The Miracle of Life

Since our new little nephew Caleb was born, I decided I should really write about Hyrum's birth before I completely forget everything! 

HYRUM DAVID ROMNEY was born 20 June 2012 at 5:11 am. 

Tuesday, 19 June 2012 I had a doctor appointment about 9:00 in the morning. David and I both thought Hyrum was going to come late, so we figured I might as well have my membranes stripped that day. At my appointment the doctor told me  I was dilated to a 2 and looked ready to deliver any day. I still didn't think anything would happen until the end of the week. She stripped my membranes and I went home with no labor expectations since stripping membranes doesn't technically induce labor.

I felt the same as usual until 4:00 pm when my abdomen and lower back suddenly tightened. I wasn't sure if that meant anything and I wasn't having any contractions so I continued through my day (trying to make sure things were in order to begin packing and moving). About 4:30 or 5:00 I began having fairly regular contractions. They were about 5 minutes apart, but I wasn't sure if they were actual contractions or false labor, so I started reading everything I had on labor to try to determine what I was feeling. The contractions slowed down for awhile, but by 6:00 they picked up speed again. I finally decided to text David that I thought I might be in labor, the text went something like this: "Um... so, I think I might be in labor..." Needless to say, he called me back with great urgency around 6:30 on his way home from work, wondering what was going on and what I thought we needed to do. I think we were both slightly bewildered since we expected Hyrum to be late!

I instructed him to just come home, we should eat dinner, I wanted a blessing, and then we should probably head to the hospital. I wanted to wait as long as possible because I was still in slight disbelief that this was actual labor and didn't want to get sent home once I got to the hospital.  While talking with David on the phone I had one very intense contraction and from then on they consistently came every 4-5 minutes. Every time they hit I had to stop in my tracks and kneel down. David got home and I was kneeling in pain by the couch. Hopefully I can get him to post his thoughts soon!

Since I wanted to eat dinner he decided to go grab a burger while I ate some leftover pasta. While he was gone my contractions quickened to every 3-4 minutes and continued with their knee-buckling intensity. After he returned and ate dinner he gave me a blessing and then we headed to the hospital, which was 30 minutes from our apartment. I must say, speed bumps are the bane of a laboring woman's existence! I also had to chuckle at the song playing in the car on the way down: Hung Up by Madonna: "Time goes by, so slowly..." My contractions continued every 3 minutes all the way to the hospital.

We arrived at the hospital around 8:30 pm. It's really hard to hurry down a hospital hall way while having intense contractions, but of course I said I did not need a wheel chair. Silly me, I'll take it next time! ;) Once in the room they hooked up a couple of monitors to track Hyrum's heart beat and my contractions, which never slowed down. They were concerned about Hyrum for a little while because his heart beat would slow down with every contraction. After about 30 minutes he seemed fine. They figure he was turned in a position not conducive to contractions and once he turned himself he was okay. After they decided Hyrum was fine they unhooked me from the monitor so I could go for a walk through the hallways. We never even made it to the door way because my contractions began hitting every 2 minutes and never slowed down... not to mention every single one felt like my abdomen was being ripped out.

For some insane reason, I decided to forego medication. I made that decision as I started having contractions that day. The weeks leading up to it I was going back and forth between medication or none. I do not know why, but I felt as though I should go without an epidural. My labor nurses were fabulous. Once I said I wanted to go as long as I could without meds they never brought it up again. They confessed afterward that there were a few instances they really wanted to suggest it, but they aren't supposed to offer it unless the patient asks for it. I asked David a couple times if I was insane for going without it. He just shrugged his shoulders and kept helping me breath. 

I was truly blessed with inspired nurses. DeAnn (I think that was her name) was absolutely perfect for me. She knew exactly how to work me through my contractions. During our pregnancy classes I thought the visualizing trick wouldn't work at all, but it was exactly what I needed the first hours of labor.

I was at a 3 when I arrived at the hospital, but after hours of non-stop contractions my water still had not broke and I was only at a 4 or 5. (That was probably around midnight.) I knew I was a pretty special case when the nurses and doctors were surprised my contractions hadn't broke my water and they kept saying, "Wow, you really are having a lot of contractions." and "Wow, you don't get much of a break do you." and "Wow, they are pretty intense aren't they?" Yep.

They finally decided to get a doctor around 1 or 2:00 am to come break my water because it was being so stubborn. He said I was at a 6 when he broke it. OH MY PAIN! Once my water broke, what I once thought were intense contractions suddenly became like mild side-aches. I cannot even begin to describe the pain of my post-water-break contractions! I would literally scream as though the pain were about to kill me. David was such a trooper. I think he was pretty shocked when I started screaming, but he stuck with me and helped me breath. DeAnn, once again, proved how perfect she was for me. She had to change her plan of attack because visualizing wasn't doing anything for me. Every time I screamed she simply stated, or rather demanded, "Kimball, STOP IT. Screaming is NOT helping." I would respond, "I KNOW! I'm trying, but IT HURTS!!!!" Her method may sound harsh, but honestly, it was exactly what I needed!

My post water-break contractions also lasted awhile. I was so relieved when I could start pushing because it meant I could focus my energy on something instead of trying to suppress it. Pushing also seemed to take FOREVER. I felt like Hyrum was never going to come. They kept telling me I was doing great. It took all my effort to believe them, because it felt like nothing was happening. Once they could see his head they asked if I wanted to see it in a mirror. My initial thought was, "NO!" but for some reason I agreed. Seeing his little blonde head suddenly made it seem like there was a light at the end of the tunnel. A few more pushes and he was here! 

It's hard to describe the immense exhaustion, yet overwhelming joy and love I felt. I had this amazing, bloody, screaming baby in my arms. I helped create him and I labored with ALL MY MIGHT to get him into this world. There is nothing more amazing than holding that little miracle in your arms. 

My body was completely in shock. I couldn't stop my legs from shaking for a good hour after, but I was okay and Hyrum was healthy.

Hyrum proved his toughness through labor. They said his heart stayed completely steady the whole time. Usually pushing causes a baby's heart beat to slow, but his stayed constant even amidst the pushing. He received a 10 on his APGAR score, which is practically unheard of. They joked that the last baby to receive a 10 was born in Bethlehem. You can imagine how proud his daddy was hearing that. ;)

Oh how I love my Hyrum. He is truly a fabulous little miracle!