Wednesday, September 23, 2015 – I was ready to have a baby! Xan came over after Stella went to school and picked up the boys even though I wasn't going to need help until much, much later. I'm grateful she did though, because it gave me a chance to wind down and relax and take care of some last minute baby things. I was really supposed to take a nap, and I really had good intentions, but that didn't happen. If I would have known what was coming, I would have definitely forced that nap.
Kat, who was with me for both Malcolm's and Quentin's births, arrived just after 4:00 and was helping arrange supplies where they needed to be while we chatted before Alison came. I called Elliot, who was just sitting down to dinner with some clients that were in from out of town, and asked him to come home because Mama was ready to have a baby and I knew he wanted to be there for the entire process. Elliot got home around 5:00 and we finished some clean up and furniture moving upstairs in the loft where we were planning on setting up the pool. I had already put out the tarps and had my bins of birth supplies ready as well as all of my stuff I wanted near me after the birth. The pool we used was borrowed from the birth center and I'm sure it's the same one I used for Malcolm and Quentin (we always use a liner, of course, so don't get grossed out). I filled it with as much air as I could with the pump and then Elliot helped with the rest.
Alison texted me around 5:00 to say that she was in traffic from Phoenix, but that she was close. I guess I was expecting another assistant, as we'd had with the other births, but when Alison showed up, she told me it'd just be them. I'm so good at this that I could really do it myself, but having my Alison and Kat and ESPECIALLY my Elliot here was all I needed.
We went right upstairs to my room to check Baby vitals and position first and then break my bag of waters at 5:30. All was good with the fluid and easy contractions continued as they had been normally for the last several weeks. Not much, but still something. I got up and walked around, up and down the stairs, and continued to prepare things. Elliot and I started watching Castle and I leaned over the ball and ottoman and continued to walk around. I had a few good contractions as I walked, but nothing that lasted. What we should have done was eat dinner. Neither of us had eaten (because I called him away from his dinner), and I was so excited to get started that I just forgot. After a few episodes, we decided to take a walk around 9:00ish because that's what threw me into active labor last time with Quentin. We walked over on Orchard still on our side of the neighborhood and almost all the way down Summerfield to Elliot, but then I felt like I had to pee, so we turned around and came back home. I should have peed and gone back out for more walking, but it was still kind of hot outside.
We continued to watch a show. Either Kat or Alison checked baby's heartbeat every 30 minutes and my blood pressure every hour. Other than that, they completely left us alone. In fact, Alison sprawled on the couch in the front room asleep and was snoring. She'd already had a full day at the birth center as well as her conference in Phoenix, so I couldn't blame her. She came into the kitchen only once when I stopped to lean over the counter and sway my hips during a good contraction. This tells me that she was listening to me even though she was asleep.
She's amazing. Then I told her that I wanted to go to bed. I hadn't taken a nap that day and it really didn't look like much was happening after 6 hours, so I thought we'd go sleep. She mentioned that it was a great idea and that sometimes getting that rest can speed things along.
She's amazing. Then I told her that I wanted to go to bed. I hadn't taken a nap that day and it really didn't look like much was happening after 6 hours, so I thought we'd go sleep. She mentioned that it was a great idea and that sometimes getting that rest can speed things along.
Elliot and I went upstairs, brushed our teeth, said our prayers, and I hopped up on the bed laying with my head at the foot of the bed to be closer to the ceiling fan. Elliot climbed into the recliner. It was midnight. Thirty seconds later, I had to groan through a contraction. It was a good one. Maybe two minutes later another one hit and I decided that I wasn't going to lay down through those. I got up and leaned over the bed to sway my hips and after a couple more in just a few minutes, I decided that Elliot needed to start filling the pool because I needed to get in!
It's not exactly a small pool. It takes time to get it filled with a tiny hose. I continued to breathe through the contractions and changed into my swimming suit top to be ready for the water. By 1:00, I was able to step in and find some relief. I was vocalizing through the contractions and allowing myself to focus all of my energy on relaxing every muscle in my body to allow the softening I needed for that baby to come out. Once again, I tried to get into different positions in the water, but I naturally wanted to be sitting down. This is an incredibly difficult position for Elliot to be helpful. I'm leaned so far back and into the water that he can't access my shoulders or lower back to rub. He just has my head. Plus, I'm not sure why neither of us thought to get him a more comfortable chair to sit on besides the stool! He was on that thing for a long time!
We had rearranged the couches up in the loft to open the room and allow space for the pool. One of the couches was right behind me and that's where Alison put herself. She fell asleep almost immediately and was lightly snoring. However, her light snoring was distracting, so I continued to vocalize even after my contractions were done because my moaning was a more relaxing sound than someone snoring behind me.
