Covey Dean Giddings
8.1 lbs 21 in
12-28-15
8:48 pm
Our precious baby boy is here, safe and healthy. And I couldn't be happier that everything went smoothly and totally according to my "plan". From the start of this pregnancy there were quite a few things that I knew. One, we must have a special spirit that REALLY wanted to come join our family, because Heavenly Father slipped this pregnancy in when we were least expecting it. Two, I knew without a doubt this baby would be completing our family so therefore there were two more things I wanted- not to find out gender until baby was born, and have a natural home birth with a midwife. It took awhile to really convince Paul about not finding out gender, but he was always supportive of the home birth. So I researched midwives in my area and found Anne Sommers. She was perfect. We did all 9 months of prenatal care with her and I have to say it was THE BEST!! I feel like she got to know me and really cared about my thoughts and feelings regarding the pregnancy, and the best part is the last 2.5 months she came to my house for all my prenatal check ups- talk about convenient!! I would highly recommend her to anyone looking into a home birth.
Anyways, my official due date was January 6th, 2016 (same due date I had with my Maylee Kate), but since I have had all my babies early (Brooklynn- 8 days, Maylee- 14 days, Lyla- 10 days, Deacon- 5 days), I anticipated having this baby before the end of the year. As my family was making plans to come for Christmas, the desire grew stronger to have baby before the end of the year so that they could all be here to meet baby, but I didn't want to have baby too soon because we were going to be in Big Bear over Christmas and that would make my home birth plan a little more challenging. Luckily, baby waited, but as soon as we were home and settled I was ready to get baby out for everyone to meet! Saturday, December 26th I thought baby was coming. I labored for nearly 5 hours, contractions coming every 2-4 minutes, but eventually they stopped and I just fell asleep. Bummer. Sunday I was exhausted from laboring the night before and just napped and took it easy. But first thing Monday morning, with only 2 days left before Shayna, Skyler & Jasmine, and Cody & Kapri all left, I was determined to get baby out. Since Castor Oil started my labor with Deacon, I thought I would give it another shot. So I loaded up all the kids and we headed to Carls Jr to get a cookies and cream shake to mix the oil in. I drank half of it with 2T oil at 9:30 and then the remainder with 2T more at 11:30- which is exactly what I did with Deacon and I had him that same night with no complications. Hoping I would be in labor by late afternoon, I started prepping everything around my house for labor. I put my oils and diffuser out, got my birthing ball, a throw up bowl, towels, camera- anything I could think of, and then I took it pretty easy. Around 4:00 I started to have consistent enough contractions that I began timing them. They were every 3-4 minutes. Paul was home by then and my mom and sister were headed over as well- all of us hoping that it would turn into active labor. I walked around the house hoping to keep them coming. I had contacted my midwife at this point too just to give her a heads up. She was at dinner in Temecula and said she would head over as soon as she finished. By 6:30 my midwife, Anne, both her assistants, Alisha and Amanda, and those who wanted to be at the birth with me (my mom, Brooklynn, my sister, Shayna, and sister-in-law, Jasmine) were all here, and my dad and younger brothers had taken Maylee, Lyla and Deacon up to my parents house for the night. I immediately asked my midwife to check me- I was 3 cm but she could stretch me to a 6 and I was completely effaced on one side. This was progress from my check up the week before where I was 2 cm and maybe 10% effaced. She stretched me and just irritated my cervix a little, I guess, in hopes it would put me into active labor, with the strong contractions I would need to dilate. It worked. By 7:00 my contractions were getting stronger and longer. I sat on the birthing ball while my mom timed them. They were coming every 1-2 minutes and finally starting to last 45-60 seconds. This was for real. Everyone started prepping. Amanda suggested that Paul start filling up the tub and I was so glad she did. By 7:15 I was in the warm tub and feeling the strong contractions. Everyone was pouring warm water down my back, holding my hand, massaging my back, letting me breathe oils, whatever they could do to make me feel better and get through the pain. At first I was still able to hold a conversation in-between the contractions and I was feeling good. We were in the bathtub with my dim lighting, and Paul put my birthing music mix on and I was surrounded by so much support. By 7:45 I was in a lot of pain and asked my midwife to check me again. I needed to know that the pain was working and I was progressing. I got out of the bath and laid on the floor. I was at a 6 with my water bag bulging and she could stretch me to a 9. She asked if I could push during the next contraction but I physically couldn't. I tried, but laying on my back and being in that much