Wow! What a whirlwind, TV baby delivery!
I had been reading and praying about a Bradley delivery and fast labor. God answered our prayers. Here is the story of Aiden's birth.
I woke with contractions at 5 am. I don't know what it is about me starting labor in the middle of the night.
This was definentaly labor and we were going to meet our new baby today! The emotional sign post was good and excited and that quickly lead to the questions of how long is this labor going to take?... How hard and painful was labor going to be? ... would I have back labor like Addie?
I called mom around 6am. She was going to come over and help me and bring Lydia to be with the kids. At this point I am still trying to rest and relax my body and save my energy for the hard part that was to come.
Holly Ward is and amazing woman of God that I met in life group. She is a labor and delivery nurse that is staying home with here two girls right now. I had asked her to be my labor coach. What peace she brought to our birth. I called Holly at a little before 8a and said contractions were about 10 min apart. Holly arrived at 9 am and mom shortly after. At that time they were about 3-5 min apart and Holly went ahead and texted my midwife at 10a.
At this point I am stopping to breath through contractions and some of them were really strong. Holly prayed with me, quoted scriptures and talked me through some contractions. We changed positions a lot and went to the bathroom a lot, but the most relaxing was laying on the bed, side lying.
Contractions were coming about 1-2 min apart and I was getting to the point where I asked for the epidural with Addie, so I was talking to Holly about when we should begin to head to the hospital. I was thinking I had over an hour or two before we should be concerned with rushing to the hospital.
I don't know if you know me very well, but I am terrified of needles and knew that upon arrival they would put IV port in my hand, which has been terrible the first two births, they always have to stick me several times all during labor of course. Also,due to having a C-section already I have to have the fetal heart monitor on my belly. It is a tight elastic belt that has a box on the top that sends heart rate info to the machine for the nurses to check. These things really made me anxious to go and labor at the hospital, so I wanted to wait and labor as much at home as possible.
We decide to leave for the hospital at 10:35. Many times I would have to stop and breath through a contraction along the way. That means I get down to the truck at 11a. At this point I am surprised to find out that I want to push with my contractions. All of us look at each other like ..."the hospital is pretty far away to want to push already". Holly says well our options are to go to Harrison, Floyd, Clark or ambulance. Do you think you can make it through 12 contractions? Okay, let's go to Clark. From 11:02- 11:28 God granted us speed and perseverance because I don't know how it could be humanly possible for us to make that time from Corydon to Clark with all the traffic headed to the bridge.
I would constantly ask Holly "What do I do Holly? Anytime I would get scared or panicked I would sing to God or pray or ask Holly what to do. The whole time trying to get my other muscles to relax. Now, we don't want to have the baby in the truck or the side of the road, so I am not suppose to push with these contractions. Holly is coaching me to breath up high in my chest and to try not to push yet. Goodness.
We are getting near Floyd and Holly asks if we can make it 8 more contractions. I say we can't make it. Matt turns around and says what about the money we paid Clark? I hesitate and then say Okay let's go to Clark.
As soon as we pull into the ER bay a guy runs out and asks what's the matter. Matt yells, she's having a baby! Holly called ahead to tell them we were on our way. Matt says this rush of 10 people run out to pull me out of the truck onto the guerney. Onc nurse says she's on backwards, the guy tells her she won't be on here long. Most of this is a blur to me till we get to the elevator and I don't see Matt. He had went to park the truck and Holly assures me he will be here soon. We get to the delivery room just in time for me to all out push and baby is crowning. I remember holding on to the bar of the bed and everything was happening so fast. Holly quickly comes up beside me and helps me to breath and slow down a little bit. Matt appears and my doctor did not make it before Aiden comes out to say hello.
Matt laughs that I said, "Holly it hurts..." I know all of the ladies are laughing or saying amen!
11:32a Aiden Wesley Murphy is laid on my belly. I am relieved, crying, smiling, and hugging all over my little boy. Dark curly brown hair and dark skin, my husband is looking around at everyone thinking this cannot be my child. Aiden is 8pounds 3.4 ounces and 22inches long.
Praise Jesus! We made it! My midwife was there to deliver the placenta and help check us all at the end. Dr. Hanigin was there by God's grace to deliver as she was checking on another patient in labor. No IV, No monitor, no drugs and no tearing! God is so good.
Altogether 6 1/2 hour labor God answered our prayers. Now we have the hard part, taking care of a newborn.