I love reading birth stories, so if you don't want to read one then stop here. :)
It all started Friday night, May 2, the night of Marc's surprise birthday party. We went out to dinner with some friends, and while we were at dinner, I felt a few very mild contractions. I noticed that these were different and I made a joke that it could be "tonight." Nothing more happened so we went to bed after a very successful surprise 30th birthday party for Marc. :)
A few pictures from the party:
Thankfully the girls slept in, so we all woke up around 8:30 Saturday morning and had a lazy morning getting ready. I noticed from the moment I woke up that I was having mild and consistent contractions. I also thought it could just be an upset stomach from Buffalo Wild Wings the night before- after all I had gotten spicy, greasy wings.
Marc's dad came over to hang out with us and the girls. While he was over, I noticed the contractions getting slightly more intense, so I'd leave the room when they happened but still thought I might just have an upset stomach; which was why I didn't want to draw any attention to them.
Here's Frank doing a science experiment with the girls:
We had a fun, family Saturday. While Marc's dad was over, we did some science experiments with a fun science kit he got for Shiloh for her 4th birthday. When he left, Marc and I watched the girls while they rode their bikes. I went in and out of the house- cleaned up a little and then went out to watch the girls. It was around this time that I thought we should time the contractions because I had to stop what I was doing and start breathing through them.
I started timing them in my phone and after about 45 minutes, it was driving me crazy. I was having contractions about every 3-10 minutes. Timing them made me constantly think about pain, which was still pretty mild but uncomfortable and not fun to have at the forefront of my mind. I asked Marc to help me time them- this made it easier BUT I still didn't like doing it. We rode bikes and timed my contractions from 11-1.
We brought the girls in for lunch. At this point, I needed to stop what I was doing and rest my head on the kitchen counter for contractions, BUT they were only 20-40 seconds long, so it was very bearable and again not too bad. We got the girls lunch and Marc asked if he could go to the grocery store when the girls went down for their nap. I told him I could get them down, so he was free to go.
At this point the contractions really picked up. I got the girls to their room and the contractions were about every 3 minutes. I remember rocking McKinley and singing her a song. I felt a contraction beginning, so I laid her down and laid my head beside her. She smiled at me and held my hand, which made this particularly painful contraction not too bad and bittersweet. After the contraction was finished, I kissed McKinley and went over to rock McKenzie. I knew I had to be quick because the contractions had consistently been pretty close together. I rocked McKenzie and did the same thing. I laid her down when I felt the contraction start and I laid my head beside her. I also held her hand and had the same bittersweet experience. I hope I never forget their sweet smiles when I laid my head beside them- they both just looked me in the eye and gave me the cutest little grins.
I was pretty sure I was actually in labor, but the contractions were still pretty short (about 30-40 seconds long). I was told to go to the hospital, when they were 7-10 minutes apart and 1 minute long. I knew my contractions were about 3-5 minutes apart (mostly 3 minutes), BUT they weren't 1 minute long, so I decided that when they were 1 minute long, then we'd go to the hospital.
I decided that since I was probably in labor I should lay down and try to nap. While laying in the twins room, the pain really started picking up. Because I was still slightly in denial that I was in labor, I thought that I should take a shower and see if the contractions lessened or eased up, just in case I wasn't in labor.
While I was in the shower, the contractions started getting really intense. I was pretty sure they were a little longer, but when I timed them they still weren't a minute long. I got out of the shower and started getting ready. Because sitting at the vanity was too uncomfortable, I would run over to the bed and have a contraction then go back and get a little more ready. Marc came running upstairs because he heard me loudly breathing through a contraction. He asked if I was okay, and I said that I was definitely in labor and we needed to head to the hospital soon but I had to finish my make-up first (priorities- I wanted to look cute in the pictures :)). He went back down stairs and called his parents to come over.
After a few minutes, I realized that the contractions were about 1-2 minutes apart and very intense. I thought that even if I wasn't very far along, I wouldn't want to be in the car if the contractions got any more intense. I went downstairs and told Marc, "We have to leave right now." He said that he had already called his parents and they were on the way. I looked at him and said, we have to go NOW. He called Sami our neighbor and one of my best friends (and a labor and delivery nurse), she came over immediately. She saw me and helped me to get to the car quickly because our hospital was 45 minutes away.
This is another favorite moment from the day. Right after Marc called his parents, Shiloh came in the room when I was having a very painful contraction. Marc was there too and told her that Aurora was coming today. She stood at the end of the bed with the biggest grin and bounced up and down, singing "Aurora's coming, Aurora's coming." Praise the Lord, she was oblivious to the fact that I was in pain. She too made an extremely painful contraction very doable. I remember thinking that I wished she could come to the hospital with me because I knew I could be brave and handle it all for her, BUT I didn't want to scare her.
