Josiah Roy's Birth Story

Well, folks...I'm not going to put on airs...a week in the hospital separated from your hubby and little girl is the pits and really took it's toll on me.  The transition home was anything but the happy homegoing I'd hoped for.  Its been exhausting, and really hard with Josiah and Ella and figuring out how to do this all. But we're hanging in there and working our way through.  With strength from the Lord and lots of great friends to lean on we're gonna make it I'm sure :) 

But, finally, here is our precious Josiah's birth story! 

Tuesday July 17th I woke up at 5:30am feeling mild contractions 10 minutes apart like clockwork.  "Wahoo!" I thought, "This is it!  Today's the day!"  And then they stopped.  What a tease.

I went about my day as normal.  Ran some errands.  Took Ella to the library.  Bought some crickets for her toads.  Every now and then I'd feel a contraction but they were SO random.

Jason got home around 3:30 and set up the treadmill for me to walk on (It was 95+ with like 100% humidity so I was having nothing to do with walking outside).  I hopped on and sure enough, within about 10 minutes my contractions picked up anywhere from 5-8 minutes apart...still not regular but they kept coming and we started to think it really would happen.  At 5pm I called my midwife, just to give a status report and a heads up that I'd probably be in tonight.  She said she'd check back in an hour.

Jason made dinner, Ella played and watched some shows and I just walked about the house, pausing to sway my hips though each one.  They started coming more frequently.  We bussied ourselves about the house, putting last minute things in hospital bags, putting them in the van and calling our friends who were going to watch Ella to let them know this was it.

Here we are...contractions 2 minutes apart...just before we got into the van to head to the hospital.  Feeling good and very happy that Josiah is finally coming!

At 6pm my contractions were 45sec-1min long and coming every 2 to 2 1/2 minutes from beginning of one to beginning of another.  But as far as intensity, there were nothing.  My midwife said, "2 minutes apart, second baby, Id really like to see you come in now." 

We loaded up and dropped Ella off at our friends house, which went better than anticipated, and got to the hospital at 7pm, just minutes before a huge thunder storm and lightning show rolled in.  I was 4cm and fully thinned out.

I got in the shower and it felt awesome, relaxing my whole body.  I wanted to stay in there forever!  And I think I did for an hour or more (time warps when I'm in labor...and hour feels like 10 minutes) and then it was just too hot and steamy.  So I got out, put my nightgown on and laid on my side in the bed.  I put my relaxation music on and breathed and moaned through the contractions.  Jason read my relaxation scripts and massaged my lower back every time a contraction came.  Then he did a really light massage up my back with his finger tips in between...this is amazing...it releases those feel good endorphines.  Last time we had a doula and we were unsure how this time would go without one, but Jason was an amazing labor partner!  So contractions started to get really intense and at this point my midwife and nurse came in because I think they can just tell when things are ramping up.

I couldn't lay anymore, I needed to be moving around.  I stood, laying my upper body on the birthing ball and swaying my hips through each contraction, Jason still massaging my lower back each time.  Things really started to ramp up, and I'm not gonna lie, it wasn't pretty for a time.

I was hitting transition and it went the same way with Ella.  I began to think I couldn't do it anymore.  Then I began to say, loudly, and often, with much vigor, to everyone around that I couldn't do it anymore.  I asked to be checked again and I was 7cm.  I remember thinking, "Three more to go!?  I CAN NOT DO THIS!" I had an IV port in my hand (in case they needed to give my medicine to stop the bleeding after) and at one point I held up that hand and said, "I need to know what my options for this are!"

Everyone around me was so awesome!  They told me my options...Jason asked great questions about pros and cons for me and the baby with the medicine...and they reminded me of my goal to do it without medication.  They told me I was strong and I could do it.  Jason reminded me that this happened last time and that this means I'm almost there, almost done, almost to pushing.  My midwife told me that if I could get through three to five of these contractions, things generally shift and I'd get a new sense of energy and clarity.  At which point I may have yelled, "I'm pretty sure it's already BEEN 3-5 of these!"

But sure enough, not long after I got a new resolve.  I buckled down and said, "Okay, I think i can do this.  I'm gonna try!"  There was no where I could find that I felt settled.  Not standing, not on the birthing stool, not using the bars in the bathroom.  I finally went back over, stood next to the bed and put my hands on the bed.  And fortunately three centimeters more went away pretty fast.  Another contraction came and I felt the urge to push like I never had before.  And I did.  And my water broke.

My midwife came over and said, "Okay Sarah, if you want to have this baby here I need to put pillows all around you.  If not, you need to get in the bed!  Because this baby is coming!"  She told Jason she thought he'd be here just a few contractions.  I was SOOOOOOOO relieved to hear that the time had come to push.  I tried being on all fours for a few, but just felt too tired.  So I ended up lying on my side. 

Let me tell you.  I remember pushing with Ella feeling really good and not hurting at all.  She also came down very slowly and I pushed for 2 1/2 hours with her.  This little guy was in more of a hurry and that made everything MUCH more intense.  Let's just say, I'm sure I woke some people up in surrounding rooms.

It felt like no time at all.  I don't know exactly how many contractions it took, but Jason said I pushed for 15-20 minutes and then boom!  There he was.  Lying on my stomach.  Perfect, sweet little boy.

Once again, the relief and joy that washed over me when I felt that baby come out was INDESCRIBABLE.  There is no other feeling or emotion that will ever compare!  I remember looking up at Jason, both of us beaming, and he leaned over and kissed me.  Jason thought twice, but ended up passing on the umbilical cord cutting for fear he'd hit to floor, so I got to do the honors, which was a new momentus experience for me. 

It was a good thing I had the IV port, because like with Ella, I was bleeding too much.  A little medicine and I was fine.  (Thank-God we live in a first world country!)  With Josiah all cleaned off we just snuggled.  Jason sat beside me and we soaked it all in.    

About an hour old!

A few hours old.  Mama all showered up, daddy in his jammies...ready for some rest!

Oh my!  Too cute for words!

Yup.  In love!

The next morning.  Giving us some cuteness!

Came out of the shower to find him sleeping on Daddy's chest...de ja vu from when Ella was born!