Baby C's birth story

Georgia woman has 8lb baby in hospital bathroom.

Where's the go pro when you need it? I have a sneaking suspicion we would've broken the Internet by now.

If you're thinking this is one of the craziest birth stories you've ever heard from someone you know, I'm sure you're right.  It's definitely on the top of my list for one of the craziest things that's ever happened to me. But actually, besides the toilet paper in the background, Baby C's birth went exactly as I had hoped.

I wanted a natural birth.  I spent hours upon hours reading about relaxation and pain coping techniques. We hired a doula and took a confident childbirth class.   I downloaded worship music and scriptures to my phone.  Husband R bought LED candles and portable speakers. He packed protein bars, chia squeeze snacks and replenish (a natural electrolyte drink) to keep me hydrated. We stocked up on essential oils and packed the diffuser.  I practiced, breathing and relaxing and focusing on positive things. We were ready to turn that hospital room into a magical cave, a place where a mama in labor could peacefully bring her child into the world. I told my midwives that I didn't want an IV or pain meds.  I really just wanted to be left alone except for my husband and my doula.  It's all about trusting my body and not being afraid of the process.  God designed me to give birth.  It's not something I should fear.  I was ready to do my thing.

Our bags were packed at 38 weeks.  And then we waited.  Week 39. Week 40.  I decided to the let the midwife check and I was 3.5 cm dilated and 70% effaced.  Surely she'll be here in a day or so.  Then week 41.  What IS she doing in there?   I asked lots of you to pray that she would come soon because I did not want to be induced.  Many of you told me you were praying for an easy and smooth delivery.  Some of you must have been praying it would be quick too!

On Wednesday, at 41 weeks and 3 days, I decided to drink castor oil.  It's a laxative and because of  the stimulation it can also start contractions.  I had talked to my doula and several friends and on their advice took 1 TBSP mixed with 4 oz of orange juice.  This was at 4:30pm.  I went outside to weed the flower beds..because what else could I possibly do at a time like this. I planned to drink another tablespoon the next morning if nothing happened.

Something happened.

At 3am I woke up with very mild contractions.  I honestly thought they were still Braxton Hicks.  I got out of bed and walked around for a bit, they didn't stop so I decided to go back to bed and try to get some rest.  If this was the real thing, I didn't want to go into it tired.

At 4am my water broke..  I actually heard it.  It sounded like a balloon popping. Weird...yes.  I woke up Husband R and told him he needed to start getting the car packed.   FYI, when your water breaks your body keeps making fluid, so trying to do anything after your water breaks, without making a mess, is nearly impossible.  But I still managed to go downstairs, eat a protein bar, drink a cup of coffee and unload the dishwasher.  You know, all the important things.   I called my doula and updated her, she advised me to get in a warm bath and relax and to call her back when I needed her.  I was in the bathtub for about 15 minutes until I couldn't handle not moving through the contractions.  I got out and moved to the bed.  At this point my contractions were about 5 minutes apart, but only lasting 30-45 seconds.  I have an app on my phone that was timing my contractions and  I was handling them.

By 6:30am I could no longer talk through a contraction, only breath and sit on my ball. Husband R was still running around the house gathering everything and packing the car.  I called my mom to tell her to head our way, she lives in WV so I wanted her to be the first to know so that she could get to us as soon as possible. I had two contractions while on the phone with her.  She told me to go to the hospital.  I told her I was doing okay.

Husband R took Kindergartner A over to the neighbor and called the doula and told her my contractions were getting more painful and closer together but not lasting that long.   But looking back at the timer on my phone, by this point they were coming every 3-4 minutes and lasting 45-50 seconds.  We probably should have left at this time, but while it was painful, I was still breathing through them.

My doula is good at what she does, because at 7:15am Husband R called her to tell her we were leaving for the hospital and for her to meet us there.  But she was only 5 min away from our house.  We hadn't asked her to come yet, she just knew, because she's that good. When she arrived we headed to the car.  I had an incredibly painful contraction in the garage and was dreading the car ride.  None of us realized how far a long I actually was and we calculated that I would have about 4-5 contractions during the 30 minute drive.  I could get through that.

I climbed into the backseat so I could move around a bit. This was the longest most painful half hour I've ever experienced.  I had my headphones in and was trying to relax but that wasn't going to happen.  I couldn't tell when the contraction stopped and another started. What I actually ended up having in the car was 10 contractions, and the 11th coming as I was getting out at the hospital.  I was screaming at Husband R to help me and that I couldn't do it anymore.  I told him I was going to throw up, pass out, die.  So much for the peaceful, magical cave.  I wanted to rip the headrest off the front seat and was begging for relief.

Husband R told me he actually thought he was going to have to deliver the baby in the car.  I'm sure he breathed a sigh of relief when we pulled into the women & chlidren's pavilion drop off.   We arrived around 7:55am and he got me out of the car and my doula parked her car and came running. She later told me, as she was following us in her car, she could see my hair being puffed up as I was breathing.  She knew at that point I was getting close.

We walked into the waiting room and up to the front desk.  There were several people in the waiting room and they were all staring at me, because a women in active labor is so fun to watch.  I looked to my left and there were two dark bathrooms that looked like safe havens at the time.  I walked to the women's bathroom and my doula followed me. I really just wanted to get away from all the stares and focus on getting through the next contraction. Husband R continued to check us in.

I had another contraction in the bathroom and my doula told me to grab the sink and squat.  Although it hurt and I didn't want to, I squatted down and immediately had to go pee.  I got over to the toilet and pulled down my pants and let out a scream I never hope to hear come out of my mouth again.  The baby was crowning.  I got no pressure, no warning, she was just there.

My doula immediately told me to get on all fours on the floor. I was in another world at this point and vaguely remember what happened next, but thank God my doula was with me and was able to tell me what to do.  I heard Rob yell for a doctor and heard someone say they had cleared out the waiting room.  Because of all the chaos my contractions stopped so I was just there on my hands and knees waiting. I heard a ton of people come into the bathroom and then asked my doula what I was supposed to do now.  Like I had forgotten.  She told me to concentrate and bear down.  With two more pushes baby C entered the world at 8:04am.  I turned around to hold her and found 10 faces staring back at me, I remember thinking, where did all these people come from?  That and did I really just have a baby in the bathroom?  And then, I looked at my baby, healthy and pink and crying.

I never got to use my candles or my oils, eat my snacks or read my scriptures.  I never made it to my magical cave.  But I also didn't have to fight off an IV or any medical interventions.  I brought baby C into this world like I had hoped and prayed for.  Easily, quickly and when she was ready.   It was a bit traumatic and shocking it happened so fast but other than making it to a private room, I wouldn't change a thing.   We were able to leave in a little over 24 hours and recovery has been easy compared to Kindergartner A's birth.

Happy 1 week birthday baby C.  We love you and if life with you is anything like your arrival, we are in for one exciting, wild ride!