Welcome to Jenna Rae’s birth story!
Our sweet baby girl was born on September 21, 2022. At the time of writing this she is six weeks exactly. Time is flying by but boy are we having fun!
I always dreamed of being a mama. Even as a little girl. In my teen years I never really had any dreams or ambitions of a career. The desire of my heart was to be a wife and mother. As amazing as I thought this life would be it does not begin to compare to the reality of a life lived for Jesus and allowing Him to fulfill the desires of your heart! To sum it all up, I feel extremely blessed!
But you are here for a birth story! so back to that.
Jenna’s birth story could be a bit lengthy so I will try to keep as many unnecessary details out as possible.
To fully understand we have to go back a bit further than the beginning of labor to our thirty two week ultrasound where we were told that Jenna was measuring a bit on the small side. Our doctor was not very concerned considering my husband and I were both relatively small babies (in the seven pound range). As well as the fact that I am a small built person.
They had us come back every week for an ultrasound just to make sure things were going well and she was continuing to grow at a steady rate.
Our Thirty-Eight Week Appointment
Things continued to go well until our thirty-eight week ultrasound. Jenna continued measuring small but maintained a steady growth rate until the week before at thirty-seven weeks. She was not dangerously low, just not gaining as much as the doctor would like. Everything else about her looked great.
When performing a growth scan, the ultrasound technician measures a baby’s head circumference, abdomen, and length of femur. At Jenna’s thirty-eight week appointment they noticed her head and femur were growing consistently but her abdominal measurements were bringing her percentile down. She had dropped from the seventh percentile to less than one percent in just a week.
The reason for this was that my placenta was no longer giving her what she needed to grow (this was likely due to an abnormal placement of the umbilical cord). Instead of her nutrients coming from my body she was having to use her own fat storage to provide for her development. Because of this it was decided that she would be better off out than in and I should be induced as soon as possible (the following morning).
Most people would probably not find this a big deal since voluntary inductions happen all the time at thirty eight weeks. However, I did not want to be induced at all! This was a LOT to process at once. I actually low-key had a mental break down in the doctor’s office!
I think it was mainly due to my lack of preparing for the unexpected. Everything in my pregnancy had gone according to text-book and had been extremely easy up to this point (minus major sleep issues my entire pregnancy!). We knew she was small but everyone kept assuring us that she was likely fine. My plan was to labor at home as long as I could, go to the hospital, and have my child naturally if I could handle the pain. This was a lot of information to take in. I did not realize until this point how secure I was in my own plans.
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The doctor was extremely kind and patient. She explained all the reasons for the induction being necessary. She respected my decision to have my child naturally and offered to try breaking my water to let my body go into labor on its own without having to use Pitocin.
By the time we left I had peace in abundance, even though I was still not thrilled with this interruption of my plans!
The Surprises Kept Coming.
This was not the last time Jenna would surprise us that day.
After leaving the doctor’s office, my husband and I called our parents to inform them of what was happening. Both sets said they would just pray I went into labor that evening on my own.
We headed out to Cheddar’s where my husband got us a quiet table in the back and we splurged on one last pre-baby meal. After our mini date we headed home to get prepared to be at the hospital at 6am. We packed hospital bags, set up the carseat, and I stress cleaned a few things then headed to bed.
Once in bed I started having a few contractions. I was used to having Braxton Hick’s contractions throughout pregnancy so I was not too concerned. Except they started coming more strongly and more regularly than before. I figured maybe it was just from the stress of the day and tried to relax.
By around two in the morning things had not changed at all, in fact I was more uncomfortable than when I laid down. Then I heard a strange sound. A few women had told me how they actually heard their water break. I was in denial! I only heard something, I did not feel any fluid. I decided I would get up and use the bathroom. I took a few steps and then came the fluid. It still was not more than a few drops but I was no longer in denial. This was it! Prayer worked!
I woke Jimmy up and began to try timing the contractions that were now much stronger. They were not extremely painful, just uncomfortable and very irregular. I could not even time them because they were so inconsistent. I remembered my mom saying that she could never go by contractions to indicate where she was at for any of her labors.
