Olivia's Birth

Transcript

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Hi, friends. Welcome back to another episode of Becoming Fearless with Lex. I cannot believe I'm saying that again. This space has been quiet for a little over three years now, and I'm finally ready to get back sharing with you. I don't have an answer as to how many podcasts I will have coming out, but I thought I might as well at least get an episode out. This is something that has been on my list for literally. Months and months and months since I started taking a break from the podcast before. I love doing my podcasts. It's so fun for me and I love chatting with people and this is like a fun way for me to do that. It's been three years and seriously, so much has changed. The last time I had this podcast, RI and I, we were dating, we were living in downtown Chicago and since then we have moved three times. We have gotten engaged, married, pregnant, and. Pregnant again. So if you're listening to this on the day it comes out, I haven't quite announced yet that I'm pregnant on a social media and I plan to this week. I just thought it was a fun way to tell those that really support me because only the real ones listen to my podcasts. Uh, so I. Thought, you know what, what the heck? I have not done a podcast episode in a while. And for those that listen, they will give a little insider news. First, I'll dedicate an entire new episode to podcast to pregnancy number two. Um, it's just been, um. It's just been wild. So yeah, we'll do a second episode on that. But without further ado, I'm gonna do my first episode as I revamp this podcast with the most powerful and emotional thing I have ever experienced in my life. And that is the birth of my daughter, Olivia. Um, it has been almost one year. It was just, just so crazy to think about. So what better way to. Give her birth story. Then one year later, as I am pregnant with baby number two. So grab your coffee or maybe water if you're walking or multitasking, and I'm taking you through the day. We met our beautiful baby girl. So to set the scene, I was 40 weeks, two days pregnant, which as a first time mom, I was told literally my entire pregnancy, like, expect to go past your due date. And I was like, hell no. That is not an option. We are having this baby between 37 and 39 weeks. I'm going early. It is just what we're doing. And when I say I did literally everything to go into labor, I did everything under the sun. Every single day. I did the mile circuit, which if you are not familiar with that, it is three different positions that you sit in for 30 minutes each, and it is so. Boring. It is so boring. I want it to die. And I did it every single day. I did, if you like YouTube, the like labor inducing dance or whatever. I did that. I drank the red raspberry leaf tea. I ate the dates every single day. I did it all and nothing worked. I even pumped every day for 20 minutes. It was terrible. And I still went past my due date. So I was two days past my due date. It was June 24th, and at that point I was fully convinced that like the baby was never coming. Literally ever. I was so frustrated and I was like, you know what? She has to come within the next two weeks, so it is what it is. I woke up on the 24th at like 1245 in the morning and I was cramping a little bit, but I didn't really think anything of it because at that point when your full term, everything kind of like aches, so mild cramps were pretty normal at that point. I was in and outta sleep. And then at 6:00 AM I woke up and I had to go to the bathroom and I noticed that I lost my bloody show. And at like six 10, I was like, Hmm, maybe I should text my doula. Like I have not experienced this my entire pregnancy. Um, maybe this is something, but like, probably not. I. So I super casually texted her and I was like, Hey, I think I just lost my mucus plug or something. I don't really know. What does that mean? And she responded with, I think that means we're definitely having a baby today. And I was like, uh, what? I don't, no, like, I don't think so. Like people lose their mucus plug like 36 weeks and like are still pregnant for like a month. So like that's probably what's gonna happen to me. So I got in the bath, bath to relax and I tried to just like chill out for a bit and by 6 45 I was like, oh my gosh, I actually think I'm contracting, but. Again, I was like, maybe not. Maybe they're just like intense cramps. So I woke Riley up and I was like, um, I think we might be having a baby. But even then I like was not allowing myself to believe that it was like, baby day, if that makes sense. By about 7:30 AM I had lost more of my buddy show and my contractions were about five to eight minutes apart. But they weren't super intense. It was one of those things where like, I knew contractions were happening, but I wasn't even really timing them for the most part because I was like, uh, they need to be like closer together for it to really mean anything. And I had had a few friends that had. That had had like prodromal labor so much that I like kind of convinced myself like, because I hadn't had contractions up until this point that like it was probably like. Fake, you know? So Riley and I labored at home until about 11. My doula came over around then and we just kinda labored at my house. I started having to breathe through the contractions, which they weren't unbearable, but it was a lot more intense than it was like when I woke up at six. So like between like six and 11 they were fine. And then from like 11 to noon, they had kind of picked up a little bit. And with it being my first birth, I literally had no idea what to expect. Now I kinda wanna pause here for a second. And if you follow me on Instagram, you already know this, but if you are just now like starting to follow me and you didn't follow me when I was pregnant with Livy, um, I had, my only plan was a natural birth. I was not going to the hospital. I was not using any form of pain management. Um, it was not an option for me. That is just what I had set my mind to. And so for me, like I wasn't gonna go get an epidural, I wasn't gonna do anything that, um, had like medical intervention. So I was very much like, I need to just like listen to my body. And it was hard too because like I said, I, I wasn't really allowing myself to believe that I was like actually in labor. So I knew that my contractions were still coming. And around noon we decided to