Graham's Birth Story

About 5 days before Graham was actually born, I had thought I was in labor when I really wasn’t. We rushed to the birth center at like 3 AM, and even my amazing friend & photographer Tylynn came with us right away.. We spent 12 hours at the birth center trying to get me to progress with no luck. Kody was amazing and helped me do anything we could to get labor going. He walked the halls with me, let me lean on him for support, walked up and down the stairs with me, and even helped with some rebozo! All of it would make my contractions pick up, but they'd slow right back down again after I rested! (this happened with Olive too, but they just kept me at the hospital and induced me- which sucked) But this time unfortunately, I wasn't actually in labor, so I went home and continued life as usual.. You know, other than worrying I was in labor or would go into labor at any given moment!

 










Over the weekend I tried as many things as I could to get myself to go into labor.. I was doing pressure points, I made a date & cocoa smoothie, I got a pedicure, walked around like CRAZY, hula hooped, bounced on an exercise ball A LOT, sex, drank raspberry leaf tea like no tomorrow! Everything I had ever been told to try! That Sunday I had been having some pretty strong contractions all day, but I was pretty used to contractions so I didn’t think much of it. That night, we decided to go for a walk as a family and I spent the whole time curb walking to try to get my contractions going stronger. After our walk, we went home and Kody put the kids to bed while I bounced on an exercise ball and drank a HUGE mug of some raspberry leaf tea. Once he came back upstairs i decided to just relax and see what happened. Kody went to sleep “just in case” but was still on the couch with me in case I needed him.. I sat awake for 3 hours timing my contractions and feeling them getting stronger and stronger. Then around 1:40 AM I decided I should get some sleep too.. But as soon as I laid down my contractions got even stronger to the point where I was groaning in pain.. Sleep was definitely not happening. Kody had gotten of the couch to come to bed with me so he was awake and said to me and after 2 contractions “are you sure this isn’t real?” cause I had been assuring him it was a false alarm just like last time. One more contraction passed and I said “okay this IS real” so around 2 AM I called my mom to come to my house to be with my kids, and my midwife to meet us at The Birth Center. 


We got to the birth center around 2:30 and my contractions were already picking up even more so my midwife offered the tub for pain relief, and I was planning for a water birth anyway so why not? I went into the bathroom so I could pull my hair up and get ready to get in the tub.. As I reached my arms up to do my hair I heard a pop and felt a gush of water down my legs.. I walked out into the birthing room (still doing my hair) and said “I think my water just broke…” and then more gushed out. So it was DEFINITELY real at this point. Kody called Tylynn right then to let her know it was time to come and I’m glad he did cause it happened so fast!







I got in the tub and was immediately having small pushing urges. I listened to my body and pushed what I felt was comfortable and tried to relax when I could. Contractions got stronger and stronger, REALLY FAST. I was totally in my own bubble, but I can imagine it was like how you see it in the movies where the mom is yelling and groaning soooo loudly & dramatically it’s almost scary.. It REALLY HURT!!

*Prepare yourself for these next photos- they are graphic!*




 After a little while of those intense contractions and screaming and yelling I just remember feeling lots of pressure with one of my pushes and yelling “he’s coming!! He’s coming!!” I had been on my knees leaning forward on the edge of the tub into Kody’s arms for support, so I instantly sat up straight and pushed his head out.




 He did have a nuchal cord (wrapped around his neck) so the midwife had me stop so she could unwrap it before I finished delivering. In that time I switched and leaned back to the other side of the tub, where Kody ran to be behind me for support, and I reached down and grabbed Graham’s head and pushed one last time before I pulled him up out of the water myself, into my arms and onto my chest! 








 I remember crying and being so excited to finally have my baby, and all the pain was instantly gone!






 Graham Anthony Nerdin was born July 16th, 2018 at 4:14 AM weighing 6 lbs 6 oz and he was 20 inches long.







 I cuddled him and fed him for the first time in the water, and about 20 minutes later I delivered the placenta and Kody cut the cord. The midwife showed us my placenta and the pocket where Graham had been growing for the past 9 months, which I think is just so cool!










 We got out of the tub and Kody got to do some skin to skin with Graham while they got me situated and checked to make sure everything was okay with me. 





Then we spent the next few hours in bed with him and enjoying our time with just him before going home to our other crazy kids. We got lots of good cuddles and got to just stare at his sweet face and love on him like crazy!






 I was really anxious to know how big he was so I sent Tylynn to go grab the birthing team to get his measurements and check him out. They were so gentle and good with him, and he was way smaller than we all thought! (We all guessed 7 lbs or a little more).










 They did his cute little footprints on the birth certificate, and got some for themselves for the quilt they make of all the birth center babies born in that year- which is also so cool and I love seeing all the quilts once they're done!









The staff at The Birth Center took amazing care of us and instantly got us whatever food and drinks we wanted and made sure we were taken care of! Everything went well and Graham and I were both very healthy, so we were able to go home almost immediately. 

We got home around 8:15 AM and the big kids were still sleeping! They woke up about 15 minutes after we got home and it was the best surprise for them to come upstairs to see us holding their baby brother! Tate was SO excited and said “he looks just like me when I was a baby!!” and Olive just kept whispering “baby brother” and smiling. It was amazing! They are still just as obsessed with him, and are the best big siblings anyone could ever want!


So, long story short..
-From the time we left our house until the time we were at home with Graham was almost exactly 6 hours.
-He was born only 2 hours after leaving our house 
-I birthed him almost completely unassisted in a tub, and caught him MYSELF
-It was an uncomplicated, unmedicated, AMAZING birth
-I am a bad ass

 I still can't believe how fast everything happened and how amazing my whole experience was. I finally got the birth I deserve and I am SO HAPPY with everything!

Comments

  1. Wow I am in tears! You are definitely a super momma. It is so beautiful watching you and your family grow. You did amazing. You are incredible. 💜

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