Charlotte's Story - Part I

Charlotte Mae was due on Monday, March 26th.  At the appointment on that day I was dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced.  We made a decision to go ahead and schedule to be induced on Thursday morning.  We had Noah spend the night with Uncle Damon & Aunt Susie.

We arrived at Mountain View Hospital at 5 AM and Dr. Leavitt broke my water about 7:30 AM.  We thought it would take some time, so around 8:30 when my Mom arrived, Mike ran back home to fix the door handle to our front door that had fallen off on our way out the door.  Mom and I walked around the L&D unit and when I would get a contraction I would stop and stare at one of the fire alarm lights on the wall and breathe through the contraction, and Mom would find a clock to time them.  She was so calm and would stop talking as she watched my face and then when it was done we would continue our conversation where we left off (she is the godly example of "be still").  We were at 2.5 to 3 minutes apart (I think - Mom, feel free to comment!) and I was beginning to feel more low pressure with each contraction.  Mike was back, and I decided to sit in the tub for a few minutes.  Mike (or the nurse...I can't remember) ran the water, I got in, and after sitting there less than 10 minutes the pressure was getting stronger and stronger in a downward motion.  As I decided to get out of the tub, the nurse came in and said that Dr. Leavitt had called (he was about to take the kids swimming because they were on spring break) and wanted to check and see how far I was dilated.

At this point I had begun to doubt I could do this naturally. The pressure was getting so strong and seemed stronger at this point than I remember feeling at this "time" with Noah.  I started to think that if I had to hold out with this pressure for 6 hours (I was thinking second pregnancy should be about half the time of the first), I wasn't positive I could do that.  I laid down to have the nurse check me, and I was at an 8!!!  No wonder I felt how I did.  I no longer doubted that I could handle this...I was handling this with God's help!  While the nurses called Dr. Leavitt to tell him, I sat on the end of the bed (almost standing up).  Dr. Leavitt came in and after checking me said, "You have two choices - You can push right now, or you can have a few more contractions and then push."  I was in shock!  I think Mike was in shock!  I didn't know what to say, except..."Really?!"

I decided to push (the two things I remember are Mike next to me helping me lean up and Dr. Leavitt counting to 10)and after less than 10 minutes and truly only a few pushes Ms. Charlotte came into this world. It was 10:27 AM - less than 3 hours after my water broke!  She was 7 lbs. 4 oz, and 20 inches long.  She came in ready to go, wide awake and kicking her legs.  They laid her on my chest and after a few minutes with her Dr. Leavitt asked if I would like to cut the cord.  This was NOT in our original plan.  The doctor was to do the doctor job, the dad the supporting dad job, and I was going to do the mom job.  As Mike says, "No!", I say, "Sure!" It was a strange feeling, but one I don't think I will forget. 

We called Noah in and he got to hold her right away.  He was so excited and ran out of the room yelling, "Come and see!  She's here! She's here!  Come and see!"  After holding her for a brief moment with Grandma's help he was ready to go and play!  I think there was so much excitement going on and he was so emotionally overwhelmed (Mike said that he slept 12 hours that night which was very unlike him) that he just need to go and get it out.  

We spent some time with her just looking her over and nursing her.  She latched right on with a loud suck.  After some time we let them take her for her first bath.  I was then told I should take a bath to help start the healing, so I got in the tub and soaked for a bit.  While I was in there my mom and the nurses moved my things to the other room.  I came out and the room was so silent, I was by myself, and as I got dressed I just couldn't believe it had all happened so fast.  It happened so fast that I felt like it was a dream, like I was going to wake up and I would still be pushing.  It was SO QUIET in the room.  I called the nurse to ask my room number and walked right down there...WALKED right down there, laid in the bed, looked over at my mom sitting in the chair, and said, "Am I really done?"

Just like with Noah it didn't really hit me that I had a beautiful, healthy baby that was real until about 3 that afternoon.  At that point I started to cry.  What a blessing from God this little life was!  What a blessing the birth was!  What an amazing Mom I have!  What a beautiful excited son I have!  What a loving husband I have!  Wow, I have been, I AM so very blessed beyond measure, beyond what I could ever deserve.