Everly Eden

It dawned on me that I still haven't blogged about Everly's arrival! I wrote about it on Facebook, but you can't really go in to detail on there and expect people to read it.. here, it doesn't matter if anyone reads it, but I can have it to look back on.

It was the last day of September that I wanted a baby to be born.. September 11. For a week I had been trying every induction technique I was comfortable with.. acupressure, oils, walking, squats, etc.. she wasn't budging. By the 11th, I was 39 weeks and 5 days and extremely thankful. It was the furthest I had been in any pregnancy. My blood pressure and overall health had allowed me to carry her the furthest, but come on, 39 weeks is enough. I was getting miserable. Beyond, actually.

It was a Sunday. My mother in law was in town staying with us because we couldn't exactly call someone when it gets close and expect them to be here on time to be with our other kids. She lives an hour away as it is. So, she set up camp almost a week before and was waiting it out with us. My father in law had just left that morning. I was uncomfortable, go figure. I was having some cramps, menstrual type cramps, and those are really annoying. It didn't hurt too bad, but I was curious about my progress. I hadn't been to the doctor since Tuesday and at my appointment he said I was at a 2-3 and 90% effaced. I was so pumped because those are pretty good numbers and with all of the effort I was putting in to inducing naturally, he and I were both sure that she would be here before the weekend. That was the plan anyway, because he was going out of town that weekend and we both really wanted him to deliver her. Side note: Dr. Ward is THE most amazing doctor. I could write a short book about how awesome he has been in our 4 pregnancies and the past almost 7 years we have known him. He was the only doctor I wanted in the delivery room.

So, here we are on Sunday, the 11th. More curious than anything, I use these cramps as an excuse to go to triage at L&D to get checked. I tell the nurses that I am cramping and not sure if it's labor or not and just want to know where I'm at. The nurse checks me (OUCH!!- also makes me realize how awesome my doctor is.. and GENTLE). I'm at a 1-2 and about 80% effaced, she says... WHAT?! How did I go backwards? She explains that my doctor was being "generous". They hook me up to machines, blood pressure, heart monitor, contractions... they wiggle it around and find baby girl's heart beat, it's perfect but it's not low enough to make them think she's coming out anytime soon. I'm not having contractions.. bummer. They're kind and eventually call them contractions to make me feel better but they explain that they aren't regular by any stretch and I'm looking at a few days left in their experience. But, the blood pressure is high... of course. They almost keep me for good because of it but ultimately after monitoring us for an hour and then checking me again (thankfully, they pull Lisa in-- sweet sweet lady who also happens to be gentle), they tell me I haven't changed at all, no progression... so they give me a pain pill (just one.. don't they know the pain will get worse, not better... give me more) and send me on my way.

It's about 2pm when we get home. Disappointed at my lack of progress (regression, in my mind), we go down for a nap while the boys are sleeping. I take the pain pill and it helps with the cramps, and I put the heating pad on for extra comfort. I probably sleep for about 45 minutes, but it's not good sleep.. more like resting. I lay around some more and then at 5:30, it hits. And when I say it hits, I mean, it literally comes out of nowhere. The "cramping" that I was feeling was like someone was brushing me with a feather... compared to this. I suddenly feel like I'm being split in two. WHAT THE? I start texting my friend and PCP, Nichole, and she recommends taking a bath. So, I manage to creep in to the bathroom, about 5 feet away and start some water.

Enter, sweet Declan. I am moaning and by this point, I've started crying, and he crawls in my lap saying "mama, you hurt?" (sounds like "hut" making it even sweeter) It's the only thing that takes away even a little pain and provides a sweet distraction.. I tell myself to remember this moment with my wild child who came out of nowhere to comfort his mama. Levi is still laying around, completely oblivious to what's going on. My mother in law comes in asking if I need anything, she mentions some ideas to help but I honestly can't even hear her.. the pain is getting worse, which is unimaginable because each one feels like the worst thing I've ever felt in my life.

I finally call it. I have to get to the hospital. This pain pill didn't work and they have to put me out of my misery. I don't care how it happens. I am obviously the biggest baby in the world and can't handle these pains that they have told me aren't even labor pains. I was told to expect contractions higher up on my belly and I'm not feeling anything there.. only low menstrual type cramps that feel like I'm literally being cut in half.. therefore, I'm not in labor, I'm just a big freakin baby. Whatever the case may be, I admit my defeat and I want drugs. There's no way I can handle a natural labor like I've been praying for, either.. that is so out of the question and I don't even care now.

I walk over to tell Levi and I feel a little pop. hmm.. it's not what I would think of as my water breaking because I didn't feel anything.. well, maybe a little, but not a gush. You would think this was my first baby.. it's definitely my first in a lot of ways. With the boys, I was induced and never felt a single contraction. I tell Levi he has to take me to the hospital because I can't handle it.. I must have a good poker face because he acts like it's just any other day. He takes his time walking around the house trying to figure out what he should bring with us... I tell him I don't care, we just need to GO. I am already outside pounding my fist on the car.. in pain.. Lori, his mom, asks if I need towels for the car.. I seriously didn't see the point.. TELL YOUR SON TO GET OUT HERE. Guys, I can't stress enough.. all of the signs were there but I didn't know it.. If I had tried, I could've had that baby right there!

