Premature {Josie's Birth Story Part II}

I left the thrift store happy with all that I had accomplished, and made my way home. Kevin met me in the garage as I began bringing in groceries, and I mentioned that I was feeling the contractions in my back a little. He asked what that meant. Unfortunately I could not answer him without the help of a magic crystal ball. Kevin told me that I needed to call someone, but to me it sounded a little premature. I could understand his urge to be on top of things, if "things" were really happening, but I wanted to try drinking some water and lying down for a while to see if they slowed down. I was dehydrated, and I knew that could affect contractions.

Kevin agreed, and began timing my contractions as I relaxed on our bed. After 4 or 5, we found them to be 6-8 minutes apart and lasting about 30-45 seconds, although they didn't seem that long to me. I went ahead and called Kimberly (my doula) at around 5pm, and told her what was happening. I felt kind of silly doing it, because there was a chance that this was nothing. Kimberly asked me to try eating and drinking something, and then taking a bath to see if there were any changes. She told me to keep her updated. Kevin took over entertaining the kids while I soaked in an Epsom salt bath and timed contractions with his phone.

5:12, 5:20, 5:26, 5:31, 5:34, 5:37, 5:40.....My contractions seemed to pick up while relaxing in the tub, coming every 3 minutes, but still very subtle and manageable. A few good long breaths were all that I needed to relax through them.

I got out of the tub, and let Kevin know that the contractions were closer together. Without another word, he began rearranging our bedroom furniture to make space for the birth pool.

 

  I thought he was nuts. I wanted to laugh seeing him so convinced that I may be in labor, but at the same time I wanted to respect his feelings. After all, worse case scenario we could just move the bed back.  It was at this point, (around 6pm) that I decided to call my midwife Anne Marie to tell her that something *might* be happening. She would need 30-45 minutes notice to get to our house as she lives in Queen Creek, and she asks all of her clients to let her know if anything labor-like was happening as soon as it starts. Once again, I felt a little unsure as I explained to her that I was feeling some contractions, but she was very kind. She asked if my water had broken, or if I had any bloody show. I told her that I had not experienced either. Anne Marie told me to drink plenty of fluids, eat a good dinner, and try to get a bath or shower in to relax. She said to let her know as soon as anything changed or picked up.

We threw a makeshift dinner together which meant eggs and toast for me, and sandwiches for the kids. Kevin texted his mom to tell her that she may need to take the kids overnight. She responded saying that they were planning on going to a movie, and wondered if they shouldn't go. I laughed, and said "Of course they can go!" "We can text or call them if anything changes, but they are good." It was about 6:45pm.

 

 As we were eating dinner, I brought up the option to Brenna and Brooke of being at the birth. I had spoken with them several times before about it, and what to expect if they decided to stay for it. I knew that birth was still very foreign to them, even after them seeing the video of Dallin being born, and all of our discussions. The last thing I wanted to do was scare them, or make them do anything they didn't want to do. At the same time I wanted them to have the option, as it could be something really neat for them to experience. A birth verses a sleepover at Grammy's house did not seem like a fair battle, but I was still going to ask. Brooke said she thought it would be too scary for her, and opted for the sleepover at Grandmas, and seeing Josie after she was born. I expected the same from Brenna, but much to my surprise she decided that she was going to stay and be here for the birth. I explained that Josie might not end up coming that night, that there was a chance that she would miss out on a sleepover, and I didn't want her to regret her decision. Even so, she didn't budge, and even went to the great lengths of praying right there in front of me that Josie would be born that night. No pressure, right?

After dinner, Kim called me to get an update, and offered to come over. She said she could just set up the birth pool and leave if we felt it was too early to have her over. I told her that we were good and that the contractions were super easy to manage. At this point I decided to take some time to practice taking pictures in our bedroom. We had just gotten a new DSLR camera and weren't very familiar on how to use it in different lighting. I figured why not cross that off my to-do list while I had the time.

I tried out a few different settings on the camera and had fun taking random pictures of my ripening belly, our annoying cat, and our prematurely prepped bedroom.

 

 

 It was 7:45pm, and my contractions had stayed consistent, but there were no other signs of true labor. Kevin and I decided to take Kim up on her offer to set up the birth pool. I liked having it in our home and ready when I was pregnant with Dallin, and thought it would be nice to have it up and ready this time as well. Kim said she would be here soon, and planned to stay with me, at least until I knew I could go to sleep for the night. I thought it was a little early for her to stay, but I wasn't going to argue. If someone wanted to come hang out with me and these boring contractions on a Saturday night, then I wasn't going to stand in their way. I was still trying not to psyche myself out that Josie could be coming soon, because it can turn into such an ugly mind game. But for some reason others seemed to be convinced that this was labor, or would be soon, and I still wasn't there yet.

