The birth story of Anna Ruth

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

It was a week from today that my sweet baby girl, Anna Ruth, was born. It all started on Friday night. I had some uncomfortable contractions after eating supper. I have had many uncomfortable contractions for the past few weeks so I didn’t think anything of it. At about 7:30 pm the contractions were getting a little more noticeable. I really was just hoping they were dilating me more but not expecting for them to keep going. I finally went to bed around 8:30pm to try and get some sleep. I just laid there awake practicing my relaxation. When Big T came to bed we talked about names and laughed about how we might have a baby this weekend. But, I still truly expected my contractions to go away. I got up around 10 and came to the couch to try to sleep but still couldn’t. Around 1am the contractions were getting more intense so I called the nurse midwife on call and told her I was coming to the hospital and it would take me about an hour. I went in around 2am and when they checked me I was at 5cm. My mom came and we just sat around in the room. I sat on my birthing ball and walked around the room during and in between contractions. My contractions never were really regular. Even the intensity of them changed. Finally I started feeling the urge to push and I looked at Big T and said “It’s time.” He left out to go get the nurse and the nurse-midwife who had came to the hospital earlier and sat out at the desk waiting. They asked to check me but I couldn’t lay down for that. I started pushing. Then the nurse midwife asked to check me to make sure I was completely dilated. I was and continued pushing. It seemed liked forever before the baby came out but it was really short. I probably pushed for about 10 minutes. I was on my side in the bed and the midwife picked her up and put her on my stomach. We asked to leave the cord until it stopped pulsating so when they placed the baby on my stomach the cord blocked the important parts. I lifted up the cord and legs and screamed “It’s a girl! I got my girl! I can’t believe it. It’s a girl!”

I was so glad it was over and the baby was out. I remember praying during pushing for God to help me. I just laid there with my baby looking at me admiring her. After a few minutes the cord stopped pulsating and they clamped and cut the cord. They took the baby to the warmer in the room to fingerprint and get footprints and do a quick check-up. Then they brought her back to me and I just loved on my baby. She did breastfeed after a little bit. I got up and got in the shower shortly afterwards to rinse off. Then I ate some breakfast and we left to go to the nursery with Anna and change to a post-partum room. We kept Anna with us the entire time. The staff was great about it.

All through everything I just see how God answered my prayers and then some. I had been praying about who would be on call. I really wanted one of the midwives and my favorite of the two was on call. Also I really wanted to drive to the hospital at night so it would be calmer and less stressful. I had also been praying about what nurse I would have. I was praying that I would have one who would be wonderful about the way I wanted things to go. The nurse I had was great. She had the attitude that it’s my birth and I have every right to do it my way. Anna Ruth is named after my grandmother who passed away last year in September. She has brought us such joy.

Amy