Hello from the "other side"! :)
I thought as a nice way to wrap up this blog (unless I become really good at maintaining updates) would be to include a couple of blogs to catch you up on the last few weeks, give some history behind the name, and tell our birth story. As a fair warning, there might be a couple things in her birth story that some would consider TMI, though I will try my best to keep it tame. ;)
 |
| Sisters' trip to Charlottesville; 36 weeks |
Over my last two weeks of pregnancy, I had been anxiously (and somewhat impatiently) anticipating the arrival of our baby girl. At my 36 week appointment, my midwife informed me I was already 2cm dilated and primed for a membrane sweep, but she wouldn't do it until 38 weeks or after, if I made it that far. At my 38 week appointment, I was 4cm dilated and told my "water was bulging" and my "cervix was thinned". This was a Tuesday...and I walked around all week like this, just waiting for my water to break. I was exhausted and uncomfortable, but knew that it would be God's timing, not mine nor everyone else's who informed me when it would be convenient for them :)
On Friday, the plan was for me to have an end-of-the summer meeting from 9-12, and Ray was scheduled for last minute training that he had to be at by 12. We spent a few hours Thursday frantically trying to find someone to watch Isla for the morning. Finally, it was decided that Ray's mom would take Isla and Ray would pick her up. I would go to my training and have the afternoon to relax and work on a couple things at home (baking cookies, doing laundry and some nursery crafts). Long story short, my meeting was over before 11 and Ray's training was cancelled. Isla was already with Ray's mom, so we headed to the lake to join them for what turned out to be a beautiful, relaxing, all-around perfect day. I went to bed that night realizing that if I went in to labor that evening, it would be the 15th, and she would be born on the 16th - a Saturday - just like Isla.
 |
| 37 1/2 weeks |
Saturday morning I woke up at 6:30 AM. It was not unusual during my last few weeks of pregnancy for me to wake up in the wee hours of the morning (sometimes 2 AM) and to not be able to fall back asleep for another 2-3 hours. Since this time it was essentially morning, I decided to get up and head downstairs to chill on the couch, and dozed in and out until Ray and Isla joined me. I was feeling some cramping but was having some bathroom issues (sorry) from the Chinese the night before so let it go. Still, in the back of my mind, I wondered. I thought about how perfect the prior day was, and how I would likely go into labor on this day. When I talked to Ray later, he told me he woke up feeling the same way. Funny how that works, isn't it? I could write an entire post on listening confidently to our "gut feeling" (God), but I'll save that for another time.
Something I've learned about myself, however, is that my own "gut instinct" is almost always dead on, and when I have a gut instinct, I start asking questions to other people. Perhaps this is my way of finding confirmation. But I do it almost inevitably. On this particular morning, I began texting my sister-in-law. With Isla, I had no early labor nor normal contractions - my water broke, and it was all intense back labor until the active pushing began. I had no idea what normal contractions felt like nor what to expect about the progression. I was beginning to suspect that this occasional cramping I was experiencing was the early onset of labor.
It continued on occasionally throughout the morning - maybe every 45 minutes, if I had to guess. I had tried a couple of times to time them, but quickly realized at this far apart, they were near impossible, and I was only stressing myself out. Ray and I took Isla to the pool to wear her out since she slept in, then came home for a late lunch and nap. I was starting to feel the cramping a little more intensely, but still not what I would consider to be painful. Just uncomfortable. I couldn't get a good reading on the timing - maybe every 20-30 minutes. I took a long, hot shower - and was noticing them a little closer. I again tried to time - maybe every 10 minutes, but with some slight tightening once in awhile between. Ray tried timing them for me as well, because I was growing quickly frustrated...if I counted the in-between, it might be considered every 5 minutes, but they weren't even close to stopping me in my tracks. We both knew that we would be going to the hospital in the next 24 hours, but had no idea just how quickly. Ray called his parents to come to our house, just in case we needed to take off quickly for the hospital while Isla was still napping. I figured I might as well get ready - I had time, and I needed a distraction. Plus, I realized during my last rough month that when I got ready, I felt ten times better. (ok, maybe five...but that's still quite a bit!) I did a load of laundry, put on my makeup, fixed my hair...almost as though we were getting ready to head out for the night :)
Once Isla woke and we got her some lunch, we decided we would all just head back to Ray's parents' home until it was time to head to the hospital. Contractions were maybe 7-8 minutes apart. But as we were walking out the door, chaos seemed to hit. We were loading both cars, sorting what needed to go to the hospital and what needed to go to his parents (including for Isla and Zeke). Isla was walking out the door in front of me and I realized she had also had a diaper explosion, down her leg! Apparently the Chinese had not been kind to her, either :( Keys were being passed back and forth, and multiple trips for forgotten items were being taken into the home. Contractions were slightly increasing in intensity, maybe 5-7 minutes apart now, and we decided to go ahead and head straight to the hospital, knowing full well my water had previously been described as "bulging" and could break at any time.