Time goes away when I'm laboring. I really have no clue what time it is and I really have no desire to know. After a while, Elliot had to get up and I saw him standing on the stairs still within eyesight. I knew he was tired too and I honestly didn't know how long anything had been happening besides the fact that I knew it was definitely taking longer than our other births had.
Finally, my body started pushing. For a lot of women, this is remembered as the hardest and most painful part of birth, but I truly love this sensation! It's the shortest part of birth and means that the baby will be in my arms very, very soon! It's a definite difference from just contracting and even my vocalization changes. And that's when Alison wakes up. I truly do love that woman. Yes, she was sleeping and yes, she was snoring, but she was aware of me the entire time as well. She knows when it's time to jump in, but also knows how far to jump in with me.
Suddenly, Elliot's fitbit beeped with his regular 5:00 morning alarm right in my ear. NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Now I knew what time it was! I didn't want to know! Take it back! Elliot started to say something, but I cut him off (at the time, I thought I said it nicely) and said, "Don't say it! Don't say it!" Whatever he was or was not going to say, I didn't want him to acknowledge that it was now 5:00 in the morning or else I would get distracted with figuring out how long it was taking. They obliged. No one said anything.
The next thing I did hear, however, was Alison who I now noticed was in front of me outside the pool just right next to Kat. She said very quietly, "Elliot, do you have any duct tape?"
When Alison came back later with the scale, we learned that Miss Celia weighed 8 pounds 9 ounces (that's how much I weighed when I was born)! Perfect little thing! I also learned that she was born with her left hand up by her face (nuchal hand), which is why it took a little bit longer for her to be born. I mean, if you think about it, even a little arm takes up space in what isn't very much space in the first place! No wonder she took her time!
Oh, each birth is different and for me, it seems to get just a little bit longer each time, but the result is a perfect little person, a miracle for our family that we adore and cherish each time! We are so blessed and we are grateful for the opportunity to be in the midst of such miracles!
Ok, I don't know about you, but we're hoping things will OPEN here, not get taped shut! Am I right? Anyway, I'm not even sure Elliot and I have used any duct tape at this house, so he didn't know. He left my side to go into the garage to find it, which he did, and came back to give it to Alison and Kat who were desperately trying to hold the pool together so the air wouldn't come out. All I heard was the screech of duct tape being stretched out and my 3 helpers fruitlessly mending the hissing pool. Hummm, was I slowly leaning further backwards?
Next thing I heard was Alison, who said, "Whitney, you're going to have to get out of the pool."
I'm in the midst of pushing my baby out, mind you. In my head, I said absolutely not. She said it again and explained quickly that the air was not going to stay in the pool and that we needed to move to the bathroom into my bathtub that she was already filling with fresh, warm water. That sounded nice, but it was just . . . so . . . far . . . away! I moved to my hands and knees to ready myself to get out of the pool . . . while my body is actively pushing. My contractions were lasting a 30 seconds every minute and they were good ones, which means that I had barely 30 seconds of rest before the next one started. I stood to get out of the pool, but I had waited too long to stand before the next one started. I finished that contraction and stood and stepped out of the pool just as the next one started again.
I leaned against Alison and hugged her as she held me up. She said, "Just as this one starts to end, we are going to book it over to the bathroom." I was so irritated with myself as the only thing I could think to say was, "I can't!" What? That's dumb! Of course, I can! I was mad at myself in that very moment for saying such a ridiculous thing, but Alison beat me to it by saying, "Yes, you can and you will!" And she was right. Right as soon as that contraction started to end, she pulled me through my room and into the bathroom with such purpose that I'm still surprised at how quickly I got there. I stepped into the bathtub with relief and resumed my position as the next contraction hit with a vengeance.
I leaned against Alison and hugged her as she held me up. She said, "Just as this one starts to end, we are going to book it over to the bathroom." I was so irritated with myself as the only thing I could think to say was, "I can't!" What? That's dumb! Of course, I can! I was mad at myself in that very moment for saying such a ridiculous thing, but Alison beat me to it by saying, "Yes, you can and you will!" And she was right. Right as soon as that contraction started to end, she pulled me through my room and into the bathroom with such purpose that I'm still surprised at how quickly I got there. I stepped into the bathtub with relief and resumed my position as the next contraction hit with a vengeance.
Kat moved all of the necessary items into the bathroom for the birth, but Alison and Elliot were no where to be found . . . not that I was looking for them. They were actually feverishly emptying the pool of water with the pump before all of the air came out of it and all of the water flooded our entire house. Yes, I hadn't given birth yet, but still . . . you don't want that or any water all over the house.
