True Loren

Labor began on True’s actual due date – Oct 14! It was a wonderful day! Mark had to work that morning, Ireland and Caleb had a date with granny and grandpa at the pumpkin patch. So I had the entire morning to myself. After contemplating what would be the most fun thing to do all alone that day, I decided a date with my Father in Heaven would be the best, since I hadn’t had time with him alone for an extended period of time in quite awhile. The kids were off by 10a.m. and I wasn’t expecting them back for a whole 2 hours! I was able to spend the time worshipping my Creator, praying for my family and praying for the upcoming birth of True. The main thing that I got out of that time was a reminder the Jesus is MORE THAN ENOUGH for me! It was absolutely thrilling to be reminded of that – my soul was more than fed that morning, which I am so thankful for since the day proved to be a very long one!

During that time, I noticed I was having relatively consistent contractions spaced about 10 minutes apart that were definitely not Braxton hicks. Once my date was over, I called Allison to inform her which she of course told me to drink a beer and take a nap. I didn’t drink the beer, but I did try to sleep which unfortunately didn’t come to me. I was able to lay down for 2 hrs though which I’m grateful for. The kids had already arrived home and Mark was due to be home around 5:30 as he was going to go to the gun range with James to shoot their new guns. After my rest and seeing the contractions were not stopping, I let Mark know I was a bit worried he might be too far away to get home in time in case the labor picked up like I expected it to. Considering Caleb’s was only 3 hours long. Mark decided it would be best to come home (what a good husband!) and he took over the care of the children, which I greatly appreciated! Allison decided she would come over to check on me after dinner – I still wasn’t too sure if this was the real thing, but I felt good to know she would be coming over. I didn’t want a repeat of Caleb’s labor where she showed up 20 minutes before he was out! I went ahead and called my mother around 4 to come over to help Mark out with the kids – I then had a feeling it might be a long night and I wanted Mark to be able to rest also. He hadn’t had a day off of work for the past 4 weeks! When my mom came over, we all just visited and enjoyed the afternoon.

Around 7pm is when Allison arrived...she suggested we go walk at Wal-Mart as “a watched pot doesn’t boil”. So we left Mark and mom and the kids at home so Caleb could go to bed and Mark could take a nap and we drove up to our local Wal-Mart. We walked around for about an hour, me having to stop during contractions, and Allison shopped for clothes for her girls. She was trying to figure out how to instant message her husband during this time, which during the time I didn’t know what she was saying, but later learned she texted him “real labor, staying!”. Then we came home and she taught me how to crochet in a straight line! I began finishing a washcloth she started and we all (minus daddy who was sleeping) sat in the living room visiting a crocheting! It was so nice b/c Allison was not timing my contractions to my knowledge or poking and prodding me. When I’d have a contraction, I’d put down my project and breathe and everyone else would be quiet. It was very peaceful! Around 11:30 I decided it was time to get into the hot tub...we woke Mark up from his peaceful slumber and I climbed in. It was such a wonderful change, especially with the water being much warmer this time! Mark lit the candles after finally waking up and the room was ready. The contractions began to get a little harder where I would have to moan through them around 12 I think. Though I still got a good break between each one. I said at one time that it wasn’t progressing fast enough because I was still able to joke around a bit during my breaks and because it wasn’t getting intense like it did with Caleb. I was very frustrated...and tired! I kept looking at my bed wishing I could just take a nap for a while, but unfortunately that was not possible. During transition, the only way I knew I was going through it was because I heard Allison tell Mark I was. When he asked when I would go through it, she said “she’s going through it now, just look at that frown on her face”. For me during my breaks between contractions, I remember keeping my eyes closed and whimpering with a frown because I was thinking this would never be over. I would definitely prefer that kind of transition from the shaking & vomiting I had with Caleb. Once I came back to myself, I finally asked Allison to check me to see how dilated I was. She did and said there was just a little lip left to my cervix, and that I could either go through more contractions until it went away, push past it, or she could push it aside during my next contraction – to which I asked if that would hurt, and of course she said yes, very much so. You can guess I chose not to do that option! I decided I would try to push past the lip and let me tell you – it hurt!! I had so been looking forward to the urge to push because it felt so much better than feeling the contractions. But I never felt that urge due to the lip...when I pushed, I would feel the contraction, plus the lip being pushed between my pubic bone and True’s head. It was extremely uncomfortable! Allison had me try a few different positions to encourage the lip to go away, one of which was standing. That was extremely painful, but I was able to lean on my strong husband and he supported me so well. During this time, I began to feel a new pain in my lower back which was awful! Allison informed me later that when her head got way down there, it put pressure on my sacrum and that this was normal for women to feel after their 3rd and on births...but most people don’t feel it with their first couple of births. I did not like the feeling, nor am I looking forward to feeling it again! That gave me more encouragement to get this over with! The last position she had me try, and of course she didn’t tell me it would be one of the most painful ones b/c she knew I would not do it (chicken!) I pushed and felt my water break and I looked down and saw a bit of blood in the water. That was when I knew it was time to get the show on and push sweet girl out! I got up on my knees and pushed with all my might. Allison told me to reach down and feel her head which I did and that gave me the energy to push a couple more times. Once I felt the burn, I stopped for a few breaths to let myself stretch then gave it one more big push and felt so relieved the minute she slid on out! Allison told me to pick up my baby, which I did and I leaned back in the pool with my new little girl. It was absolutely amazing!!! I was so exhausted it was really hard to hold her out of the water and keep my eyes open, but I was so relieved it was over! Ireland, my mom and Marla came in at that time in order to meet her. Everyone was so excited it was over and True was here.

