I was five days overdue....but it felt like three years. I couldn't wait to hold this baby girl in my arms. A baby I (and many, many others) had prayed for...a miracle in every sense of the word.
We weren't sure if we would be able to have more kids after my battle with cancer a few years ago. We prayed and hoped for bigger plans and God delivered. On July 18, 2013 (Daryn and I's 10 year dating anniversary), we found out we'd be welcoming our long awaited, fourth family member.
I approached this pregnancy much different than I did with Dawson. I'm in a healthier, stronger place and I wanted my pregnancy to reflect that. Eating better, regular exercise, chiropractic care and AdvoCare played large parts of my weekly routines. I desired this pregnancy to reflect my spiritual and personal growth the last three years, especially the delivery of this baby. I wanted to test what I'd built mentally and tap into what God showed me we would walk through together through a drug free delivery.
If someone would have told me 5 years ago that I would want a drug free delivery I would have called you crazy. But if you told me I'd have cancer at age 26 I would have called you crazy too.
Good friends of ours recommended a book 'Supernatural Childbirth' that tipped my thinking upside-down about labor. Was a 'pain-free' delivery possible? I wasn't sure, but I boldly prayed for it and it filled my prayers for months leading to Lainey's delivery.
Now it was five days past my due date, a place I wasn't entirely surprised to find myself. I was five days overdue with Dawson and both pregnancies I measured small. I was, however, getting anxious to start labor on my own. I was induced with Pitocin for Dawson's labor and I had doubts if the same followed suit for this delivery that I would need some medication to counter act the blows of contractions Pitocin would serve.
I needed to preoccupy my mind. Dawson and I decided to see a 5:00pm movie that evening. On our way into Madison, I felt something shift. Her movements from my belly were different, not contractions, but more abrupt movement. As we pulled into the parking lot of the movie theater, I thought my water was starting to leak. I sat in the car for a few moments, explaining to Dawson what was going on and he exclaimed, 'Whoa Mom, this is a
real emergency!'.
After I settled in a little bit, realizing this could be the beginning of the end, I called Daryn to alert him that things were starting to change and to keep his phone handy. The plan was Dawson and I would still go to the movie and Daryn would finish up his appointments until further notice.
I was contracting seven minuets apart and hard throughout the entire movie. I was starting to get nervous as the Doctors had told me once my water broke, labor would move quickly. I texted Daryn and we planned to meet back home, pack our bags and head to the hospital once my contractions got a little closer together.
Once home (my contractions had slowed down greatly on the ride home, thankfully!), I headed outside to walk some hills for the umteenth time to bring the contractions closer together. A few hours later, contractions were cycling through every 4-5 minuets. Daryn's dad arrived and we reached the hospital around 11:30pm.
My heart sank a bit as my contractions had yet again slowed down once we got settled into Triage. I was still 3cm dilated. The nurse instructed us to walk around the hospital for an hour and to come back. If there was progress, we stayed, if not, we'd head home. Since there was no way this overdue momma was headed home, we literally sprinted around the hospital, up and down stairs, hoping for progress. With no contractions and no pain during our 'pre-labor warm up', I was doubting things would pick up. Much to my surprise, however, upon our return to triage I was dialed to 4cm and we were staying. The nurse went to go let the OB doc on call know and to prep a room for us. Victory!...or so I'd thought.
No rooms. There were no labor rooms available for us. I pleaded with the nurse to let us stay overnight. She must have felt bad for us (or was trying to avoid a meltdown!) and arranged for us to stay in the Antepartum unit morning. Then the plan would be to get us into a Delivery room in the morning, break my water and meet our little girl.
We were restless that night. Between the anticipation of the next day, the staff and uncomfortable bed, we got a few broken hours of sleep. The Doctor on call came in and woke us that morning to confirm that days plan of breaking my water and meeting our baby. I had (with no pain still) dilated to 5cm through the night and was packing my things to move to our Labor & Delivery room when the Doctor returned with some unfortunate news. There was still no rooms available and they had to turn away scheduled inductions for that day. Again, I was given an hour to show progress or I'd be sent home. I half joked with the Doctor that if we had to leave he would need to teach my husband how to deliver this baby, being that I was now six days over due and 5cm.
Daryn and I broke a sweat as we took to our route again that morning. Winding in and out of hallways and running up and down stairs. With still little to no contractions or pain, I was nervous that we were going to be sent home.
Once we arrived back to our Antepartum room, we meet the Doctor who confirmed I was now 6cm and had a Delivery room waiting for us. Finally! We settled into our room around 1:30pm. My contractions were about 5 minuets apart but I was able to walk and talk through them without trouble. My mom and friend Nikki (my support team!) arrived shortly after we were checked into our room. The Doctor sat in our room with us for 30 minuets talking life. We felt so comfortable with him and I was so grateful that he'd be delivering our little miracle. He had assisted in my delivery with Dawson and to add to the 'coincidence' he had a son also named Dawson and a daughter named Lainey. God was in every detail. (Nikki also took the photos below...what a gift! So thankful for her and her presence).
We decided it would be best to let me labor a few hours and then break my water on his return from an appointment at another hospital. For the next few hours my contractions picked up in intensity and frequency, but still no pain. As each contraction rolled through my body I prayed, 'I trust you, Jesus', a reminder to myself that He was in charge and designed by body for this. That God and I had walked through far darker and more painful times, and together again, we'd overcome this challenge.
The Doctor arrived back to our room to break my water at 4:30pm. Now at 7.5cm, we were getting closer to the end. Through 6:00pm I was still able to (somewhat) talk though contractions. Although I was still not in pain, I could tell things were significantly picking up and that the end was near. Daryn and I looked out the window together and whispered to each other between contractions how we couldn't wait to finally hold our baby in our arms. Daryn was so encouraging, reminding me that each contraction was temporary, and this labor, too, was temporary. I remember him telling me to remind my body that it was strong and capable and could handle anything. During contractions Daryn rubbed my back to preoccupy my mind from the tightness and cramping elsewhere.
At 6:00pm, I moved to the bed as my legs were giving out. Between the walking, little sleep and intense contractions, I couldn't support myself anymore. The next hour was hard. I kept thinking about what the nurse had told me earlier that afternoon, 'When you think you can't go on, you've got 15-20 minuets left until you can push'.
At 7:07pm I was fully dilated and able to push. Finally I had the ability to counter act the pain I'd been experiencing the last hour. My body instinctively knew what to do it seemed as each contraction passed. Then the time came, Lainey Brooks Allen arrived at 7:26pm. Look out world....
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| Proud Daddy. |
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| Proud Big Brother. |
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| Our family. <3 br=""> |
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| Grandma Judy after Dawson announced Lainey's middle name, 'Brooks', her maiden name. |
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| Four Generations |
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| Lainey, meaning to 'shine brightly' |
