A Birth Story: Kaliana Brooklyn

It seems unreal that our little girl is here but then I can't imagine life without her either!

We welcomed this sweet little sister into our family on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 3:16 p.m. She weighed in at 8 lbs. 12 oz. and 19 1/4" long. I feel like I'm still trying to internalize everything that surrounded her birth but am starting to get a grasp on things. There are many feelings I have surrounding our experience and I feel so very grateful for it all.

 Wednesday, April 24th marked 2 days before Kaliana's due date and saying I was ready is an understatement. Kamden came two weeks and a day early which made me realize it's just cruel of mother nature to send you your first that early and make you wait with your second. Nathan kept telling me I had to go into labor early morning so that we got some rest the night before and we could spend one less night at the hospital. I told him a million times that I didn't care when she came she just needed to come! He got lucky though and my body did just as he asked, starting contractions at about 6:30 a.m. After about an hour of consistent contractions when Nathan woke up at 7:30 a.m. to get ready for work I told him he wouldn't be going and we would have a baby instead! We both got showers and got ready while we waited for my contractions to progress and become closer.

About 9:00 a.m. we called my midwives to let them know I was having contractions 3-5 minutes apart with each of them lasting 1-2 minutes. We left around 9:30 a.m. to get checked at the office. When the midwife checked me I was dilated to a 7 and 60% effaced so she sent us right on over to the hospital to be admitted. From then on I figured things would happen pretty quickly. With Kamden when I was dilated to a 5 he was born around 7 hours later. I was given an IV port and hooked up to the fetal monitors.

Since I had decided to do a natural childbirth, without any medication, the monitors only had to be on for 15 minutes and then I was able to go for a walk, sit on the birthing ball, or get in the shower for an hour. I first sat on the birthing to ball to pass some time. Most of that first hour was spent sitting on the birthing ball while I leaned forward on the bed and Nathan rubbed my back. I got back in bed and shortly after was hooked up to the monitors again for 15 minutes. Contractions were coming strong but they had been since I first got to the hospital. The midwifes and nurses both commented on the strength of contractions and I didn't disagree! :-)

After my 15 minutes of monitoring were up I got back on the ball for a little bit and then I got in the shower. At this point I felt like the contractions were at their peak so far and the shower gave me so much relief. However, I came to the familiar feeling of complete exhaustion and shakiness that I had with Kamden's birth. I can honestly say this was about the only time when I really doubted my ability and will power to do a natural childbirth. However, for about the millionth time that day I said a silent prayer to my Father in Heaven asking him to help buoy me up, give me strength, and the added energy and will I needed. After that prayer I felt one of the greatest feelings of peace and added strength that I ever have. I had a new and greater determination that I could do this, that my body had the ability and that all would be well. I also felt closer to my Savior in that moment than I ever have, growing a greater, deeper understanding for the Atonement.

After my shower I got back in bed to be monitored and my contractions started to slow down. At the time I was extremely frustrated that things were slowing down as the labor was already lasting longer than I anticipated. However, looking back I know this was a great blessing and answer to my prayers as well that Heavenly Father gave me that break for a bit to know that I could endure. After being monitored I decided to go ahead and go for a walk to try getting things going again. We walked for a good while through the halls, leaning on Nathan and rocking side to side in a slow dance during contractions.

After walking I was hooked back up to the monitors and then the midwife came in to check my progression so we had some idea how things were going. She also asked me if I wanted her to break my water and knowing that things would progress a bit faster I told her to go ahead. The contractions immediately started to get more intense.We waited to progress but shortly after I felt like pushing so we got things and ready and the midwife checked me again. I had already wanted to push and her head was stationed down far enough; unfortunately, the right side of my cervix still needed to dilate a little bit while my left side was completely dilated. In order to get the right side to dilate I had to turn onto my right side and take my left leg clear across the right one as far as possible. This was the hardest part of my whole labor, being very painful. During the contractions my whole body shook while Nathan held me as best he could to help stabalize my body. I was finally able to turn over but there was still a bit of cervix in the way on the right side. I was able to start pushing, very slowly at first and then at the very end I gave a few good long pushes and she finally joined us for good!

Because there was meconium when the midwife checked me, Kaliana had to be give over to the NICU team right after birth to make sure she did not aspirate any. This was a bit disappointing to me because I was able to have Kamden right after being born. Fortunately, she did not aspirate anything. However, she weighed in at 8 lbs. 12 oz. and this meant she had to have her blood sugar checked. It was 2 points low so she had to be fed some formula and have her blood sugar checked twice afterwards every half hour. This meant they were taking her to the nursery right after and I wouldn't get to nurse her or hold her much. My awesome midwife stepped in though at this point, bringing Kaliana to me so that I could nurse her first before they gave her any formula and hold her for a few minutes. I was very grateful for this and that she felt the same way I did that nursing her would be best and help as well.

While this was all happening I was being evaluated and the midwives decided to call in the doctor to have a look, worrying that my tear could be worse than they thought. Because my cervix was not completely dilated I had what was almost a third degree tear with a lot of swelling. The doctor got me all stitched up though and then Nathan and I had some time to the two of us. I got a good meal to eat while we waited to be transferred.

We got transferred and got our dear Kaliana back about 2 hours later after her first bath and she passed off on her blood sugars! Shortly after Kamden came to visit his sister and we spent our first time together as a family of four!

Elder David A. Bednar said of pregnancy and birth, "Nothing is more holy; nothing deserves more reverence; nothing is more central to the plan of happiness."

In relation to mothers, President Thomas S. Monson said, "Mother, who willingly made that personal journey into the valley of the shadow of death to take us by the hand and introduce us to birth-even to mortal life-deserves our undying gratitude.

How great is this divine opportunity of motherhood? It is my great opportunity, blessing, calling, and love of life! My Kamden and Kaliana as well as their dear birth stories are at the very center of my (and my husband's) life together! They are our greatest gift and I can think of nothing more holy, reverent, and happy than to be their mother!