Sunday, June 7th I made a list of cleaning items to get done before the week began. Chris went flying and then came home and took Corey to home depot for the monthly kids workshop. When he arrived home, I already cleaned the bedrooms, had several loads of laundry completed and still had more to do. My husband laughs at me because I was so determined to get my list done that day. My excuse, "I didn't want to have to do any cleaning for the rest of the week, I just wanted to relax". What did my husband say "are you nesting?". To which I responded "NO!!!! I just want this done". Of course this being the second pregnancy, I kinda knew what to expect however I was in some denial that this baby could be born very soon... Due date was 1 week away June13. That sunday I was feeling angry at everyone, anxious about getting stuff done and avoiding the thought that yes I might be nesting. Well I did get my list completed that day with the help of my husband of course.
12:30am Monday June 8th, I woke up and was having more braxton hix contractions, ones that were more regular and I could actually time them. So I did for about a half hour. I decided that at one AM I would head back to bed and try to sleep it away since they were not very painful.
3am I wake up to use the bathroom and upon returning to bed I began having contractions again. This time they were regular again and more painful to the point that I needed to stop walking, talking and just breath through them. I timed them for about a half hour, sent a message to my midwife and then waited approx another half hour before waking Chris up to begin getting stuff together to head to the midwife's birthing house in Kennewick, Wa.
We left home around 5 with the contractions coming every 1.5 min to 2 min and lasting between 30 and 45 secs. Of course they were still painful and I was still having to breath through them. throughout the hour long drive to Kennewick, my contractions became further apart and lasting only 20 sec at most. Since they were not happening regularly, we stopped to fill up the car with gas and then 10 min before arriving at the midwife's house the contractions stopped all together.
The midwife met us and we did all the preliminary checks. I then began trying to get them going again. I rested, I walked, I ran after Corey with no results. I finally around 8am sent Chris and Corey off to get me a waffle from Ihop and while he was gone, I proceeded to walk a mile around the walking path out in front of my midwife's house. Then went in and rested. Still nothing. I ate breakfast and went for another half mile walk on the path with no real start of contractions. I was sad and irritated that we had driven all the way to Kennewick with nothing happening. I went into the house and played with Corey for a while. The Midwife came back and did another check and found me to be 65% effaced and 3.5cm dilated. She said that if I wanted to walk some more I could go to the mall since it was already 90 some degrees outside. But she wanted me to also take a nap just in case something started later that evening. We opted to go to Costco for a few items with my mother. Then Chris and I sent Corey off with Grandma and Papa for lunch while we went back to the house and took a good hour long nap.
I woke up around 1:30 pm to use the bathroom and began to have mild contractions. The midwife came in and decided to check me one more time as I had thought that I lost my mucus plug when I went to the bathroom. She was planning on sending us home and for us to come back when things started up again. Well when she checked me this time I was 95% effaced and 5.5cm dilated, which she considered active labor. At this point I was beginning to have more consistent contractions but not real hard and definitely regular. She told me to call her when they became stronger and longer. Not 20 min later I sent her a message that we were filling up the birth pool and the contractions were stronger. I went to the bathroom again and came back feeling as though I was just dripping with no control. I determined that my water had broke. I texted my photographer to come (she happened to be an hour and a half away). And the contraction began to increase.
My mother was able to be there the entire day and at this point we asked her to watch Corey so that Chris could assist me. Chis was amazing. He was available to me totally, he helped me through my contractions with pressure on my pelvis and calm coaching. We finally stepped into the birth pool and found a comfortable position to breath and work through the contractions. Chris was there for me the whole time doing everything I needed to get through the pain. Prior to getting into the birth pool, my midwife told me that she did not want me pushing at all. She said that because Corey came fast and I tore some with him, she didn't want my to increase the pressure down there. So when the pushing started my job was to just breath. This was a painful but interesting experience. They say that even unconscious women can deliver a baby vaginally because that is what our bodies were designed to do. Well I experienced that this time. I felt my uterus pushing the lovely little baby out of me and while I wanted to push it was a struggle not to. My midwife and her assistant sat there through this reminding me to breath, giving me encouragement and just supporting me. When the baby's head was crowning, the midwife asked me if I wanted to feel it, I had to say no because it was easier to squeeze Chris's hamstring tendons then to reach down there and feel the head. Once the head came out, we waited for the baby to turn and her her shoulders in the good position. Then the midwife said I could help push now and with one push her shoulders popped out I reached down and pulled the little baby to my chest.
Cara Graciella Eno came into this world at 3:39 pm just 2 hours after the contractions started. She weighed 6 lb 15 oz and was 20.5 inch long.
Corey was able to watch the entire process and after the baby's head came out my mom brought him over to see me push out the rest of her. It was a very precious moment for our entire family. Corey was excited to see this happen and was happy to meet his little sister. Afterwards, Corey joined us in the birth pool while we rested.
After a short while, we got out of the birth pool and I was able to feed the baby, get showered, dressed and took many pictures.
Around 6:45pm we left for home. It was a very special birth. It was exactly what I wanted, slower, controlled and peaceful. Yes it was painful but the love that comes after that process, blocks out the pain after a while. I would never trade this experience for anything.
Thank you Chris for supporting me through this process of bringing our beautiful daughter into the world.
Thank you mom for watching and taking care Corey and supporting us.
Thank you Marcile and Sara for helping me work through the pain allowing me have an awesome birth experience.
Thank you God for our beautiful baby girl Cara.
~Running Momma
The Family just minutes after Cara was born
Eno Family of 4
Cara Graciella Eno
