Alex and I were in a unfortunate situation where we ended up picking up and moving in with a relative while waiting on a different housing situation to come through. On July 4, 2014 after experiencing days of nausea I decided to take a pregnancy test. To my surprise it said POSITIVE! I can't even describe to you the mini anxiety attack that I had when I saw that little positive sign. It was by far the worst possible timing ever. Alex was in the middle of switching careers, we had just moved and would be moving again soon, and I had my little 10 month old Audrey.
I called my doctor and set up an appointment to go in and get an ultrasound and all that fun stuff. When I went in for my ultrasound the technician confirmed my pregnancy and told me that I was already 9 WEEKS along. I had no idea….but the good news was that I was almost done with my first trimester! Yay for me.
My second pregnancy was a lot worse than my first. Nauseated ALL the time, a lot more puking, and the worst heartburn I have ever experienced on a DAILY basis. I was convinced that Eleanor was going to come out looking like a monkey.
My due date was February 13, 2015 but I was praying Eleanor would maybe come a little sooner like her sister. Anyone who has been pregnant knows those last few weeks are AWFUL. You feel like a whale, walk like a penguin, and are just absolutely miserable. As my due date got closer and closer, I came to the conclusion that she wasn't going to come early. I was having Braxton Hicks contractions on a regular basis but nothing serious. I was hoping I would get lucky enough to have my water break again so there would be no guessing involved when labor was really happening.
I didn't get that lucky. On the night of February 6, I was laying in bed trying to sleep but was having contractions. I decided to start timing them and they were 5 minutes apart. They had been this way before so I wasn't really worried about it but called my doctor just to be on the safe side. My doctor decided since I was already dilated to 3 cm at my last appointment and my contractions were so close together that I should come to the hospital and be checked. She would rather be safe than sorry with how quickly everything happened with Audrey's birth.
I called my parents and made arrangements for Dad to come over and stay with Audrey and we loaded up the car. Alex, my Mom and I then headed to the hospital around 10 pm. Once arriving at the hospital they got me all checked in and took me up the maternity floor. At this point my contractions were barely noticeable and I was convinced that I was going to be sent home. The nurse came in my room and checked my cervix and told me that I was 5 cm dilated and to get comfortable because I wasn't going home. This definitely came as a shock. I was in labor but definitely didn't feel like it. It was much different than with Audrey's birth. We sat around the room and didn't do much of anything until my doctor came in. She told me that she could go ahead and break my water if I wanted to move things along. I decided I wanted to wait an hour or so and see if my contractions would progress on their own. I walked around the hospital and bounced on the birthing ball. After about two hours of the mildest contractions ever, I decided it was time to break my water. I couldn't even believe that I could be in labor with the contractions I was having.
Around 3:30 am my doctor came back in to break my water. Once she broke my water it was ON. I decided as soon as I found out I was pregnant again that I wanted to go natural again. My labor with Audrey was so insanely fast that I was praying I would get that lucky again. Unfortunately I had a lot more active laboring to do with Eleanor. Once the doctor broke my water the contractions really got intense. At first it was uncomfortable but bearable. They then started to get a lot harder and a lot closer together. I was in a lot of pain and laying in the hospital bed only made it worse. Luckily since I was going natural I had the ability to get up and walk around and to bounce on the birthing ball. It got to the point that even the birthing ball wasn't helping. I found myself on the floor trying my hardest to control my breathing. The pain was so intense though that I started hyperventilating. Luckily Alex was able to talk to me and get me to calm down some and remind me that by controlling my breathing, it would make the pain much more bearable. The second you tense up during a contraction, it makes it SO MUCH WORSE. So I calmed myself down but at this point I was super crazy and telling Alex that I couldn't do it and there was no way I was going to have this baby. Him and my mom both told me that there was no going back at this point. I was definitely questioning my decision for another natural birth at this point. Mom was keeping a cool rag on my neck and head while I tried to remain calm. I was praying like crazy. With each contraction I thanked God that this was my last pregnancy and that I wouldn't have to do this again. Lucky for me I knew I was close to the end. The pain had gotten so intense and I had gotten so loopy that I knew it had to be close to the end. I told Alex to go get a nurse because I felt like I needed to push. The nurse came in and laughed at me being on the floor and told me that I better get on the bed because I couldn't deliver a baby on the floor. At this point there was some blood and I remember telling Alex in my crazy state of mind to "take my socks off because I don't want them to get dirty." He thought I was absolutely crazy. That was the last thing I should have been worried about. I managed to crawl up to the bed and when she checked me she told me that I was fully dilated and ready to push. I was so relieved to hear that. The nurse ran out and called my doctor in. I gave 4-6 good pushes and my sweet girl was out. The pushing only lasted maybe 10 minutes. They immediately put her on my chest and I was instantly in love.
My sweet Eleanor Grace Todd was born at 4:57 am on February 7, 2015 weighing 7 pounds even. She was 19 inches long.
Although there was some pain involved, I can't complain. I had a very easy and amazing childbirth. I was so proud of myself that I was able to do it. I attribute my success to my praying, Alex's coaching and my sweet Mom being there to take care of me.
I was so extrememly excited for Audrey to get to the hospital and to meet her baby sister. She was a little timid at first but now 2 months later she thinks Eleanor is her baby. She takes such good care of her. She helps burp her, change diapers and helps calm her down when she's crying. I am so extremely blessed to have these two amamzingly beautiful girls in my life. I cannot thank God enough for my sweet family.
www.catietoddphotography.com
Myrtle Beach, SC
Photographer
www.facebook.com/catietoddphotography
