Here we go!
The drive to the hospital was a little surreal. There had been so much up and down- one minute I was being induced, the next I needed to wait. I couldn't believe we were finally going to meet our baby! We didn't find out if we were having a boy or girl so I was extra excited. I just couldn't wait to find out if it was a boy or girl, who the baby would look like, all that. I was also really hoping to have another successful natural (drug-free) birth using hypnobirth, similar to
LUCY'S DELIVERY, which was amazing. Though I didn't have an epidural or any pain medication with Lucy's birth, they eventually put me on pitocin which makes a natural birth more painful, so I was definitely hoping to avoid that this time. But since technically I was being induced, I knew it could go either way.
After I got settled into my room, my nurse came in and we discussed the plan. As with Lucy's birth, my doctor decided to START the induction process by breaking my water and letting me walk a jillion laps around the labor and delivery floor to get things going on my own. I also discussed with my nurse that I wanted to keep everything as natural as possible. This was my plan, obviously you have to be flexible because every birth is different and you can't completely control everything that happens, but these were my hopes.
LABOR
1- no epidural or pain medication (until after delivery that is. helloooo!)
2- no pitocin, if at all possible.
3- freedom to move around, walk, use the birthing ball etc. as much as possible.
4- no IV. at all. not even a hep-lock, unless pitocin became necessary or it looked like there was a potential complication. for the first time, this was possible since I was strep B negative (yaya!).
DELIVERY
1- no episiotomy (this is pretty standard for most docs these days, but every now and then i hear of doctors who give them standardly. holy. old school. chloroform anyone?)
2- immediate skin to skin with baby for as long as possible, no rush to weigh and measure.
3- delayed cord cutting. there is some debate about what is the exact best time to cut the cord, but my doctor and I agreed she would wait to cut it until after it stopped pulsing. although a little longer would probably be better.
4- no shots of any kind, except for the vitamin K shot, and wait or skip on the antibiotic eye cream, you know, since i'm like 100% sure that i don't have gonorrhea. yes, that's what the eye cream is for folks.
nurse #1was slightly poopy pants about my plan. very strict about being on the monitor as much as possible because its the law and making sure i understood that most likely i would need pit. and don't you know an IV really is a good idea but I guess it's ok to wait for now, blah blah blah. Nice, but firm in her options. whatever. ima do my thing. ;)
holy. ginormous.
So after the plan was established, Dr. J showed up and broke my water. Go time! And the walking began. I walked, and walked and walked. A LOT, and alone. Because did you know Danny was quarantined to the room? The stipulation was that he had to stay put in order to be allowed in the hospital at all. You know, because of the lovely stomach flu. So I walked and talked on the phone. HA! I talked to Brittany for a while and a few other friends and family members. Good times. Of corse I had to be on the monitor for 15-20 minutes every hour, so there was a lot of up and down. I definitely was contracting, but not regularly. After a few hours, I was dilated from an amost 3 to a 4 and feeling great.
At around 4:00pm, Heather came! I was SO excited to have her photograph my birth, AND walk the halls with me. To have such an amazing photographer who just so happens to be one of my closest friends was a MAJOR bonus! All birth images below are by the amazing
Heather Nan.
Sometimes, when you are in labor, you should use the nurse call button thingy as a pretend microphone. Who says labor can't be fun?
Danny the sicky. Poor guy. Had to wear his coat the whole time because he had the chills.
Because I opted out of the IV, I was allowed to drink water. Heaven! I drank a TON, and peed every 15 minutes. That part, annoying.
Heather and I watched birth ball exercises on you tube and followed along. And laughed our butts off.
Danny boy is a great birth partner. So supportive and involved, although he wasn't able to be as hands on as usual since he was feeling so crappy and worried about getting me sick. Bummer.
Enter nurse #2, who was amazing!! Seriously, best, most supportive, chill nurse ever. Major thanks to her.
I was so excited for my mom, sister, and Danny's mom to arrive! Party! It was great to have them there for moral support. For Danny and I both. Plus, having my personal cheering squad there made everything feel more real. I was going to have a baby, finally! The next few hours consisted of a lot more walking, very serious birth ball technique ;), and Danny focusing on not throwing up.
As the night wore on, I was definitely progressing, but not quickly by any means. I was determined to avoid the pitocin, so I was remaining very active in between my required monitor time. In retrospect, this was a very frustrating aspect of my delivery. There were times I just wanted to walk longer, when labor was picking up and I had energy, and suddenly I would have to be on the monitor. Later in the evening, I was TIRED. And I felt like if I rested longer than the time I needed to be on the monitor, my labor would slow down and I would have to go on pitocin. The whole thing was kindof a bummer that way and I think I really wore myself out.
