pregnancy — Blog — Come Floww

Wow- I cannot believe it’s been nine whole months since we first met our little girl! It’s so insane to think how much has happened and how quickly time has passed. I’ve been wanting to write my birth story for quite some time now for a few reasons. 1. Because I love reading birth stories, I think it’s so interesting how different every birth is and have always wanted to know the deets. 2. I want to remember it as best I can and keeping it in a space like this will help keep it alive. And 3. I want to share my story and talk about the good, bad and ugly. There’s so much that goes on that no one tells you. So here we go!

It was February 11th 2020. I had my weekly check-up with my OB as my due date was on the 23rd. I was dilated 1cm and 70% effaced. My doctor said her head was super low, which explains why my pelvis was in so much pain every time I’d roll around in bed or walk around. I vividly remember asking him what the chances are of my water breaking and he said,

“Don’t worry, only about 10% of patients water breaks for their first baby.”

He then talked about wanting to induce me if the baby wasn’t budging a day or two after my due date. We left the appointment and I had a hair appointment later that day (perfect timing, you’ll see why) and I remember standing in the kitchen before I left, feeling like everything was finally ready for her. I rubbed my belly and said out loud, “Ok girl, you can come anytime now!”

Later that night, Jeff and I were laying on the couch watching TV and we heard a ‘bang’. We had no idea where it was coming from, so we searched the house. We finally checked in Hayden’s room and saw her books all fell from her shelf. I put those books up weeks prior, so I thought it was very weird that they fell out of nowhere.

I just felt this insane feeling that someone was trying to tell us something. I actually said to Jeff, “What if that was a sign that she’s coming tomorrow.” We laughed and continued our night.

That morning at 5 am, I got up to go to the bathroom (bladder probs are no joke when you’re preggos, guys), and I noticed what I thought was my water leaking. I say leaking because it wasn’t this gush of water, but it was way more than like a little wetness here and there.

My first thought was what my doctor told me the day prior, “Only 10% of women’s water breaks”, so I thought maybe it was just some leakage and nothing crazy. Well, I ended up on the toilet for about 10 minutes when I finally decided to call the doctor before waking up Jeff. The doctor on call said.

“Well, sounds like your water broke! You better head to the hospital!” I started crying because I was in such shock, even though it was obvious!

I went into our bedroom and woke Jeff up, still sobbing, and told him what happened. He was surprised too because it was 11 days before my due date, but told me everything was going to be ok and I was going to do great. I showered, made us breakfast while he got ready (all I kept reading was to do both things before you go to the hospital as they won’t let you do either once you’re there!)

We headed to the hospital after we got everything together, showered and ate. I remember Jeff saying this was not the morning he had envisioned because it was so relaxed. I think people instantly think of that movie scene where they’re speeding down the highway, wife screaming at the husband in pain to hurry up, etc. In reality, that’s just not how it is! Majority of the time, anyway.

Once we got there, they tested my fluid to make sure it was amniotic fluid (what the baby swims in) before admitting me. They did multiple tests. The only one I remember was a piece of paper that they got wet with the fluid was supposed to turn blue if it was amniotic fluid. But that, along with every other test, came back negative. So they sent me home.

I was so confused and felt like an idiot (even though, uhh, I was still leaking down there!) I thought my minor contractions were maybe just all in my head.

So I called my family and let them know that it was a false alarm. When we got home we ordered Chinese food and took a nap. My contractions started to get worse when we got home and the leaking wasn’t stopping. I again, questioned myself because the hospital told me she wasn’t coming. I actually downloaded this app (Contraction Timer- track labor contractions) weeks prior that helps you track your contractions and tells you when they’re close enough to go to the hospital. Well, this app was telling me to go! I showed Jeff and he said, “Ha yeah, let’s tell the doctors some app told us to come back,” jokingly, but also serious.

At this point I felt totally at a loss. I was listening to my body but everyone else was telling me different. I decided to call my doctor’s office and tell them everything that’s going on. They had me come in to check, and when the nurse tested my fluid she immediately said,

“Oh yes, it’s time! Good luck mama- you got this!” What a whirlwind of a day already- running all over Columbus to be told all these different things.

It was 5pm, 12 hours after my water broke, and I was (finally) admitted. They told me, “You’re going to have a baby!” That was when it started to feel real. Not only mentally but also physically, as my contractions started to get intense. (Looking back I was very happy they sent us home earlier that morning because we got that extra nap, ate and laid low as long as we could.)

My doctor had told me at my last appointment to wait the longest I could to get an epidural because the first dose is the strongest. Well, I was in horrible pain at about 4cm and when I told the nurses what my doctor had said, they looked at me with blank faces.

“Not sure what he’s talking about, we continue to pump the medicine in you so you won’t feel a thing the whole time.” Well guys, that’s all I needed to hear!

I got the epidural and let me just say- the process was nothing.

I don’t even remember remotely feeling anything go into my back and next thing you know, I couldn’t feel anything from my waste down. It felt so weird (but so good at the same time), as the nurse had to help me rotate laying from side to side because I couldn’t do it myself. They also stuck a catheter up me because uhh, you can’t get up to pee! No one told me about that. Pretty minor in the scheme of things but still worth saying.

