Meet Harper.
Harper is my second baby, and my pregnancy with her was full of life and energy compared to that of my first born, Jack. Her labor pretty much followed suite. Thank goodness because there were several variables that made her labor, not the picture I had imagined. Let us begin.
My due date is Christmas, December 25, 2018. I am in shock that her birth works perfectly with my school break. You see I am a teacher. She was a wonderful surprise baby, yet so perfectly and Divinely planned.
I am preparing for my long term sub, and feeling a lot of anx around leaving my classroom for a second year in a row as well as even having a second baby. Heck, I already have a baby! My son was 17 months when Harper met this side of the world. But, like I said before, she was destined to be a part of our family. On Friday, December 21st, I shut the door to my classroom, and said goodbye for now. All was prepared, and I could leave it without stress or worry.
Saturday morning,, December 22, I woke up, and went to yoga class, the first one I had attended in months. This was a very relaxing practice and just what I needed to get in touch with myself. I returned feeling great. I fixed breakfast and spent the day things around the house. One of the last things I did before going to bed was a final touch on Harper's room, and hung her curtains. I got the ladder out of the garage, the rods and the two set of curtains to layer. It was quiet the project! Yeah, I did that. It is still hanging, but let me just say, there might be some fishing line in there too. The whole family went to bed pretty early. I retired to bed, journaled and prepared my mind with some positive affirmations.
I woke up around midnight and had a feeling it was the beginning. I had some mild contractions. I began timing around 1 am, and the contractions were 30-90 seconds long every 2-3 minutes. I took a lavender epsom salt bath to relax. I recalled with Jack that the timing led me to believe I was much further along than I was. I decided to go back to sleep. If I could sleep, it was false labor. Thank goodness, I was indeed able to go back to sleep.
At 4 AM I awoke with an intense urge to throw up, which I did, 3 TIMES! and it was accompanied with an upset stomach. I also started having much more intense contractions that were lasting about 2 minutes each and would come every 2-4 minutes. My husband, Scott, kept asking if I was okay. Let me tell you what you don't want to hear over and over when you are in labor, is if you are okay. I mean you are having a baby! I replied, "Yep, just starting labor." I did coach him to ask me what he could do to help, which was much better. He then cleaned up my throw up and held my hair while I continued to throw up.
I stayed awake off and on from here on out. The contractions intensified, so off to the bath I went. Now I texted my midwives.
My son, Jack, woke up around 7 AM and Scott gave him a banana oatmeal baby food pouch in his bed, and he went back to sleep, thank goodness! I texted my sweet neighbor friend that we had arranged in advance, that she would keep him the day I went into labor, so she knew today was THE DAY! I texted my midwives again and gave the confirmation that they should head over. I also texted my photographer.
My neighbor came and picked up my son at 9:30, right around the time that my midwife, Teree, arrived. Teree asked if I wanted a vaginal exam to see how far I was dilated. I recalled how that led to painful contractions with Jack, so I passed. All the while, my photographer is driving up from Austin. We are staying in touch to monitor the progress and timing of her arrival.
I labored in bed until Teree suggested I let gravity help me. So, I tried the birthing ball, the most comfortable position was the sofa and using the back rest hug and lay over it.
Scott took a bath. Yeah, he wanted to look pretty for the pictures... He felt disconnected with my labor. I asked him to look at Jack's birthing book to get reminders on how to help me. This was a good reminder, and he started to be more supportive. Around this time, Scott asks if we needed the birthing tub filled up, since my water hadn't broken yet, I said not not yet.
Teree asked for the birthing kit. The day I got a large box was the same day I got an email from the birthing kit company. I assumed it was a confirmation of delivery and this box was it. I set it to the side. Teree goes to open in, low and behold, it was in fact Christmas gifts from my mother in law! We begin looking for this missing birthing kit. Scott looks in the attic and all the wrapped Christmas gifts are opened. Scott found the left over supplies from Jack's birthing kit. But not Harper's birthing kit! The box was not here.
Meanwhile, Harper is making her way down and our labor is advancing. All of this stress was transferring to me. I thought, now I see why people get an epideral! I had to recenter. I move around and try to find my groove. I can't seem to, so I leave the couch and make my way to my bath tub, for my 3rd bath. I needed some calm and relaxation to help with the pain. It was now 11 AM.
My second midwife, Keenesha, hadn't arrived yet, which was a blessing, as she was able to stop by the birthing center and pick up some of the essentials. Scott then refocuses on the birthing tub. He is getting the hoses ready. We had aired it up the weekend before. We should have tested out filling it up! Because none of the many adaptors we had worked on our sink faucet. I call the gal that I rented the tub from, and hand the phone to Scott. They try to trouble shoot it, and check the bathroom faucets and shower too. Nothing fits. The birthing tub is not going to happen. The bathtub is gonna have to work.
Teree told me that I could stay in the water as long as I completely was submerged when Harper was born, or I could get out. I thought, there is no way, I am getting out of this tub.
At 11:18 a strange pop sensation and sound happened. Scott was with me in the bathroom, and I told him, I think my water just broke. Teree walked in and I told her about it. It felt much different than my first labor because I was in the water instead of in the bed when it happened.
I continued my labor, filling up the tub with hot water as it cooled. I read my affirmation powerpoint on my phone, drank my water and holding Scott's hand. I would sporadically check myself to see if I could feel Harper's head.
At 1140, my fill in photographer arrived, as Jenny wasn't going to make it in time, and luckily she had a back up photographer, Lauren.
Now my contractions changed. It's 11:42 The pressure was different. I knew that it was time to push. I couldn't breathe away my contractions. I checked, and yep, there was her head.
I knew it was time. My mind was ready. I clamped down on Teree, as she was straight across me. She held my perenium. It was intense. I thought after that push that would be it. It wasn't I smelled Release, applied Clary Sage to my abdomen. It was a total of 4 intense pushes, and Harper was here at 12:52. On that final push, she slid right out. I was determined there would not be a fifth push.
I reached into the bath water and grabbed her. I put her against my body and sang to her. She was covered in white stuff, head to toe. She had a full head of dark hair and was so gorgeous.
We transitioned to the bed, let the cord pump, Keenesha cut her cod and daddy got some skin to skin in, which is so important for bonding. I easily delivered the placenta in the bed, and was happy about that.
Once we all got cleaned up, we had Jack come over and meet his sister! He was so curious. I could feel he was going to be a great big brother!