would help dilate me. The nurse told me that the only thing she would want from me if I were to get up would be that if she told me to sit or get back in the bed, that I would do it without question. I agreed. I sat for one more contraction, which was a bit more painful. I stood up and had another contraction. This one hurt more than the last four. I needed to lean forward, so I shouted for Charles to come over and help me through.

Afterwards, I went to the bathroom and had a mild contraction during, PRAYING that baby wouldn't come out while I was on the pot. Spoilers: Baby didn't! I walked back to the bed and felt a strong contraction coming. I got Charles over by me and breathed through two back-to-back contractions.

Immediately afterwards, I felt the shaky-out-of-control-but-in-control feeling and knew it was time. I told the nurse and I sat on the bed. It was just me, Charles, my Mom, Jen, and the nurse in the room. She checked me, but didn't say what I was dilated to. And then she left the room.

"Why did she just leave?", I said as I felt a contraction coming on, the urge to push, and Baby's head coming out...

To be continued...

Baby #5, Week 41

The Force has awoken!

How far along: 41 weeks
Weeks to go: ZERO! Charles and I are pleased to announce that on Tuesday, February 23, 2016, at 5:01 p.m., we welcomed Baby Jedi into our family! 40 weeks, 2 days!

Baby Jedi is a BOY!

Hyrum Dean

9 lbs 9 oz

20 1/2 inches long

His big sisters are utterly in love with him and cannot be happier! Charles and I are still in shock! I am working on his birth story now and will have it up soon! Thank you all for your love, support, and patience!

He was worth the wait!

A HUGE THANK YOU to Mrs. Taycey Post of Taycey Post Photography for capturing these special moments! I cannot thank her enough for being willing shoot her first birth story as a photographer! I will cherish these photos always!

Welcome Adeline! - A {Birth} Story

July 3rd, 2014

I had another breakdown. I sat on my exercise ball while keeping track of my contractions. The same contractions I'd been feeling and having for the past month or so. I was feeling like I was getting nowhere. Contraction after contraction, for a month, and I was done. I had come to the conclusion that Adeline wouldn't ever come out. She was just going to be inside of me forever. And I cried. And cried.

It was the last day before Charles would be home for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, and I was SO, SO ready for him to be home during the day. I felt like I couldn't handle the mental game of having contractions ALL DAY LONG that got me nowhere by the end of the day. It was getting more and more difficult for me to enjoy the end of my pregnancy. I had so much on my mind about the logistics of going to hospital, having someone come watch the girls, what if the baby came fast like Vivian, etc. In my mind. 24/7. Over and over again. Constant. 

So when Charles got home from work, he asked me if I wanted to go to Walmart and look at car seats. In my nesting phase, I was washing the car seat cover and when I was putting the seat back together, I noticed that the bottom of our car seat was broken in a few places. So we decided to look at buying a new one for Adeline. And I needed to get out of the house, so it was perfect! 

We ran into a ton of people we knew, and it was nice to catch up and zone out for a little bit! We ended up finding a car seat that we liked, so we went ahead and bought it! When we got back home, we let our girls run around the yard while Charles did some yard work. I sat on the deck and set up the car seat!

I installed it in the car, had Charles double check it, and then took a picture!

After Charles and I put our girls down for the night, he went out and bought me some Cookies and Cream ice cream. I had been resisting eating sweets and desserts for some time, but I just really wanted some ice cream! And it was perfect! After a large small bowl and a few episodes of Parenthood on Netflix, I went to bed relieved that Charles would be home for the next few days so that I could hold onto what little sanity I had left!

July 4th, 2014

I woke up to some light menstrual-like cramps. I laid in bed for about an hour thinking the same thing I had been thinking for the past three weeks: "Adeline isn't coming today. These are just Braxton Hicks contractions. They are getting me nowhere." But I also thought: "It would be cool to have our fourth daughter on the Fourth of July! May the FOURTH be with you!"

I got up fairly early to start packing bags and the car for the Fourth of July parade uptown. I had to wake up the girls and get them fed. Charles went to a friend's house to help him fix up his new house while I got the girls and myself ready for the day. I got to do the girls' hair, and I took a Pinterest challenge and did Rosalie's hair like this:

She got a LOT of compliments for it! And we saw three other little girls with similar hair! We had a plan to park a few blocks away from the parade and walk to a good spot. Charles was running late coming home, so by the time we were suppose to meet up with our brother-in-law to walk over to the parade, we had to walk really fast to catch up. I felt fine while we were speed walking and I was already having contractions. I didn't think much of it. We found a good spot, met up with some other friends, and enjoyed the parade! I realized when we got there that I forgot the camera! LAME!

Afterwards, we walked to the flea market. I noticed that my contractions hurt more than usual. But again, I didn't think much of it. When we got to Charles' sisters' booth, I had to stop walking because my contractions hurt. I laughed them off, but started to worry. I felt off. I didn't feel quite right. And I felt like with each contraction, Adeline's head was not in my pelvis, but over towards my right hip. I got Charles and told him that we needed to go home. My contractions were becoming consistent and I was getting super anxious. 

