Catherine Elaine's Birth Story.

Where should one begin. I will preface this by saying, that it seems that pregnancy and birth do not come easy for me. Each pregnancy and birth has made me stronger and rely on our heavenly Father more and more. As you will see in Catherine story every single detail was worked out my God himself.

On saturday May 26th( which is 11 days past my due date) I start laboring at about 4:30 in the afternoon. The contractions started out at every half hour, they were strong then closer and stronger as the night progressed,  I was able to get about 2-3 hours of sleep, then they started up  again about 10 minutes apart and stronger. They were getting stronger and closer, but then will change alittle.The next day the contractions were still coming, they were about every 15 mintues to 20 minutes or so, but not as strong. This baby just wants to be born at night. We walked around meijer grocery store. Now we are home resting, nap time for hubby, and calvin. I took a small nap earlier between contractions. My contractions usually pick up around 5 or so we thought we would hang out and see what happened. Then around 7:00 the contractions were really coming, they were strong(not strong compared to what I know now) and about 3 mintues apart. It was around 11:00p.m. and we called the birth center and told them we were coming in.  We arrrived at the birth center and labored there till 1:00 the next afteroon. We had Calvin with us,because he was going to be there for the birth. He was great, played and kept busy.My contractions were stronger but were not getting closer together but slowing down. Our midwife shelly checked me just before one to see my progress and I was fully effaced with a soft cervix, but only at 2cm dilated.

 So they sent us home, to take some benadryl and sleep. I  slept some, but the contractions are crazy now, the contractions were getting stronger and coming about every 10 mintues apart.Chris's mother just happened(God) to have tuesday off, so she came and spent the day with calvin at the birthcenter. I think I totally tramatized her with all my screaming. She said it was just that she wanted to make it all better. It was about 9:00 am on the 29th that we called the birth center up to say this was it and we were coming in. My contractions we very strong and from that point kept getting stronger. I was checked and was told I was 4-5 Argh. I really wanted to make it past 5 because thats were I stalled at with calvin. So I continued to labor. Now realizing that my labor was pure back labor X 6000.  My contractions kept gaining strength and slowly gained in closeness. I was in pure agony. The midwives gave me every suggestion known to man on how to get this baby to turn. I was laboring on the ball, in the tub, standing, sitting, rocking, laying. Nothing helped or made my pain better. They checked me again a few hours later and I was at 5 oh to say I was defeted was an understatement. At least I had made it to 5 that was a goal. So I continued on, by this time I was in pain I had never felt before or never hope to again in my life time. The baby felt like it was coming out my back and my hips. I was screaming at the top of my lungs with every contraction. I did this for what seemed like an eternity. I got into the tub and my dh was spraying my back with hot water for an hour at least. It did not help but it took my mind off of it for a while. The strength that I had at that point  only came from the Lord. At this point the midwives got the stuff ready for the birth. They thought by how I was screaming and breathing and the closeness, that I was in transition. This was at about 6:00p.m. on the 29th. During this time, I was just taking one contraction after another, afraid to go to the bathroom, it seemd to bring one on. The only thing I could do was stand and try to scream my way through. I was getting tired and burnt out. It was about 10:00p.m.( so at this time I had been there for 13  hours) and she checked me and said I was an 8. Awesome. With this pain I should have been a 10 though.  I prayed and asked God to help me,(I had done this the whole time) but I needed help on what to do. I was in pure agony and going no where. The midwives thought things were changing. I on the other hand new, that my body felt the same way as when I came in. They kept saying you sound pushy. I was like there is no pushy here except out my back. So I asked my husband what to do, I could not go on like this any longer. I said go and ask the midwives if there is anything for pain(knowing there was not but hoping) he came back and said no theres nothing. I said get kip(my midwife) I need to talk to her. I asked her what my options were. She said you can keep laboring, your close, or you can transport to the hosptial. I said ok let me think this over. The contractions just kept coming. I said to my husband I have given it my best and I have peace. I can not do this any longer. I need an epidural. He said whatever I think is best. He is crying at this point. Thank God for my mil she took calvin to her house to sleep for the night. At the birthcenter when someone goes to the hopital usually the dula that works there goes with you. Well she happened to be having a dula meeting at the birthcenter that night, and was still there. She also had another dula there that had stayed and they were praying for me and coming up with ways to help me. After I decided to go to the hospital, she came in and was pushing on my pelvis that helped relive some pain for a little while, but then it was just as bad. I said we need to go.

