Aster's Entrance

Wednesday morning I woke up early and decided to go for a longer walk than usual.  On a normal morning I get about 40 minutes of wandering around the dirt work roads between fields and by the end of the walk might get one good contraction.  Well, this morning I felt a few before I was a full two fields away!

Unfortunately, they never got stronger or closer and stopped completely when I got home nearly two hours later.

I sent Grant to work.  I figured they stopped and wouldn't continue if he stayed home.

Please remember.  Grant works 40-45 minutes away.

By the time Grant got to work I had another contraction.  They started coming every 20 minutes.  When he called at lunch to check on me they were very notable...  in that I had to stop what I was doing, but still 20 minutes apart.  I promised to call when they got any closer.

Around 1 they jumped to 15 minute intervals.  I debated not calling, but then Gauge ran into my stomach and triggered a massive contraction!  So Grant left work.  I got through the next contraction and called our first choice sitter... By the way, most of our ward lives 15 or more minutes away.  And had her come.  Contractions were back to 15 minutes apart so I thought there was no problem and we still had plenty of time!

I tried calling the doctor to let them know and got a message that the office was closed for a meeting and I should call back at 2.  The first inkling that I didn't have so much time was here.  Instead of laughing at the idea of waiting a few minutes to call the number that's always supposed to be manned I threw my phone across the room.  I'd like to hear the message my mouth tried to leave while my hand hurled it.

Our friend showed up and suddenly the contractions were practically on top of each other.  I called Grant to see where he was because we were considering having her take me to the hospital. Luckily he had just turned onto our road.

My goodness.  Sitting in the car was the most uncomfortable thing I have ever done!  Oh... all of the contractions were mainly in my back...  For the whole 7 minute drive I felt like I was trying to arch my back away from the chair, balancing with my head and feet only.

I'm not exactly sure how I was pried out of that car or put into a wheelchair, but I remember feeling the need to writhe out of the chair and crawl into the tiled floor at one point of the journey down the hall.

We got to Labor and Delivery.  They didn't have a clean room.  My doctor and information wasn't there yet (yes, I had retrieved the phone and called again).  But there was no waiting.  We were issued into a room.  While I got Grant to strip me nurses ran around trying to sanitize, sheet and prep the room.  I felt like there were 10 people in that tiny space and when the next contraction came and I just wanted to dangle supported in Grant's arms suddenly all of those superfluous people were trying to force me onto the bed!

With Cerise I remember the back pain.  I remember the comfortable, safe spot was with me partially under the bed.  My midwife worked with me on that.  And we were happy.

I yelled for everyone to get away and that I would not get onto the bed yet.  I would have the baby on the floor if that's what I wanted.  Grant said I yelled at them a few times to order them away and get what I wanted.

But still, as soon as that contraction was over I was exhausted and needed to sit down.  Holy cow!  As soon as I sat someone reached their hand up me to see how far along I was!!  I didn't give anyone permission to touch me right then!  But I couldn't argue as I felt another contraction and flipped over to kneel with my arms on the back of the bed.

I was vaguely aware of them sticking my hand with an IV and trying to get a fetal heart beat under me and putting something on my finger.  And yet, when I came promptly out of the next contraction and announced my water broke, no one else noticed and it took someone else confirming it before anyone believed me. Oh how I missed having the trust that came with the midwives -- trust that I could listen to my body and let it take the lead and trust that they were there to support and help.  The next contraction started immediately.  I don't think anyone believed me or knew what to do when I said "I'm pushing."

Apparently the doctor and med student walked in right at that moment, dropped their gloves and caught Aster.  She came out all in one push.  And I was stuck on my hands and knees, knowing my baby was under me, unable to roll over, and wanting nothing more in the world than to hold her.  It felt like an eternity of asking for my baby before someone helped me turn over and placed her on my chest.

We were in the hospital for 5 minutes before she was born.

Aster Lucille Stratton

30 July 2014

6lb 15 oz

18 in

Perfectly perfect in every way