Layla's birth story (...and it only took me 4 months!)

I've sat down to write Layla's birth story a dozen times, always getting wrapped up in details & then, of course, I run out of time! So lets try this again...

My due date with Layla was February 25th & just like clock work, action started happening on that date. TMI, but I had my 'bloody show' (grossest term ever) and started having mild contractions. I thought to myself, how crazy if this baby came right on schedule! That night I noticed bright red blood & having never had a baby before, panicked. We decided to head to L&D just to make sure all was okay. We sat in the L&D triage room for 4 hours while I was monitored. I arrived at 1cm, walked the halls for a while, and after 4 hours was still only at 1cm. So home we went..

40 weeks

Next night, round 2. My contractions increased in strength and consistency throughout the day. My mom drove up from Atlanta as we figured surely Layla would be coming soon enough. Repeat of the night before, threw all of our bags in the car & headed to triage. I arrived at 3 cm and spent the next 4 hours gritting my teeth through major contractions. I wanted to walk around so that I could try and progress a little more so that I could stay, I wasn't allowed. I was miserable. I couldn't imagine being sent home in the level of pain I was in. I wanted to punch the doctor in the face when he sent me home. I cried. I cried a lot. I was going on 2 days of contractions and I couldn't imagine continuing much longer without some relief. I knew I had an OB appointment already scheduled for the next day and I began plotting how I would beg & plead for a c-section. I never wanted a c-section but at that point, I just wanted to have this baby.

I got ZERO sleep that night. I contracted all night long & by the morning I was in tears, begging Dylan to see if my OB could see me ASAP that morning. I could barely walk & had reached the point of being unable to talk through my contractions. I just remember kneeling against the couch with my head buried in the cushions wondering how I would even sit in the waiting room at the OB office. Again, I was ready to get there and beg for a c-section...anything!

Luckily, my midwife could see me practically first thing. I miraculously made it through waiting in the waiting room & slowly waddled my way back to the room. She came in and offered to check me, said we could strip my membranes to help me progress. I knew this would only increase the intensity of my contractions which scared the hell out of me, but I was up for anything. I laid back, praying I had progressed at least a little bit from the 3cm the night before. Then, I'm pretty sure I heard the most amazing news of all time as she said, "girlfriend..you are in LABOR. You're 6cm and if I strip your membranes you're not going to make it to the hospital in time...". THANK YOU SWEET JESUS. Finally, I knew it was time. She told me she would call the hospital and they would be waiting for me. All I could think of was, oh epidural..I am coming for you!

We arrived in our L&D room around 10 am. What seemed like an eternity later, I was able to get my epidural at 7cm. Ladies...if you're wondering whether or not you should get an epidural, stop the insanity. Get the epidural. GET IT. You won't be sorry. The relief I felt after almost 3 days of nonstop contracting was amazing. Women aren't kidding when they say that they want to kiss the anesthesiologist.

My mom had made it to the room & once I was comfortable Dylan decided to go grab lunch for himself (while I scarfed down Jello...I hate Jello, but I was starving). Dylan had been gone about 30 minutes or so when I felt like the epidural was sort of fading on one side. I clicked the "give me more juice" button, shifted sides..still felt discomfort so I asked the nurse if this was normal. She kind of got a strange look on her face and said she should check me. She quickly said, "So when is your husband getting back?". I had quickly dilated to 10cm and it was baby time! Luckily, right as she checked me Dylan walked through the door. Looked like lunch would just have to wait..

My water broke when the nurse checked me & there was meconium in my water. No one seemed especially concerned and as neurotic as I am, I wasn't either. The "suction" team came in so that Layla could be suctioned out once she was born. This probably should have freaked me out but I think I was so overwhelmed with how quickly things were going, I didn't really have time.

Giving birth was such an amazing blur. I remember all of it, but I felt like it was over before it began. It was very calm & pain free. I would literally give birth 10x over, it was the contractions that were the worst. I think I pushed about 20-30 minutes, but it felt like 10 minutes. I couldn't feel my contractions so it was up to the nurse to tell me when to push. I literally felt nothing (thank you anesthesia miracle worker!).

Layla was born at 4:09pm at 7lbs 5oz. She came out screaming! There was no need to suction her at all, she was perfectly pink and alert. I remember opening my eyes from pushing and looking at this perfect baby that I had waited to meet for 10 months. I was so blessed!

They were able to lay her on my chest immediately and it was the most amazing moment of my life. I couldn't believe she was here! None of the pain from the previous days mattered.

My mom & Dylan were there watching as we watched Layla open her eyes for the first time. A few slow blinks & her eyes locked onto mine. Best moment of my life. She gripped her daddy's finger immediately & he was a goner. Our lives were forever changed in those first few moments.

I have never for a moment taken for granted how lucky and blessed we are to have such a healthy, alert baby at birth. I was officially a mommy, and this was confirmed when she pooped on me as she laid on my chest. Haha. Nothing says welcome to mommyhood like poop. And so it begins...

So there..I finally wrote it. Whew.