She's here!

Kyla Michelle, was born: 12/13/11

6lbs. 6oz. and 19" long

My Birthing Story: We had scheduled an induction on 12/14 at 39 wks. I really didn't want to be induced, but I just wanted her here in enough time for Christmas and I was so done being prego! We ended up not being induced anyway, because I went into labor the night before. I started having contractions around 2:30 in the morning. They woke me up and started becoming painful. This happened the week before, so I didn't really know if this was it. I tried to go back to sleep. The contractions were coming harder and more frequent, so I told Brent and we called my Mom around 3:10, She was over around 3:30am. In that time, I quickly bathed, while contracting, then used my exercise (birthing) ball to sit (straddle) on and listened to my Hypno- birthing CD. We got to the hospital at 3:45 and was admitted at about 4am. I was having even harder contractions along the way. I got dressed in the hospital gown and was able to straddle a birthing ball, while Brent read visualizations from Hypno-birthing, for about 15 min. (getting more into my relaxed state, so labor would progress) Once everything was ready for me the nurse had me get on the bed for some monitoring of the baby and for fluids, for 15 min. They checked me first and I was already dilated to 7 cm.! During the time I was on the bed, I had the bed elevated, like I was sitting up and was in the butterfly stretch position, to open my pelvis. Brent continued to read visualizations to me. After the monitoring I really wanted to get back on the birthing ball. I was getting impatient, because it had been more like 25 min, instead of 15, like the nurse told me it would be. She finally came in to get me off the monitors. She decided to check me first. I was 9+! She said it probably wasn't a good idea to get off the bed, because I was about ready to push. I was kind of bummed, because the ball helped with the pain alot better than being in the bed. They called my Dr. in (about 5am)and by the time he came I was fully dilated and was ready to push! I tried "J" breathing through the first contraction. Which is something I read up on in my Hypno-birthing book. You breathe your baby out instead of pushing, which helps reduce the need of an episiotomy and reduce tearing. You still bear down, but breathe down, instead of forceful pushing. After that contraction, my Dr. asked if I still wanted to breathe through the contractions or push, because if I push, she'll be out! So of course I decided to push. It is alot faster and when you're in that much pain you just want it to be over. So 3 agonizing/loud (yes, I yelled alot) contractions later, she was out. She was born at 5:18 am. (I did tear a little, which he numbed before stiching) Here are more pics of that special day. Some are very intense/ in the moment pics, but so amazing!

Right when she came out! Notice the cord is still attached. Gross, I know. (I still hadn't delivered the placenta)

Brent, cutting the cord

My sweet baby!

I was able to hold her for just a few moments after. Then they cleaned her up and I was getting takin care of. The nurse gave me oral pain meds and once those started to work and my shaking stopped, (which has happened with each child, I go into a kind of shock, which is normal) I was able to hold and feed her for the 1st time. She nursed right off, like a champ!

Dad holding her for the 1st time, before she nursed.

Brent bathing her right in the hospital room, so I could watch. With my past births, they did it in the nursery, so it was fun to actually be a part of that.The boys watching

Drying offWe actually bathed her body right on my bed!

Hello sweetyThe proud big brothers

So precious

We did it again! Natural childbirth is the hardest, but yet the most accomplishing thing ever! I'm so glad she came on her own and that everything went well, with no complications. She did have Jaundice and had to be on bili lights for 4 days, which was hard, because the only time she could be off the lights, is if she was feeding and changing. Those first few nights were really hard. She didn't sleep very well because she couldn't be wrapped up. The 1st night she was up every 20 min. until 3am then she finally slept a few hrs. I'm still up with her every 2-3 hrs, but last night she went a 4 hr stretch! Caring for a new born is very exhausting, especially with other kids to take care of, but we are slowly adjusting :)