Birth Story to tell Variah Someday

Variah Ann Taylor

Born Sunday July 15, 2012 1:04 pm

Riverton, Utah

After being pregnant for 39 weeks, mom was more than willing to get you here.  She was starting to feel like she was going to be pregnant forever.  All the aches and pains were getting really old.  She had heard that long walks would induce labor. So mom and dad went on a walk to rent a movie.  The walk, round trip was about 30 min. We rented the movie "We bought a zoo".  Mom made peach cobbler to eat during the movie.  After the movie mom and dad were talking. Mom asked dad when he thought you'd come.  He said the next day.  Mom said Friday of that week.  Dad then leaned over and told you that you could come the next day.  We then went to bed.  Mom woke up around 3 am with contraction pains.  These were stronger than any other pains she had had with the pregnancy.  She decided to start watching the clock to see how long the pains lasted.  They were about 7 minutes apart.  She couldn't remember how close the contractions should be in order to go to the hospital.  She decided to get out her pregnancy book and read it in the bathroom so she wouldn't wake up dad.  When she went into the bathroom, she noticed she was bleeding and had been bleeding earlier in the night.  This alarmed her, so she went and woke up dad to ask him if he remembered if it was normal to bleed.  He said some jibberish and went back to sleep. This was no help to mom, so she went out to the living room and got on the internet.  She found some sites that explained the bleeding as something that happens before going into labor.  So mom went back to wake up dad, for real this time.

He woke up and we decided to start timing the contractions.  Mom had meant to do some things that day, but never got around to doing them.  For the next hour mom and dad timed the contractions while we plucked mom's chin hairs, got things ready for the hospital bag, mom took off her fingernail polish, dad made the bed and then we were off to the hospital. 

The ride there was perfect! All of the lights were green and How to Save a Life by The Fray was playing on the radio.  We checked into the hospital and they put us in a small room where mom was hooked up to a machine to monitor your heartbeat and the contractions.  They checked mom and she was dilated to a 4.  After being in the room for about 30 min. the nurse told mom to walk for an hour around the hospital and then they would see if she had progressed.  Mom and dad walked around the 3rd floor of the hospital. When mom felt a contraction, she would march with high knees to get through the pain-so much for those breathing techniques we'd learned in the birthing class! We stopped and rested a couple of times and during one of the breaks, dad told you to help make mom dilate quickly so we wouldn't have to go home.

After 40 min. of walking around we went back to the room. The nurse asked mom and dad if they wanted to have a baby that day.  Such a weird question! We both wondered if we had a choice.  The nurse said we could go back home and wait things out.  She then checked mom and found that the walking had helped. Mom was now dilated to a 6!  You had listened to dad once again! We gathered all of our things and headed to a labor and delivery room.  And guess what number was on the door? 8, mom's favorite number!  Things were really in her favor.

Things progressed rather quickly from there.  In about a half hour, mom got an epidural. It was heaven! No more feeling the pain of the contractions.  Dr. Twelves, mom's doctor who was the on call doctor for the day, was at another hospital.  Once she arrived an hour later, she broke mom's water.  Mom was dilated to an 8 and 90% effaced at this point.  Dr. Twelves then left again to do a scheduled C section at another hospital from 10:30 to 11:30.  Mom was told not to do any pushing, unless told to do so by the nurse.  Around 12:00 the nurse had mom do some practice pushes with dad and the nurse holding mom's legs.  After a couple of practice pushes, the nurse stopped mom because she was doing such a good job and you were close to coming.  In fact, dad was able to see your hair poking out.  Once Dr. Twelves got there to the room, mom started pushing.  She pushed until you came out at 1:04 pm.  What a miracle! 

As soon as you were out, you were placed on mom's chest.  Dad cut the umbilical cord with Dr. Twelves' help.  The nurses then cleaned you off, while you screamed to the world you were finally here!  They ran tests on you and measured you.  You weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces and measured 19 1/2 inches long.  You had brown hair, 10 toes and fingers and a beautiful face.  After you were completely checked, dad took you over to mom for our first family picture. 

Grandma Taylor and Grandma Larlie had been waiting patiently in the waiting room, for your arrival.  They soon joined us in the delivery room to see their newest granddaughter.  They fell in love with you immediately.  Lots of pictures were taken and then you and mom were wheeled down to the maternity ward while everyone else followed. While you were wheeled down the hallway, a lullaby played over the loud speakers to announce your birth!  It was a special moment, one just for you! 

We spent the next 2 days in the room watching the Tour de France, eating yummy hospital food, getting poked and prodded and seeing lots of visitors.  We went home on July 17th to begin our new adventure!

Week 40-No more belly shots!