Celia's Birth: Part 2 of 3 . . . Pregnancy, Midwife, and Scheduling Birthday!

This pregnancy was different.  I'm sure it's because of my lack of being in shape to begin with, but this one really smacked me in the face.  Pregnancy is amazing and a miracle, but if you can avoid it in the scorching hot middle of the summer, I would advise this.  I pretty much sat in front of a fan, napped, and went to the chiropractor during the last 3 months of pregnancy.  I certainly wasn't sleeping during the night and my usual peppy attitude was missing for most of the summer.  I do love being pregnant and I am willing to be pregnant for as long as the baby needs, but I had a glimpse into what other women feel in the last days of pregnancy irrational thinking of not being able to make it another day!  I was definitely ready for her to be not in my belly.

My midwife, Alison Haasch, started a beautiful new birth center in Gilbert called Birth Haven back in 2013 (after I had Quentin).  She hired several other midwives as well as a naturopathic doctor and handed over the home birth responsibilities to one of them while she took care of most of the birth center births.  However, since I was a "frequent flyer" (she was with me for Malcolm and Quentin), she decided that she wanted to be at my next birth as well.  I was perfectly prepared to go to 42 weeks (actually 41 weeks, 6 days . . . stupid policies), but as I passed 40 weeks, I found myself asking what her favorite day was to help women give birth and that we should schedule an induction during the 41st week.

I was remembering my experiences with Malcolm's and Quentin's pregnancies and had already decided not to repeat the frustration and fear everyone tries to throw at me during the last days/weeks of my pregnancies.  I had my weekly visits with Alison and baby girl was doing great.  I can say that I never get checked for dilation because I don't need to.  Some people like to know the progress, I don't.  When my midwife tells me by feeling my belly that my baby is not engaged in my pelvis, there's no use in dropping my drawers, so its not going to happen.  She always gives me the option and I always refuse.  I like to think that I'm making progress whether I know it or not.  Besides, whether I'm 1 cm dilated or 5 cm when she checks me, I could still be that for weeks without another change or the baby could be born in 30 minutes.  You never know, so I'd rather not assume what might happen.

Her official due date was September 14th, but I knew we'd be safe at least a week later.  I didn't want to be sitting around doing nothing and waiting impatiently for Baby to be born, so I scheduled things into my calendar like it was any normal week.  In fact, I probably scheduled more things so I'd be up and about.

Friday, September 18, 2015 – With my last two pregnancies, I scheduled my reflexology appointments on the day I was induced, so I tried to get that one in earlier to see if I could get some good progress with that, since my reflexologist is known for helping the labor start/progress.  I adore people who will rub my feet.  It is so relaxing and I never want it to end.  I'm sure I fell asleep because it went too fast and I also caught myself snoring.  Even though I was relaxing the entire time, Lenor had me sit still for a few more minutes before I got up.  Right as soon as I moved to get out of the chair, I had an awesome contraction that had me leaning over the ottoman and demanding concentration.  She's a miracle worker.  However, it ended with a few more contractions and with the return of my sweet kids after school.  I also had my 40 week appointment (kind of late, but that's all I could do that week) and everything was perfect.

Monday, September 21, 2015 – Today ended up being a busy day.  I had a chiropractor appointment, my 41 week appointment with Alison, dentist appointments for all of the kids after school, and a phone meeting with my Advisor from BYU-I scheduled throughout the day.  Chiropractor and Midwife were back-to-back.  My chiropractor had been doing some acupuncture on me trying to induce labor since 38 weeks, but to no avail.  Oh well, I knew I'd have a baby before next Monday, so I wasn't worried about not being in labor.  Uncomfortable and ready, but not worried.  At my midwife visit, Alison's assistant had a harder time finding Baby's heartbeat and when she finally did, she said it was just barely under her perfect range.  She had me change positions and Alison did an ultrasound with her ancient machine and found her heartbeat just fine and plenty of movement.  Then she checked with the doppler again and it was within range.  She attributed it to position and the fact that I had just gone to the chiropractor and had been laying down for a while, but (and I understand she has to cover her rear), she referred me to get a Biophysical Profile and Stress Test done.  UGH! That's exactly what I didn't want!  I knew everything was fine.  I did.  The only stress I was feeling was that she had to refer me!