Things got pretty chill after this. We waited around, watched Bravo TV, my mom came to visit, then went home around 10pm. The nurse said Hayden will definitely be here the next morning, so at that point we knew her birthday would be February 13th- Galentine’s day!

Every time the doctor came in, I had dilated 2 centimeters. I was a 2, then jumped to a 4, then 6, etc. and she said to prevent possible infection (they stick their fingers up there to check each time), she’s not going to check anymore until I felt like I was ready. I asked her how I would possibly know, as I was numb from the waste down. She said my body will naturally start to push and it’ll feel like I’m trying to poop (totally TMI, but that’s what we’re here for, right?!) I asked again, how will I know or feel it!? She said, “you’ll know.”

So a little before 2am, I called the nurse back in and told her “my body is definitely pushing!” She checked me and said, “You’re 10cm, let’s have a baby!”

When you hear these words, it becomes soo real. I still get chills and teary-eyed just thinking about it. Jeff went to the bathroom, threw water over his face to ‘get ready’ (ha), the nurse came in and instructed me on how to push, breathe, etc. gave Jeff one of my legs, and I started pushing at 2am. Alright things get a little, ahem, detailed from here. So if you’re not feeling it then skip down a few paragraphs.

The nurse kept asking me if I wanted the mirror on the ceiling to face me so I could see what was going on. “Absolutely not”, I said. They have mirrors on the ceiling to motivate the mom to keep pushing, as it is exhausting and at one point for me, felt like an impossible feat. I finally gave in after Jeff and the nurse couldn’t stop talking about how much hair she had on her head. Let me tell you, it was not half as gross as the image that’s in your head right now. Pictures two legs and a head popping out from in between them! I swear it’s not that gross.

She had this dark brown thick hair- I was so shocked! I had zero heart burn or acid reflux throughout my pregnancy, which they say you get if the baby has a lot of hair. I kept pushing for 10 seconds at a time but every time I’d push and then relax her head would go right back in. The nurse coached me in a way that helped so much and soon she was calling the doctor in to deliver the baby.

It was so crazy to me that the doctor comes in that late in the game, I thought they’d be with you the whole time!

Since I was 10 days early, my doctor wasn’t on call so they had another doctor deliver her. At that point I didn’t really care, as I just wanted this baby out! Her head was probably 50% or so out when the doctor came in along with the baby doctor.

At one point I remember the nurse saying to stop the medicine for the epidural, but I’m still not sure why they decided this without asking me, but all the sudden I could feel everything. This is when I started swearing and getting a little dramatic (although Jeff did say he was shocked how calm I was the whole time). When I say everything, I mean like, it feels like a ton of pressure down there, your being stretched to the max and a ton of burning.

I started pushing at 2 A.M. and Hayden was born at 2:58 A.M.

She was this delicious 6 lb, 3 oz, 17 inch long petite perfection. The feeling I felt right after she came out is something I also never hear about! I felt this insane release as she, the fluid and then the placenta came out. My stomach literally went from being 9 months pregnant to not at all.

Right after she was born, the doctor waits a minute or two and then your placenta comes out. People say you ‘birth’ the placenta, and while that is true, it’s seriously nothing. It slides right out and you barely feel a thing. Jeff said the placenta almost fell on his foot and water sprayed everywhere when the baby came out- Oh the things men go through during birth!

Another thing that needs to be discussed- pooping. Yes, they say 95% of women poop. I asked the nurse probably 10 minutes after Hayden was born if I pooped- I didn’t think I did but was so anxious to know. Well, I guess I was that wild 5% because I didn’t! But know this; do not worry about pooping- it’s just another day at the office for the nurses/doctors. They’re beyond used to it. And your husband/partner won’t even notice because they’ll be so focused on that precious baby and helping you stay calm.

The doctor then pressed down on my stomach to make sure all the fluids were out to prevent possible infection and said to me,

“You’re going to be able to fit into your skinny jeans in no time!”

That was hands down the best compliment you could possibly give any woman that just gave birth literally minutes prior.

My stomach was flat right after I had her. The doctor said I barely tore at all, she did give me stitches although said I barely needed them. My nurse said it was the most perfect birth she’s ever seen.

I’m not saying all of this to brag (maybe a little- as I’m proud of myself for all of these things!) I’m saying this because I give all the credit to doing as much yoga as I did during my pregnancy.

I kept incorporating movements/poses that worked a lot of core but didn’t push it if I didn’t feel I could. I listened to my body throughout my pregnancy. I ate when I was hungry and stopped when I was full. If I craved ice cream donuts, etc. I ate them. But I honestly didn’t get to that point until my third trimester when my body was needing fatty foods to help her/myself to gain weight.

I gained 28 lbs my entire pregnancy. A week after I had her I was up only 10 lbs.

I lost the last 10 slowly after I stopped breastfeeding (I’ll save my breastfeeding/postpartum story for another post), and am currently back to my pre-baby weight, which honestly took me the entire 9 months to get back to. Not because it was hard, but because I was never trying to lose the weight. I enjoyed my time with my baby in quarantine and knew I’d lose the weight when my body was ready.

My body is now the exact same today as it was pre-baby. I think it’s was a mixture of yoga, taking care of myself and genetics that I have to thank for this.

My advice to any mama-to-be out there: listen to your body and intuition. Give yourself grace throughout this time and take care of yourself. Your body will tell you exactly what it needs to grow that perfect human inside you.