queline & company: David's Birth Story

With today being the day I would have turned 39 weeks (9 months) pregnant, it's fitting I should upload baby's birth story!

So yeah, I had the baby! You guys, this is the best job in the world. I look at David and my heart overflows with joy. Taking care of him and being his mommy fulfills in me an area of myself that has been longing to shine. I feel awakened in so many ways. I'd say I'm more myself now than ever before. As far as I can tell, motherhood is my calling.

I can see myself in him which is trippy, but I usually see more of Trevor. He is so laid-back and calm (for now, haha) and he loves snuggles! I get lost staring at him and the smell of him leaves me weak. I'm just in love. I can't help it. Lots of friends have asked if he cries a lot, not really. He cries when he's hungry and if he's cold (to be expected) and sometimes just because (also to be expected). He calms himself pretty quickly if he's fed and changed. Yes, I wait a little bit before picking him up to allow him to calm himself a bit. But more on that in a later post!

Looking back, it's easy to see my body was preparing to deliver. Days leading up to the birth I was... uh, emptying a lot. Basically, my number of bowel movements increased without an increase in fiber intake. Lucky for me this meant I didn't poo on the delivery table. Why do I share this much TMI? I suppose if I were the reader I would be curious so, of course, I'll share all the nitty gritty details with y'all! You're welcome?

Also, I was having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions. Or at least I thought they were BH. Not really sure how to tell the difference between BH and early labor, to be honest. For me, my whole belly became hard and occasionally I had period-like cramps. At my last OB appointment (the day he was born), the OB asked, "You know you're having a contraction right now, right?" and I really didn't. My belly felt tight but there was no pain.

The nesting urge came into play a little bit. Again, it was hard to tell if it was just me as I tend to organize periodically anyway but this was slightly different. For example, one night I was dead tired but felt I had to sanitize each individual pacifier before I could go to bed.

Lastly, I was having an increase in cervical mucus. White in color and there were chunks--forgive me for using that word. I'm grossing myself out! Seems my mucus plug was wearing away but it can regenerate itself so I wasn't concerned.

So as far as the day he was born, here's the rundown.

28 November 2017: 38 Weeks + 2 Days Pregnant
9am: Final PT appointment. While waiting for the elevator, I take this photo:

10:30am: 38-week OB appointment. Dr. Friedman checks baby's heart rate: 162bpm (he's normally at 142bpm). Doctor checks cervix: 0cm dilated.
11am: Lunch at Subway. I had jalapenos in my sandwich. Maybe that helped with starting labor? Maybe, maybe not. Mom calls during lunch and I tell her my back is killing me.
Noon-2pm: Head to Target to return a few things and then walk around a bit. My body slows down and I feel exhausted which causes me to pause while walking. I leave the store immediately.
2pm-4pm: In preparation for the birth, I visit a few rooms at Little Company of Mary to test out the Wi-Fi connection.
4pm-5pm: Rest at home. Post this picture to Instagram:

5:30pm: I drive to Norm's to have dinner with mom. While eating dinner my back aches, I feel a lot of pressure and have period-like cramps. If you had asked me, I wouldn't have said I thought I was in labor. The pain wasn't that bad.
8pm: Get home, sit down to finish writing the blogpost for week 38.
9:25pm: Water breaks.

This might sound funny but it felt like two knocks. I could even hear it. Knock, knock and then I felt myself leak.

Colonel and I were texting back and forth to arrange a time to get together so he could fill-out a "prediction card" for the baby. He missed the baby shower and I planned on keepsaking his entry as he's like a dad to me.

While we're figuring out a date I text,
"Well shoot. Water just broke!"
"Congratulations. On your way to Little Company? Need anything?"

I text Trevor and then call him on skype. Having just settled in bed after working another 12-hour shift, he was tired and disoriented. In that moment I notice my tablet has 5% battery life left so I grab the power cords and shove them into my bag along with a few other things.

I shoot a quick text to Anna and Brooke and then call my mom. As I stand up from the bed I gush a bit more. Mom rushes over and I show her my pants. She urges me to hurry up, get ready and tells me she'll be waiting out front in the car. Based on what I learned from the natural birthing class, I wasn't in a rush. I respond, "Mom, if we go now they're just going to send us back home. Let's take our time so I can labor as long as possible here." She responds that she wants to get me checked-out and so I agree.