So I went home and cried.  I usually try to be in a constant state of hypnosis and relaxation, especially during the last weeks, but this damaged my calm.  I called Elliot and cried at him and voiced my frustrations.  I prayed.  I felt fine.  I knew my baby was fine.  She was kicking and all was normal.  So Elliot said to make the appointment if I wanted and see how we felt in the morning.  I made the appointment at Phoenix Perinatal Associates, but the next appointment they had wasn't for a couple of days.  Fine with me.

Phoenix Perinatal Associates called later in the afternoon and said my insurance wouldn't cover the visit.  Well, that was easy!  I definitely wasn't going to get a test I knew I didn't need AND pay for it myself!  So, of course, I cancelled the appointment.  I texted Alison and told her what happened and she asked me to check with Valley Perinatal.  I called and made an appointment for the next day and asked Alison to send the referral.  I also not jokingly said, ". . . or I could just have her tonight."

Her text response was, "After low-ish heart tones, I'd like reassurance of her safety before stressing her with labor.  If labor starts on its own, we'll roll with it, but I don't want to intentionally cause anything."

I asked what the biophysical profile would tell us.  She said, "It looks at placenta function, fluid levels, if the baby is moving/practice breathing/has strong muscle tone.  All things that correlate with fetal health."

I said, "She's been rolling from side to side all day and she's kicking right now.  Maybe she's like her mother and she's just not a morning person."

Alison likes me.  She said, "Lol, could be!"

I added, "So what would they tell you that would change our course of action for induction?"

She said, "If she is not showing good signs of health, we would have to look at what risks present themselves.  In all likelihood, it was positional and won't repeat itself, but I don't gamble with babies."

I just wanted to be sure because I needed to know how futile my objection was, so I asked, "Just wondering . . . would you still induce me if I don't go get the ultrasound?"

She said, "If her kick counts stay good, yes I will."

Well, hip-hip-hooray!  I said, "What's a good kick count? I guess I should have counted to see what was normal for her."

Alison said, "Yeah, that would be helpful.  We want 10 movements in under 30 minutes during her active times."

Baby happened to be active at that time as if she was reading my texts with me, so I started charting her movements right then.  It was ridiculous to continue charting each movement because she moved 10 times within minutes and continued to move like that for hours.  I continued to count at least 10 movements throughout the night even though that wasn't necessarily her active time, but this baby was doing a jig and I knew for sure she was telling me that everything was fine and not to worry anymore.  I knew her and I knew my body.  We're good.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015 – The next morning I had forgotten that I already had Malcolm's pre-school screening scheduled and had to change the ultrasound appointment.  I can't even remember what I changed it to because it was several days away and I knew I wasn't going to be pregnant then anyway.  I took Malcolm to his pre-school screening over at Mesquite Elementary School.  No one knows what to say when I tell them (after they ask, of course) that I was due last Monday.  Funny to watch reactions though.

Since Mesquite Elementary School is just about 3 miles away from Alison's office, I texted and asked if I could come back in to hear Baby's heartbeat again.  Of course, she said yes.  And of course, Baby's heartbeat was perfectly normal today.  With the charted movements and perfect heartbeat, we made the plan to induce me on Wednesday late afternoon because Alison had a lecture at a conference somewhere in Phoenix earlier that afternoon.

I made arrangements for the little boys to stay at Adam and Xan's and Stella would be able to stay at the Pratt's since they were in the neighborhood and could take her to school and fix her hair for picture day on Thursday morning if labor went through the night . . . and Stella desperately wanted to be the first to hold her baby sister.  I was fine with her being 3rd on the list.  So all I had to do now was wait a little bit longer.  Easy.

Elliot had figured out that the ancestor (Celia Kent Dibble) that we were naming our baby after was born 212 years ago on September 24th.  He kept saying how awesome it would be if she was born on that same day.  I was being induced on the 23rd and I thought that was close enough . . .