Lucy's Birth Story

Having my feelings recorded and open for the world to read is tough. It is like wearing your heart on your sleeve. But, I felt the need to share this story. It is a such a personal story, but one that I want people to hear from myself. This is the full story that I maybe would have changed, but it is the truth. These are my real feelings and I hope that you can understand how I may feel sharing it with all of you. Now that the true story is written here, I hope that I can more fully relax and heal emotionally. But above all, we feel blessed and oh so happy. We hope you can share in our joy.

On Tuesday, October 27th one day before my due date, I started having inconsistent contractions 10-20 minutes apart early that morning around 6am. They were fairly intense so I started thinking this might be it. But I also didn't want to get my hopes up so I tried to go about my day. I had planned to go on a walk with a friend but I decided to cancel. By 10:30 I was feeling a little better so I took Quincy to the grocery store and the fabric store to get a few things. My contractions continued, but nothing was consistent. I had been texting Jordan back and forth all day about going to the temple since we had been wanting to try and go before the baby arrived. I didn't tell him that I thought I was in labor, because I didn't want him to worry about it all day in class.

At about 1pm I told Jordan I wasn't sure if I would be able to go to the temple that afternoon. We decided we would wait and see how I felt. Quincy and I had some lunch and I put her down for a nap at about 2pm. I could finally relax and try to time these contractions. I started packing a few last minute things into my hospital bag just in case, since I hoped we would be going to the hospital by that evening.

At about 3pm my contractions started timing about 5-7 minutes apart. They were getting pretty intense. All day I would have to pause and breath through the contractions and these ones were definitely getting a bit harder to breath through. But, I knew Jordan would be home at about 3:45pm and I didn't want to interrupt him while he was at the clinic. I texted Jordan and told him that I wasn't going to be able to go to the temple. I then went and changed my clothes because I was super uncomfortable. At 3:18pm I called my doctor, Tina, and left a message saying we would probably head into the hospital that evening.  Next, I called my Mom and she could tell in my voice that I needed her. She quickly left her meeting and started driving to my house with my four sisters. I started polishing my nails because this is what I had planned to do to distract myself while in labor. My Mom called back 10 minutes later at 3:29pm and asked if I needed my stepdad, Jeff, to come over now since he was only 5 minutes away. I told her I wasn't sure and that I would let her know. (I was having a contraction while she was asking this question, so I couldn't think straight :)) She called me back 5 minutes later and told me that he was on his way and that Jordan was headed home too.

When Jordan arrived he came upstairs and kissed my head as I was kneeling on the floor painting my nails on the chair. He asked what I was doing and I said "just trying to distract myself!" Jordan went downstairs to pack his bag and get Quincy ready since she had just woken up. Jeff walked in the door a few minutes later as I was walking into the bathroom because I felt like I was going to pee my pants. I came back out and chatted with Jeff for a minute then proceeded to paint my nails. Once again, I felt the strong urge that I was going to pee my pants with this next contraction so I walked into the bathroom, suddenly heard a loud POP, and water went everywhere. I yelled "Jordan...Jordan!" I then felt a ton of pressure. I knew what was happening. Within two seconds after my water broke the baby came out and I caught her as I yelled "help!" Jordan ran up the stairs and opened the bathroom door to see me holding the baby. She was crying so I knew she was okay. We asked Jeff to call 911. Jordan just looked at me and said "let's say a prayer." He prayed and I had a peaceful feeling that everything was going to be okay. I felt shocked and couldn't believe that this baby had just come at home. I never once felt scared or nervous though. Jordan ran downstairs to get some towels and the blue bulb syringe that we had for Quincy. He started wiping her down and I suctioned her mouth. We wrapped her in a blanket as Jeff was on the phone with the dispatcher asking us questions about her color and movement etc. The dispatcher then said to tie off the cord. Jeff brought us some string that we had downstairs and Jordan tied off the cord. Jordan then brought a curious Quincy in to see the baby. She was a little unsure since she had just woken up. But it was fun to have her meet her sister right there at home.

