Clara's Birth Story

Friday, April 23rd was a wonderful day. I was soo ready for this baby to come! (See the previous post where I wrote a letter to Clara.) The day before I had just finished taking my last final. All of my professors this semester let me turn in my projects and take my tests early. I hadn't missed a single day of class so that if I needed to, I could miss the last few without being docked grades. It was a lot of work to be three to four weeks ahead in course work, but I did it! I had also had a Doctor's appointment that Thursday and found out that my body was totally ready to have a baby any time, and that it was up to Clara to decide when she was coming. This news, coupled with a semester's worth of stress being unloaded off my shoulders was enough to make that Friday a wonderful day, but to add more, Dennis had the afternoon off since he had worked late Monday through Friday. We decided to have one last temple date night since we didn't know when we would get the chance to go again. The temple was amazing, as always, and we left feeling happy and peaceful (although I said a few prayers that nothing crazy would happen, like my water breaking halfway through the session or something like that!) Dennis let me choose where I wanted to have dinner and I decided on Golden Corral, a decision I later regretted but enjoyed at the time. I also got to pick the movie when we got home and I chose the new Pride & Prejudice. I'd been wanting to watch it all week. It was 11:30 by the time the movie finished and I was drifting off to sleep after a long, beautiful day.



I awoke from my half awake, half asleep state by a loud, and momentarily painful popping noise. It felt like Clara had head-butted me or something (I know that's not possible in such tight confines) and I was seriously concerned that she had hurt something. I lay there for a minute, then felt a contraction like I had never felt prefiously. Immediately I realized that the popping must have been the sound of my water breaking. The bathroom clock read exactly 12:00 midnight. My first thought: "Wow! This is exciting! Only one in ten women start labor with their water breaking, and she'll for sure be here within 24 hours!" My second, not quite as optemistic thought: "Ugh. I haven't slept in 16 hours... and I probably won't sleep for a really looong time."



I woke Dennis up. We called the hospital, they said to come in. We threw a few last minute items into our bags, Dennis gave me a blessing, and we drove to the hospital. We were there around 1:00 AM. I was experiencing painful contractions, but they were rather mild. The nurses were a little skeptical that I'd be staying at the hospital since I was so chirpy and happy, but I knew that they wouldn't send me home. I was dialated to a 3. I knew going in that I'd want an epidural and they wanted me to get to a 4 or 5 before they called the anesthesiologist to come in. The nurse didn't check me again for two and a half hours, and by then I was dialated to a 7. They called the anesthisiologist, and at roughly 4 AM I was a much happier woman. ;) It was perfect. I could still feel pain, but it wasn't agonizing. At 4:30 I was almost fully dialated, so they called Dr. Allen to drive in from Kimberly. I waited to push until a little after 5 when the Dr. arrived, and an hour & a half later at 6:42 AM our little girl was born! Wow... Writing this little paragraph makes it seem like it was a cake walk! I am very happy that it all progressed so quickly, I just hope next time if I decide to get an epidural again (which I probably will... I LOVED it!) that I get it before I'm to a 7!

Clara was perfectly healthy, which I thank my Heavenly Father for in all of my prayers, and I survived labor, even though at times I really didn't think I would. She is soooo worth all of it! I had a little bit harder time recovering. I have this tendency to pass out really easily. I never did go unconscious, but I was rather faint for a few hours and they gave me some oxygen to help me breathe better.

All in all, I really can't complain about my pregnancy and labor. I had it much better than many other women I've talked to, and I am grateful that things have worked out so well.

I love my baby girl and we are so happy to have her in our family!