Welcome to the World

This is rather lengthy...but I wanted to type it out to remember one of the greatest days of our lives, and so that she could read all about how she joined the world. It is true how they say, it becomes quite a blur and you forget about time as it's happening, and you forget about the pain a few moments later. Personally I did not find it all that painful - I was just incredibly exhausted - but a huge part of me would do it all again next week so it could not have been that bad. I was also pretty quiet as well until the end, when I just needed to let out some moans and groans to help push her out. Without further ado her story:

Skyla Raine
8lbs 5 oz
21.75 inches
Born March 3rd, 2009 @ 10:55 am at home
Due around Feb 23rd

Our team:
We had agreed to let 3 student midwives come to the birth, so we had a full house -one of them a Senior Student Midwife, and 2 (I guess Jr) student midwifes, and Julia one of my midwives I saw throughout the pregnancy. Each of them so different in technique and personality, and all amazing beautiful women, they complimented each others ways so well…I am so grateful of them! My mom, sister (Aunty Nikita) and Dianna (unofficial Aunty) were also there getting just as much of a workout through the contractions…I think they had labour pains, as I was in such a trance. They cheered me on through the final pushes and helped keep the pool warm and lend a hand when needed.

Around 11 pm Monday March 2, 2009 I got up from about 40 minutes of sleep to a bit of cramps (thought it was the Mexican I had for dinner) when I stood up I had a bit of leaking, but thought it might just be a pee, as I really had to go ha. Went to the bathroom and to see a bit of a pink on the tissue…YAYYYYY it’s finally happening.

I put on a pad went to the living room to see my sister and told her my water might have broken, I decided to head back to bed incase it was the real deal I needed sleep…I had been up since about 6:30 AM with no nap. I barely made it back to the bathroom when my water really broke, soaked through the pad…thankfully I had made it to tiled flooring ha.

My mom, (your grandma) was up and curious to know if it was the real deal, she suggested I call the midwives but I said my contractions weren’t consistent and barely there and that I was going to nap. I told Daddy what was going on, and that he would be meeting his little girl soon…he also suggested calling the midwives. I had been walking around 4 cm dilated for about 1.5 weeks, so we had a feeling things would go quite quickly. After an hour of trying to sleep (about 1:30 am) I decided it would be good to call them and see what they thought, the contractions were about 5-6 minutes apart and lasting 40-70 seconds…so they weren’t totally consistent, hence my hesitation. After talking to the clinic (through at least 3 contractions – which were so mild, or at least NOTHING like what I expected) they decided to send part of the team out and would be there by 3 am to check things out.

Daddy and I decided to take a short walk around the “block” while Grandma and Nik got the birthing pool ready. I called Dianna to let her know what was happening (she lived an hour away). At 3 am my midwife and the Sr Student were there, and checked me out…6 cm dilated, but easily stretched to 8cm, so things were going pretty quickly and perfectly. You were happy as a hippo in my belly the whole time and your heart rate stayed consistent, no signs of stress and you weren’t to eager to get out. I hopped in the pool to labour there and from then on it was pretty much a blur, it was so relaxing that I fell asleep a few times, and woke myself up by snoring. Even your daddy fell asleep from the outside of the pool, while coaching and supporting me. Your Dad was incredible…the team kept joking he should become a mid-husband or a doula, he was so supportive and there for me through everything…he hardly left my side, held in his pee for long periods of time ha. I did not think it was possible to love him more, but I fell more in love with him every second of that night and know I am the luckiest women in the world.

The long part of your arrival…the pushing stage. You were just as stubborn as I was to join the world, 3 hours of pushing (Grandma went thru the same with me) I don’t think it was all you though, apparently Mama has one strong muscle down there (perineum) that did not really want to budge by stretching or ripping (thankfully) and I was just so exhausted from no sleep and being in such a trance in the pool, that I really was not giving it my all with the pushes. We decided to get out of the pool and get down to business on the bed and squatting on the floor. You were right there and with each contraction, I needed to just give a 4th push but was having a hard time finding the energy and believing everyone. Your daddy, Aunty Nik and Di, Grandma and the midwives were cheering me on and telling me how close you were, I wish I could have seen as a visual would have made me believe them haha. Someone did get a graphic picture on my camera and when I saw it after you came out, I said “She really was that close for so long, man I should have listened! This could have been shorter!” The senior student midwife (who was sort of the leader/in charge that night) started to say she was going to have to cut mama if I did not push a little harder, as it was reaching 3 hours of pushing and no one needs to push that long! I really wanted to avoid a cut, and a tear…but remember thinking can’t you just pull her out, and then I remembered, “you can do this Callista, your body is designed to handle it!” I had been pushing in the bed, and decided I had to squat so we slid off, Daddy stayed behind me supporting my weight, and a midwife on each side and one in front. Everyone still cheering me on your grandma teary eyed, Daddy was getting emotional as well and then I found a voice… the shy student midwife, she lightly touched my thigh and calmly counted for me, and I found that extra strength I needed and you joined us in the world at 10:55 am. Daddy fell back on the bed, and nearly passed out right there (he was exhausted) I crawled back to the bed laid on Dad, and you were put on my belly/chest area. Your eyes were so big and dark, I couldn’t believe how alert, beautiful and clean you were…it was love at first sight.

