It’s a cool rainy morning and I’m sitting up in bed with a sweet babe snuggled close next to me, snoozing away. Six weeks in and it still feels a bit surreal that we have a baby in the house again.
The girls have been adjusting well. In fact, I don’t really feel like they had to adjust. They welcomed their baby sister with big open hearts since the beginning. It’s like she’s always been a part of us. It’s been so comforting and heartwarming to witness their love and experience this new journey with them. Konley’s presence makes us feel whole, complete in a way we didn’t think was missing. And now we can’t imagine life without her.
Konley Rose was born on a warm summer night at 10:02pm. I was 6 days post due date. We still had a home that was in shambles from renovations and projects we were trying to wrap up. It was the first time we’d bring a baby home to what felt like a chaotic world within our four walls. We didn’t have a crib set up or diapers neatly stacked or baby clothes put away. Instead we had storage totes holding house hold items, dust, paint cans, ladders and boxes of random things everywhere. It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind bringing a baby home to but it was what it was. And despite my wishes for everything to be neatly put away and it’s place, our baby was ready and so were we.
My body had been preparing for this moment for months, the last couple weeks especially. Every ache. Every pain. Every braxton hick was my body’s way of preparing for this very moment. The moment where heaven meets earth and the miracle of new life born into loving arms.
I woke up early Thursday morning on August 22nd and phoned the birth center to see when I could come in to be induced. My body had been sitting at 3cm and 75% for weeks. I was having sporadic contractions days leading up but nothing that was kicking me into active labor. I had an ultra sound and fetal stress exam the day before since I was over my due date. Baby passed the exam which was wonderful news. The ultra sound technician noted that baby was posterior, or “sunny side up” which was explaining the back labor and false labor like contractions that I was having.
The birth center told me to arrive within the hour or so. I took my time getting ready. I drew a bath, put on some light makeup, went over the things I packed in my hospital bag, and gave each of my big girls a big squeeze, letting them know how much I loved them and would miss them. After my mom arrived to take my place Aaron and I headed to the hospital, one last time, to have a baby.
We arrived at the hospital around 9:30 and got settled into our room. I met with the nurse and went over registration and my birth plan and wishes for my induction. I didn’t want to be induced and had hoped that my body would kick into labor naturally, but given the number of days post my due date and my history, my doctor didn’t want me to go much longer. This didn’t stop me from not wanting a natural birth and hopes to not have to use pitocin, so I noted and made sure my team was on board with my wishes and plan.
By 10am I was hooked up to the fetal heart and contraction monitor. Baby looked beautiful on the monitor and I continued to have sporadic but on-going contractions. Since I was checked in for an induction it was time to start some form of practice. I requested to have my water broke in hopes that it would push my body into active labor as it had the time before.
10:30am : my water was ruptured. Contractions continued but nothing yet to push me into active labor. Aaron and I walked the halls. Still no labor progress.
By noon things were looking very much the same as they had when I arrived. There was a shift change and I received a new nurse. Her name was Sam and I grew to like her a lot. She trained with a mid-wife and had some experience with fetal positioning. She felt baby and could tell from my complaints that baby was still posterior. She suggested some exercises and movements to try to get baby in a better position. The next twenty minutes followed a rocking exercise that she and Aaron assisted with. After what felt like a really nice massage, my nurse suggested I get in the tub and continue to do some exercises to try to move and get baby in a better position to help kick start my labor. Feeling a bit skeptical and tired, I opted to rest for a little bit to recharge for what I felt was gong to be a very long night.
1:30am : I woke up from my nap. I continued to leak fluid. Contractions were still present but mild. Aaron had a sandwich waiting for me so we ate lunch together and then met with the nurse again.
By 2:30pm I was in the tub. I practiced some of the movements the nurse suggested.
It was 4 o’clock and the doctor came in suggesting if labor wasn’t progressing by 5pm she wanted to start pitocin. Tears welling up in my eyes my nurse said to me, “let’s get to work. we’re going to bring this baby in the world how you want to!” Bless her heart. She left the room to return minutes later with two other nurses who placed their hands all over my belly, feeling for baby’s position. They suggested a sequence of exercises to do to get baby in a better position to help kickstart labor.
4:30pm my nurse phoned the doctor to let her know our plan. The doctored okayed it and we got busy, working my body.
An hour and a half later, contractions were more frequent and consistent. And by 7pm I was in active labor, avoiding any medical intervention. Insert praise hands.
Once my body entered active labor I had a feeling things would move along quickly, much like it had with my previous two pregnancies. I made sure my nurses were aware and that everyone was on stand by. The doctor barely made it in time for Klo’s speedy entrance, so I wanted to make sure my team knew my labor history.
I rocked and breathed through contraction after contraction for the next two hours, etching every detail in my heart for I knew this was going to be my last time to experience this miraculous journey. I wanted to feel everything and I did. I truly let myself fall so ever in love with labor that I didn’t want it to end. All things I feared, I let subside and the only feelings that filled the room was gratitude, love, and joy. I was bringing another life into this world and I couldn’t have been more happy, more at peace in that moment.
9pm my nurse checked my progress. I was dilated to 8cm and my cervex had some thinning yet to do. My nurse left my husband and I alone in the room once again and the only sounds that filled the space was calming music and me breathing through contractions on top of contractions. I knew I was close.
9:30pm I had a contraction that followed a lot of pressure. I told my husband that the baby was coming. He phoned the nurse. The nurse said she would like to check me once again to see what things were looking like. I didn’t have a problem with that because I know my baby was coming. After another contraction that followed a lot of pressure once again, I told her I needed to push. She checked and sure enough she could feel baby was close and phoned the doctor.
After three pushes and some intense crowning, my baby came out sunny side at 10:02pm with a full head of hair! I couldn’t believe it. We made another beautiful baby girl and my heart never felt so full and complete.
We love you so much, Konley Rose.