On the way back to the van, I had to stop with each contraction. I tried to force myself to walk, but with Adeline's head being pushed towards my hip, it was difficult to walk. I kept telling Charles to slow down, but the truth is, he was already walking slowly. This is when I had the first glimmer of hope that Adeline would be coming. But my brain kept telling me that today probably wasn't the day. 

When we got back to the van, I couldn't even lift my legs to get into my seat. And that's when I looked at Charles and said, "I need to start keeping track of these contractions."

We got home and made the girls some lunch. My contractions were every 2 to 3 minutes apart. I drank two huge glasses of ice water thinking that I was a little dehydrated and that's what was causing my contractions. But they didn't stop or slow down. Charles and I debated for half an hour about calling into the clinic. My doctor was on vacation and I didn't want to go in and have someone else deliver Adeline. But I didn't really have a choice. My contractions weren't slowing down and it had been over an hour. 

After a prayer and come coaxing from Charles, I called the clinic and was told to come in to be monitored for an hour to see if I was making any progress. Charles called his Dad to come watch our girls and we grabbed the suitcase and got in the van. The entire ride there I kept saying, "They are going to hook me up to the machine and my contractions are going to stop!" Only time would tell!

We went straight to Labor and Delivery and were put into room 102 around 2:00 in the afternoon. I handed over my birth plan and got settled into the room. The two nurses hooked me up to the monitors and one nurse wanted to check my cervix to see where I was at with dilation and effacement. While she was checking, she said, "What is that?!" And let me tell you, when a nurse is checking inside of your vagina, the last thing you want to hear is, "What is that?!"! Awkward.

Apparently, it was Adeline's hand. It wasn't out of my cervix or anything since my water hadn't broken. The nurse felt Adeline's head off to the side and could feel the knuckles on her hand. Just to be sure, the nurse wanted to check one more time. Adeline's head had shifted down and was finally in position. Her hand was blocking her head from the birth canal. The nurse told me that I was at 4 cm dilated and about 60% effaced. And I had my bloody show when she was done checking my cervix. The nurse also told me that my amniotic sac was very thick, so if I progressed through labor, the doctor would have to break it. And I was totally fine with that. But I still thought I would be going home later that night. But the nurses would be back within an hour to see how I was progressing. I wasn't allowed to walk around just yet, so I sat my bed up as far as it could go to put pressure on my cervix. After half an hour of that, I was able to walk around and be disconnected from the monitors.

After that hour, my contractions were indeed, 2 minutes apart, the entire time. When the nurses checked me again, I was at 5 cm and 65% effaced. I was going to be admitted and the doctor was coming in to break my water.

And that's when it hit me. I would be meeting my little girl within 24 hours! I was SO excited! While I waited for the doctor to come in, I went ahead and started calling my family and telling them what was going on! I think everyone was excited and thinking that it was crazy that I would probably be having Adeline on the Fourth of July!

When the doctor came back around 4:00, some of Charles' family had come by to visit me in the hospital! They had to leave the room so that the doctor could break my water. When she did, it sounded like someone kept dumping buckets of water out. My water just kept coming out and out! It felt like forever, but it was probably only 30 seconds... but it was a long time! I watched my stomach deflate! I had SO much water! The nurses started setting up the room because of how fast Vivian came after my water was broken during my last labor. I sat up in the bed and waited! If Adeline was going to come fast like Vivian, I wanted to be in the bed, ready to go!

After another hour had passed, I was checked again at I was 6 cm dilated, but still at 65% effaced. I decided to get up and walk around. Labor was taking longer than we had anticipated. I wasn't effacing. Being up and moving around helped. I was checked again and told that Adeline's head wasn't quite turned enough. She wasn't in position yet. So she wasn't putting enough pressure onto my cervix to help it efface. I sat on a labor ball and slowly rotated my hips for about an hour. I ended up needing to be on all fours in order for Adeline to turn enough to be in position. Once she got into position, I could tell right away! But this process took a few hours! I was getting very anxious and a little discouraged. I wanted Charles to be able to go home to watch the fireworks with our girls!

I was checked again around 8:00 p.m. when I started feeling shaky. I could feel my hormones shifting and I knew it would be time soon. I was finally 100% effaced, but I was sitting at 7 cm dilated. I wasn't cranky yet, but I wasn't comfortable anymore. I couldn't stand or sit without discomfort. I ended up leaning on the counter and it helped me through my contractions. My sister-in-law needed to leave for a bit and I told her to go now and get back quickly!

Right about 9:00, I had a very strong contraction and knew it was time. I called for the nurse and told her it was time and I was feeling very "pushy". I sat on the hospital bed and had another contraction. The nurse checked me and said that I was at 9 cm dilated and then told me that she needed to step out to call the doctor. I told her NOT TO LEAVE ME! If this baby was going to come like Vivian did, I needed her in there with me! She called from my room and within five minutes, the doctor walked in and my sister-in-law followed her! With each contraction, I really felt the urge to push.

