ok. yes i know that it has been almost 6 months since Eden was born. i have held off writing her birth story.
honestly, because so many things have been going on
(other than having a new baby)
and i really wanted to process what happened.
i have broken this up into two posts,
so check back tomorrow for the ending post of eden's birth story!
from the very beginning i knew that i knew i wanted to have a...
completely natural unmedicated birth.
can not begin to tell you how many people,
including my own family, who thought i had lost my mind.
i cry when i get a paper cut!
i started to explain it like this:
i knew that this was the best option for me and my unborn child, and when it came to the pain... it had to end right? it wasn't like i was going to be in that pain forever. she HAD to come out!
Ryan was 100% supportive of my decision and once we found out i was pregnant, the research began! the more i researched the more i knew we had made the right choice for us. i was very aware that things could change and i was okay with that, but i really wanted to try to have the birth i had always dreamed of!
our family was concerned and a little hesitant through-out the pregnancy. everyone wanted what was best, and people all have different opinions of what that is. for me, this is what we knew was best.
i know that deep down they thought i had lost my mind, and once i went into labor i would be screaming for the drugs! being that my sister and i were c-sections, and i was an emergency c-section... my poor mother, i knew that she was trying so very hard to be supportive, but in the back of her mind all she could see was all that could go wrong... and i cant blame her for that. :)
the further along i got, the more our family got on board about the decisions we were making regarding the birth and parenting. this was such a blessing, since i am a want everything nice and pretty and wrapped in a bow, everyone get along kind-a-gal!
the beginning of my pregnancy was ROUGH. i ended up in the hospital needing iv fluids because i got dehydrated due to a condition known as HG. (hyperemesis gravidarum) unrelenting, excessive pregnancy-related nausea and/or vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids. Estimates of the percentage of pregnant women afflicted range from 0.3% to 2.0%. Thankfully, after my first trimester this condition seemed to disappear!
through-out the pregnancy i bounced on my bright orange birthing ball, walked a lot, went to my chiropractor consistently (thanks dr. barnes!!) and read more information than any other human being!
i even had a detailed birth plan printed out!
Birth Plan
Patient Name: Kate Schwartz
Doctor’s Name: Dr. Jones
Hospital: Ennis Regional Medical Center
Due Date: 10-20-11
My support people: Ryan Schwartz, Erica Ortiz, and Julie Anderson
We would like to thank you for being a part of the birth of our baby. In our desire for this birth to be a memorable and joyous event, we have listed our birth preferences below. These decisions were made after much research, consultation and thought. Your help in attaining these goals is very much appreciated. We understand that the following is for a best case scenario. We understand the need for medical interventions in certain situations, and we are thankful for them. If there is anything below that is against hospital policy, we are happy to discuss it and sign a waiver, if necessary. The safety and well-being of Kate and our new baby are of highest importance.
First Stage of Labor
We are planning an unmedicated labor (no Epidural, no narcotics); please do not suggest pain relief medications No IV or Heparin lock
We prefer intermittent fetal monitoring to constant monitoring
We would like to use the following relaxation techniques: birthing ball, shower, massage, hot/cold therapy, walking
We request that Kate be given clear liquids, popsicles and/or ice chips to stay hydrated
We request that Kate be allowed nutritional snacks, if desired
As few vaginal exams as possible (especially after membrane rupture)
Natural rupture of the membranes, unless discussed with and agreed to by both of us
If there is a need to speed labor, we will try natural methods before pitocin is considered
We would like to film and photograph through out labor and delivery
Second Stage of Labor
Choice of positions for pushing (no stirrups please)
We prefer mother-directed pushing; please, no counting
We would prefer to tear naturally and avoid being cut
Please place the baby on Kate’s chest immediately after delivery for immediate skin-to-skin
We request the umbilical cord be delayed being clamped or cut until it stops pulsating; Ryan will cut the umbilical cord
Baby will be breastfed immediately after delivery to assist in natural delivery of the placenta
Please, no pulling on the cord to deliver the placenta
No pitocin, unless there is a postpartum hemorrhage and has been discussed and agreed by both of us
Baby Care
If warming is required, baby should be placed on mother’s chest with blankets
Only suction baby if meconium present or she is having trouble breathing
Please delay all routine exams to allow for bonding. We would like at least one hour with our baby undisturbed to bond and breastfeed
All physical exams and procedures be done in the mother’s room
We do not want our baby to go to the nursery at all. If the baby must be taken to the nursery, Ryan will accompany the baby at all times.
