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Jyn's 5th birth- Baby Eva
Just because you have had multiple births doesn't mean the next one is going to be any faster, easier -- or even any less complicated. Eva Bella was due valentine's Day of 2006, which is February 14th. One week before she was due, my husband had reluctantly arranged for an interview out of country. He knew that we were cutting it close, but he also knew that it was important to keep the work-flow coming in. I had gone for my checkup with my midwife in my weekly prenatal and everything was pretty dead-on and going as planned. I was 80% effaced, 1 centimeter dilated, and the baby was kicking as usual. We decided to try and 'get things moving a bit faster' with various intimate and some not so intimate techniques, but nothing really seemed to work. Walking really didn't do much for me other than give me a good workout. The reason, my friends is because babies know when they're ready. Castor oil, is a mistake. There are only a choice few who it even works for when done correctly, and those people have to be sensitive to it's effects already. For the rest of us- it's hell in a hand-basket. It can also be dangerous for the baby if done improperly, so I do not suggest trying castor oil (or blue cohosh EVER on your own). Castor oil did not even give me 1 contraction and it was the worst stuff you can imagine. February 10th rolled around, and as this was the day my dear husband was scheduled to fly out to Canada, I was sad and let down. We had tried for a week and a half to get things going, and all I had experienced was a little bit of false labor, which was uncomfortable and unproductive as labor goes. I was having my usual braxton hicks contractions which I had been having consistently for the past 2 months already, so nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I was anxious, sad, and living minute to minute in this pregnancy, in preparation for the arrival of our new family member. I had already passed my mucous plug- so it could be any day. I woke up, ate, slept, lived and breathed babies every minute and so I decided to take my midwife's advice and just pretend I wasn't pregnant while my husband was gone and take it easy. My mother and little sister had driven up to help out with the kids, so I wasn't completely alone. My husband called me from the airport that evening after arriving at his connecting airport on his way to his next plane and said, "Hun, there is a plane leaving from here in 10 minutes to go back home, how are you feeling... do you need me to come home?" I had been sleeping, mostly resting to pass the time and other than the regular braxton hicks, I felt the same. Sleepily I said, "Honey, I'm fine- go ahead and good luck on your interview." We hung up and I just layed there a few minutes. Now, I am not a typical pregnant mother. I have been one of the few who have mastered the ability to check myself to see if I have dilated or effaced any all on my own. So I got out of bed to use the restroom, and after doing so I checked my status just to make sure.  Wait a minute... How could I be three centimeters already when I had only been one and a half earlier in the day? I was changing which meant, I was indeed in labor. I immediately panicked and grabbed my phone to call back my husband. I caught him right as his plane was about to lift into the air and I blurted out "I'm in LABOR! You HAVE to come home!""WHAT?! But...we are taking off right now, I have to get off the phone, I'll call you when I get to Vancouver..." he said and quickly hung up. I told my mother and we immediately starting packing things for the hospital. I talked to my husband again when he landed and he was desperately trying to find a flight back, but there was only one, and it was in the morning. I couldn't believe this was happening. He had never missed a birth, and I was going to do everything in my power to try and hold on until he could fly back to me. I was unable to labor at home this time, because I was diagnosed with Group-B strep which needed as many antibiotics pumped into me as close as possible to the birth. Having my partner so far from me at a time like this was not my only stress. My mother, as helpful as she was trying to be, was quickly stepping on my toes and pushing me where she thought I would be happiest. I didn't want to 'try' any new meditation methods she wanted to try on me, I only wanted her to stand where I asked, and film what I needed so that my husband wouldn't miss a single moment of my delivery. Unfortunately, this wasn't the glamorous "pregnancy helper' she had imagined in her mind, and so the battle of the strongest will had started for the evening. My girls, then 6 & 7 yrs old, were with us at the hospital, and my youngest boys who were 4 & 3 were sleeping at home with my sister present. We set up a little makeshift bed for the girl's on the labor floor with blankets and coats, and my mom drifted to sleep in the glide rocker chair. I chatted with my midwife a little in between contractions, and then there was a shift change. One of the other midwives were taking over. I was sad and stressed out- I didn't want to be near anyone, so I walked the hallways throughout the early morning. I had changed, and with each contraction was dilating more and more. At 3am, I went into the bath and just labored there for a while. I was already 7 centimeters, and I wanted so badly for my husband to be there. 11:00 was what I was waiting for, and so far my contractions were only about one every hour by now. I was holding off as much as possible, and it was working. My labor was slowing. As 11:00 rolled around, my husband called to inform me the 11:00am flight was full and no one was giving up their seat for the husband who's wife was in labor. He wasn't going to make it. I had made the decision earlier that night that if he wasn't able to be there, I was going to get an epidural which I had only had once through a labor, although it was brief and didn't last through the birth the last time. My mother was too much of a stress factor on me to be able to fully concentrate like I could with my husband for a totally natural birth. like I had so many times before.  As I am a photographer, I had my camera set up in the corner, and my mother had her video camcorder. My mother had just came back from picking up the rest of my brood and my sister in preparation for the birth, and I was ready for the epidural.Almost minutes after I told my midwife, "OK, lets do it. Let's have a baby." and got the epidural, I was ready to push. Just giving in and releasing the control was what did it. All four of my children were at the foot of the bed as Eva's head started to protrude from my lower half. "Look mama! the baby!" my 3 yr old exclaimed, and excitedly I answered, "I know! here she comes!" As her head started to come out I remembered my camera. I called for my sister to come get my remote and Eva's head was starting to protrude as I fumbled with it to give it to her. Eventually she grabbed the camera, and started shooting, but not after I had taken a few shots of my own with the remote. It was amazing. Since my husband was absent, Abigail my eldest, was given the honor to cut the cord.  Since I had so many bags of IV fluids pumped into me, my little girl was very swollen with fluid, as was I. My legs looked obese by this point. They weighed her in at 8 # 1oz, which knocked me off my feet. But she was obviously swollen from the fluids. a few days later the swelling had gone down, and she looked like a baby again, but that was technically the heaviest baby I had ever birthed at that point.  Eva barely made a sound. Even after a little cry when she came out, she was very alert and content. Even getting her pokes and prods of the newborn evaluation, she never made a sound and just looked around. She was the best baby. She latched on immediately and nursed like a pro.My midwife was wonderful. She was very patient and accepting of all my kids being right there, and her use of olive oil during the crowning allowed me to avoid any tears. She was wonderful.  The next afternoon my husband came in and got to hold his newest little girl for the first time. He was glowing with pride like he always did. Little baby Eva Bella was due on Valentine's Day, but born 4 days earlier on February 10th. Even though she didn't come out with cherub wings, she DID have a perfect heart birthmark on her forehead which she still has to this day. |
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-Jyn Meyer
www.jynmeyer.com
www.jynmeyer.com
JynMeyer |
Latest page update: made by JynMeyer
, Nov 5 2008, 12:44 PM EST
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | |
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| annika | Lovely story! | 1 | May 8 2007, 5:39 PM EDT by JynMeyer | |
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Thread started: May 6 2007, 1:10 AM EDT
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Thank you for sharing the story of Eva's birth! She's a real beauty, and you're a natural storyteller.
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