The birth of out little Lucy....
On Sunday January 24th, I began my labor with light contractions that
began around 5:00 pm. We timed them for about 2 ½ hours. The
contractions were anywhere from 3-6 min apart, lasting 30 seconds to 1
minute long. We called Jude to give her a heads up. Then my husband
Clayton and I went for a walk.
Shortly thereafter we tried to go to "sleep" but neither of us could
because we were both so excited. I ended up falling asleep around
midnight. When I woke up at 1:00 am, my contractions had subsided quite
a bit. Clayton did manage to get some sleep. The next morning, Monday
January 25th, I sent Clayton off to work thinking that the contractions
would pick back up later in the day.
I woke up at around 7:15 am and made some breakfast. I noticed that my
contractions were starting up again and beginning to get stronger. They
were really strong so I took a shower and let the hot water run on my back.
The contractions were about 3 minutes apart lasting anywhere from
30seconds to a minute and half long. I labored through using the Bradley
relaxation position on the bed. Then I got up and talked on the phone for
a bit, to my dear friends Leah and Laurel.
At about 9:30 am I threw up my breakfast. My midwife, Jude called around
that time to check on me. She told me it would definitely be today and to
call Clayton home from work. Jude said she would also be on her way
soon.
By 10:00 am, my contractions were really picking up. I had to leave a
message since Clayton’s phone won’t ring through when he’s teaching. I
figured he would be home by 10:30 am. By 11:00 am, my contractions were
getting stronger and I needed him, so I called the main number. He was
paged, got the message and came home right away. He arrived at 11:15 am.
Jude arrived just a few minutes before him and began setting everything
up. The birth pool was filled and ready and all the birth supplies were set
up. Clayton helped me with my labor until around 12:45 pm. Jude wanted
me to drink some juice and eat some peanut butter. I drank a little juice,
looked at the peanut butter and then threw up. That's when my water
broke. I got into the birth pool at around 1:00 pm. By 1:15 I told her I felt
a lot of pressure and thought that I wanted to push. She checked me and I
was at 10 cm!
I was able to rest during the breaks of my contractions leaning over the
side of the tub while on my knees. I pushed for 20 minutes in the squatting
position. Lucy was moving down but it wasn't a great pushing position for
me. I would relax the same way but get up into a squat position to push.
On average I pushed 3 times with each contraction. I really felt like I was in
the zone, I kept my eyes closed and just did what I needed to do.
Jude was checking Lucy’s heart tones often. They were sounding great
until after 2 pm.
Jude noticed Lucy's heart rate would drop slightly after contractions, so
she had me get out of the birth pool so that she could monitor things more
closely.
I pushed once on land and Lucy's head was born.
Lucy’s body took a little more work to be born. Clayton was praying and I
was so in the zone that I was just doing what I was told. The midwives and
Clayton helped me get into different positions and by doing that Lucy was
finally born. She came out crying nice and loud. Her Apgar's were 9 and
10. Her cord was a bit on the short side so she could only lie on my
tummy. I pushed out the placenta about 3 minutes later. The thing was big!
Jude checked me and I had a small tear inside but nothing outside and
nothing needing stitches.
We wrapped Lucy up, I got dressed and then we went to our bed to lie
down. At this point her cord was still attached. We layed together
enjoying our little one. The midwives checked in on us often during that
time.
After 2 hours the midwives weighed her, 8bs 4 oz! Jude was so surprised
that Lucy was so big. She had thought her to be 7 to 7 ½ lbs. She had
linebacker shoulders and her chest was as wide as her head! Our little
Lucy girl was very prompt and arrived on her due date! It was a wonderful
experience and so nice to be in the comfort of our own home.
With love….
Christina, Clayton and Lucy
On Sunday January 24th, I began my labor with light contractions that
began around 5:00 pm. We timed them for about 2 ½ hours. The
contractions were anywhere from 3-6 min apart, lasting 30 seconds to 1
minute long. We called Jude to give her a heads up. Then my husband
Clayton and I went for a walk.
Shortly thereafter we tried to go to "sleep" but neither of us could
because we were both so excited. I ended up falling asleep around
midnight. When I woke up at 1:00 am, my contractions had subsided quite
a bit. Clayton did manage to get some sleep. The next morning, Monday
January 25th, I sent Clayton off to work thinking that the contractions
would pick back up later in the day.
I woke up at around 7:15 am and made some breakfast. I noticed that my
contractions were starting up again and beginning to get stronger. They
were really strong so I took a shower and let the hot water run on my back.
The contractions were about 3 minutes apart lasting anywhere from
30seconds to a minute and half long. I labored through using the Bradley
relaxation position on the bed. Then I got up and talked on the phone for
a bit, to my dear friends Leah and Laurel.
At about 9:30 am I threw up my breakfast. My midwife, Jude called around
that time to check on me. She told me it would definitely be today and to
call Clayton home from work. Jude said she would also be on her way
soon.
By 10:00 am, my contractions were really picking up. I had to leave a
message since Clayton’s phone won’t ring through when he’s teaching. I
figured he would be home by 10:30 am. By 11:00 am, my contractions were
getting stronger and I needed him, so I called the main number. He was
paged, got the message and came home right away. He arrived at 11:15 am.
Jude arrived just a few minutes before him and began setting everything
up. The birth pool was filled and ready and all the birth supplies were set
up. Clayton helped me with my labor until around 12:45 pm. Jude wanted
me to drink some juice and eat some peanut butter. I drank a little juice,
looked at the peanut butter and then threw up. That's when my water
broke. I got into the birth pool at around 1:00 pm. By 1:15 I told her I felt
a lot of pressure and thought that I wanted to push. She checked me and I
was at 10 cm!
I was able to rest during the breaks of my contractions leaning over the
side of the tub while on my knees. I pushed for 20 minutes in the squatting
position. Lucy was moving down but it wasn't a great pushing position for
me. I would relax the same way but get up into a squat position to push.
On average I pushed 3 times with each contraction. I really felt like I was in
the zone, I kept my eyes closed and just did what I needed to do.
Jude was checking Lucy’s heart tones often. They were sounding great
until after 2 pm.
Jude noticed Lucy's heart rate would drop slightly after contractions, so
she had me get out of the birth pool so that she could monitor things more
closely.
I pushed once on land and Lucy's head was born.
Lucy’s body took a little more work to be born. Clayton was praying and I
was so in the zone that I was just doing what I was told. The midwives and
Clayton helped me get into different positions and by doing that Lucy was
finally born. She came out crying nice and loud. Her Apgar's were 9 and
10. Her cord was a bit on the short side so she could only lie on my
tummy. I pushed out the placenta about 3 minutes later. The thing was big!
Jude checked me and I had a small tear inside but nothing outside and
nothing needing stitches.
We wrapped Lucy up, I got dressed and then we went to our bed to lie
down. At this point her cord was still attached. We layed together
enjoying our little one. The midwives checked in on us often during that
time.
After 2 hours the midwives weighed her, 8bs 4 oz! Jude was so surprised
that Lucy was so big. She had thought her to be 7 to 7 ½ lbs. She had
linebacker shoulders and her chest was as wide as her head! Our little
Lucy girl was very prompt and arrived on her due date! It was a wonderful
experience and so nice to be in the comfort of our own home.
With love….
Christina, Clayton and Lucy