We do NOT consent to erythromycin or other medication in baby’s eyes
We do NOT consent to the HEP B vaccine
There should be NO Vitamin K injection, unless discussed with and agreed to by both of us
Newborn PKU test will be administered at a later date, not in the hospital
There should be no newborn bath, unless discussed with and agreed to by both of us
Baby will be breastfed on-demand; please no water, sugar-water or formula and no pacifiers
It is our intent to be released from the hospital as early as possible, if deemed appropriate.
We would like to thank you in advance for your support and attention to our choices. We are looking forward to a wonderful birth.
Thank you,
Ryan and Kate Schwartz
i had everything planned out... the music, the birth-plan printed, a birthday cake to light and eat when eden was born, all cameras charged and ready to go... the list was endless.i even made mini-pumpkin bread for the nurses because i wanted to have the "party" room.
the plan was for ryan's mom and sisters to come the week before and the week of eden's due date so we had help and julie would be on her way once i told her i was starting labor. my dad would also head this way once i was in labor...
or so we thought...
eden's due date was 10.20.11, inside i felt like she would be a little late, but based on all the comments from family and friends of how HUGE i was i began to think she might come early.
i worked up to the first of october nannying a WONDERFUL little girl who i miss dearly! and her family! this sweet child talked to eden and "played" dress up with her and would rub my tummy.
those are memories that made this pregnancy stellar!
i have tons of instagram photos to remind me as well.
she would say..."baby EEEden" so sweet!
i got lucky having such a fantastic job that allowed me to walk and play through my pregnancy that i believed played a huge part in my labor!
i waddled everywhere, like a penguin--ryan informed me on MORE than one occasion!
10.11.11
tina, bekka, and samantha arrived for the first week... lots of play and fun went on this week. if you were a fly on the wall you would hear this phrase over and over, "PACK YOUR BAGS!" yes, little miss plan everything STILL hadn't packed her bag! deep down i thought that in packing my bag, she would just all of the sudden pop out!
morning: the week before my due date, we went to the doctor for a check up... i had been at 3cm since i was 36 weeks. (little piece of information i didn't want to know. thank you nurse for listening so well to what i asked, which resulted in the doctor making the slip.) we scheduled our next appointment for the 20th in case eden didn't come before then.
evening: i went grocery shopping with bekka and that threw me into some contractions where i was convinced things were going to start happening. i immediately texted my doula, erica, and told her what was going on. she recommended i sit on the birthing ball and see if they continued. i called ryan and he got off work. all to get to the house and find me a little upset that my contractions had stopped.
10.15.11
tina and the girls went home for the weekend. ryan and i relaxed that weekend and just talked to eden. telling her how we were so excited to meet her and how much we already loved her. we spent a lot of time just talking and really coming to grips that we were about to meet our daughter and these were the last days of just the two of us.
(every night after this night i was waking up every hour to pee!)
tina and the girls show up for the second week. still not many signs of labor... i was getting a little achy but nothing too bad. i was really blessed that i didnt have an uncomfortable pregnancy.
julie arrives. she couldn't wait for eden to show up! she had told all of her professors that when eden was on her way, she would be leaving school to come document eden's birth, regardless of any tests or labs! (yes eden, your aunt was ready!)
we went to the chiropractor to make sure i was in good alignment...we walked and walked and walked... bounced on the birthing ball, did my stretches and tried to relax as much as possible... because you know she was going to be here tomorrow! ;)
i baked the goodies and we waited...
10.20.11. Eden's "due date"
We woke up and things had started to get a little uncomfortable but not too bad. still no consistent contractions. just lots of random ones over the past two weeks. we took the day and walked, bounced on my ball. my appointment was for later in the day and i was very hesitant about going into the doctor for fear that he was going to try and induce me.
(again that "lovely" nurse had told us, if eden didnt come on her due date we would be induced.)
we went to the doctor, who let us know i was still at 3cm but had effaced to 75%... no talk of inducing unless we got to 41 weeks and still no progress.
ryan and i went through Chicken-Express and called my parents to give them the news and got home to fill in the troops.
evening: we watched criminal minds episodes and got a little crazy... yes i did a labor dance! was that ever HYSTERICAL! i just watched the video and WOW... i was huge! im surprised she didn't just pop on out! however i did lose my mucus plug, and was again POSITIVE she was coming!
julie and i ended up doing an impromptu photo shoot in the bathroom! we didn't have maternity photos done, which i was rather upset about, so this was so special to me.
*i am completely covered, other than my belly of course. i debated sharing this photo, but it is so special to me and shows/reminds me the beauty in carrying life within you. yes i was huge!
ryan and i went to bed early in the morning. i woke up a couple of times through out the early morning with some cramping.
5:30am: started having some contractions. i didn't want to wake ryan up, knowing that i needed him to have as much sleep he could before eden's arrival, so i hung out in the shower: swaying, closing my eyes, focusing on breathing and relaxing, visualizing her moving down...
