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!

Today...

My house is a mess!

Kamden is being naughty! Cute, but naughty!

I have homework that I should do! 

Kamden had animal crackers and milk for breakfast while watching Curious George!

I stayed in bed while this occured.

I am anemic and exhausted.

Iron pills better give me a kick in the butt someday soon.

I don't know if I'll cook dinner tonight (again)!

I've used 2 rolls of toilet paper for blowing my nose in the past two days.

I feel like my head is going to blow up!

My maternity pants that fit with Kamden are all getting too small with this baby, two months before my due date.

Do I buy new ones or just try and wait it out.

Serves me right for not losing all the baby weight before getting pregnant.

I feel like a big, over-inflated balloon.

I haven't been able to breath out my nose for the past 3 days.

My lips are so chapped from breathing through my mouth constantly.

I need to go grocery shopping.

I need to clean my house.

I have a list of things to do the size of Texas.

Instead, I'm going to go snuggle up in my bed and take a nap while Kamden does.

I might try to take care of all those other things when I wake up...if I wake up.

That's all!

 

Pushing Through

Oh man, can I tell you I feel like this pregnancy is just killing me this last trimester. I have been getting a little sick (nothing like the first trimester) but still a little which is dissapointing in the third trimester. I could never be one of the mom's out there who has morning sickness their whole pregnancy. I'd throw in the towel and give up!

The being sick every once in a while isn't that bad though. It's the exhaustion I feel right now! Blah! With Kamden I don't remember feeling this tired but then maybe it's because I didn't have little guy who likes to wake up by 7:30 a.m. at the latest every day! Every once in a while I sleep during nap time but when I do I lose precious time to do homework uninterrupted, which let's face it hardly ever happens!

I better stop complaining before I make everyone think that I'm completely ungrateful and while I sit here complaining I'm realizing that a lot of people have it harder than I do.

I'm just saying that right now this is hard. I'm not sure I knew what I was getting myself into when I decided to be a full time student and a pregnant mama! It's hard some days, at least for me it is!

I just have to keep telling myself I only have 7 more weeks of school and 8-9 weeks of pregnancy. Just keep pushing though! After that I have a break from school and a sweet little baby girl to snuggle with.

I can do this!

I think.

I'm off to change a stinky diaper!

Our Typical Day

Today is just not going how I imagined it would, not how I planned.

Kamden woke up early and he wouldn't stop crying until I pulled his sweet body out of the crib and filled it with orange slices, bread and milk. I woke up with a headache so I took some Tylenol and laid back down with the little Bubba Bear in sight. I fell asleep, woke up an hour later, finding I would not make it to the gym in time, and of course there were wipes all over the floor. I asked Kamden to pick up his mess. He brought the wipe container to me to open. I opened it and he filled it with crumbled up wipes. He sure is a good little boy that Bubba Bear of mine.

I finally pulled myself off the bed and decided to come on out and try doing some homework. We tried. I say we because it has to be a joint effort between Kamden and I. Kamden wasn't feeling that this morning so I shut my computer, read him a book, watched Curious George, and Kamden crawled over me, jumped on me, and every once in a while sat back down on my lap to read a book or watch the silly monkey.

I looked up recipes for a good dessert tonight. The Sister Missionaries are coming over and I don't know what I'm doing for dinner yet. I find a dessert I want so bad and realize I don't have everything so I settle on something else. I set that aside and realize it's time for lunch. I feed the two of us, Kamden and I. He eats and is nearly asleep so I decided I want to try and cuddle that sleepy little boy. I carefully take him out and find out he has a dirty diaper for the third time today. I change that diaper while he screams at me.

We come back out with a blanket and cuddle up on the recliner. He actually cuddles with me for about 5 minutes! I'll take it. Then he rolls over happier than a clam, ready to play. He crawls down with a little help and runs that little body of his all over the place pulling toys, or what he has adopted as his toys, out of every toy basket, toy chest, desk drawer, craft drawer and shelf cubicle he can find.

He comes by and for the fourth time today he needs another diaper change (that's right four dirty diapers and it's just turning 1:30 p.m. We buck up and change that cute little bum of his and then he heads straight to the crib for a nap. This means I can shower. I shower for the day, put on some capri sweats and head out to the maze of a living room, dining room Bubba has created. Not sure where to start I turn off the heat, turn on some good, soft Instrumental music, open up the sliding porch door to the cool, fresh air and breathe it in for a good couple minutes. Then I sit down and I write for a little therapy session about my day, like somebody is dying to hear it, all the while thinking about what to do for dinner, my ten reading assignments, discussion boards, and reading quizzes that are due tonight, and cleaning up this mess before the Sister Missionaries get here.

