In case you're nervous, none of the videos show anything gross or inappropriate. Except hearing my contractions constantly.
February 1 (Tuesday)
- This morning I woke up and my underwear were completely soaked, even on my legs. Gross. I thought maybe my water broke, but I also was getting over a yeast infection so I thought it was mostly medicine. I continued to have a lot of leakage all day. Around lunch time I noticed some bloody show. I called my Mom because I FINALLY had news to report and after talking with her she said my water COULD have broken. So I called the Birth Center not thinking it was that but just in case I wanted to check. I still wasn't getting any type of contractions so I was hoping it WASN'T my water.
- My appointment wasn't until 2:15 pm so I immediately thought, "GREAT, right in the middle of Brooke's nap, she's going to be a MESS tonight when she's all off her schedule and I'll probably actually go into labor and it will be worse. So I called my friends Julie & Eric and brought her over to take a nap there.
- Turns out it WASN'T my water breaking (just like I thought) I was just so encouraged that labor was coming soon (even though she told me it could still be a week or so...I knew it would be within 2 days.
- I had to change my underwear like 5 times that day because I just kept leaking. So gross, I know....
- Around 5:00 pm, I started getting contractions that I KNEW were starting labor. With Brooklynn this happened a few days before and they would stop but they were definitely more painful. Not really too regular yet.
- 5:30-Josh gets home I told him I was in labor...but I was still going for my massage and chiropractor visit. I wanted to be in line for my birth this time; I couldn't have planned the timing ANY better!
- 6:00 I had a massage/chiropractor visit. During my 1/2 hour massage I wasn't timing my contractions but I counted them and I had 5. She also worked my pressure point AGAIN (last week nothing happened) and when she did the contractions got noticeably stronger. I had a 6th contraction when I stood up to walk from the massage room to get adjusted and had 3-4 more in there. Everyone was like, "another one? Wow, you ARE in labor!!!"
- 7:00-get home and on the way from the garage to my apartment (2 flights of stairs) I had 3 more and I had to stop and breathe. Now I knew for sure I was in labor and I was surprised with how fast it was happening. I thought I had more time to get stuff together. Luckily almost everything was packed ahead of time. I could NOT find my "things to pack last minute" list and I was so annoyed. Having contractions and trying to remember is not a good combination. Josh did most of it anyway, what a good husband.
- We had several people on call to watch Brooklynn. Our friends, Jeff & Emily were the ones that made it! I was really glad it worked out--ALWAYS have a back up. The Hammes' were sick with fevers (even though Brooklynn took her nap there earlier), but I felt bad making them do more than needed. The Beers' had a Bible Study the next day...although they were super helpful later on...keep reading. So the Bryant's were on official "Brooklynn Baby Duty!" They live the furthest away from us AND in the opposite direction of the Birth Center. So we hadn't even called the Birth Center yet but we were walking out the door to head to Phoenixville. On the way to the car, Emily called me and told me Jeff was going to meet us at Walmart (mostly halfway for us, but pretty close to our house). SO AWESOME!!! I love my organized friends. I would never have thought of that.
- So we make the drop-off...I think it went ok, Brooklynn was excited to play "driver" while we waited about 10 minutes for him to get there. So we talked to the Birth Center and I was allowed to come in, my contractions by that point were probably 3 minutes apart already. And pretty strong. So off we went! I was thinking they could end up sending me home for a bit and then to come back, but I was super grateful that we didn't have to wake Brooklynn up in the middle of the night to take her somewhere, and we could take her before bedtime. (another answer to prayer!)