Truth be told, I envisioned myself having a long labor. Mom labored over 30 hours with my brother and I figured my story would be no different.

I fill the cats' food bowls with extra food and top-off their water bowls. I stand in the center of the room nervously thinking... this is it. And so I pray: Lord God, please join me right now. Please help me birth this baby. I'm scared.

10:15pm: We arrive at Little Company of Mary. They take me into a room to check my cervix: 1cm dilated. I start having noticeable contractions. Lots of back pain. Amniotic sac had indeed ruptured; no going back home. Off to delivery room to get situated.

One nurse offers me a wheelchair while another one says, "She can walk." We walk over to the delivery room and a new nurse introduces herself then begins taking down my information to admit me.

The contractions intensify and my back begins to throb. Mom rubs my back. As the pressure increases, I feel the urge to poop. I ask to go to the bathroom.

While in the bathroom I pray again: Lord, please help me deliver this baby. Be my birth partner. I'm in a lot of pain and I feel like I can't do this. Please Lord, meet me where I'm at and help me!

I wasn't able to pass a bowel movement so back out to the delivery room I went.

As I lay there, my contractions worsened exponentially. I ask for an epidural. The nurse replies that she'll place the order as soon as she can.

Then I feel the urge to push.

While I'm pushing I'm concerned I'll wear myself out as just minutes ago I was only 1cm dilated.

I hear the nurses converse, "She's pushing, should we check her?"
"No, she was just measured at 1cm."
I push again.

"She's pushing again, we better check her."
::Checks me again::
"Yeah, she's fully dilated! Call Dr. Lim!"
"He won't make it. Should we push the button?"
"Push the button!"

Just then my mom watches as a barrage of nurses flood the room; each tending to a specific task. Apparently, it was an amazing sight to see, haha.

I unintentionally hold my breath with each push which causes me to hyperventilate once per push. The nurses instruct me to breathe. An oxygen mask is placed over my nose and mouth.

A nurse prompts me to flip over. "Turn onto your back, sweetie! Baby is coming!"

"Baby's head is crowning, Jacqui push!"
My mom grabs her camera and starts filming.

11:10pm: It's go-time!
First push. "Ring of Fire." I feel myself tear. I let out a scream.
Second push. I feel the baby's head emerge. Then the shoulders. And then I feel my whole abdomen shift and empty. Baby is placed on my chest.

Shock and disbelief overwhelm me. Never had I envisioned myself accomplishing an all-natural childbirth and yet, I had no other choice. And how the heck did I dilate so quickly? I was reminded of my prayers. I immediately begin to give thanks aloud in the delivery room--nursing staff surrounding me.

"Thank you, God!"
"What was that?" asks a nurse.
"Oh, haha, just giving thanks to God..."

All-in-all, labor was an hour and forty-five minutes long. Apparently I hold the record for fastest first-time-mom birth for a few of the nurses. The on-call doctor did not make it to the room in time but a seasoned nurse caught the baby then sewed me up afterwards. Later on I learned I tore in two places, both second-degree tears. Yeah, ouch.

After the delivery we got in contact with Trevor. The fact that he wasn't watching the birth live is my only regret--but I was a little busy! And because I was in so much pain, my mom was in high demand to calm me down and rub my back. Furthermore, everything happened so quickly we didn't have a chance to collect ourselves enough to call him again (for calling abroad we needed to find our calling card, his number, etc). Even still, I feel terrible he missed it. Thankfully mom filmed parts of it and so he was able to see some of the birth.

Two days after his birthday we announced his arrival via social media.

Side-note, I'm about to unleash my inner-nerd and reveal her to all of you once more.

28 November 2017
28 - 11 = 17

Anyways, I know I'm a little crazy. Are we still friends? Sorry you had to witness that.

Moving Forward: The Future of queline&company
Now that baby's born this blog will shift from being pregnancy focused to all-about David's first year of life and my postpartum journey of recovery. Weekly posts will be uploaded on Tuesdays (as he was born on a Tuesday) and there will be plenty of pictures so I hope you continue to support us by reading!

From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for your interest in this area of our lives! It's been such a blessing for me to journal this adventure not only as a keepsake--but as therapy at times. And to know I have a following of readers has encouraged me to keep on writing, so thank you!

Proudly Introducing: David

(My sweet little bubba)