pain, my body just wouldn't let me. So back in the tub I went. The pain was so intense I got sick, but Paul and my mom quickly cleaned me up with mouth wash and I pushed on. This is where I believe I started moaning like the "whales in finding Nemo" according to Paul and my brother, Skyler. lol. Skyler had brought over their nice camera, so Jasmine could take my birthing pictures and he just stayed in the living room, waiting. Timing from here on out is unknown to me. At one point, my midwife had me stand to try to let gravity push the baby down. I couldn't stay in that position very long. She had me kind of check myself and see if I could feel babys head- and I could- baby was right there. The pain was getting intolerable at this point and I started yelling "get it out," "I need it out". All of a sudden I got extremely hot and sweaty. Everyone started to pour cool water into my tub and down my back and cover me with cool wash cloths. Shortly after, I just decided I was going to try and push the baby out so I could end the pain. I had no idea if I was at a 10 and I wasn't even feeling the urge to push but I wanted to try anyway. With 2 hard pushes, I heard a pop- which was probably my water bag finally breaking and out came the head! It took me a few tries to catch my breath and push the shoulders out. Amanda guided the baby towards the front of me, as I leaned back to pull it out of the water, at 8:48 pm. We laid baby on my chest and all I could feel was relief. I heard my midwife say "he" and I said "it's a boy!?" She quickly responded "Oh I don't know"... Paul lifted up the legs and yelled "It's a boy!" I couldn't believe it. We really wanted a boy and I tried the whole pregnancy to prep for a girl so I wouldn't be disappointed in any way, so I just couldn't believe it was actually a boy! I laid in the bath for a few minutes while they cleared him out and then Paul helped pull me out of the tub. It was never my intention to have a water birth because it grossed me out a bit to think about sitting in a tub with everything that comes out with baby, but as Amanda had said earlier in the evening, once you get in the tub, you don't ever want to get out. That's exactly what happened, and to be honest I never even noticed what came out with baby. Laying on the floor, holding baby Covey, Anne and Amanda tended to me. My midwife said with the next contraction try pushing out your placenta. I told her I'm pretty sure it just came out. She looked down and sure enough- she said she had never seen that happen (enter wide eyed emoji... lol). I guess giving birth 5 times will do that... slide right out. After Paul cut the cord and we got cleaned up, I climbed into my bed- it was heaven. I was surrounded by family, in the comfort of my own home and completely exhausted. I felt so proud that I had accomplished my goal of natural child birth. I kept repeating, with tears in my eyes, I did it! I was so happy everything turned out as planned and we made it through! I was so grateful for all the help and support. But most of all, I felt complete and happy.
Covey has completed our family and that just makes me beyond happy. I never thought I would feel that way. Immediately after giving birth with all my others, I wanted to do it again, I knew I would do it again, but this time was the last and I feel at peace with that. I'm so in love with this beautiful baby boy, so in love with the man I've created this amazing family with, my Paul William, and so in love with each experience I've had bringing my babies into this world. I feel a profound amount of gratitude to a Father in Heaven who has blessed me with such an amazing family. I am giddy that my baby making years are now over and looking forward, with much anticipation, of really enjoying the next phase of my life, immersed in the lives of my 5 children. Sometimes I still can't believe that- 5 kids... WOW!! I am blessed, and I am grateful.
All picture credit goes to my amazing sister-in-law, Jasmine. This was her first experience with a birth and I can't believe how perfect she was able to capture the moments. Thank you for your enthusiasm and love and talent!!
Special thank you to Anne, Alisha and Amanda for being so calm and so knowledgeable and really allowing me to have the experience I wanted and lending so much help and support whenever I needed it.
Shout out to my sister, Shayna Paige, for being my best friend and being here for me, and loving and cheering me on always.
Cannot forget my mom, who is always my rock. My decision for a home birth really made her nervous, but she always remained supportive til the very end. Couldn't have done it without her.
So grateful to have had another birth experience with my sweet Brooklynn too- she was just the cutest.
Thank you Skyler, for also being so supportive and excited about this birth and for all your help with my house and kids in the days following (Jasmine too)
Thank you to my dad, Cody and Kapri for helping with the 3 younger kiddos so I could labor in peace and quiet :)
And my Paul William, I love you. Thank you for always supporting my dreams and crazy plans and for making me so happy!!
This was an experience I will never forget- for more than one reason... wink wink!!
