As Ella's birthday approaches I'm left reminicing about the days leading up to and her birth. Its an experience most women only experience a few times and I look back on it with joy and a sence of accomplishment. Here is Eleanor's story...
Monday July 13, 2009I had my appointment with my Midwife Terry at the usual time, 4:30 p.m. By this point, it’s my only sane time during the week. An hour of pure sweet alone time, I cherished every minute. She did the usual routine. I was dilated to 2cm, 50% effaced, and baby was at 0 station. She was locked and loaded as I like to say. We were planning on inducing naturally by July 30 if nothing had happened by then, since Lewis wanted her to be born on his birthday. My midwife didn't expect anything to happen too soon, so we kepts on waiting.
Tuesday July 14, 2009
Just another day of waiting, knowing that nothing would be happening soon just trying to keep myself busy and my days full of activity so I wasn’t just sitting around obsessing over when Ella was to make her entrance. That morning I remember finding my favorite shirt, putting it on and looking in the bathroom mirror admiring my full round belly. I was feeling pretty good, I can do this for a few more weeks I thought. Little did I know that was the last morning I would wake up, get dressed, and see that round beauty.
A little later I took the boys to Walgreens for some milk, and was so tempted to pick up some evening primrose oil. This is supposed to be a natural labor inducer, but at $9, I decided against it. I was so glad I passed on the primrose oil, because when I got home I noticed some bloody show, a sure sign that labor was immanent. Could it be today, tomorrow, or in two weeks? No one knows for sure, but it was getting much closer, closer than I even knew. But I was so relieved to know there was an end in sight. A few hours later we headed to the park for Bible study. A good chance to chat with my friends and keep my mind busy.
As soon as lunch was done and Will was in bed for nap I took a few laps around the block, hoping to get something started. I was looking for signs of regular contractions but there was nothing, just the normal “practice” contractions. I had them all the time, every day for months, so it was nothing new. After nap we played water balloons and a friend stopped by. I needed something to distract me. As they were getting ready to go home at 3:30 p.m. I felt a couple stronger contractions. This perked my sense of curiosity.
After dinner, around 4:30, I was cleaning up the kitchen and was very uncomfortable, very crampy and sore. I couldn't’t tell if they were contractions or just pain from the strain of a big, protruding belly. I tried to rest on the couch for a bit but I was getting worried since the pain was so strong and wasn't going away.
After dinner, around 4:30, I was cleaning up the kitchen and was very uncomfortable, very crampy and sore. I couldn't’t tell if they were contractions or just pain from the strain of a big, protruding belly. I tried to rest on the couch for a bit but I was getting worried since the pain was so strong and wasn't going away.
I was planning on going out as a family to the McKennan family night at the park. Something I had never gotten to do before because I was always working every other year. But as the time neared to leave I just couldn't’go. I was in a great amount of pain, it was the worst gas-type cramps in my life, and couldn’t tell when a contraction stopped or started. Everyone has heard the stories of fast labors and dropping the kid on the floor, at this point I was concerned that may be me. I decided to call the midwife and she advised that if they got closer over the next few hours to go in, and if they spaced off, then it wasn’t real labor.
I decided to lay down in the tub to try to relax a bit. This at least allowed my body to relax and then I could tell the contractions were about 7 minutes apart. As I was lying in the tub I realized I hadn’t packed a bag yet. At only 37 weeks and 2 days I wasn’t expecting to need it already. So in a bit of a panic I jumped out of the tub and scurried around the house getting everything together, charging cameras and such. It wasn't an easy task being bent over the bed an hunched over every few minutes.
At about 6 I called my mom to give her a heads up, and told her to call after her meeting to see if she needed to come up or not. But by 8 when the boys were in bed and mom was ready to leave the contractions had annoyingly spaced out to around 15 or 20 minutes. It was very aggravating to think that this is it and then have everything halt like that. I wasn’t sure what to do, but just decided today must not be it. By 10:30 that night I had no contractions at all. So I told Lewis to plan on going to work in the morning and we all headed to bed.
