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| Juniper Freya Walker was born at 10:33 pm on October 25th, weighing 7 pounds 7 ounces and measuring at 19 inches long. |
For Norah's birth, I went in to get induced at exactly 39 weeks. Brian
and I both had a clear expectation of how labor and delivery would go and thusly were
extremely thrown to find out that our baby was breech and would not be arriving
in the manner we had expected. My c-section was actually really great and I'm happy
with how it turned out, but it definitely colored my feelings on planning much
for my birth experience this time around.
I was wavering between a VBAC and repeat c-section my entire
pregnancy. I didn't want to get my heart set on either option, and I couldn't
decide which scenario I was most comfortable with. I initially decided that if
I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes for a second time, I would schedule a
repeat c-section at 39 weeks and be done with it. I surprisingly (and very
happily) didn't board the GD train this time around, so the options were both
still on the table. I finally decided to schedule a c-section and if she came
before that date I would proceed with labor. The c-section was scheduled for two
days before my due date and so I waited to see if anything would happen before
then.
At my 38 week appointment my OB told me she was almost certain I
wouldn't go into labor before my c-section date. I was disappointed because I
was 200% done being pregnant and wanted to meet this baby. Similar to anyone
who has been uncomfortable for the better part of a year probably. The next week
was spent being grumpy and uncomfortable and anxious (more so than I had been normally, if that's possible...sorry everyone who had
to talk to me. Especially Brian and Sara.) Two days before my c-section, I
grumbled my way to work. When I got home, Brian took some quick belly shots and
we went to the mall to get a final photobooth picture as a family of three. After
we got home and got Norah to bed, I decided it was of monumental importance
that I clean the bathroom, scrub down the slatted door to the utility closet
and paint my nails.
I eventually went to bed but just laid there for a long time until
I finally drifted off around 1. I heaved myself out of bed at 3 to use the
bathroom and when I stood up something felt...off. In the bathroom I realized
there was some blood and fluid and in my half-conscious state I couldn't decide if
that meant anything. I decided to go back to bed and figure it out in the
morning. My intentions were for naught, because as soon as I laid back down
contractions started and I wasn't able to fall back to sleep. I got out of bed and headed to the living
room to time them and play a dumb phone game to distract me. My lame-o
contraction app kept telling me to go straight to the hospital (such an alarmist), so I finally
called the OB. As I was on the phone Brian wandered out looking concerned. I
guess finding your 9 month pregnant wife on the phone at 4 am is a bit
alarming (Brian would like me to note that he suggested I make a "Jake,
from State Farm" joke here). The nurse I spoke to told me to come in if
the contractions were still going in two hours. Brian and I watched office
episodes and tried to relax. I was in denial that anything was actually
happening and was sure we were going to get sent home if we went to the
hospital. I was so certain about it I waited over 3 hours to go in, while Brian eyed me anxiously with every contraction. Finally I
started to get the rest of my hospital bag together and Brian ran around
frantically packing his. I super enjoyed seeing his panicked dad mode
activate. I packed a quick day bag for Norah (again, being sure it would just
be a couple hours at the hospital before we were sent home). We dropped her off
with Ashley and headed to the hospital, back to the very same desk I had been
to the day before to get some blood taken for pre-admitting things before my
c-section. The nurse at the desk joked that I was there 24 hours earlier than I
needed to be.
I've read about it happening so many times, that I probably should have realized my intense denial of being in
labor meant that I was most definitely in labor. My water was confirmed to have broken, so I was
admitted to Labor and Delivery at 8 am. It was surreal to get settled in to the room where our baby would be born. We
both just kept staring at the infant station in the room, knowing that
eventually that station would hold OUR baby. Once I was checked in, I had to decide if I wanted to try laboring or if I wanted to move forward with a c-section. I
decided if this kid was trying to get out a day early I would give it a go. The
nurse began writing all our information and labor preferences on the white board and asked if we had a
name picked out. We did! We'd had a name picked out since about 3 months in.