- We got to the Birth Center and Jeff calls us to see if she had any diapers or instructions, etc...I told Josh they were in the blue and black Pampered Chef bag. And he was like, "The one you told me was YOUR bag?" I explained that I told him the BIN was mine, he never asked me about the bag. So basically we sent Brooklynn without her MAIN bag, all she had was her snow gear bag (JUST in case someone wanted to take her in the snow...pretty much the last thing I needed to pack at all) and her pillow and Baba (which were important but last minute.) And a few toys. I was SO MAD at Josh but also the whole situation, I should have looked in the trunk myself. It was an easy mistake, though, he did hear me say it was mine. By then I was so freaked out like, "I don't want to drive all the way back!" "Maybe they could admit me and Josh could take it, but I don't think I'm allowed to do that unless I have a support person!" So Jeff started coming back to the Birth Center, which by the time he got back with the bag she needed for bedtime, etc it would be 10:30. So stressful. I probably dilated about 3 cm just from this. (exaggeration)
- 8:30-Arrive at the Birth Center. They asked me if I'd like the blue room or the green room. I didn't know the difference so we went with the green room. We had the blue room last time so we thought we'd try them both out. We decided to check me and if I wasn't too far dilated we would take it from there, maybe? But I was dilated to 6 cm. Holy cow! I have never heard such good news in my life!
- Then I thought of a brilliant idea, we called the Beers who live like 5 minutes from the Birth Center to see if they could pick up her back and meet Jeff somewhere half-way. So I was thinking quick on my feet. Thank you so much Jeff & Jeff!!! (Not our gay friends, everyone...it's Jeff Bryant and Jeff Beers)
- So they wanted to get me on an IV for my GBS (Group-B Strep) as soon as possible. Basically you have to get antibiotics every 4 hours and it takes about a half hour to get. They keep the needle part in but then dis-connect the tubing so you're free to move around the rest of the time. I only had to get ONE dose! I was pretty happy about that!
- So it took them 4 tries to get in my vein. First they tried my left hand. Then they tried my right forearm. Then I found a really good vein in my right hand. Except it was like a squiggly worm and it kept moving around every time she tried to actually stick the needle in. Then she thought it was in so they put it in and then they started the medicine and they used a "push" (?) and my hand started swelling up like a balloon and it STUNG!!! So then they WANTED to do my left arm on the inside of my elbow (but that one is the worst so I told them it will be 5 tries unless they did my right arm.) So it FINALLY worked on my right arm, right where I would give blood. I told them not to worry, I was pretty good with needles (after the first one.) They were like, "wow, most people would NOT be happy about this." Then I commented that if this was the worst part of my labor, I would be thrilled.
(It did kind of suck doing all this WHILE having contractions about 2-3 minutes apart. There wasn't really that good of a time to put it in.) Actually, the nurse commented when the midwife took over (they BOTH had problems with my veins) that, "you aren't allowed to have difficult veins AND a quick labor! That just makes it so hard!" When she said this I kept thinking, "WOW, a QUICK labor? Me? that is SOOOO the opposite of Brooklynn's birth." - Meanwhile, I kept watching the clock thinking, "Hmm, I really want to have Gabby a little after midnight on my MOM's birthday (sorry Charity) since they share the same name. (Her middle name, Grayce is named after my Mom.) If I can JUST hold out!"
- Once the IV was in I got to take a shower. It was FABULOUS! Everything the bath just wasn't for me last time. I really thought I would love the bath/jacuzzi and want to be in there the whole time...NOPE! Hated every second of it. So I took the shower head and made it pretty warm and just held it on my belly and just labored for my whole IV. It was amazing. Right when I was about done my IV ran out so perfect timing. By this point I was having too hard of contractions to do my hair in even a simple ponytail so I literally threw it up off my face and it was hideous. The nurse commented how she liked it and I thought she was being sarcastic. She said later that no, she really did like it. I guess I had all these curls falling out and it looked cute.
- I was mostly leaning over the bed or sitting on the toilet while having contractions. I did sit on the birthing ball a little and also the birthing stool. I was losing lots of gross fluid and mucus and it was grossing me out so I tried to stay right over all the absorbent pad thingys.