After about 10 minutes or so in the water it was time to get out and deliver the placenta. Once I stood up, I felt something falling out of me – which ended up being the placenta! It was a good thing Allison is fast because she caught it just in time....which was fortunate because it was still attached to True and would have hurt her if it tugged I would think? I was so happy I didn’t have to push it out...Allison was shocked that it fell out, she said she had never seen anything like that before! We slowly but surely got me into bed and some food was brought to me since my blood sugar was so low and I was shaking so badly. True was immediately put up to my breast to nurse and it was fabulous. After we inspected the placenta and saw it was all healthy and perfect, it was time to weigh and measure her. Allison was guessing at least 8.5 pounds, I was guessing somewhere in the 8 pound range...we were all shocked she was so little! But I was thankful – I can definitely say that there was a difference in the burn while she was coming out compared to Caleb.

Around 4 is when the family went home. Mark went to sleep on the couch for a while, he was so exhausted. I know that childbirth is hard physically for the woman, but I can definitely say it is also emotionally and physically draining for the man. I can only imagine how hard it must be to see someone you love in such pain and know there’s really nothing you can do to stop it. Mark at one point really thought we were going to have to go to the hospital, but that’s just because he was scared, not because anything was really going wrong. Allison came in around 5 and helped me take a shower which made me feel so much better! Then we climbed into bed to try to get a few hours of sleep before Caleb woke up. Of course, I couldn’t sleep a wink even though I was so exhausted. Mainly because my body was aching so badly and because I was so hungry and thirsty. At one point I got up to get something to drink and eat and to download some pictures...though getting up was extremely difficult!

True is now a week old as I write this and has been wonderful. She is nursing like a champion and she loves to sleep with her mommy and daddy. I can’t brag enough about my sweet man and all he has done this week. He took off 2 weeks of work so that I could completely recover and he has totally taken over the household duties. And he has totally taken over caring for Ireland and Caleb – I have only changed 1 of Caleb’s diapers all week! I could not have married a better man! He has really been able to bond with the kids this week to, especially Caleb. I know it is hard for him to do all he has done this week, but he has done it all without any complaints and has been so wonderful to me. I am truly blessed to have such a loving husband and healthy, beautiful children. I pray they will all grow up to love and serve wholeheartedly their Savior Jesus. And that we will live out our daily lives to point them to Him in a way that makes an impact on their lives, and the lives of their children for generations to come.