This is my life in all it's glory! Every day is a little different. Some days I actually do get some homework done and most days I make it to the gym in the morning for some sweaty, me time where others I'm sure wonder who the huge pregnant lady is, trying to act like she can cycle, do step, and pretend to do crunches like the rest of the world. 

We don't aim to high around here lately for incredible stories of excitement but nonetheless, this is my life.

 My Life...and I Love It!

The End!

The Hair Cut

I've been wanting to cut my hair for awhile and secretly, deep down inside I've wanted to go short for a long time but I've never got up the courage to chop it all off. In first grad I got a hair cut, a mushroom cut, and I'm pretty sure that was the only motivation I needed to never cut my hair short again! Haha...Seriously, I've been terrified ever since. The shortest I have  gone it just below my shoulders and this time I was determined to go above the shoulders. Haylee (the friend who did it for me) asked if I wanted to go longer first and then cut it but I told her, "No, just cut it, otherwise I'll whimp out!" She cut at least 10" off and I can even donate it so I figure it's worth it!

Enough talking, let's make a reveal!

The before was taken a couple weeks earlier but it gives the general idea of how long my hair was. You can't see the long hair too great but I don't take very many pictures of myself, especially when I'm pregnant so a two week span is pretty darn good, I'd say!

I'm both nervous and excited to try new styles but I think short hair will be a good thing for awhile, plus it feels so much healthier!

Just for record sake as well, in that picture taken yesterday I was 29 weeks pregnant with our little girl. Do I look huge, I feel huge! :-)

The End of Today

Can I just say I've been looking forward to the end of the day, all day!

For example:

• When I woke up not feeling well but knowing I had too much school work to stay in bed.
• Not getting to the gym because instead I'm stuck staring at a computer screen reading (not casual reading) for about 8 hours today!
• When Kamden pulled the wipes out of every wipe container in the house today! Not even kidding, we have four and somehow I made it possible for him to get a hold of all four! Blah!
• Or, how about when my little guy takes every Q-tip out of the container and spread them over my bedroom floor!
• Maybe, it's when the snack container I gave him to stay happy in the car ended with Oatmeal Squares all over the car and in the bottom of his car seat!
• It could have been when I went to my doctor's appointment only to find out that I'm gaining more weight with this pregnancy than with Kamden, and I workout more this time around. Blah, talk about discouragement! More water, less sugar, right? I have to go back for a glucose test tomorrow. I didn't make it to the lab because the tears were threatening to surface the moment I walked out of the midwife office.
• I think it might be that I have given up for the night and my paper that was supposed to be posted today for a class will lose 5 points because I couldn't handle anymore homework for the day.
• It could be that I stared at my computer screen reading for 8 hours out of the day, attended an hour long class meeting, made a research outline, posted on three discussion boards, and took two quizzes.
• Don't forget about the mountain of clothes that needs to be folded. It's been sitting in my bedroom for two days!

I can't remember the rest! I'm going to bed, hoping tomorrow runs a little more smoothly.

Early Morning Woes

I've been in that can't get comfortable, weird dreams, restless legs, have to use the restroom stage in pregnancy for a couple weeks now and let me tell you, I don't miss it. It seems some nights I can't get to sleep until late in the morning because of my darn restless legs. Well, that and I can't find a place to put my stupid arm that is comfortable when I lay on my side. Lavender Oil mixed with a little bit of Ortho Ease does wonders for my legs though (That is Heaven Sent!), and of course it isn't as bad if I get my rear end to the gym each morning but this week I haven't done that with Kamden sick.

It's usually around 4:00-5:00 am that I wake up needing to visit the restroom and once I do, I need a drink of water, and maybe a few strawberries. I cuddle back into that bed of mine and restlessness hits me. If I do get comfortable I have one adorably handsome man and one cute little boy I share a room with who both snore. 

About this time I get up out of bed, find my way to the living room and read a book or write senseless posts on my blog about how I can't sleep! Well, that and listen to the upstairs neighbors walking around all early morning long. Crazy people!

I'm going to the gym today. My legs need it and Kamden is better so I can get take him into the childcare center! Plus, we both need some time out of this house!

I think that's all.

I might take a nap later if I finish my homework! Have a happy day!