The fire department and paramedics arrived maybe ten minutes after the baby was born. They were very kind and tried to be patient with me as I was still having contractions every 3 minutes. One of the EMT's cut the cord and put a little hat on the baby. Jordan called Tina and told her what had happened. My mom arrived and made her way through the 10 men on my stairs. She started crying as soon as she saw me, but I knew they were happy tears. We were then asked if we wanted to go on the ambulance. I wasn't quite sure how else we were going to get to the hospital. Jordan took the baby and got on the ambulance with her. The EMTs then helped me onto a roll away chair to get me down the stairs and out to a stretcher. I remember being so thirsty and asking for a drink which I wasn't allowed. Then I felt really nauseous like I might throw up. Transferring to the ambulance was awful. But, as I was pushed outside I saw Quincy and my four sisters sitting on the lawn and it made me so happy to see their sweet worried faces. I knew they were nervous for me, so I told them I was okay. The EMT suggested that I nurse the baby on the way to the hospital to help with the placenta. They put an IV in my arm on the ambulance. I'm not sure how long it took us to get to the hospital. But I know it was rush hour and it felt like forever.

My contractions were still really strong and coming every 3-4 minutes (I knew because the EMT was timing them.) We finally made it to the hospital and they wheeled me up to labor and delivery where I was transferred to a birthing room. My mom followed us to the hospital with my sisters and Jeff drove our car with Quincy. They came into the room shortly after we did. I was still having intense contractions but they were starting to slow. Tina arrived maybe 20 minutes later and helped deliver the placenta.

The nurse put pitocin into my IV to help my uterus continue contracting. The baby was put directly under the lights when we arrived. Her temperature was low as well as her blood sugar. The nurse said to breastfeed her and then they would check her blood sugar again. Luckily her blood sugar went right back to where it should be but they still had to check her levels 3 or 4 other times while we were there. Her poor little foot was pricked so many times.We were so blessed that in these circumstances that she was healthy and we were able to go home the following day.

This experience was nothing like we had planned or anticipated. We were shocked and in disbelief that we had just delivered our sweet baby at home. The nurses and our family couldn't believe the story either. We were the talk of the hospital that night. A few of the nurses were questioning us as if we didn't want to come to the hospital. We tried to laugh and tell them that we were literally headed out the door. But the words they said and the disappointment that I felt really started to weigh on me. This was not how I wanted to bring my baby into the world. I had planned a wonderful unmedicated birth in the hospital as we did with Quincy. This time I was going to change a few things to make it easier on me. It was supposed to be a special time where Jordan and I would be so happy and excited to welcome this sweet girl into our family. But, it did not happen that way. This little girl was impatient and I wasn't fully aware how far into labor I actually was. These things got in the way of our "plans." It has taken me a while to realize and accept that I am disappointed. I am sad that we didn't have those moments like we wanted. I do not like the fact that we were the "talk of the night" and I know how fast this story traveled. But, that is also why I have decided to share the details of the story myself. So the true story can be heard.

You hear those stories about that crazy lady who had her baby in the bathroom. You think "What?! That is crazy. How did she not know she was in labor? How could she just deliver the baby herself? Why didn't she go to the hospital sooner? Did she even want to go to the hospital?" I never anticipated those questions and thoughts to be about myself. Now I am that "crazy lady." It isn't something I am ashamed of, but it isn't exactly something I want to be remembered by either.

My expectations were that I would start having contractions 2 minutes apart and we would head to the hospital, as we did with Quincy, and I would still have a few hours of labor before she arrived. I know now that the intensity of the contractions is what I need to look for, not how far apart they are.
I remember thinking "If I'm already feeling contractions like this, how am I going to make it through the next few hours?" Little did I know, it would only be minutes before she was born. What was crazy to me was how I was able to completely function between contractions. Whereas with Quincy, the contractions were on top of each other and I was just concentrating on breathing for a straight two hours. I was not expecting the baby to come so soon. We were told that if we would have left when Jeff got there we would have made it in time, but I honestly am so glad we delivered her at home and not in the car. I am sure that's what would have happened had we left when Jordan got home. My doctor told me I would go fast. I was not anticipating how fast.

But with all of that said, I can't deny how happy I am. How relieved I am that things went okay. We feel so blessed that we can enjoy our sweet healthy baby. When so many we love and adore have suffered much worse. I am grateful for the paramedics that were patient and kind. We are so grateful for all of our family and friends who are so supportive. We feel blessed that my Mom was in tune enough to call Jeff and that he could be there to support us. Though I didn't plan to have any of my family at the birth; we are grateful that they were there to help us through the chaos. There were so many tender mercies through the whole process. We are so overjoyed and grateful to have sweet Lucy in our family.

Lucia Cherie

October 27th, 2015

3:51pm

7lb 8oz 21" long

Notice the "Delivered by her mom"