We get in the car and I can't even sit down. I am stretched across the Sequoia like a Christmas tree (that's the only thing that came to mind) I think now that it was a way of trying to hold her in, it was clear later during delivery.. and Levi is driving the speed limit, probably less. We get to the end of the next street and I slam my hands on the emergency lights.. all while saying some not so nice things under my breath (not about Levi, about the pain). But, it's 6 o'clock on a Sunday.. there is traffic. UGH. We get to the hospital and I don't know how I can get out of the car, much less put my feet on the ground, much less walk. SO MUCH PAIN. I cry myself to the elevator and to the L&D, again. It's the same ladies from before. They see me and say "oh, you're back"... and then "OH..... " when seeing my painful expressions and movement... "but, you were just here.. there's no way" they said a few times.. I'm like, I get it.. I'm probably not in labor, but something is going on and I can't handle it.. I'm obviously not made for this.

One of the nurses casually walks us to the triage area, the only thing I can think is that she's trying to get me to calm by showing me that she was in no hurry... It was really just making me mad. She tells me I need to get back in the hospital gown, so I tell her I feel like I need to go to the bathroom. She says I should do that first or the checking part will hurt more.. I go to the bathroom and that's when I realize it might be go-time. There's pressure but nothing is happening. I go back out and it's like the exorcist trying to get on that table and in to the gown.. I am stretched out across that bed, practically crawling up the wall at this point while they are trying to get me semi still so she can check me. She does and quickly takes off her glove and is almost running as she says "you're gonna have this baby now". I'm relieved and terrified.

Thankfully, there is little to no action in the hospital right now.. because it is all hands on deck. There is one room that was just cleaned but it's not stocked. They wheel me towards it... I'm still not lying down on the bed.. it's more of a kneeling while trying to spread myself out while Levi and the nurse are holding on to me.. They wheel me towards the wrong room.. the room across the hall is more ready, whatever that means. I think there are about 7 nurses trying to get everything ready.. the doctor isn't there either. One of the nurses from earlier, Lisa, said she got permission to deliver if the doctor isn't there in time, but they said she is hurrying. I tell her it's not a problem, I don't want to do it anyway..haha. I ask for drugs and they say there's just no time. Baby girl is literally. right. there. I realize I am really good at holding that baby in.. I've been doing it for the last 45 minutes. People say you feel a pressure to push.. I say the fear of what it feels like is great enough to combat that pressure!

Once in the room, nurses are zooming around trying to get the equipment in, trying to get bracelets ready, trying to get the baby stuff ready.. trying.. meanwhile, two nurses have assigned themselves to me... one is literally rocking me every time a contraction hits and the other is comforting me by helping with my hair, encouraging me, etc.. I'm surprised I didn't snap poor Lisa in half (one rocking me), I was trying not to beat on her with my fists. They have to keep telling me to breathe... to which I then yell for my Lavender oil.. it's the only oil I have with me. I had several packed, along with a playlist (we played worship music with the others), this time, I don't think I could've heard it if I had it blasting. I take that Lavender and I practically sniff the lid off.. I am breathing it in like it's my job. I start to loosen up a bit.. until the next contraction and then SNIFF. I'm practically eating my hands too because I have poured it on them. They're laughing at me by this point..

Doctor rushes in and gets in her sanitary garb. No time for pleasantries.. they put me on my back and I push.. I stop what feels like mid way.. "I don't want to do this" (yes, I said that). The doctor and nurse both say "she's here.. just have to push her shoulders out" as they pull up her head a little for me to see they're not just saying it. I tell myself I can breathe again in just one push. Thank God I'm a good baby pusher-outer.. cause that mess is the worst. She's out, they lay her on my chest and I take her in all while in complete shock of what just happened. We start to rest a little as the doc finishes up and we look at this beauty..

At this point, more nurses are coming in to get our bracelets on us.. we still aren't officially checked in! (things were so crazy, they actually gave us the wrong bracelets at first.. it was remedied before Everly even left the room)

At this point, Everly is with her nurse and the apgar, footprints, etc are being administered.. Levi calls his mom and after a few seconds I hear him say "do you hear that?" and I can hear his mom say "IS THAT HER?" I imagine how crazy that would be to be her and literally just have us leave when she was still in my belly. I start to text my family and I tell them we were there for less than 30 minutes. They are upset that they missed it. I can understand but I can't fully explain how quickly it happened. Looking back at texts, I gather that my labor + delivery, from start to finish, was an hour!! Not to mention, I didn't know I was in labor till we got to the hospital.. which I thought was about 30 minutes because it felt like an eternity.. then a nurse comes in and said we walked in the hospital THIRTEEN minutes before she was born. 13 minutes! The nurses say I was made to have babies (I was told that with Declan, too). However, if we have another, I may have to camp out at the hospital if I don't want a home birth.

It was such a whirlwind.. some of it I am still processing. It is true what they say about birth getting shorter each time. Canaan was 5 hours (start to finish, I was induced with him and at a 0 station). Declan was less than 3 hours with 5-7 minutes of pushing (induced again, at a 1 and 70%). Everly was ONE hour and pushed less than 5 minutes (I say I pushed 1.5 times..haha). This is why we say 3 babies may be just perfect for us!

This is also a testimony to the goodness of God and how he gives us the desires of our heart. We prayed early on for a natural delivery that was fast and easy. Because of the complications that I experienced for a long time after delivering Declan (epidural), I really wanted to avoid an epidural this time.. and with quick labors, I thought maybe I could handle it. I should've been more specific about praying for less pain.