Zélie Rose: Birth Story

Since Blaise was two and a half weeks early, I had in my mind that Baby would be here by at least June 20th. I wasn't going to be surprised this time! Grandma Wanda had even predicted June 25th as Baby's birth day, and because Grandma was right about Blaise's early arrival, I had no reason to doubt her this time. However, the 25th came and went and so did the 26th, 27th, 28th, and 29th. By this time, I realized I might actually make it to my July 4th due date or even longer! I didn't know which was worse: being taken completely off guard with an early arrival or counting down the days until my due date. I'm too much of a planner for either, but babies come when babies come.

This baby decided to come just a wee bit early, on July 1st. It all started with Lord of the Rings. We had been introducing Amy to the trilogy, so we stayed up late Saturday night watching the end of The Two Towers. I was slightly annoyed when three hours after going to bed I woke up to contractions. I had been having Braxton-Hicks contractions since 27 weeks, so I didn't get too excited. They were uncomfortable enough that I couldn't sleep, which had happened a couple of times the week before, so again, I wasn't too excited. I sat in our la-z-boy and drank some water. Forty-five minutes later they still weren't gone, so I hopped in the shower. After a long, hot shower, they were still there. "This must be it," I thought, surprised at how calm I felt.

The hospital bag had been packed for a couple of weeks - like I said, I wasn't going to be caught off guard this time. I added a couple of last minute items to the bag, found my pillow to take to the hospital, and grabbed two birth books in case we needed them for reference. After I felt like I had everything together, I sat in the la-z-boy again and timed my contractions. Around 4:30am my contractions were 7-8 minutes apart, so I decided to wake Aaron up. We sat on the couch together for two hours timing the contractions. I remembered from our Bradley Birth class that we took while pregnant with Blaise that I should try to sleep in between contractions. During the class I thought there was no way I would be able to sleep in between contractions, so I was really surprised when I found myself drifting off between almost every one. Having only slept for 3 hours, I was very thankful that I was getting some rest. Mentally, the extra sleep made a huge difference. I went from, "Can I really do this on such little sleep?" to "Okay, I feel pretty good. Let's keep working at this."

Amy got up about 6:15 to get ready for work. She noticed we were out in the living room, and asked, "Are we having a baby?" "Yep," I said. She came into the living room, sat down, and asked, "Can I talk?" "No," I said as another contraction started. After the contraction was over, I let her know, and she immediately started going over the game plan we had discussed a couple of weeks earlier. I was surprised that she was more serious while she was talking than I was!

Around 7:00am Aaron started loading up Amy's car. Part of the previously discussed plan was to take Amy's car since it was the most reliable vehicle. Aaron came back into the house and suggested I walk around outside for a while since it was nice and cool. I went to the back yard to pace. Aaron called our friend Meghan who was "on call" to watch Blaise while Amy was at work. My contractions were still 5-6 minutes apart, so the phone call to Meghan was just a heads up.

Blaise started his morning routine around 7:45. At this time, my contractions were still 5-6 minutes apart. I was surprisingly calm in between contractions and was able to stay on top of them during them - much different than with Blaise's labor. Both Aaron and I were waiting for the contractions to come down to 3 minutes apart before we went to the hospital. With Blaise, my contractions were precisely 3 minutes apart, one minute long, and lasted one hour. We didn't really think about going before then.

A little after 8:00 Aaron told me that I should get Blaise up "one last time." Talk about letting lose the floodgates! I was a teary mess. It was THE last time I would get Blaise out of bed as my one and only child (out of utero). Looking back, I realize that I was approaching the transition stage of labor, so that only added to the emotions.

I went into his room with tears streaming down my cheeks and yet a smile on my face. "Hey bud," I said between sniffles. We did our morning crib routine: I gave the crucifix to Blaise, he gave Jesus kisses, Husker Monkey gave Jesus kisses (courtesy of Blaise), Blaise gave the crucifix back to me and told me to "pu-ba" (put Him back). I picked Blaise up out of his crib and asked him if he was ready to be a big brother. I don't remember how he answered.

We all went into the living room. Transition kicked into full gear, although neither Aaron nor I knew it at the time. I was an emotional mess. In between contractions I was crying and telling Aaron that I felt like we should go to the hospital, but I didn't want to go because my contractions weren't close enough together. On one hand I was afraid that we would get there too early and we'd have to labor there for hours, while on the other hand I was afraid that we would get there too late and have the baby in the car. Aaron held me while I cried. I have no idea what Blaise did. Probably wondered what the heck was wrong with his mom.

We decided to get Blaise ready for the day and then call Meghan. After we changed his diaper, my contractions changed. They got very intense, and I could not get on top of them. I would squeeze my eyes shut and count to 60, agonizing over every second it took to get there. At one contraction, Blaise came running towards me. I remember whimpering to Aaron, "Please don't let him touch me!" Aaron scooped Blaise out of the way.

I had a contraction by the banisters in our living room and that's when I knew we had to get to the hospital. At the time, I didn't consciously realize why that contraction was different, but looking back now I realize that the contraction felt like the ones I had right before it was time to push during Blaise's labor. I told Aaron that we needed to get to the hospital. He called Meghan and assured me she was on her way.

Aaron took Blaise outside so as to avoid any more touching Mom moments. I went outside just a few minutes later and got into the car. Meghan pulled in our driveway about five minutes after I got into the car. Aaron showed her the instructions I had put together for Blaise's babysitter and took just a tad bit too long doing so. I rolled down the window and said/screamed, "We need to go NOW." I made a mental note to apologize to Meghan later. I would've screamed an apology then, but another contraction was on its way.

