Bodie's Birth Story

WARNING: i dont know if i even have male readers...but if i do this a labor story, with labor terms in it...please dont be grossed out! if you think you may be...you may skip this entry...no hard feelings :) 

My labor started on December 23^rd with my due date 2 days away. For the past 2 weeks i had been having irregular contractions - they would start and last hours and then stop. Bryan was a mess trying to decide if i was going into labor or not.  I had an appointment with Sue on the 23rd and had told her that I had been having contractions that were getting stronger, but they would stop when I would lay down, so I knew they weren’t the “real” thing. She checked me and I was 4 cm dilated and Bodie was in a perfect position so she went ahead and stripped my membranes to see if maybe that would help kick my labor into gear.  Around 8:00 that evening I started to get harder contractions, but they were far apart. After many questions from an anxious Bryan – “Should I call Sue?”, “Should I fill the tub?”, “Should I turn the Jacuzzi on?”, “Are you in labor?” and not a clear answer from me, he went ahead and called Sue himself to ask her what he should do. She told him to tell me to go to sleep and try to rest and when the contractions were 5 minutes apart and I couldn’t lay down through one and strong enough to stop me from walking or talking to call her. I went to bed around 11:00pm. At 1:30a.m. I shot out of bed with a “real” contraction. I startled Bryan and told him directively, “Call Sue and start filling the tub!” I think he was happy to finally have a clear answer.

My mom and Bryan’s mom were woken at this point and joined us in the bedroom. Soon after Sue showed up and I called Rashelle and Sue called her assistant Lindsay. My contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and getting more and more intense. The atmosphere was very relaxed and upbeat between contractions and many funny moments helped to lighten the mood. For instance, at one point my mom told Bryan he was doing good (and he truly was - rubbing my back until his hands were raw through every contraction) and i looked at her and was like, "seriously mom?" it became our little joke the rest of the time, "wanna cookie Bryan?" "what can we get you Bryan?"  - also when i was directed to try to "relax" i used all my energy to concentrate and be still...i guess i did too good a job because Bryan fell asleep! I remember also craving watermelon...but between contractions there was just such a good energy in the air - every female in that room had been through natural childbirth before and each female knew what i needed...except my mom obviously! just kidding mom - you did 500% better than with Bryson!! good job! 

 

i wanted the whole labor and delivery to be an experience - not just for me, but for everyone - to participate in and remember and i believe it was. Sue called me on Christmas to tell me she had another birth that went into Christmas, but assured me that mine was "much more fun!" and you know, it was fun! I know that sounds odd to some...how can labor be fun? and of course the pain and the pushing was not what i would classify as "fun" but the whole experience was never scary and never out of my control and i was only surrounded by people who loved Bryan and I dearly and had our best interests at heart.

Bryan helped by rubbing my back and the water helped as well. Progressively things were getting more serious and Sue checked me and I was 10 cm but there was a bit left of my cervix that needed to dilate, so despite some of my pushes nothing was happening. I laid on my side in the tub and tried to relax through some of the contractions, which now had progressed to very intense back labor. After a while I really felt the urge to push and with about 4 contractions…a very loud “Get Him Out!!!” and a back-wrenching scream Bodie Owen Barnes came into our world at 6:55 a.m...He was so sweet from the moment he came out. Sue placed him on my chest and he did a push up on my chest and looked at me and then moved his neck to look at Bryan. it was the craziest thing i have ever seen - strong from the start! I was so in love with him already and couldnt wait to nurse him and cuddle with him, but i knew that i wasn't finished yet...after the placenta was delivered and we got all clean and in bed and i nursed him i just kept saying out loud and to myself "i can't believe i just did that! i can't believe women can do that!" i was so amazed by the process - the experience - the amazing bodies God designed for us! 

I was completely shocked when Sue weighed him in at 9 lbs 8oz and he measured 22 inches. I am so thankful I didn’t know that going into the birth because it probably would have scared me to death!

We had debated whether or not to have Bryson (3 yrs old at that point) in the room or not. At the end we just decided to let him do what he wanted to do and if it got too scary or if i wasnt in control of my screams then my father-in-law Bob would take him in the other room. Well wouldnt you know it Bryson woke up at 6:30 (Bodie was born 25 minutes later) and i was at the MOST intense part of my labor. so Bob took him into the other room to watch a movie and told him when they heard the baby cry he would take him in to see him. Well...that back wrenching scream i just told you about happened and Bryson asked Bob, "was that the baby?" "uhhhh...no...not the baby yet" was Bob's reply...definitely not the baby! A short while later Bodie did cry and Bob brought Bryson in to see his brother. he was very reserved and i knew he wanted to hold him but didn't quite know what to think. Later when everyone was gone and we were resting Bryson came in to say hello to his new little brother and we had the most tender moment. I knew he was going to be a good big brother from that point on...

The above picture is of my midwife Sue, who was and is amazing and who i will call for the next one...whenever that may be...it was a Christmas i will always remember. So wonderful to be surrounded by family and friends and you could feel the love when you stepped inside the house - it was that palpable. I was also very blessed to have everything go so normal and textbook and to have a very healthy baby boy...i know this...and know that we were so completely blanketed with prayers and i had a peace about it. God is good.