J.C. and Beki Olson: The Labor

My labor started a few months ago when I began having uncomfortable contractions. (I have to add that because when I describe the hospital labor you all will think that I'm the luckiest woman in the world!...It sounds great but wait until you have countless nights of waking up from uncomfortable, almost painful contractions that are slowly dilating you over a period of 10 + weeks and then tell me that I'm lucky!) So, on to the "real" labor story.

It all started 10 days before I actually had Kailee. I went into Dr. Horsley's and he informed me that my cervix was very soft and that I was dilated to a 3. He thought that I could go into labor at any time. I spent the next week walking and walking and pushing myself physically in order to get this going. I figured that the baby was far enough along that she could breathe and I was tired of no sleep, a tight uncomfortable stomach from the continous contractions and feeling so fat...so like it or not, she was coming! Dr. Horsley informed J.C and I at that appointment that if I was to a 5 at the next appointment he would deliver this baby that day! Well, the next week I went to my doctor's appointment alone and was devasted to hear that I had only progressed in between 1/2 and 1 centimeter...he wouldn't be delivering the baby that day. So, I went home, cried, and gave up! I decided that this birth was in the Lord's hand and I had to be patient so I stopped walking and trying to push myself. I just did what needed to be done to finish getting ready for a new baby, take care of John Tyler, and keep our home running. I actually ended up raking our leaves vigorously for an hour and half in order to surprise J.C, but I did it without expectations of having the baby any sooner than the inducement date of Nov. 19th when I would hit 39 weeks. Dr. Horsley's opening happened to be a few days before I turned 38 weeks so it was less than a week after I was told that I had progressed less than a centimeter. This appointment was scheduled for Monday evening at 4:45pm. As I showered and got ready I debated packing things like my toothbrush, ect. into my hospital bag and really getting ready in case I was at a 5...in the end I decided to leave my hospital bag, purse, and everything except myself at home in order to not be disappointed. That was the wrong decision! J.C decided to come with me last minute and so we went together to find out how far I had progressed and to have Dr. Horsley begin the slow process of inducement by stripping my membranes. Once in the appointment Dr. Horsley checked me and announced that I was in labor and would not need my membranes stripped. I had dilated to almost a 5 and my bag of waters was bulging. He told me to go upstairs and get checked into Labor and Delivery. In disbelief I asked if I could go with J.C to take John Tyler to Heidi's house and go home to get my bag, etc. He said that he was sure that I would go quickly and that I needed to go straight upstairs. I listened and got situated in a bed while J.C went home, grabbed my stuff, dropped John Tyler off at Heidi and Jeremy's, cancelled his study group, and ran back to the hospital in time for Dr. Horsley to come in to break my water. Before breaking my water Dr. Horsley assisted J.C in giving me a blessing. In the blessing, I was told that I didn't need to be afraid and that if something came up, Dr. Horsley's hands would be guided to know what to do. Before the blessing I was feeling pretty panicked and unprepared to make it through a natural birth. I was so grateful for J.C's willingness and worthiness,as well as for him being intune to my feelings. He was the one who offered to give me a blessing and I can't begin to tell you the peace, strength, and calm it brought to me and that hospital room. As soon as the blessing was over, Dr. Horsley broke my water and the real contractions began! I had to focus and really go into myself in order to calmly make it through each contraction. I could tell that my body was progressing at a very rapid rate and asked to be checked after less than an hour of these contractions. I was at a 7+ and it appeared that it would only be a few more hours before this whole thing was finished. Imagine my surprise when a half hour later I felt the urge to push...but the nurse checked and I was only at an 8. I didn't know what to do because the pain was getting more and more intense then I ever remembered with John Tyler. Dr. Horsley came to check me and said that the baby was posterior. He tried to turn it but couldn't quite get her to stay turned. For the few seconds when he had her turned I felt an immense relief from the intensity of pain I was feeling, but the second she flipped back the pain became as intense as ever. He had me turn over and do a knee to chest position in order to get her turned but it didn't work. The pain got so bad that I felt like I lost all control and was just begging for Dr. Horsley to magically get her out somehow. He is an amazing doctor who believes that women know what they need more than the doctor's know, so when he came in and I told him I needed to push he said okay. He checked me and found that I was at an 8 still but waited and checked me as soon as another contraction came and said that I could push now. Within 3 pushes he had turned Kailee and she was out! I feel that the blessing J.C gave me mixed with this Dr's ability to follow the promptings was what made this miraculous birth happen. When I got home I looked up posterior births and found that they are usually very long, painful, and often end in a c-section because the doctor is unable to turn the baby. How greatful I am for our Heavenly Father's mercies. I feel closer to my Saviour as I realize that He understands the intense pain I felt and that He allowed me to go to the very edge and when I felt that if I went a second longer I would literally lose it, He made a way for my escape. That sounds very dramatic, but Ireally feel that. How amazing is the whole gift of life!

So...in short...my water was broken at 6:40pm and she came into this world at 8:41pm!!! Who can complain?!