My baby girl is 1!!!!!!!!! (warning long post: Birth story)

OH my gosh, so I can’t even believe that my little baby girl is turning 1 tomorrow.
This has been the fastest year of my life. AS I look back on it, I see how much I have fallen in love with her. She is so full of life and zest and well “piss and vinegar” as my mom would sayJ She is a fiery little thing but also SO sweet, sensitive and FUNNY! Gosh, she has made us laugh. …..

So, here’s how little Erika made her entry into this world.
I had wanted to have a natural birth so badly this time as my labor and birth experience with Megan was definitely less than ideal. I read the hypnobirthing book, listened to relaxation cd’s religiously each day and even took some hypno birthing classesJ I was determined to do everything on my end to have a natural birth. I said my birthing affirmation aloud to myself daily…..my favorite was: “My baby is the perfect size for my body”…this will prove to be really funny in a few minutes.
As well, I prayed daily asking God to let me have a positive experience and to experience child birth the way it was before we had all the options we do nowJ. My other big thing was that I did not want to be induced b/c I heard it was a lot harder to have a natural birth if induced…plus I really wanted to experience spontaneous labor.
So, anyway…..My due date came and went and I was becoming more and more discouraged…..when I was 9 days overdue they set up an induction date for me. I was so sad thinking and feeling like she would NEVER come on her own. Maybe my body would never go into labor on it’s own I thought.
I asked Steve for a blessing and in the blessing he told me that I would “marvel at how everything turned out”. Interesting….but my faith still waivered. I had worked so hard for this and I felt like I might lose my opportunity.
On day 10 which was a Wednesday. I went into the midwives and they stripped my membranes for a THIRD time!!. The good news though was that I was 3cm dilated.
About 1 hr later I started to have contractions. This was 4pm in the afternoon. The contractions were mild but 5minutes apart. Finally about about 11pm I went to bed since they were not progressing.
I woke at 2am but went right back to sleep.
I woke at 4am and got up out of frustration saying to myself “I CANNOT believe I’m not in labor yet” Talk about discouraged…this was day 11…yes ELEVEN.
Well, about 5minutes later my contractions were 3minutes apart and getting very strong. I woke Steve and told him this was it and we better get packed. I called Erin Hill to come over and she left right away.
Now the fun begins. I called my midwife to tell her it was time to go…and she said…
Guess what she said?
“Ummmm….I don’t know how to tell you this, but the hospital is full”…

Me: “umm…huh? What? What does that mean? Where do I go? Who will deliver my baby?”. I was trying to be calm b/c my hypno book had taught me to just roll with the punches.
Midwife: “let me call some hospitals and call you back”
Me: “okay”…( yikes.) (So, after all this preparation I’m going to be dealing with some midwife at a different hospital I’ve never met before).
This was a big concern of mine. Being with someone I like who I was comfortable with.
Anyway, she called me back and told me to go to Legacy Emanuel…that there was a midwife waiting for me.

Steve and I left (thank you Erin for watching Megan!!). I remember laughing on the way to the hospital b/c he was saying some funny things…..and telling him to stop b/c every time I laughed it hurt like hell.

I arrived at the hospital and had the whole floor to myselfJ Nice. She checked me in and I was 5cm. I requested to be in the tub and got in about 45min later.
Steve and I followed our Hypnobirthing plan and I just totally relaxed. While I was in the tub, they had a shift change and Elizabeth Robinson came on shift as the midwife who would deliver my babyJ she was everything I ever dreamed of. She was young, sweet, and compassionate and I felt SO comfortable with her. You can see me now thanking GOD!
Anyway, she checked me in the tub and I was 7cm. Things were definitely becoming stronger but I was very focused and relaxed. At about 8cm I felt the urge to just get into bed.
I crawled into bed and just wanted to lie there and do my slow breathing through the contractions. I had a lot of back labor at this point and the nurse Lynell was amazing…she just kept putting HARD pressure on my back. I don’t know what I would have done without her. Lynell and Liz were more than I could have ever asked for. A better fit for me than any of the midwives at my original clinic.
At 10cm I was ready to start pushing. I thought for sure I was done. 10min of pushing I thought and she’ll be out.
Boy was I wrong….
It took another 90minutes to get that monkey out. We tried every position and Liz just kept saying, “We just got to get her head around that corner” I kept responding with “Why isn’t she coming out? Why is this taking so long” to which she replied “I don’t’ know????”
The best part was when they got out the bar to put over the bed so I could practice my naked aerialist skills….kidding, but really….I was hanging there buck naked screaming like a banshee trying to push this girl out!
After 90minutes she made her way into the world….I did it. No drugs at all. I was SO proud of myself and still am.
She weighed in at a measly 10lbs 4oz , 22inches long and with a 15” head.
Hows’ that for “My baby is the perfect size for my body”?
She had size 2 feet and couldn’t fit into the newborn diapers. How can you not just love her? She obviously was trying to make a statement? Lol…watch out world, here I come. I’m big and bad and you better stay out of my way! HA!. Okay, maybe not, but if you knew her now, she has a very big attitude. It is adorable.

She was so chubby and cute and totally calm just like hypno babies are…I loved her. Instantly. So precious. So mine. SO worth the waitJ
I think the best part was the next day, Liz, the midwife came into my room to see how I was doing. She sat on my bed and uttered the following words
“Thank for letting me be apart of your birth. So many women today opt for epidurals and there’s nothing wrong with that at all…but I seldom get to see a natural birth. Watching you was like watching mother nature at it’s best. When you were in labor I sat back looked around the room and thought to myself…there is no where in the world I would rather be right now”.
Just writing that gets me all teary eyed again. “Watching mother nature at it’s best”. I love those words. That is exactly what I felt like I experienced…the raw experience that God made my body for. It was definitely a spiritual experience for me and though I know not everyone even wants to experience that I was so thankful that I did.

When I look back now on how everything turned out, I know that Heavenly Father heard and answered all my prayers. Everything was so divinely placed for me. The hospital, the midwife, the nurse…it was perfect. It was the labor I dreamed of. And though I still had 3rd degree tears (not as bad as the 4th degree I had with Megan) and could barely walk, it was the most amazing experience of my life. I felt stronger and more empowered as a woman. I learned more about myself and how strong I really am. I accomplished a goal I had set and it felt so wonderful. I will never ever forget the little details of that day. It was amazing.
I love you Erika, thank you for coming to our family. You are everything we ever dreamed of.

20min mandatory monitor test upon arrival

Can you believe there was 10 pound baby in there? !!

Trying to stay totally relaxed during contractions. I was somewhere between 8-10cm here.

My little mooshy! this is my FAVORITE picture! her cord was still attached..

she had JUST come out!!!

Here's the proof: 10lbs 4.3oz:)

My little Angel fast asleep:)



I LOVE this face!!! she still makes that face when she cries!lol

daddy has a "moment" before heading home with the new bundle

Megan meets Erika:) love at first sight:)

So cute!!

Whe do I love all the crying pictures??? There's something just so cute about it! haha

I love you Mooshy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!