go to the birth center because I was getting pretty uncomfortable at home. So we got there and I got checked. And I was only at a one and a half, like I was one and a half centimeters, and I was crushed, like crushed a, doesn't even cut it. She said 1.5 and I was like, take it back. Like I was so mad, I was so defeated. Uh, they gave me the choice to either stay there a little bit longer or go home and labor, uh, at home, which. If you are doing a natural birth, you probably have been told that laboring at home is the best place for you to labor. Uh, la Having a natural labor is all about being comfortable in your environment. I. And I chose to give birth outta birth center and I was very comfortable there. But there, there's just like nothing that beats your home, your own comfortable space. And so I did not wanna stay there longer than I had to. I was very much like if I could have the baby in the birth center parking lot that is preferred, like I wanna spend as little time away from my house as possible. So. At about 1:00 PM we ended up getting back home, um, because I was just like, you know, I would rather labor at home. I could be here for five minutes. I could be here for five hours, and I don't care. I just, I just want to be here. This is where things really intensify. We got home around like one 15, give or take, and things picked up so quickly they told me to get in the shower when I get home because it is going to help with my labor. It'll help like relieve pain and everything like that. And it really did. Um, I don't really feel like I was very. Vocal up until the time we got home, like the moment we got home I was like yelling like I was in so much discomfort. So I got into the shower and I actually ate some eggs because I like just had no food in my system 'cause I was contracting all morning. Um, literally got in the shower on my hands and knees rocking back and forth. Like I was convinced the baby was coming in the shower because it just, that's when like, everything just really picked up. Ry was doing everything he could to support me and my doula. Ended up meeting us back at our house at like three 15, give or take. So for almost a full two hours, RI and I were like, at home. I was literally just like crying, like, I don't know what to do, like this hurts, yada, yada. Um, so she came up at like three 15. And around four, I got so sick and no one really talks about like getting sick in labor and. I dunno if anything will ever be puking while contracting. Like it was seriously the worst experience of my life. It was so terrible. I was just like yaking while in so much pain. And finally by like 4 45, I was like, I think we need to go back to the birth center. Like I think I'm about to have this baby. And again, like with me being a first time mom and like active labor, really not setting in until like probably I would say like two, three o'clock, like. Two hours after like active labor really set in. It's kinda like, yeah, okay, whatever, you know. So we finally get to the birth center at about five o'clock. They checked me in, did all you know, they checked the baby's heart rate, checked mine, yada, yada. I didn't even ask how far along I was. They did end up checking me, which was an option. I got to say yes or no. Like usually if you go to the hospital, they just immediately check you. And they asked. They asked for my consent, which I really appreciated because that shit hurts. Um, but I got checked and. I didn't know it at the time, but I was like at a seven and a half or an eight, which is insane that like at noon I was at a one and a half and then by five o'clock I was at a seven eight. Olivia's heart rate was a little tricky to get on the monitor because of her positioning. She was like dislodged in my right hip. So in order to get her to go down at a better position, I had to do all of these different positions just to get her to move where we needed her to. And let me tell you, there were certain positions that I was in that. I never want to ever have to recreate in my life. It was awful. And I will say that part of getting her to move out of my hip was way, way, way more intense and way more painful than birth itself. Um, and it was crazy because both my midwife and my nurse at the end, like once I delivered Livie, they both told me if she was in a better position, they think that she would've came way quicker. She just was in such a bad position that she, she was kind of stuck at one point. Um. But yeah, the positions were literally terrible. I was side laying, I was doing all of these different like positions to try and release where she was at. I had my legs hanging off the bed. It was brutal. But the moment she moved, I felt it and I knew we were getting close. So what we ended up doing is I think we did four or five positions. Each leg. Um, so four or five positions. And then each position I had to do on both legs and we had to do five contractions each. So after like 25 contractions, I heard them start the tub and I knew that I wasn't gonna be laboring in the tub very long. I knew I was gonna be delivering in the tub. So the moment I heard the water, I was like, oh, dear God. Like we are close. There is a light at the end of this tunnel. So at this point it's about 6 35. I ended up, they like laid out like a yoga mat for me right by the tub and I got on my hands and knees and I did a few more constructions while they filled the tub. Um, that alone was a really good sign. Like I said, I knew I was getting semi close if they were filling up the tub. And when I finally got in the tub at 6 45. Holy cannoli. Talk about instant relief. I, they always say like, getting in the water is gonna help people. You know, I've watched a million videos while I was pregnant with her about how like, getting in the bath really does relieve pain. And I was like, yeah, yeah. Like labor is gonna be painful. It is what it is. The warm water, the counter pressure on my back, the cold rag on my neck. I was still in pain, but I felt so supported and so grounded and just like, okay, I would not be in here if I wasn't about to meet my baby. And I think that's the most rewarding thing about having a natural birth is like you really feel like, holy shit, I am putting in so much time, effort, energy, everything. And I have the best reward about to like enter my arms. Like it is the most crazy experience. So at like 7 0 5, so I've been in the tub. Not even 30 minutes at this