- When I was on the toilet the nurse asked me a few times if I had the urge to push. I kept telling her no and she kept saying how she thinks my contractions were different and was I SURE? So I kept telling her no.
- Finally over by the bed the midwife commented, "wow, her bag of waters is really holding up!" And I silently agreed with her and literally gave Gabby 2 pushes and pop! My water broke. I didn't know that was possible. I think she was just really low and that tiny push must have popped it like a water balloon against my pelvis, or cervix, or whatever is down there.
- Probably 2 contractions later I started having the urge to push. So I did. After a few pushes I asked, "What happens if I'm not to 10 and I'm still pushing?" And she answered, "If you have the urge, you're close enough!" That REALLY ticked me off thinking of Brooklynn's labor when I was at 9 cm for 6 hours or something like that.
- So I pushed a few times standing over the bed, and each time a little more of my water would come out. It was super weird. When they broke it with Brooklynn it came out in a huge gush and then slowly trickled constantly. This time it stopped, started, stopped, started...and so on.
- By this point the midwife and the nurse had on their blue scrub things. They tell you in your labor class that they don't do this part until it is ON! Now they mean business. Literally with Brooklynn Nancy didn't put hers on until about 5-10 minutes before she came out. I think it is supposed to give you renewed energy or something like, "yay! we're close! Keep going!" So when they did this Josh and I looked at each other like, "WHOA, already? I didn't think we were this close, yet!"
- Then I switched to the birthing stool. I kept telling them I thought I had to poop. The nurse kept saying "that is your baby! She's moving down!" And then I pooped. I told them! It's so weird when that happens because a: it's disgusting. b: people actually say "that is GREAT! That was so good!" and I think, "when else in your life to people literally CHEER you on when you poop? So weird. Maybe it is prep for parenthood when all you talk about is poop and other bodily functions.
- They cleaned me up and then I pooped some more. Still gross. I think it happened about 3 times. I tried to go right before we left but I guess it wasn't everything. I think I went like 3 times? Same as with Brooklynn. I'm jealous of people that don't do it in labor.
- So it was close to 11:30 when I started pushing. I remember thinking, "hmm, is it worth it to hold out a tiny bit so I don't go before midnight? And every contraction I decided I would still push hard and it would be fine, but then I would still wonder. I guess it is my competitive nature that my whole pregnancy I just KNEW that her birthday would be Feb. 2 and I had to have it be that day.
- Once I looked up and it was 12:05. I was so happy. Actually I pushed a few times and then the midwife had me get up on the bed. She said, "I'm wondering if she's not fully dilated yet."
- She checked me and then she said, "yup, I thought so!" So she told me she was going to open my cervix with her hands with my next contraction. I had to put my ankles together and just let my legs fall open. She reached in there and I was expecting excruciating pain but really it wasn't so bad. She said, "there" and then "Oh, and there...there was also some more bulge of your water bag." She broke it with her finger and then I felt all this pressure release. Then she had me stay on the bed and Josh held my leg up and the nurse held my other leg up and apparently this position is better for ME, she kept saying, "no, you are pushing much better like this" and all my research tells me it's the WORST position to push in but I guess I'm different.
- I remember thinking that "WOW, I really liked pushing with Brooklynn but this time it HURTS SO much more than I remember!" I think I liked pushing with Brooklynn because I could finally have some control over my labor, before that it was just a waiting game. With Gabriella I just remember thinking "OUCH!!!!"
- After close to 45 minutes or an hour? Peggy asked the nurse to get some Pitocin to help control my bleeding afterwards. She said when you've been pushing for this long it can be hard to stop the bleeding. So she got it and said I probably wouldn't even notice them giving me the shot. Afterwards they gave me another shot of something and it STUNG! I asked them if they ever did give me that shot and they said yes. I couldn't believe I didn't even notice AT ALL the first time.