I kind of sing while I'm pushing. I've never done a video of me in labor, but I do wish I could hear it while I'm not in the moment. Singing helps me not hold my breath (holding your breath makes you tense) and it's kind of fun to have a little vibrato after doing something hard. I was still doing my thing when I finally heard Alison and Elliot come into our tiny bathroom. Alison told Kat to turn off the fan (What? Really? It's stifling in here!) because she didn't want it to blow on baby when she came out. She also told Elliot to grab the camera. I thought that was funny that she asked that because I was just preparing myself to go for another length of time in labor. Just as I thought that, Baby's head popped out. I was shocked and SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy!
I really and truly had no idea how long this was taking and even though I knew I was pushing, I really wasn't expecting her to come out right then! I was so excited that it gave me an added strength to continue pushing and I had really decided that I was going to help this time! I wanted that baby in my arms STAT now that I knew it was so close! Alison got all down in my business and told me to push with the next contraction, which I did with a lame attempt. Kat told me to put my chin down to my chest and somehow that really did make me push better.
The next second, Baby came out and Alison and I grabbed her to pull her to my chest. I saw that beautiful face and I started crying with abandon, saying, "She's beautiful! She is so beautiful! I love her! Elliot, she's so beautiful!" And then I couldn't stop crying. Really, I couldn't stop. I'd look at her, I'd cry. I'd think of what just happened to get her into my arms, and I'd cry. I'd think of the fact that I was actually looking at her and holding her, and I'd cry. I couldn't stop. She truly was beautiful!
I really and truly had no idea how long this was taking and even though I knew I was pushing, I really wasn't expecting her to come out right then! I was so excited that it gave me an added strength to continue pushing and I had really decided that I was going to help this time! I wanted that baby in my arms STAT now that I knew it was so close! Alison got all down in my business and told me to push with the next contraction, which I did with a lame attempt. Kat told me to put my chin down to my chest and somehow that really did make me push better.
Celia Kent Dibble was born at 5:38 a.m. on Thursday, September 24, 2015, almost 6 hours after active labor started . . . 12 hours after induction (just a bit longer than the boys births). The sun was up and we were ready for some sleep, but had a gorgeous little baby to snuggle instead.
I do love the first moments of holding my brand new baby and this was no different. She was precious and I just snuggled and looked at her and kissed her . . . and cried. Her umbilical cord finally stopped pulsing after about 30-ish minutes (which seemed long), so they clamped it and Elliot cut it. We rewrapped her in a new warm towel and I handed her over for Elliot to snuggle for a bit. I still had some work to do. I had been having more contractions while I was holding Baby Celia and hoped the placenta would come out right after I handed her over, but it was stubborn. Policy is that if the placenta isn't delivered within one hour after baby is delivered, that mommy needs to go to the hospital to deliver it. I was NOT going to do that. No way! About 45 minutes after Celia was born, I gave Alison permission to give me a shot of pitocin to increase the intensity of the contractions to see if we could get that thing out. I changed positions (still in the bathtub) and did a bit of pushing, but it wasn't coming out. Alison suggested that I go get on the bed to see if movement and a new position would do anything. Time was nearly up on our hour, but she could also tell it was super close, so I wasn't going anywhere. I know the dangers of traction (pulling on the cord) and I'm usually totally against it, but Alison said she was going to use some gentle traction since she knew it was seconds away from coming out. And there you go, it came right out with zero minutes to spare. Phew! I cried again.
I went back to the shower to get clean and then was back in bed reaching for my baby in no time! I am not sure when we started calling or texting people, but I was expecting Stella at any moment. She spent the night at the Pratt's and it was picture day at school, so I'm grateful that she was with someone who knows how to do cute hair! When she did finally show up, she was the 3rd person (as promised) to hold her baby sister and she was in love. Stella has always been so tender and emotional when her siblings have been born and it is a blessing to witness her love for them as she has prayed for each one to be in our home.
Alison had forgotten her scale, so she did the newborn screening without the weight, but we were guessing around 8 pounds. Celia was healthy and chubby and perfect! Alison and Kat left us (promising to return later that day with the scale), and Stella left for school. I fed Baby Celia and we all closed our eyes for a few hours before we started receiving visitors. Xan brought Malcolm and Quentin over while I was still sleeping, so Elliot showed Baby Celia to them while I continued sleeping for a bit. My parents came, several friends, Adam and the kids, and even our bishop and his wife came to visit. I felt good and energetic even after just a few hours of sleep! I know Elliot was super tired though, so we were happy for some rest that evening.
When Alison came back later with the scale, we learned that Miss Celia weighed 8 pounds 9 ounces (that's how much I weighed when I was born)! Perfect little thing! I also learned that she was born with her left hand up by her face (nuchal hand), which is why it took a little bit longer for her to be born. I mean, if you think about it, even a little arm takes up space in what isn't very much space in the first place! No wonder she took her time!