point. I switch positions and both my knees are down, so I'm kind of like hanging over the tub edge and that's where my body starts pushing on its own. And I had heard of women say like, oh, my body like was like involuntarily pushing. And again, until you've experienced it for yourself, it's like, okay, yeah, like whatever, you know, whatever. I've heard women talk about this, and it is nothing until you feel it. It was so surreal. At one point I looked up on my midwife. I was crying and I was like, how much longer? And she looked at me and she said, you are making great progress. I was so mad. I was like, just tell me a number. Just tell me how much longer I had. And I feel horrible. She's literally the nicest woman to this day. I wish she could be at every one of my births and. It was not her fault. I was just in so much pain and I wanted it to be over. I then literally within just a few minutes, cover your ears. If you have children in the car, if they're listening with you, I literally shouted. I said, holy fucking shit. There is a head sticking out of my vagina. I told you it was graphic. One more push later, and I was literally holding her out, which is crazy. We had this whole plan that RI was gonna catch her and none of it happened. I literally, on my hands and knees, caught her and scooped her up into my arms and, oh, I'm getting so emotional. At 7:20 PM on June 24th, our baby girl, Olivia Renee, she was born at six pounds, 10 ounces, and 20 inches of just pure perfection. Uh, it was the best moment of my life and I am just so emotional, reliving everything, and truly, truly feel blessed by God that I got to experience the magic of an unmedicated birth. After a little bit of skin to skin after ri, you know, got to see her, and you do everything you do within the first like 10, 15 minutes, your precious little baby is born. I finally decided it was time to deliver my placenta. And when I tell you my plan the entire time was to not sit in the water like I had it planned, like the moment the baby was out. I was getting outta that water. I was getting outta the tub and I was laying in bed. 'cause the birth center had a, like a full-sized bed in the room too. And the reason being is I was very scared to sit in my birth fluids. I was very scared of the blood. I was very scared to see bleeding from my placenta, all of that. And I actually did not bleed like at all. Like I, the water was still clear. No issues. Like I. I was like, okay, you know what? Maybe I can actually deliver the placenta in this bathtub right now. So I handed the baby off to Riley. Well, actually first I delivered the placenta coughed a couple times. It came out. It was great. No pain, which I was, I was a little nervous for. And then I handed the baby off to Ry and he did skin to skin with her. And it was like the first time he really got to hold her. My midwives helped me get out. They dried me off, um, helped me get into bed and that's where they like checked to see if I had any tearing. Um, checked my bleeding now that I was out of the water and all of that. And it was the first time I really got to like, sit with RI while he was holding her. And we just like sat there soaking in the moment. It was the most surreal experience of my life. Once we kind of like got settled in, this was like 30 minutes post birth. Um, I FaceTimed my parents so that they could introduce, or I could introduce them to Libby, like over the phone. Um, they were actually coming to bring us dinner and so I just had to tell them like, uh, she's here, you know? And it was wild. Like my family knew we were at the birth center at five and like. Literally called them by like 7 45 to tell them that we have a baby. It was, it was wild, but it was also the greatest experience of my entire life. Looking back, I labored for about 13 and a half hours total from like the start of the very first contraction. I like noticed until the baby was here. Um, of that, I would say I had less than six hours of active labor and only about two and a half hours of that was spent at the birth center and then less than 40 minutes in the tub before she was in my arms, which is crazy, especially as a first time mom, I feel like. I was kind of made to think that I was gonna be laboring for like 48 hours and yada yada, and that was not the case. So I'm just, I'm very happy with my experience overall. I can say it with complete honesty. It was the best experience of my life jokingly. Like an hour after I gave birth, RI was like, how do you feel? Think you're gonna ever wanna do that again? And I was like, I wanna do that again right now. Like it, seriously, it was the greatest thing I've ever experienced. I have never felt more confidence in my body. I have never felt so supported by Ri And if you know him, he is like my number one supporter and it was, it was just crazy. I've never felt more love in my entire life. The birth center was exactly where we were meant to be at the time, and I'm just. So grateful for my team and my husband and my body for doing something I had truly and never imagined was possible. I told myself my entire pregnancy, thousands and millions and bajillions of women have done this before, and you can too. And I think towards the end I started to kind of question that a little bit, and I am so thankful that I stuck with it. I let my body do what it was created to do, and it worked out more perfectly than I could have ever imagined. Thank you, thank you. Thank you so much for being here and for listening, and for allowing me to share such a sacred and special moment in our lives with you. If you're expecting or hoping to be. If you just love birth stories, if you're wanting to have a natural birth yourself, I know that every journey is unique and yours will be powerful in its own way. I am so excited to be back here and to be recording a couple new podcast episodes for you guys. And I can't wait to keep sharing stories and tips and everything in between as I navigate this new chapter as being a mom of two or being a mom and juggling pregnancy and everything that comes with that, make sure to follow along so that you don't miss anything. And if this story resonated with you, I would love if you share it with a friend if you like. Left a quick review or if you just messaged me on Instagram and let me know your thoughts on this podcast. My handle is styled by Lex Blog everywhere. Until next time, I'm sending you love from our family to yours.