My contractions were still 5 minutes apart as we drove to the hospital, so Aaron didn't think too much of my urgency. The first red light we came to I told him to run. He didn't. We got onto the Turnpike for the 10 minute drive to the hospital. Upon exiting the Turnpike I had another contraction, a contraction that I felt an urge to push with. I said this out loud. I'm not sure how serious Aaron took my comment, but the next yellow light we came to, when I said, "RUN IT" he ran it.

Aaron wanted to park the car at the far end of the parking lot, just like he did when we were in labor with Blaise. I told him no way. I had no idea how I was going to make it up to the third floor and do 20 minutes of paperwork all the while staying with my contractions. The first step, though, was making it into the building, which we did. The waiting room was empty except for an elderly woman at the front desk. She said, "Third floor. Do you want a wheelchair?" 'No," I answered breathlessly. We got halfway to the elevators when another contraction started. She called down the hallway, "I'm going to get a wheelchair." "I don't want one!" I screamed. The contraction stopped. I put my hand up to wave at her, kept my eyes focused on the elevators, and yelled, "I'm sorry." "I just wanted to make sure you get there," she answered. I knew, and I appreciated her concern, but I didn't have the breath to tell her that.

We made it up to the third floor. I wanted a drink before we checked in, but the water fountains didn't work. Talk about frustrating to a laboring woman! So we went down to the nurses station. Another contraction started and I said forcefully (not quite yelling, but definitely not gently) to Aaron, "COUNT." I laid my head on the counter while Aaron counted. I felt stupid and yet didn't care what anyone thought all at the same time.

When the contraction was over I looked up to see a nurse waiting for me. She took me to a room, introduced herself as Frances, and said that she liked to crack a lot of jokes. "If it's too much, just let me know," she said. "Okay," I answered, not knowing what else to say. I wasn't sure if I liked the idea of jokes during labor.

I changed into the hospital gown and had two more really intense contractions before I was able to get into the bed. One provoked a strong choice word from my mouth after which I apologized to Frances. "Oh, girl, that's not the worst I'm going to hear today," she assured me. I then knew I liked this joke-cracking nurse. Another nurse asked me how dilated I was at my previous doctor's appointment. Barely two centimeters, so imagine EVERYONE'S surprise when she checked me and declared, "She's complete!" The nurses came rushing in and scattered around the room like little ants. Aaron and I just looked at each other and laughed. Complete!? No way! Yes way. "You're supermom," Frances told me. "I sure don't feel like it!" I said as another contraction started.

A nurse came in and announced, "Doctor Sanders won't be here for 20 minutes." I thought three things simulanteously: 1) Holy crap. 2) I don't want to do this without her. I'll tear to shreds. 3) I can't wait that long. I didn't look at Frances, but she must have known what I was thinking. "If you have to push, honey, I'm not going to stop you. We've caught babies before." I was both relieved and terrified. I literally looked to Aaron to tell me whether or not I should push. His face showed complete confidence that I could do it, so...I did. I pushed with the next contraction. I felt the "burning ring of fire" that's described in all the birth books. I felt all my confidence drain and wanted to say, "Put it back!!!" But everyone was yelling, "Keeping pushing," so I did. With the next push, the baby was out. "It's over!" I said out loud to no one in particular, and then realized to myself, "Oh, right! We have a baby!"

"It's a girl!" Frances told everyone. Aaron and I beamed at each other. Our Zélie Rose. He gave me a kiss, and we watched our little girl squirm on my stomach. Aaron cut the cord. Dr. Sanders arrived about 5 minutes after Zélie was born. She delivered the placenta. I didn't have one tear.

As with Blaise's labor, the rest of the morning/afternoon is a blur. I remember Zélie being cleaned up by our awesome nursery nurse, Jennifer. I don't remember eating anything in particular, but I do remember finally getting my drink of water. Dr. Sanders came back in the room after we'd had some time with Zélie and told me that we needed to put her back because I hadn't signed the consent form. Ha.

I signed the consent form and completed the 5 minutes (not 20) of paperwork that I was worried about doing. My postpartum nurse, Lisa, helped me get ready for a shower. She told me that if I showed her that I peed, then she could take my heplock out. I love labor and delivery nurses! They are a bunch of moms, saying it like it is and taking such good care of you.

After my shower and pee revealing, Lisa took out my heplock. I remember thinking, "I just went through labor with no drugs, but gosh I wish she'd be a little gentler taking this heplock out!" My arms are too hairy, I guess. She asked me how I felt, and I told her I felt like I could run a marathon. I felt SO good, which was SO different than Blaise's birth. After his birth, I felt like I had been hit by a Mack truck - and I felt that way for at least two weeks afterwards! Not with Zélie. I was ready to go home that afternoon.

We didn't, but we did get to have our first visitors that afternoon: Aunt Amy and big brother Blaise. They walked in the room and Blaise immediately pointed at "the baby." Nothing gets passed that guy! He wanted to hold her, so we helped him hold his baby sister. You'd better believe that 30 seconds later, he was off exploring the hospital room. When people asked how he was reacting to Zélie we'd answer with, "Completely enthralled and totally disinterested all at the same time."

Aaron went home with Amy and Blaise to eat supper and to put Blaise to bed. He came back to the hospital around 9:00 to spend the night with Zélie and me. Zélie was such a good baby, hardly fussing at all and sleeping most of the time. She didn't eat very well, but the nurses assured me she would in the next 24 hours.

The next day every nurse, nurse's aid, and doctor who came into our room started out with, "So your the ones who..." Delivered without a doctor, yep, that's us! It's still hard for me to believe that our Zélie Rose, our "solemn one" made such an entrance.