The midwife had to pull your cord up to daddy to have him cut it; he was just too tired to sit up hahaa. Then what was suppose to be the easiest part of labour…delivering the placenta, proved to be the toughest, well weirdest. I was not having contractions and felt no need to push it out…but gave it my all. But nothing, the midwives felt around and could feel that it was still attached to my uterus, I got a 2nd shot of oxytocin and we tried breastfeeding to help the placenta make its exit. We tried squatting again since it worked so well to delivery you, but that only made a gush of blood come out (onto the carpet – yuck – and a midwife – oopsy) so we decided that it would be best to head to the hospital for removal of the placenta. The team could have done it at home, but the risk of infection would be higher, and since I lost some blood already we did not want to take that chance of infection…plus it would have been quite painful since they do not carry the pain meds/blockers. I had what is called retained placenta – we are still waiting to hear the lab results about it. But basically it means the placenta is adhered to the uterus wall.

We called an ambulance and got things together, you got bundled up and barely fit your Newborn diapers…we were not expecting a “big” baby. Mommy was feeling pretty good considering how tired she was, and what was going on, everything was fine with my vitals and I was alert and just wanting to crawl into bed with you and Dad for a snuggle. Daddy was getting a bit nervous and worried, but I kept telling him everything was fine and to just hold and hug you for me.

Once we got to the hospital the staff was quite shocked at how alert I was, they kept asking me the same questions and I was getting annoyed with them hahaa. They wheeled me into OR, gave me a spinal block of some sort (mama does not know the drugs – since I wanted to avoid them all, but I know it was not an epi, and no local freezing) I was told I would not feel the pain, just the pressure. So I could feel them going to town at removing the placenta just not in a painful way, I also had to have a catheter put in due to crazy swelling and needed a few teeny tiny stitches, that would have healed on their own but they figured since they were down there…why not. I ended up with a fever after the “operation” so I had to definitely stay at the hospital for the night (I was not happy about that!) The staff there were wonderful though and took great care of the 3 of us, and not once asked your Grandma or Aunty to leave when they were there during “non visiting hours” They kept trying to figure out what caused the fever (tests, and questions after questions) but nothing clear…and again they were shocked at your mama’s spirit, consciousness and the fact that I was not dizzy and up walking fine. I lost quite a bit more blood once at the hospital – so they had tons of concern even though I felt perfectly fine. I guess I’m one strong cookie ha, even though your daddy thinks I’m a wimp on most occassions he was so proud of me and kept saying how amazing I was and that he could not believe I created you. The next day I was told my iron was very low but the fever was gone, and that they wanted me to stay a 2nd night…both dad and I kept insisting I could go home with the catheter in (the IV was coming out soon) – we just wanted to be comfy in our own surroundings. But we listened to their concerns and stayed a 2nd night, the next morning I saw the funniest thing – your dad CLEANING folding up blankets and getting ready to go. We were ready to bust out of there, but still had to wait around so we walked the small hallway with you for part of the afternoon till finally we got to bring you back home. You were a little fussy at night when in the hospital, but barely…and you have been an angel ever since we got home (knock on wood) you are eating well, have passed your birthweight already, sleep pretty well and you are just a happy and content baby.

I am so happy I got to have you home, it was an amazing experience…it stinks that we did not get to stay at home because of a silly stubborn placenta, but I would not change a thing, as I have an healthy beautiful daughter and a caring supportive husband, who is so in love with his little girl. Watching your dad with you the past couple days has been so beautiful. At the hospital when I was in the OR, Daddy had to care for you all by himself…he learnt to change a poopy diaper and had to feed you some donor milk as your glucose level came back a little low, and since I was not there to feed you he jumped in there.

We love you so much and love getting to know you!