Introducing our Gift from God!!!

With love Mike and I announce the birth of our daughter, 

Noell Barbara!

November 26, 2012

6:38am

6lbs 10oz     19 1/2 in long

Noell's Birth Story

I know that I talked a lot about my hypnobabies and was very excited for the birth and birth story of our little girl.  Now, my labor and delivery didn't go exactly as planned, but it is still the most beautiful story and the end result of the most perfect and healthy little girl that any parent could ever ask for.

It all started on Sunday, November 25.  I had decided to go to church and so I called my Grandma Carol to see if she wanted to go with me so I didn't have to go alone.  While in church I started to feel some contractions in my lower back (had never felt contractions like this before).  It was fun when people were asking me when my due date was, and thinking to myself that it possibly could be today.  Once I got home from church, I timed a few of these contractions (not believing there were real at this point).  My contractions (pressure waves) were about 7 min apart pretty consistently.  At this point I called my mom because some of my aunts and cousins were supposed to go to a movie and I had to decide if I should still go or not.  Since I still thought that these were "not the real thing" I decided to still go to the movie.  The pressure waves continued about every 7 minutes through the ride to and from Eau Claire and throughout the whole movie.  Side note:  We saw Perfect Pitch and it was a GREAT movie...I would recommend seeing it.  Anyway, back to the story...
Once I got home, I decided to take a little nap before the Packers played Sunday night football.  I didn't really sleep but was able to rest for about 45 minutes.  I got up to go to the bathroom, and as I was washing my hands afterwards, I had that feeling that I was peeing my pants...which I knew right away that my water had broke.  I was very excited because I FINALLY knew that this is all real and that I would soon be holding my baby girl in my arms.  I called the after hours to get a hole of the midwife on call.  Annie was the midwife and so after talking to her, we decided that I would stay at home a little while until my pressure waves were stronger and closer together.  After I chatted with her, I called Mike at work (in Eau Claire...50min away) and told him that my water broke.  We decided to have him leave work, and we would leave for the hospital sometime after he got home.

While Mike was on his way home, I baked some brownies to bring for the nurses, finished putting some finishing touches on things for my long-term sub, and finished packing our bags for the hospital.  By the time Mike got home my pressure waves were definitely stronger and closer together...about 4minutes.  We left our house around 8:30pm.  This was our last picture before leaving...

  On our way to the hospital, we stopped at my parents to drop Katie off as well as my binders for my parents to drop off at school the next morning.  Then we were soon on our way!  While in the car, I was listening to one of my hypnosis cds while Mike listened to the Packers play like crap (good thing I didn't have to watch that game).

We got to the hospital around 9:30pm.  They hooked me up to the monitors for 1/2 an hour and baby's heart rate was good.  After that and like a million questions, my midwife checked me to see how far I was...I was only dilated to 1/2 cm (which is pretty much nothing) and 80% effaced.  This was sad since I had pressure waves since 10am...already 12 hours.  After all of that, I got into the tub for about 2 1/2-3 hours.  While I was in the tub, I listened to another hypnosis cd on my Ipod, until I switched positions (and forgot it was sitting behind me) and the Ipod fell right into the tub...wonderful :P  After the tub I tried a few other positions to see what worked best for this back labor.  During all of this I was working on my hpynosis techniques (visioning my safe place with my baby, breathing, telling my cervix to dilate/open, etc.  Around 3:00am, I was in a lot of pain...I cannot even explain how bad back labor hurts.  By this time, every hypnosis that I had worked on for the past five months went right out the window.  I was yelling and gripping the side of the bed.  The midwife checked to see how far I had come and I was heartbroken when I was only at 4cm and 100% effaced.  We tried a temporary pain relief that only worked for about 10 min.  My pressure waves were going a little like this...

2min pressure wave
2min break
2min pressure wave
2min pressure wave
2min break

So there were times where I was having two pressure waves back to back lasting a total of 4min.  I finally asked for the epidural (my midwife never brought it up to me and Mike even said, Kelly this is not what you want, etc...they were all supportive to my birth plan).  But, yes, I did get an epidural.  At first there wasn't enough anesthesia, so the doc came back and added a little more.  I was able to rest for a few hours (Mike slept a little).  During this time, I had 6 contractions back to back (which I didn't feel) but little Noell felt and her heart rate dropped tremendously which was scarey, but after a little break in the action her heart rate went right back up where it was supposed to be.  Around 6:00ish I was starting to feel lots of pressure.  My midwife came to check to see how far I was and she could see our little girls head...well actually all of her hair.  So everyone got everything ready and it was finally baby time.  I started pushing with the coaching of my midwife and the mirror as a visual to see my daughter's birth.  I only had to push for 10 minutes and our daughter was born at 6:38am.  It was amazing to be able to push and see the progress I was making with each push.  I think the best feeling and sight was after her head was out, the last final push for her body.  It is truly amazing and incredible.  I cannot even put into words everything I was feeling and experiencing, but it something I will never forget.  It is the best miracle and gift from God I could ever ask for.

**Side note.  Once her head came out, the umbilical cord was wrapped around her head once, so the midwife quickly unwrapped it.

Once she was born the suctioned her nose and mouth and immediately put her on my stomach (the would have put her on my chest but the cord was too short to reach that far.  Mike originally didn't want to cut the cord, but he did end up doing it anyways!  I got to hold my baby girl while my midwife worked on me.  Here are a few pictures of that wonderful experience!

About an 1 1/2 hour or so after birth, a successful first breastfeeding, and cleaning and measuring Noell, my anesthesia had already worn off, so I was able to shower and get cleaned up myself.  We were then on our way to our postpartum room.

Like I said before, the birth didn't go exactly according to my plan, and many of you may laugh or think "I told ya so," but I would not change how one thing went that night.  It was perfect and I am so unbelievably happy.

Here is our first official family photo:

We went home on Wednesday, November 28.  Here are some getting ready to go home photos:

WELCOME TO YOUR HOME, NOELL :)

Our first family of four photo.

Okay, well this is it for tonight.  I have been working on this off and on since about 5pm and it is now 11:55 (baby Noell's needs come first)!!!

I hope to work on her first week at home updates the rest of this weekend so please stay tuned!!!

I hope all of you are beginning to get into the holiday spirit.  And just remember what you are thankful for and the true meaning of Christmas during this busy time of year!  May God bless your lives as much as he has blessed mine!