8:10am: ryan and julie were up and i texted erica to let her know i was having contractions but still not very consistent. she said to get on my ball again... had to wait since julie was SANITIZING it! :) so she recommended lunges and squats. i did those in the shower while waiting for the ball!
9:30am: called my parents to let them know i was having contractions and i was pretty sure she was on her way! Dad and Melinda live in Amarillo, so they were going to get ready to come on down. My mom was in PA with my mimi who had cancer, and was wanting updates every hour!
10:00am: i made the comment while sitting in the tub, that i would just love to sit in a swimming pool and just watch tv. next thing i knew, julie and ryan were blowing up a swimming pool in our bedroom in front of the tv! hilarious!
11:00am: my contractions stopped completely! i was so disappointed! we called my parents back to let them know and was told to just relax, she will come when she's ready!
1:45pm: went for a walk and started cramping/contracting.
3:45pm: sat on my ball, still cramping... texted erica who asked me to time them... they were every 7-15 min apart. she let me know that those were contractions! silly me! it was becoming real to me that she was really coming.
5:40pm: went on yet ANOTHER walk, over an hour long. Julie had gone with us and took pictures of my walking/stopping to hold onto ryan and sway.
later that evening contractions stopped again. to say i was frustrated was an understatement! i cried a lot. i told ryan, im getting a little nervous that she's not going to come out! he was so sweet and said, "kate, she has to come out. just relax. she will come when she's ready." that was a choice phrase of all family members: "she'll come when she's ready"... i was beginning to believe she would never be ready!
8:00am: got a call from my dad. he was coming now and was going to stay for a week (regardless of what eden chose to do)
and that melinda, his wife, would fly down when eden was born.
around lunch time tina and the girls had to leave to go home.
12:00pm: julie and i cleaned and i baked eden's birthday cake, hoping the smell would tempt her to get out! we talked a lot and i called my mom and spilled my guts to her. i missed her so much and this was the one thing that i wanted so badly and always dreamed that she would be there with me when i delivered our first child.
late-afternoon: dad arrived! we all just hung out and talked. it was good to get my mind back to relaxing. i finally came to terms that "she was coming when she was ready"
evening: still no contractions, but i was calming down and ready for a good nights rest.
10:00am: ryan and i woke up to find my dad outside cleaning his truck. we told him we were going for a walk if he wanted to join us. we all walked for about an hour.
11:30am: the four of us went to whataburger for lunch. i couldnt even fit in the booth!! it was quite sad.
12:15pm: went to wal-mart to walk and get some groceries. while we were there we realized the Cowboys were playing so we needed to hurry up so we could at least catch some of the game. ;)
2:30 pm: we got home, unloaded groceries, installed some shelves in our room, ryan watched the game while the three Anderson's laughed trying to get some organization going on!
afternoon: i stayed on my ball. we watched the stupidest movie "the shining"... talk about some memory making there! and of course we...went on ANOTHER walk.
7:00 pm: i texted erica to give her an update that i was trying not to get frustrated. we went to dinner at Don Jose's. I said "i want SPICY food! hey and maybe it will help? doesnt hurt to try right?"
at this point the only clothing that fit me was an XXL tshirt that said something to the effect of "sarcasm is my defense against stupid people" and yoga pants! so off we went... i BARELY fit in the booth! i ate everything i could that had some kick to it... sooo yummy!
after dinner we went to wal-mart again, to walk. we walked and walked and walked. can i say AGAIN we walked??
8:30pm my mom called while we were in wal-mart. julie and i were just leaving the rest-room and i started to feel funny... like really bad menstrual cramps.
talking to my mother, i leaned over the display shelf of holiday blankets telling her i felt fine, was just tired and that we would call her with any updates, that i loved her and missed her giving her NO indication i was feeling weird!
julie was rubbing my back and this point and i looked up and said,
"i think i want to go home."
the look on her face was priceless...
she shouted for dad and ryan to come on! they were down a couple aisles looking at something in some aisle!
dad asked "IS IT TIME?!?!"
"no dad, im just tired and i think i ate too much."
so we checked out, with me swaying through the check out line, and got into the car.. i should say truck. my dad has a HUGE baby blue dodge truck that im sure played its roll in helping labor progress!
once in the car, i made the comment that i wanted chicken-express ice... yes, im nuts. my dad reminded me the whole way there.
once in line we ordered our bag of ice and julie's jumbo fizz (a must in our family) and we laughed most of the way home.
i was still feeling rather uncomfortable, but again figured it was from the food.
we got home and thats when things started to get interesting...
(will be posted tomorrow on 04.24.12)