Once we got to the hospital, contractions were maybe 3-5 minutes apart with an occasional 7 minute lapse. The intensity was increasing, but still breathable, and I sat, focused, in the wheelchair as we completed the intake forms and were wheeled to L&D. Ray told me later that it was not evident to others that it was as painful as it was, as my face simply became stone and focused with each contraction. He attributed this - along with things like the girl in the next room being sent home a third time - to the way things progressed next.
The room they started to put us in to examine my progress was not clean nor ready, so the lady asked us to sit in the family waiting room while it was straightened up. I started to panic slightly as I noticed a family with two young (elementary age - old enough to have an idea of pain and young enough to be scared and not fully comprehend...) children, the TV blasting, and an overall sense of chaos. My anxiety was quickly rising. Luckily, Ray's mom cleared it with the nurse to allow me to walk the hall with Ray. The contractions quickly escalated to every 2-3 minutes apart (I'm guessing, as I was no longer timing but could not reach the end of the short hallway without having another one) and Ray walked alongside me, holding my hand. My anxiety rose quickly, and I started to tear up, suddenly feeling frightened of what was to come and where I was standing currently. I knew it was not far away, relatively or not. Ray's mom told the nurse I needed a room immediately, and within a few minutes I was in one. Upon first examination, I was 8 cm. My midwife was called, but never made it. In fact, the hospitalist (the resident doctor on the floor) almost did not make it. The nurse left to get what she needed (I guess?) and I started to bleed. I again lost focus and my anxiety was at an all-time high. I started to think about having two more cm to go in addition to the pushing, and remembered that with Isla, it took me an hour to go from 9 to 10 cm and another 3hr 45 min to push her out. I lost it, and started to say I could not do it and needed an epidural. I lay down, and the nurse looked at me seriously and said she would try, but that blood needed to be drawn first and sent to the lab before that could happen. I instantly knew (hello, gut feeling) that this would not happen in time, and began chanting, "I can do this", "I can do this" to the bed rail in which I had my face smashed (making Ray's mom nervous). I listened to my music as I could feel the contractions quickly progress. My water burst, and I was later told that when I said, "Water, water", Ray thought I needed water to drink and was going to go get some :) I was 9 1/2 cm but she was pushing her way out and my body was trying to push on its own. I was waiting for someone to tell me to push, and heard Ray yell, "push, babe!" so I did, figuring I just couldn't hear the nurse or doctor. On the second push, I thought she was out but learned I tore. On the third push, she was out. Done. Finito. A beautiful, precious newborn with no blood, no bruising, and no cone-shaped head, scoring a 9.9 (or 9, 9? not sure if it can be tenths) on the APGAR scale and instantly trying to shimmy up my body to nurse.
I later learned that my precious husband called most of the shots (he tends to "take charge" in stressful situations), and the doctor came in and almost did not deliver the baby. The nurse admitted she did not want to tell me to push because the doctor was not present. Ray had left when I started bleeding and told the nurse urgently that I did not have as long as they thought and someone had better come in our room. I additionally learned that it was not that I had just not heard the nurse or doctor in the midst of the chaos, but that Ray had been the first to tell me to push.
I did not have a wristband or IV; we were at the hospital less than 45 minutes start to finish before Asha was born.
The Stats:
Date/Time: August 16, 2014 at 6:55 PM
Contractions Started: Approximately 6:30 AM
Birth Weight: 7lb 10oz
Birth Length: 19"
At The Moment: Asha currently has dark blue eyes and dark blonde hair
Total Weight Gain: For me, 31 pounds. I was up 31 pounds at 34 weeks, then down to 30 pounds, then back to 31 and flatlined, gaining no weight after 34 weeks
Just for Comparison...The Stats for Isla -
pay close attention, especially to 1, 3 & 4!
Date/Time: June 16, 2012 at 6:39 AM
Contractions Started: Approximately 10:30 PM after my water broke; all back labor
Birth Weight: 7lb 6oz
Birth Length: 19.75"
At The Moment: dark blue eyes, dark blonde hair
Total Weight Gain: 23 pounds
From the beginning of this pregnancy, Ray and I were struggling to come up with names. We had a lot of "yeah, I like that" names for boy or girl, but nothing that really grabbed ahold of us and made us say, "Yes! That's it!" like we did with Isla. We liked Skye, but I wasn't sold. It didn't quite feel right.
One afternoon, we were all at Ray's parents home with his siblings, sitting on the back deck. When his mom asked if we had a name, he blurted it out (in spite of many discussions of keeping it a secret this time!), and it led to the discussion of the middle name. Having the cultured family we do :), it was then suggested that we use the French word for Skye - Ciel. In Spanish, it's Cielo, and is also used for "heaven". Long story made short, this led to some very spiritual and very God-sent realizations that our little Asha represented hope for this family and the connection of our very close loved ones in heaven, always with us. Ray's mom felt a strong word from God, saying, "I named that baby". Who could argue with that?