I decided to lay down in the tub to try to relax a bit. This at least allowed my body to relax and then I could tell the contractions were about 7 minutes apart. As I was lying in the tub I realized I hadn’t packed a bag yet. At only 37 weeks and 2 days I wasn’t expecting to need it already. So in a bit of a panic I jumped out of the tub and scurried around the house getting everything together, charging cameras and such. It wasn't an easy task being bent over the bed an hunched over every few minutes.
At about 6 I called my mom to give her a heads up, and told her to call after her meeting to see if she needed to come up or not. But by 8 when the boys were in bed and mom was ready to leave the contractions had annoyingly spaced out to around 15 or 20 minutes. It was very aggravating to think that this is it and then have everything halt like that. I wasn’t sure what to do, but just decided today must not be it. By 10:30 that night I had no contractions at all. So I told Lewis to plan on going to work in the morning and we all headed to bed.
Wednesday July 15, 2009
After a confusing day on Tuesday I woke at 12:30 am, after just 2 hours of sleep to feel the crunch of contractions again. I thought I’d get more sleep than that, but I guess my body had other ideas. I got out of bed and headed downstairs to time them. They were again at 7 minutes apart. It was going to be a long lonely night. I wanted to allow everyone to sleep as long as possible. It’s not so much fun being up in the middle of the night in labor by yourself. But I was able to still manage through them.
After a confusing day on Tuesday I woke at 12:30 am, after just 2 hours of sleep to feel the crunch of contractions again. I thought I’d get more sleep than that, but I guess my body had other ideas. I got out of bed and headed downstairs to time them. They were again at 7 minutes apart. It was going to be a long lonely night. I wanted to allow everyone to sleep as long as possible. It’s not so much fun being up in the middle of the night in labor by yourself. But I was able to still manage through them.
(Here are two photos I took while in labor that night, I knew they would be the last pictures of my pregnant body)
I timed them for a few hours and by 3 am they were 4 to 5 minutes apart. By that point they were getting more painful and I knew this was likely it. I called my mom around 3:30 and told her to come up, apologizing profusely. Then I called my midwife and asked when to come in, she said to just go up, I was going to aim for 5 am once my mom had arrived. I went upstairs and woke up Lewis telling him we’d have to leave in 
about an hour. Thankfully he decided to get out of bed sooner because at about that time they began coming 2-3 minutes apart when I was standing and walking. I called my mom again at about 4 to ask for her location and she was just leaving. I couldn’t wait another hour and a half. I was in pain and afraid of things going to quickly. Luckily I had put one of our babysitters, what a saint, on backup just in case my mom wasn’t able to make it up in time. I called Bekah and asked her to come over until my mom arrived. She was here with in 15 minutes. We packed up and were out the door by 4:30.
about an hour. Thankfully he decided to get out of bed sooner because at about that time they began coming 2-3 minutes apart when I was standing and walking. I called my mom again at about 4 to ask for her location and she was just leaving. I couldn’t wait another hour and a half. I was in pain and afraid of things going to quickly. Luckily I had put one of our babysitters, what a saint, on backup just in case my mom wasn’t able to make it up in time. I called Bekah and asked her to come over until my mom arrived. She was here with in 15 minutes. We packed up and were out the door by 4:30.
Since it was so early we had to arrive in the ER. Some place I had never been before. I remember walking in and the guys at the front desk jokingly said "let me guess, you have an ear infection?" Haha, but I'm SO not in the joking mood. I filled out a little paper work and we were being hauled off to Labor and Delivery within 10 minutes.
They wheeled me up to the triage section and I changed into a gown and took one last belly picture(above). I was able to manage a smile in between contractions. The nurse asked several questions and check me. I was at a 5, half way there. I don’t really remember the pain level at this point, but I don’t think it was too bad, it was mangable anyway. I do remember having to get on all fours during a contraction and messing up all the monitoring equipement. Oh well, I wasn't going to suffer for their convenience.
