Our story begins on Thursday, August 12th...
Being 41 weeks pregnant we headed into the doctor's office for a check-up & NST (non-stress test). Miss Reagan decided this would be a good time to sleep so her heart rate was a little lower then normal during the NST and she had one decel during the contraction. So my midwife & the OB decided I needed to go to the hospital for another NST and a BPP ultrasound (Bio Physical Profile), and if things didn't look good there I would be getting induced tonight. Cue Breakdown! Even though I was a week overdue I was not mentally ready to have a baby tonight, I was suppose to go into labor on my own. After calming down a little I asked Clint to give me a blessing before we headed into the hospital. It was exactly what I needed and it became something for me to refer back to and rely on over the next couple of days. We headed off to the hospital and everything looked great...heart rate was perfect and the ultrasound was too. My midwife wanted me to come in the next day to be induced, but I beg for one more day at least. So she said I had to go back in for another NST on Friday, but if nothing happened Saturday would be D-day!
Friday, August 13th
Since I was granted an extra day to get labor started on my own I was determined to make it happen. Keep in mind we had tried literally almost everything to induced labor on our own up to this point, but I wasn't willing to give up yet. So I started the morning off by walking about 1.5 miles, then I headed off to the massage therapist for a pressure point massage. They said to help the massage work I needed to walk, and walk some more...so that is what I did. Being that it was almost 110 degrees outside I decided to head to the gym where I walked another 2 miles on the treadmill (praying that my water wouldn't break there). After the walk I went back to the hospital for the NST which again came back perfect, so I was sent home with a induction time of 11:00pm the next day. Feeling a little defeated I headed home to sulk and walk another mile thinking it would maybe help (but it didn't).
Saturday, August 14th
I woke up Saturday morning knowing that most likely I would not go into labor on my own and the getting induced was inevitable, but a scripture came to my mind and became my mantra for the next 24 hours. D&C 101:16 - Therefore, let your hearts be comforted...for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God. The last part of the scripture went right along with what Clinton said in the blessing he gave me a few days earlier...he said that Heavenly Father knows me and my concern, but that he knows what is best and to trust in His plan. So I guess you could say that I gave my will over and tried to "be still." We spent most of the day hanging out and getting last minute things together, but really I should have been sleeping. After dinner out at BJ's, Clint & I headed to the hospital to meet our little girl.
Sunday, August 15th
They began inducing me around 12:30am by using PG gels, that help soften the cervix. How it works...they put the gel in and I am hooked up to the monitor for 1 hour, then I am allowed to walk for 40 minutes, and then back on the monitor for 20 minutes. They will do 3 rounds of this, unless your body goes into labor then they stop and let you labor how you want, and if you don't go into labor you move onto other methods of induction.
I was dilated to a 3 when we got to the hospital, and after the first round of gel I was still a 3 and my contractions were only 3-5 minutes apart so we moved onto round 2. After the second round I was definitely feeling them more and was hoping this was enough for them to stop the gels and lucky me it was. I was dilated to a 5 and my contractions were 2 minutes apart and it was time to get into the tub. I spent the next 2 hours laboring in the tub, and it was great a little too great. I could still feel the contractions, but I could tell that they were not as strong so it was out of the tub and time to walk again. By this time my midwife had shown up and so she checked me and I was a 6 1/2, but to be sure things kept progressing we decided to break my water (this was around 10am). After she broke my water we set off to walk some more to keep the contractions going, and that is exactly what they did. We did two more laps around the L&D floor and my contractions went from totally manageable to "Oh Shoot I am in Labor" intense! Clint and I headed back into our room and I labored by swaying back and forth with my head on his chest, aka the labor dance, for about a half an hour. Then it was time to be monitored again so we moved the ball to the side of the bed and I sat on that with my head laying on the bed. Things were pretty intense at this point, and I just kept telling myself...your in transition, things are almost done, and why did I want to do this again! After about 20-30 minutes my midwife asked if I needed to push, and I said that I feel some pressure but don't need to push. She decided it was time to check me again so I got up on the bed and I was an 8-8 1/2. My first thought was...really an 8, that is it? I have to keep doing this for two more centimeters, I don't know if I can. But those thoughts were quickly brushed aside, because with my next contraction I let everyone know that I was pretty sure I needed to push NOW! My midwife came back over from setting everything up and said yep, she is complete! Basically, my cervix just melted away with that one contraction and now it was time to push. I have to admit that after pushing for over an hour with Bailey I was a little worried, but 4 or 5 pushes later Reagan was born and lying on my chest!
It was an incredible labor and experience. Everyone says that every labor is different and mine sure were, but I couldn't have asked for anything more. I was able to labor the way I wanted to, and I am so grateful that I finally let myself "be still" and trust that Heavenly Father listens to me, has a plan for me, and knows me individually!
