Owen Thomas Powell was born on Tuesday January 15th at 7:16 pm. His due date was January 17th, but by the Friday before (January 11th) I was already dilated 5 cm but not having active labor.
By Tuesday I had my membranes stripped 3 times and still no steady contractions. We all became concerned that when my water broke, things would progress way too quickly so we decided to schedule to break the water in the hospital on Thursday. Then on Tuesday at about 1:00 pm, my wonderful midwife called to say they had noticed some possible complications in the lab work that day, and I needed to either come in to the hospital to be monitored for 24 hours or go ahead with breaking the water and get it going. I figured if I was going to the hospital I just as well go with having a baby. But we definitely felt a little scared. We got to the hospital at 2 pm and completed all the paper work and necessary hospital-evils. April, my midwife, broke my water at 4:15 pm. I had to stay in bed and be monitored for about 30 minutes, during which nothing happened. Then I could start walking. So Nate and I walked around the halls and I would have a few minor contractions. When I laid down they almost went completely away, so I thought I would end up on pitocin. But April wanted to give it a while to let my contractions start naturally. So we walked some more. It was probably around 5:30 when I was at the end of the hall opposite my room when the "real" contractions kicked in. I was laboring a lot in my back, and Nate was the best coach ever, rubbing my back, literally holding me while I moved and practiced some of the techniques I had read about and were actually working.
I'm not sure on exact times at this point, but it was probably well after 6 when the "real" contractions jumped to the "oh-my-goodness-I-am-dying" contractions. When they checked I was at 9 cm, but April told me to trust my instincts and I would know when to push. I was having a hard time relaxing so I asked if I could labor in the tub for a few minutes. At 7:00 we walked across the room to the tub, and just as soon as I stood in front of it I knew I had to push. April, Nate, and the nurses went into overdrive SOOOO fast! I don't know how they got me back to the bed in my
Total time spent dilating = about 3 weeks
Total time after breaking water = 3 hours
Total time of actual real laboring = probably less than 2 hours!!!
Time for me to recover from this whirlwind of an experience = FOREVER
For some crazy reason one of my lifetime goals was to birth a baby naturally, with no pain meds. I am so proud that I accomplished it. I could have NEVER done it without my eternal companion, Nate, and an amazing team of midwife and nurses. I didn't know that Nate had it in him to be so completely there for me, even when he had to be a little mean and scream in my face. But we made a great team and we did it. (quietly singing Dora's We Did It song in my head now). Will I do it again? As of right now, probably not! The crazy contractions I can handle again I think, but the pushing, ummm, that may take me a while to get over!
Moral of the story - Our Heavenly Father is truly amazing. I feel so blessed that he could create a female body that can grow and deliver a body for one of his spirits to inhabit. I am so blessed to have had that opportunity twice. No matter how the delivery happens (with or without meds, interventions, etc.) childbirth is a wonderfully glorious experience that I will treasure always. I can't believe that I am now a mother of two wonderful little spirits who I love so dearly. On Tuesday my heart grew at least two sizes, but probably more.
P.S. As you read this just remember that I am always crazy, but now also sleep-deprived and hormonal, so forgive this poor excuse of a post.
