Hi world!

It has been a long time since I’ve written here.  One thing is for sure– if before the baby I had way too much time on my hands, now I never enough and I kind of love it!

I want to write about my birth experience as I know there are many mamas out there that are preparing to bring their little ones earth side and just like me in the last trimester reading a ton of birth stories… I mean, I was like that.And let me tell you, it was nothing like I could have imagined or read. It is true when they say that each story is never the same and I want to share mine with you. 

Coming up to week 38/39 I was getting kind of frustrated with my body. I have heard from many that at this time your body does a lot of preparation through Braxton Hicks and belly dropping… none of that was happening to me. In the back of my mind, I had a million thoughts running around – does my body knows what to do, maybe I am just lucky enough not to feel pain, or maybe I’m just gonna go over the term and have to do all other medical interventions to start the labour and even a thought of C section crossed my mind… I was literally driving myself and my hubby crazy… sleepless nights wondering if what I have felt was a start of something… then hours later giving up and falling asleep.

Sunday, August 7th, seemed to be no different than any other day for me. Prepare breakfast,  watch some TV, do some Pinterest… I made homemade granola that morning.  After taking the shower I got overwhelmed with  “when is it gonna be” thought again and remember Frederick saying that it will be very soon and that the baby won’t stay there forever. To me it was just another day WAITING, something I was getting incredibly sick of.

At noon I started feeling a bit weird… like pulling and tugging feeling in my lower belly. Just for the heck of it, I started timing the weird sensations and sure enough, they were progressing! I was thinking… hmmm not bad not bad… then another contraction came and this time around I am over the ottoman thinking ok, this is a bit more intense… excited and freaked out at the same time.

At 5 pm things were getting a bit more painful and we decided to start our way to the hospital… which is really 7 minutes away… Wary that I might not eat for a while, we stopped by a McDonald’s to grab a quick dinner (not a normal thing for us). I chomped down that cheeseburger like it was my last meal.

When we got to the hospital, we stayed in the parking lot a little thinking– ok, it better be a real thing… took a deep breath and went inside and up the floor to the birthing center.  Now in the triage room… waiting on the nurse to come in and do her thing, and yup, 4 cm and 85% effaced.

They sent us to walk for an hour to see if I would progress and then I would be admitted.  I remember going outside and walking as things got a bit more painful and harder to walk through… then some bug bit me on my leg and I kind of freaked of how painful that bite was… totally overreacted.

An hour later, I could barely calmly breathe through the contractions and it was getting really bad… but lucky for me

I was at 5cm and 90% effaced meaning I was able to be admitted. Thinking it would relax me, the first thing I did was jump in that nice big and warm jacuzzi tub. Not so relaxing – contractions were really ganging up on me.  At 3 am still no baby, husband sleepy and me swerving around in pain and thinking this is it, I’m not gonna survive… guys it was very painful.

Shortly after, my midwife left for a bit and my nurse was sitting next to me and firmly asked if I have considered an epidural. My immediate answer was no, not doing that stuff, I did not want any complications and end up with something I did not plan on.

The nurse continued that they will if I don’t get some rest and right now I am more doing harm than good… I was dilating fine (7.5 cm) but going backwards on the effacing– cervix was getting swollen… I looked at my husband in hope that he would just say it for me, that I was ok with the epidural. He did.

Guys, what a relief that was! And not so scary– I could still feel my legs just not move them and could feel bits of contractions that on the screen were pretty intense.  I felt a bit sleepy yet I became incredibly talkative haha I was back on the excited wagon… the nurse really encouraged me to get some sleep so I could regain my energy for pushing… I couldn’t do it and just kept watching my, now painless, contractions rise and fall on the screen.

At 11 am (August 8th) I was completely dilated and just waiting for the urge to push… the epidural was wearing off and contractions were back, but not back to the point where I was in terrible pain. Then the urge came and it was time for the baby grand entrance!! Haha my hubby was on one side and nurse on the other saying that it could take hours so take it easy… not in my mind– I was going to push that baby out in an hour and no longer! The midwife came… asked me if I wanted the mirror… oh God no… I don’t wanna see that, I said.  She did it anyway.  So here I am pushing and watching how little progress each push made… it was kind of discouraging and painful.  I was thinking that nope I can’t do this anymore… but then kind of laughing in my mind thinking well what do I do… can’t be like- put it back, put it back… had to pull through.  Then out of nowhere there was her little face and shortly after her little body was on me… with me! It was such a beautiful moment.  She smelled warm and fresh.  I always thought of that time to be kind of gross (baby all covered in stuff) and in reality it was just perfect.  She was with me finally.

Aspen Adaline Allen was born on August 8th, 2016 at 12:59pm weighing 7 lbs and 5 oz and 20.5 inches long.

Welcome to this world little one!

P.S. Right after, I said to my husband that second time around I will handle things like a pro. He said, “Already thinking about the second one, haha?”