So we got in our car and followed her to the hospital, which is about 15 mintues away. The Lord spared me, I only had 3 contractions on the way there. They were horrible). Once we arrived at the hospital, we were in the parking lot and one of the valet guys asked my husband if I was in labor, which he responded yes, and asked if I need a wheel chair. Oh praise God bless that young mans heart. I sat in the chair and he wheeled me to labor and delivery which I would not have made if I would have had to walk. Luckly my midwives had called and told them i was coming, and had gotten my paperwork ready. I got into my room, and  dula met us there. I had a great nurse. She had to start and Iv. before they could do the epidural. So she did that sitting up because I could not lay down. She said she does better if I lay down but she will try it. She got it first time. Then they got just some fluid in me and called the epidural man. He was there in what seemed to be a flash.  He got the epi started right away. Oh Praise God. I could not understand the man, is acient was so strong, just nodded and agreed. He got the epidural in and with it a few mintues I felt relief. Relief that felt better than I could ever imagine. They started antibotics, because I had not take the gbs test during my pregnancy. They checked me and I was still and 8. I actually got to breath and nap alittle. I was feeling some sort of human again. I labored like that for quite awhile. The doctors had agreed to let me try and deliver this baby vaginally because thats what I wanted. Also a praise God thing. So I labored through the night at which point my water broke, sometime in the early morning. As we were watching the monitor for my contractions, nothing really seemed to be changing. They seemed to be spacing out some. So the doctor came in and made sure my bag of water was totally broke and checked me and I was at a 9 which is the farthest I got. I labored at nine till about 10:00 in the morning. The new docotor who happens to be a worry wart was getting anxious, to do a c-section. Well we diecided to start pitocin, instead. We had to wait for some paper work from my previous c-section from a different hospital, before they would start it because of my uterus. So finally after a couple hours it seemed they started the pitotin. I only labored with that for a little over and hour and a good dose and my contractions more or less stopped. Which is opposite from what they are supposed to do. So we knew it was c-section. Which Chris and I were ok with, we were at peace with it at the beginning of the pregnancy, and were for sure now. So they Made sure I was totally numb with the epidureal. I made sure this time, last time I was not. I was so drowsy at this point from lack of sleep that I could barely keep my eyes open.  So right around noon they wheeled me into the or and got me all set up. I do not remember alot of it,I kept saying to the epi man, that I was so tired and he said go ahead and sleep. So I did. All i remember is them saying to my husband heres the baby and him trying to tell me that it was a girl, then the room said it was a girl, and I heard her screaming at the top of her lungs, and thats all i remember. Catherine was born May 30 at 12:36 p.m. 8pds 5ounces 21inches long.After coming out of the room and back the the recovery room, I got to hold her which was awesome, and breast feed. I also did not have the shakes like I did with calvin. My baby girl was perfect. I thought for sure she would be a cone head, because of her time in labor but her head was perfect. So my back labor was my baby coming out my back because she was never planning on coming out the way she was supposed to. Mil brought calvin to the hospital to see the baby and to switch off, my parents were going to take him till sunday. Praise God for our parents they saved us.

Our time in the hospital was short. Most in our area are there 4-5 days. I left on day 3.  The surgery went alot smoother then the last and my recovery has been alot better. I was up and moving shortly after suregery. I had great nurses the first two days. Catherine was a great baby. She nursed great, but we were ready to go home. I hate hospitals. Catherine was not having the amount of wet diapers they wanted right away so they were trying to hold us ther longer, because she could lose more then her 10 percent. So we were aguring with doctors and nurses and were so ready to go home. This hosptial is a teaching hospital so every human being thinks they need to check the baby. Ugh. So God put the works into motion and we were both able to go home on the third day. I was up and about on the first day and was not on many pain killers. Praise God.

We have all been doing great, been having a few rough nights but she sleep through most of the night last night. Nursing like a champ and her brother loves her bunches.

Through this whole ordeal it has made me realize that God Almighty is with me every step of the way. I can look at every little thing that happened, From my dula being there, chris's mom having the day off, my parents beinging at home, the wheelchair man, the epi guy being right there, to my doctor coming through for us again at the last mintue so we could leave. It is so amazing and reassuring that we have the Almighty by oursides, never leaving or forsaking us.