At 11 pm, my doctor came to check on me and discuss some options. I was only dilated to a 5 and in her words, I had only progressed 2 centimeters in 6 hours. when you put it that way, NOT encouraging. She respected my choice to wait on the pitocin a bit longer, but I needed to start making some serious progress in order to avoid it all together. She suggested having the pitocin for a little while, and maybe getting off if things picked up. I decided to wait for now, but was feeling ready to cave. I was so tired and sleep deprived from everything that had been going on. I was physically feeling great! But I was SO ready to NOT feel so great! I just wanted to be in active labor and get the show on the road. And for me, it doesn't really get serious and consistent until I'm at a 6 or 7.
After Dr. J left, Danny and I discussed her suggestions with our Nurse. I remember saying, "I don't know, maybe I should just get the pitocin so things pick up. I just want this to HAPPEN already!" Danny and I were kinda leaning toward pitocin until my super nurse Mykel reminded me how much I wanted to do it without pitocin and assured me that I really WAS making progress! My contractions had only recently started to be more consistent and I had progressed a centimeter in the last hour or so. She was so positive and encouraging, I am so thankful she was there! She really believed I could do the way I wanted to even when I wasn't so sure. For that, I am so thankful.
For the next little while I was TIRED, a little frustrated, and just wanted a nap. But sure enough, things got going. I believe I got to a 6 around 12:30, and I was so happy. For me, at a 6 I feel pretty good and am able to talk and relax in between contractions, and then 7 means business.
At one point, everyone in the room but me had a nap. I was jealous.
Then here I am at a 7. All hands on deck. I had previously moved from a 7 to a 10 FAST. I needed Danny to help me through every contraction. Without him pushing on my knees or back, the contractions were very hard, with him, they were definitely manageable.
Sure enough, I progressed from a 7 to a 10 in about 40 minutes (I think..? I need to watch my video and fact check!). Danny was pushing on my knees, my mom massaged my feet and neck. When I was at an 8, my doctor was called and they started wheeling in the gear. I knew it was going to go FAST from 8 to 10 and that once I was at a 10 and ready to push, my baby would be there within just a couple of minutes. THe contractions were intense and difficult, but I felt calm and confident. More than anything, I was so. so. so. tired. I kept thinking about how as soon as the baby was here, I could go to sleep.
It was go time. FINALLY!
"It's a GIRL!!!"
After two "monster pushes" (according to Heather) my baby GIRL was in my arms and being adored by Daddy, her Grandma Kettle, Nana (my mom), and Aunt Kenzie.
I was so happy, and so relieved. It's amazing how instantly everything feels better. I was absolutely on cloud 9. I have never experienced a higher high than birth.
Yes. that is a fist pump you are witnessing. Victory! For the record, I have no recollection of this, but everyone says it was hilarious!
Vivi's first cry! It was the saddest, sweetest little squeal! This was our reaction. It stopped all of us in our tracks! So adorable.
Sweet Vivi. We did it. This shot is my favorite.
Dear baby nurse who JAMMED (literally, jammed!) the vitamin K shot in my sweet girl's leg and put the eye crap on her even though I didn't want you to, YOU SUCK. Get a new job. We were appalled with how roughly you treated her. Had it not been 2:30 am and had I not been so exhausted, you better believe I would have let you have it.
She was perfect. 8 lbs, 1 oz. 21 inches. I adored her. I guessed correctly that she was a girl!
All of Viv's fans! She had quite the wonderful welcoming crew.
Danny making the official announcement text to our family.
She was so adored! Poor Danny had to wear a mask, he was SO worried about getting her sick.
Viv nursed for the first time like a pro. Heather and I couldn't believe how she latched on right away and started noisily gulping. So cute! And so funny, since she has turned out to be my chubbiest baby.
exhaustion. i couldn't even keep my eyes open.
My baby love. I was so, so happy and in love. After she nursed and we all had a good snuggle, everyone slept. It was heaven.
Although everything leading up to her arrival was so stressful and there were aspects of the labor experience that were a little frustrating, I am so thankful that I was able to have a calm, peaceful, completely natural delivery. I was thrilled to have avoided pitocin AND an IV. I was thrilled to have my beautiful girl. And I felt so blessed to have my husband, family, and friend there to witness and document it all. They were such a great source of love and support. I truly would not have been able to do it without them!
I'm also so thankful I discovered hypnobirth. I truly believe that it's the best birth method out there and makes birth such a positive, enjoyable, empowering process. As I said, it's the highest high I know. I feel proud to say I didn't just "survive" the natural birth experience, but that I loved it. I felt calm every step of the way, even through transition and delivery. I feel so lucky! There are so many misconceptions about birth. If you're looking for a little enlightenment, I highly recommend hypnobirth classes. Also, the movie the business of being born.
Last but not least, I am SO thankful to have these beautiful photos documenting Vivi's beautiful birth. I can't thank my dear friend
Heather enough for this priceless gift. I just adore them, and her. I've been on both sides of the birth photography coin as both the photographer and subject, and honestly it's amazing. Why anyone would forgo a birth story is beyond me!
Vivian Kate Kettle. 3 weeks old.
Miss Viv, you are the cherry on top. The sweetest, calmest, happiest little chub. You bring us all so much joy. You are the best surprise of my life.
Vivi's hospital stay and photos. HERE.