 

With my in-laws at the movies, we let the kids stay up past their bedtime, thinking that they would be picked up fairly soon. We got them in their pajamas, and I began packing overnight bags with church outfits for all three. Somehow, our brood was suddenly gunning with energy and resembled crazy rabid animals running wild around my house. Suddenly there was a lot of falling, crying, and screaming all at once, and it was driving me crazy. What a blessing it was when Kim arrived to set up the birth pool. The kids surrounded her as she brought all the supplies into our bedroom and began pumping air into the tub.

 

 I happily removed myself from my bedroom and went to lay on our couch in the living room, but I could still hear them babbling on and on to Kimberly. The girls were asking her questions left and right, and Dallin was trying to explain in his 2 year old mumbling how his pillow pet light worked. Finally, I had a little peaceful space around me so I could relax through contractions. "Let's get off that, so I can finish blowing it up please" I could hear Kimberly say. "Girls stop doing that!" Kevin said. I knew my quiet haven would be breached very soon, and I was not looking forward to it. My mind immediately recalled a talk given at church the previous Sunday. It was about a pioneer woman that had to deliver her baby unassisted as she lived in a secluded area and her husband was away. She told her oldest child to take all the children away to play in some caves, and not to come back until she came to get them. I found those instructions kind of harsh at the time, but at that moment I was right there with her. I wanted some peace and quiet, and it wasn't going to happen until the kids were gone.

 

Soon enough the pool was prepped, and everyone made their way back into the living room. We gave our camera to Kim so she could become familiar with how it functioned, as she would be taking pictures for us. The kids began posing, and were still just as full of energy as hours before.

 

I asked Kevin what time his parents should be out of their movie, and he thought it would be soon. With each contraction Kim would sit by me and apply pressure on my back. She would remind me to do nice deep breaths until the pressure subsided and the contraction was over.

I opened my eyes after a contraction only to see Brooke stomach down on the coffee table a foot in front of me, spinning herself in circles. Dallin took note, and suddenly both children were spinning in circles on our coffee table right before my eyes. At about 9:30pm, and Kevin came up with the great idea of taking the kids to his parent's house and waiting for them there. Genius! He left with Brooke and Dallin, and I put Brenna to bed in her room. It was just Kim and I in our living room, chatting and doing counter pressure during contractions. Kim brought out her doppler and checked Josie's heart rate, which sounded perfect. She also started using an app on her phone to time the contractions. The house was so quiet, a little too quiet, so I turned on America's Funniest Home Videos on Netflix and we laughed in between contractions.
(Kim doing counter pressure during a contraction)



I could hear Brenna coughing from our living room, as she along with our other two children were getting over a cold. I went in her room to check on her, and rub some vapor rub on her chest. She was asleep, but once I touched her, her eyes popped open and she said "Is she ready to come now?" I smiled, told her "not yet", and tucked her back into bed.  At 10pm contractions were still 6 minutes apart, although we noticed that they got much closer together (every 3 minutes) when I walked around or used the restroom. They were still around 45 seconds long. I was having to empty my bladder pretty often, and every time I hoped to see some bloody show like I did with Dallin, but there was none. Kim and I talked about walking the neighborhood to see if things progressed, but it didn't sound that tempting at the moment. Kevin returned from dropping the kids off and grabbing a soda for him and Kimberly from the gas station. It was 10:20 pm on Saturday December 29th, and after 7 hours of the same consistent contractions, I wasn't sure how to feel or what to expect. Kevin and I began asking Kimberly questions, hoping to figure out what if anything might come. "Do you think this could be it?" I asked. "Is this just from being dehydrated?" "How do we know when this is turning into something?" I was so unsure. Kevin asked if these sort of contractions can come and then just stop, or if they always lead into labor. Kimberly told us that with how consistent my contractions were that she thought the baby was coming in the near future, but not before midnight. I thought about asking Kimberly to check my cervix (she is an RN and able to do so), but I was afraid that the result would disappoint me. I had declined any cervical checks at prenatal appointments as I did with Dallin, so I had not starting point when it came to dilation.

After checking Josie’s heart rate during a contraction, Kim mentioned that I had 18 contractions in the last hour. She thought it would be a good idea to call Anne Marie and have her head over. I texted Anne Marie and informed her that my contractions were 2.5-4 minutes apart, but that I wasn't vocalizing through them. I vocalized through contractions for hours with Dallin, and I figured that was one sign of true active labor, and when I should have my midwives come over. Anne Marie texted back "sounds like I should head over, what do you think?" I wasn't sure. Kevin said to call her, and Kimberly offered to do it for me as I didn't want to be trying to have a conversation during contractions. Kim called Anne Marie and gave her an update. She mentioned that Josie's heart rate was a little high and that I was probably still dehydrated from walking around and not drinking enough earlier in the day. Anne Marie asked Kimberly to get me a drink with electrolytes, and said that it would take 45 minutes for her to get here. It was 10:45pm and she was on her way. Calling this real "active" labor, felt a little premature. Little did we know that the tides would change, and they would change very quickly.