But I was low-key panicking due to the whole, baby not following the plan thing, and committing
the name to the board made the whole thing seem too real. We left it blank.
(Have I mentioned our friend Nathan? Nathan is one of our best
friends, works in L&D, and gets to wear a cool vest. He maybe had to answer
a lot of dumb questions I had during pregnancy.) Nathan stopped by to visit
during the day and was super reassuring and informative. He also made sure we
got all the best nurses. It was so nice to have a familiar face around especially one who knew the all the medical lingo and could break it down for us. (Nathan ended up being on shift later that night and we were so lucky
that he was able to be in the room when Juniper was born.)
Around 10 am it was decided I would start a super low dose of Pitocin
since contractions had slowed down and I hadn't dilated past 3 cm. Things
stayed super chill for a while. We watched episodes of Friends and various Food
Network things, and I ate some breakfast and got updates about Norah. (Ashley, Jami, and
my parents were awesome at coordinating with each other to make sure Norah was
taken care of, and at giving me updates when I requested them. Thanks guys!)
Things started amping up around noon. I was having a hard time eating my lunch because the contractions were making me nauseous and the contractions
themselves were getting real unpleasant. By 3, I was ready for an epidural,
though it took some gentle prodding from Brian. (Thanks again, husband.) That
process was not my favorite, and included that "I'm crying and now I
can't stop" situation that tends to happen in times of high emotion, but
it was absolutely, hands down worth it. Brian was amazingly strong and
supportive and the only way I was able to get through it without a total
meltdown.
The sweet, sweet epidural set in and we were able to get some
rest. After two hours, I was dilated to a 5, and my bag of waters was somewhat
in the way. They broke my water (which I didn't feel, but did see the aftermath
of and...yikes). By 8 pm I was fully dilated. I had been prepared to be stuck at a 5 forever, so I was truly shocked when they told me I was there, and thought I
had misunderstood somehow. I probably didn't come across as very excited
initially, because I for sure thought they were talking about something else
progressing. We waited for baby girl to descend a little more on her own, and by 9:45
it was time to start pushing. At this point something
clicked and I decided I was ready. I asked the nurse to write the name Juniper
on the whiteboard.
Brian cued up my Spotify playlist on his portable speaker, and we
kept the lights low. I remember asking him to skip a Twenty One Pilots
song. I can't speak highly enough of how encouraging everyone in the room was.
I was told repeatedly that I'm great at pushing. I wish this was a natural
talent I could put to other use, but alas, this was its one moment to shine. My
epidural was perfect in that I could still move my legs and feel the beginning
of the contraction, but was otherwise oblivious to pain. Guys, I'm totally
supportive and enthusiastic about unmedicated birth, but for me personally, I
would have married that epidural if I could. I ended up wanting to see what was
happening, which surprised even me, so a hand mirror was obtained (I knew that
despite my curiosity, a large mirror would have been pushing it). In another
surprising turn of events, Brian also wanted to see what was happening, and
actually kind of encouraged me. Her head was already visible and he thought it
was the coolest thing ever and oh man it was a really great moment.
Anyway.
Pushing definitely required effort, but in between contractions I
was excitedly talking to Brian, Nathan, and the birth photographer and joking
with the nurses. Movies did not prepare me for any part of pushing to be casual
or fun. That was a happy surprise. During one otherwise uneventful push, part
of Juniper's head popped out. Brian almost dropped the mirror, and I low-level
screamed. I was told to stop pushing. Um, ok. The doctor was rushed in and in
no time at all, Juniper was out. We all cried and she was suddenly just there,
laying on my stomach. It was surreal and strange and magical. And that high
that women talk about? That was real. I kind of understand why people want to
have like, a million babies. That feeling is really great. Juniper was born at
10:32 pm. 12 hours after I started Pitocin, 7 hours after the epidural, 45
minutes after I started pushing, and approximately 9 hours before she was
scheduled to make her entrance via c-section.
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| Nathan was champion of blankets. We have so many photos with him in the background layering another blanket on. |
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