We were in the car for about 5 minutes, and the contractions got EXTREME. I started yelling through them, which surprisingly helped me to handle the pain. The ride was pretty intense, but Marc's encouragement made it not near as bad. This is embarrassing, but it's part of the story so I'll include it. When we were in the car, I did shout an expletive (I even surprised myself because I DO NOT even think cusswords normally. They never come to my mind, so I didn't know where it came from in that moment; however, it was there and it was LOUD.)
When we got close to the hospital, I realized that I needed to go to the bathroom. I had to hold it, which made the contractions hurt even worse. We FINALLY pulled into the parking lot and I had NO CLUE where to go because I'd never toured the hospital before. Marc had to call Abby our doula and ask her where to go. Unfortunately because it was a Saturday the valet wasn't open. I told Marc that I wanted him to drop me off because I WAS NOT GOING TO WALK from the parking lot.
Here's where we lose each other.
First I'll start with Marc's side of the story. He knew that I was in quite a bit of pain, so he parked the car and ran as fast as he could into the hospital. He walked into the lobby and it was completely empty- including me. He had no clue where I was. He ran to the ER part of the hospital and asked if they'd seen a woman in labor. They said yes, of course they had. He then described what I was wearing and they said they hadn't seen me. As he was running away, one sarcastic nurse shouted "you're in trouble!"
Marc then ran to labor and delivery and in his frantic state said, "Have you seen a woman in labor?" They chuckled and said yes of course they had because this was Labor and Delivery. He then described me, and they also said they hadn't seen me. He was freaking out at this point because he didn't know where I was. As he was running away, the nurses jokingly told him, "your one job is to get your wife here." He then ran over to the elevators and that is where he found me huddled over almost on the floor.
Now my side of the story: I tried to find the nearest bathroom because I was thinking, "I may be about to have a baby, BUT I will NOT pee my pants." I made it to the bathroom and when I walked out and into the lobby expecting to see Marc, it was completely empty. I felt an extreme contraction coming along, so I ran over to a big couch and leaned against it to breathe through the pain. I looked up to see three VERY elderly people looking at me. They said "are you okay?" To which I replied, "I'm in labor and I cant find my husband." I got teary because that scared me a lot. Marc had been my rock and my encouragement the entire car ride to the hospital. He was awesome and made the car ride very do-able- I needed him and had no clue where he was.
I decided to head over to labor and delivery because surely he'd meet me there. I get on the elevator and make it to the second floor. Right as I was getting off of the elevator, another contraction hit. I needed to lay down, but I DID NOT want to lay on a hospital floor. I had to acquiesce to the pain and kneel down on the floor to handle the pain (I also remember thinking that if I moaned loud enough surely a Labor and Delivery nurse would hear me and come help.) I did hear a voice and it was incredible. I heard Marc shout my name and come running over to me. I remember his sweet, sincere and very stressed "Where were you? I couldn't find you. I am so sorry." He helped me up and got me to the right place.
We got into the room and they said they were going to check me. I was a 7, so I figured I still had some time. After a few minutes, I shouted another expletive when the contraction started (still embarrassing) and said "I have to push." I was really confused because you can't push at a 7. This is when things get a little blurry and got really intense. The nurse shouted, I can see her head (and I still thought I was a 7).
I wanted to have a water birth and the tub wasn't quite ready, but I didn't care. I was getting in it. I remember waiting a little bit for them to say I could get in it, (I'd like to add that I had decided if it took much longer I was going to walk over there and get in it regardless of what anyone said.) While all of this is going on, I looked at Marc and shouted "I can't do this! I want an epidural! I can't do this! I want an epidural!" Marc tells me that about this time they said I could get in the tub, I ripped all of the monitors off and ran over to it.
My friend Melissa called this my warrior moment and I love it, so I'll agree with her. I got into the tub and remember instantly feeling my body calm down and some pain slightly ease. I looked at Marc and said "okay, I CAN do this." It was one of the most empowering and amazing experiences to go from doubting myself completely to realizing that I can indeed do this!
At this point, we were ready. I remember getting about a 4-5 minute break between the contractions and being so relieved and confused. I asked Amy, my midwife, if I was still a 10 because I was so confused about why I didn't have any pain or contractions. She assured me it was normal and told me to push hard when I felt the need to and that I'd get to meet my baby girl soon. 3 pushes in the tub later, Aurora was born and it was amazing! She was born at 5:04 pm, just 35 minutes after we arrived at the hospital. Here are some pictures of me holding her for the first time.
Here's Sami, who left 10 minutes after us and didn't make it before Aurora was born. (Good thing we left when we did!)
Here's Amy holding Aurora at one of my check-ups. Amy, I will never be able to thank you enough for the amazing experience I had. Thank you for calling ahead and making sure the tub was being set up. (They wouldn't have had time, if they hadn't been warned)
