I
started feeling some contractions that were stronger than normal while I was sitting
at church on Sunday afternoon, March 3rd. After church I was feeling pretty
tired so I tried to take a nap but the contractions kept waking me up. They
weren’t that uncomfortable or consistent so I wasn’t sure if they were the real
deal. Before we left for family dinner at Brandon’s parent’s in Provo, I
wondered if we should bring clothes for the boys in case we had to leave them
there and go have a baby. It was 13 days before my due date so I figured we
were probably safe and we headed to dinner. I started timing the contractions
at 5pm in the car because, while they still weren’t super strong, they were
becoming more consistent. They were only about 5 minutes apart when we got to
Provo.
We
had a delicious dinner with Brandon’s family (pasta carbonara, meatballs,
salad, garlic bread. YUM. Best pre delivery meal ever! ha ha), me pausing every
couple minutes to breathe through a contraction. Around 6:30 I called my
midwife because I was starting to feel the contractions in my back. She said to
come in to the birth center, if only to see if I was progressing. We left the
boys with Brandon's parents and headed home to get everything we needed for the
birth.
We
got to the birth center in Lehi at 7:45. I had my midwife check me and I was 6
cm dilated. I hadn’t realized the contractions had been so productive so I was
pretty excited. We turned on my labor playlist, lit some candles, and I got in
the tub of warm water waiting for me. The contractions picked up in intensity
pretty quickly. My midwife, Rebecca, was pretty hands off and let me do my
thing. I was in birth mode- eyes closed, not talking much, breathing deeply,
swaying in the water, and splashing the water over my stomach with each
contraction. I tried laboring on my hands and knees with Brandon putting
pressure on my lower back but it wasn’t relieving the pain much so I went back
to swaying on my back. By 9:30 I was dilated to a 10 and ready to push. It was
the first time I’ve ever reached down and felt a baby’s head emerging. It was really
cool but also felt weirdly like jello. Ha ha. Knowing he was that close was
just the boost I needed to push through the pain and deliver him. “How Great
Thou Art” was playing in the background and I could feel the spirit really
strong. At 9:34pm, after 3 minutes of pushing, Rowan was here!
They
placed him on my chest and I sobbed with relief. I just laid there with my eyes
closed for a while, reveling in the moment. I had done it! I felt so much love for this tiny little person, I thought my heart might burst! They put a hot towel
over us and let us relax in the tub while his cord
pulsed. Then Brandon cut the cord and we got out of the tub. After they
stitched me up, Rowan latched on right away and nursed for a long while. When he
was done eating, the midwives took his stats and did his newborn screening. He
was 8 lbs, 9 oz and 20 inches long and absolutely perfect. My midwives are
convinced he was born at term because he had hardly any vernix on him and
because of the lines in his feet. This could definitely be true because his due
date was a guess based on an early ultrasound and not on a missed period.
Brandon,
my mom and two of my sisters in law had been there at the birth and pretty soon
Brandon’s parents got there as well so it was a party in the birth room for a
while, everyone taking turns to hold little Rowan.
Baby
and I were doing awesome so we were able to pack up and go home less than four
hours after the birth and sleep in our own bed. It was our first experience
with a birth center but I definitely recommend it. It was such a peaceful,
calming atmosphere. I felt safe, loved, and respected. We couldn’t have asked
for a more perfect birth. We are head over heels for our little Rowan James.
It’s perfectly clear that he was meant to come to our family and we thank God for sending him to us. He is an angel straight from heaven.
All photos by Lindsey Marie Photography
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