While the doctor got ready, I had to pant through my contractions so that I would resist the urge to push. It was very difficult. I felt very hot, but I was shaking as if I were cold. I felt out of control. I knew that I would feel like this, but I always hate this part of a natural delivery! I could feel Adeline descending with each contraction and I was getting very nervous. Charles went and got me a cold towel to put on my head to help keep me cooled off. I remember getting mad that he didn't fold it up small enough to fit just my forehead! I didn't want the wet towel touching my hair! Another contraction came and I really felt the need to push. The doctor told me to pant through it because she needed to check me to make sure that I was fully dilated.

As soon as the contraction ended, she checked me and told me that I was complete and I could push with the next contraction. The nurse told me what to do and how to push when my contraction came. When a contraction came, I took a deep breath, grabbed my legs, and started pushing. I immediately felt Adeline's head come down and out, and then her shoulders came out next, then she was completely out! Adeline Virginia was born at 9:16 p.m.! It was fast, thank goodness! I was glad that it was over because it HURT! As soon as she was out, she let out a huge cry and I reached for her, but the doctor said that she couldn't put her up on me because her cord was so short. I took a minute to just look at my sweet girl!

She had such huge cheeks! I think I said, "Look at her fat face!" She was covered in vernix and she had a head FULL of hair! Once her cord stopped pulsing, they clamped it and had Charles cut it. Then the doctor handed me my sweet girl!

Covered in vernix!

Reaching for Mommy's nose!

Soaking in my little lady while the doctor was checking me for any tearing.

Catching my breath after everything was said and done!
Holding hands with my Sweet Adeline!

Charles and I meeting our little lady!

The doctor checked me for any tearing and I hadn't tore at all! I was thankful! My placenta was delivered within minutes of Adeline's arrival. I started shaking a lot and went ahead and let the nurses take Adeline over to be cleaned, measured, and weighed.

Adeline's stats!

Adeline was handed back to me, literally, as the firework show started in town! Everyone in the room could hear the booms and pops from the fireworks! It was in incredible experience! I got to finally meet my little firecracker and it was a beautiful moment! I started breastfeeding her while Charles ran home to put our older girls down for the night! My Mom finally showed up about 15 minutes after Adeline's arrival! She traveled three hours and just missed everything, but I was SO happy to see my Mom!

When Charles got back, he FINALLY got to hold his fourth daughter for the first time! It was a beautiful moment and it filled my heart with so much joy and love! I love seeing my handsome man holding our beautiful children!

Adeline's birth was completely natural with only one intervention, when my water was broken! I am so, so thankful to my loving Father in Heaven for this blessing! Everything worked out for us! Everything fell into place! My labor was calm, slow, and gave me plenty of time to pray and prepare! I am thankful for that! I did get anxious and irritated at times, but really, it was a beautiful experience!

We had one slight argument with the nurse that helped deliver Adeline. Adeline's blood sugar was very low after she was born, and while I was breastfeeding her for the first time, the nurse told me that if Adeline's blood sugar was low again, she was going to give her formula and/or sugar water. I told her that she would not be giving my daughter any of those things. Not at all. The nurse told me that she would be giving it to her. It took everything in me to not freak out on this lady, but I remained calm and said, "Just check her blood and if it's low, then we'll talk about this!" Adeline's blood sugar was just fine and there was no need for any formula or sugar water. But aside from that, our whole experience was phenomenal!

I spent the next day at the hospital since it was within the first 24 hours after the birth! I had plenty of time to snuggle and get to know my little lady! Charles brought our girls the next morning and they immediately LOVED their new little sister!

Our first family photo as a family of SIX!

Our family came through the day to meet our sweet girl and the rest of the day was spent breastfeeding and snuggling!

Special Fourth of July hat the hospital gave Miss Adeline!

Chubby cheeks and LOTS of hair!

After breastfeeding! Very awake and alert!

All her hair!

Adeline wearing her R2D2 hat!

 All of Adeline's 24 hour things were done through the next night and into the morning of the sixth. I was able to go home that morning! But not before we got some shots of her big sisters holding her!

Then we loaded up and went home!

Same outfit as her big sisters, her own brand new pair of shoes!

Welcome home, Adeline Virginia!

Things have been going wonderfully! Adeline is 12 days old and is a wonderful breastfeeder! It's been an adjustment having four kids, but it's been awesome! I am thankful to God for all of these blessings! For each of my daughters! Adeline is so calm and easy-going! She sleeps through all of the craziness going on around her and has a way of calming everyone down! I am so, so thankful for her! She is already changing and it makes me sad! The newborn phase goes by too quickly! I'm trying to capture as much of it as I can, but for the most part, I'm just soaking it all in and taking mental pictures!

Thank you to everyone who read through each and every single one of my week by week pregnancy posts! I'm not going to do a week by week anymore, but I will be doing a month to month update on Adeline as well as our family! 

New Mom? Mom Already? Watch This.

This was posted onto my facebook wall by my sister-in-law and I thought it was brilliant!

IMPORTANT! 5 words Babies Use (Baby Language)



After I had watched this, I realized that even though it's taken me 3 babies to realize the words, I've known them all along! Too cool!