- The last few pushes in between contractions got a lot longer. I would just try to relax as much as possible...I thought it was really neat, almost like my body needed to make extra energy for a REALLY good push. The longer the break, the better I could push. The last one was really long and I knew it was probably the last or close to the last one. (Or hoping at least) And all of a sudden I felt this huge release of pressure and her head was out! I was kind of in SHOCK! Then Peggy quick told Josh to come to the end and she helped him with his hands and they both caught Gabriella together, then lifted her onto my chest for some snuggle time. Josh says about this moment, "She was the SLIPPERIEST thing I have EVER touched!" I was so proud of him. Then they clamped and cut the cord. (Josh cut the cord).
- Gabriella was born at 12:42 am!
- Josh said that Gabby actually came out head sideways instead of up or down. Interesting.
- With Brooklynn I remember crowning forever, pretty much for 2 hours everyone was talking about "OH, look at all the hair! Come see how much hair this baby has!" And I was so annoyed like, "REALLY? Can we get this baby out and THEN talk about the hair?" So I knew I was close for a long time. With Gabriella I didn't even know I was that close ever. They must have not told me or it all happened a lot quicker or something. I also felt like Brooklynn was a red-hot sword stabbing me when she came out and Gabriella was sort of a surprise! That part felt SO much better. I tried to convince the midwife that I must not have even torn or anything because it felt so much better. And she said, "no, you're going to need some stitches. You tore like medium." I kept telling her I couldn't feel it so I must be fine. (I also really didn't want to go through the stitches part.) I just looked at them last night with a mirror...I tore all the way to my rectum. I had no idea. Last time I tore UP and DOWN and I think the tearing UP part was the horrible pain I felt.
- Then I had to deliver my placenta and get stitched up. Neither one of those things is much fun. Delivering the placenta doesn't HURT, but it's annoying to have to push again when you're so tired. And when they push on your stomach that hurts. And it's true about the cramping hurting more with your second baby. OUCH. Josh got to hold Gabby while I got stitched up.
- So I got to hold Gabby for about 2 hours straight. It was awesome. I'm so much happier with that part of my labor this time. After this they weighed her, measured her, gave her a vitamin K shot, etc. She hated all that. We decided to wait on the bath because she was so upset. Then we never got around to it until we got here. But she still smelled really cute! I was surprised.
Proud Daddy holding his newest little lady, Gabriella Grayce Bean.
She was born at 12:42 am on February 2, 2011
8 pounds, 3 ounces (just like her Mommy)
20 1/2 inches long
14 inch head circumference
Josh making phone calls announcing our daughter
Josh & Gabby with Alexandria, RN and Peggy, CNM; me with Jen, RN (Jen was the second shift recovery nurse after we had Gabby)
Josh changing Gabby's first poopy diaper
- So in the morning we had to take a sample of Gabby's blood over to the hospital for them to test it. This is routine, but ONLY if the Mom is GBS positive. Josh had to take it, and it was really important for him to keep it warm, so he had to take it in his bare hand. The hospital is only a couple of blocks away, it's close. He was planning to drive over but when he got outside he realized that the car was completely covered in ice...and how is he supposed to clear it off in time? So he ended up walking down there, in the ice. What a good Daddy. Then he came back, cleaned off the car and drove to the Bagel Factory for some yummy breakfast.
- Also since I'm GBS positive we had to stay the MINIMUM of 12 hours at the birth center. We didn't end up leaving until about 3:30, though. We weren't in a rush. Brooklynn needed us to be for her nap but she survived. I can't tell you how nice it was to be able to sleep in my OWN BED later that night. I don't remember actually getting sleep until Sunday night with Brooklynn. (And I had her on Friday and before that the last time I slept was Tuesday night for only 3-4 hours. YIKES.)
The new Bean family of FOUR!
Getting ready to go home! Gabby is sitting next to a snow bank; her first time outside! I wanted to document all the snow; she was born right in the midst of "Blizzard 2011!" (Even though it was really in Indiana) but it was too snowy for my Mom to drive for a few days.
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