The doctor had checked my cervix earlier that day at my appointment and I was already dilated to a three. Because of this we decided it would probably be a good idea to go to the hospital instead of waiting it out at home and risk having Jenna in the car. A lot can happen in a twenty minute drive and this kid had been full of surprises already! Again, my plans were interrupted.
Active Labor
We made it to the hospital just fine around 3:30am. We got checked in and the nurse asked us her million questions then left us for a bit to “rest”. (I love how they leave your room in a hospital and tell you to try to get some rest then people keep coming in the room every ten minutes!)
Jimmy was able to sleep some and I just “rested” for a while.
At this point I was dilated at a four and eighty percent effaced. My pain level was around a two for the majority of my labor until transition. Contractions were quite uncomfortable but very manageable.
To be honest, I really enjoy contractions. Each one is a challenge to stay relaxed and in control. When you picture what is going on and how your body is working to bring that little life into the world can be pretty amazing!
The day drug on uneventfully the whole morning and afternoon. My contractions were getting stronger and more intense but the pain was still very manageable. I was GBS positive so by the afternoon they had already been able to administer several bags antibiotics via IV to decrease risk of infection and possible harm to baby. The baby’s heart rate remained great the entire labor and we were sailing along beautifully.
Transition
By around four o’clock in the afternoon I began to switch from active labor to transition. My pain at this point was around a six or seven during contractions and I was finding it much harder to relax through the pain. Breathing became different as well. I had to really change up my whole strategy to remain in control.
Before transition I found that counter pressure was very helpful. My husband would gently press in on my lower back during a contraction. Even at the beginning of transition this was working until I was in full transition. At this point it was no longer relieving.
By around five o’clock I was exhausted. My face, neck, and arms were numb from lack of oxygen due to not breathing correctly. The nurse said I was low-key hyperventilating and needed to try to breathe longer and deeper through my contractions. I was dilated at a seven and at this point I was very much done!
I remember feeling like I was not going to be able to do this. I knew if I was going to make it the rest of the way without medication or just giving up from exhaustion I needed to do something to regain control. I asked my doctor if I could take a shower. I honestly do not know why I thought of this but I am so glad I did! She was hesitantly fine with it. I am pretty sure I was freaking the nurses out. One of them decided to stay in the room and leave the bathroom door cracked in case I started to go into labor.
I made it through the shower just fine and it helped immensely! It was just what I needed to boost my energy and help me refocus during that last leg of the journey.
By around seven the shifts had changed and I got the best nurse! They were all really great but this particular one was a mom of seven who had all of her children naturally/unmedicated. She gave some great tips!
From seven o’clock to nearly eight I remained dilated at a nine. I was so close to a ten but I had just a small piece of cervix that was not fully expanded. Talk about discouraging being that close but not able to just be done!
The pain and pressure were building intensely. My nurse said that when things were ready I should feel a pressure like I had not felt before, almost like the need to poop. While I was waiting on this magical pressure, she prepared the room and my mind for delivery.
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This was a big help to keep me focused. It made me feel like I knew what I was doing, even though I had no clue! As she was explaining that I would push for ten seconds three times, then take a break I was wondering if I would have enough air and energy to push ten whole seconds. (You seriously think of the strangest things during labor!) Because I was so concerned that I would not be able to do it I decided I should practice. I waited for a contraction and lightly pushed/held my breath for ten seconds. I could do it!!
After my practice push I felt that unbelievable pressure the nurse described. We called her back into the room and after a final cervical check she said I was complete and it was time to push. I was so energized and relieved!
When the doctor came in I clearly remember her saying, “This could take anywhere from thirty minutes to three hours.”. I just remember looking at the clock (8:02pm) and thinking to myself “There is no way I’m pushing three hours! This baby is out of here by nine o’clock!”.
I pushed for twenty minutes and after eighteen hours of labor our precious girl was born at 8:28pm.
There is nothing like the feeling of a long awaited treasure placed on your chest! Instant love beyond description.
Jenna weighed five pounds eight ounces and was seventeen inches long. She is a healthy baby girl, still tiny but so quickly making up for it!
I can not wait to see where life takes us! Already so many memories have been made and so many lessons have been learned through the blessing of you. Welcome to the world sweet Jenna Rae.
I have enjoyed the blogs that I have read. Love you, miss seeing you and would love to meet Jenna.
Thank you! I love you too!