At about 5:30 we were in the room where I would be meeting my baby. By now I remember not being able to lie on my back for any amount of time through a contraction. I had refused an I.V. and asked if I could stand up during the monitoring of the baby. My nurse was very kind and worked around what I could tolerate. I was exhausted after laboring all night, so I decided to climb in the tub so I could try to sleep between contractions for a while. It was pure bliss until contractions started coming hard and strong, or what I thought was hard and strong at that point. I had to really focus and remind myself the first 10 seconds were the worse. I was blowing hard breaths out and counting down the first 10 seconds...Oh was this really worth a natural birth? The epidural I was so determined to not get was looking quite appealing. But I told my nurse I would be mad at myself if I broke down. She never mentioned it again.
At about 6:30, time gets fuzzy from this point on; the on call midwife, Mary, came in to check on me. We talked about my progress thus far and my wishes for a drug free birth. I decided to stay in the tub a bit longer. I think I finally crawled out about 8 am. I can't believe how fast that hour and a half went, but the next hour was the slowest of my life. I was rested enough and knew lying in there was just stalling the inevitable since my contractions were still 5-7 minutes apart in the tub and I think I was still at a 5.
As soon as I got out I had 2 really strong contractions in a row, but standing was so much more comfortable. I wanted to go walk a bit; but after walking to the bed I decided that was enough walking and things began to pick up. At 8:30 she checked me and I was at 8. I knew I could make it now. Almost over I kept telling myself. As each contraction got stronger I seemed to sway my hips and squat down lower moaning with every wave of pain. There was so much pressure and pain. I remember at one point just wanting to rip out my hips. Agony, there was no way I could not have done it alone. The midwife was amazing!
It was time; I could feel my body pushing, it was the only sense of relief. I stayed standing as long as I could to let gravity do its work in pushing the baby down farther. I remember looking up at the clock around 8:45 and thinking, I sure hope this baby is out by 9:15. The midwife had me get on the bed on all fours since this was still the most natural feeling position. After I started pushing I could tell that wasn’t going to work. At 9 o’clock I turned over the best I could, she checked me again said I was complete and then my water broke. Mary, my midwife, told me this baby could be out in 2 or 3 pushes. She didn’t have to say it again. I got to work and after only 3 pushes and a lot of pain she was out, lying on the end of the bed crying at 9:09 am. She was my beautiful baby covered in white cakey cheese. They laid her on my chest and I felt relief. Ahh, it was over and I had accomplished what I had set out to do.
It was time; I could feel my body pushing, it was the only sense of relief. I stayed standing as long as I could to let gravity do its work in pushing the baby down farther. I remember looking up at the clock around 8:45 and thinking, I sure hope this baby is out by 9:15. The midwife had me get on the bed on all fours since this was still the most natural feeling position. After I started pushing I could tell that wasn’t going to work. At 9 o’clock I turned over the best I could, she checked me again said I was complete and then my water broke. Mary, my midwife, told me this baby could be out in 2 or 3 pushes. She didn’t have to say it again. I got to work and after only 3 pushes and a lot of pain she was out, lying on the end of the bed crying at 9:09 am. She was my beautiful baby covered in white cakey cheese. They laid her on my chest and I felt relief. Ahh, it was over and I had accomplished what I had set out to do.
My first look at my little girl, relief and complete awe.
Just a few minutes after she was born, I was exhausted but exhilarated!
Lewis couldn't get enough of his daugher. Our tiny little surprise, a little scared, but mostly in love.
Eleanor Jane McCarthy entered our family on July 15, 2009 at 9:09 am weighing 7 pounds, 12 ounces, and measured only 18 3/4 inches. 
Loved your story, still an amazing woman to not complain about not having an epidural. Well, I am not so amazing-lol! Love you, Cindi G
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