The Nora Jane Story

(A long and super detailed, journal-y post about Nora Jane's Arrival.  Please read the good parts and skip to the pictures.)

Nora Jane Smith officially joined our family at 7:13am on Tuesday morning March 5th, 2013.  She was born at McKenzie-Willamette hospital where her father was also delivered.  She shares a birthday with her great-grandpa Revell Sowards (Grandpa Jack) who turned 87 that day.

Nora's birth was long anticipated.  The news that we would have another baby came at the most transitional time for our family.  Pregnancy was the only constant as we said goodbye to Dental School, Apartment Managing, busy ward callings, friends, Portland and life as we knew it.  We moved, vacationed, and then began to settle into life in Eugene all the while looking and planning and thinking about the arrival of our baby.  I felt like I was pregnant for a year.  Time went by so slowly.  In part because our pace of life had slowed so much and in part because we just wanted our baby here already.

I was convinced that I would have her early and did everything to prepare.  So when I had to make my second (and third) "last trip to Costco" before the baby would arrive I did get slightly discouraged.   It didn't help to have a Doctor tell me that I wouldn't make it to my next appointment, only to pass it by several days.  I knew I was getting my hopes up but couldn't help it!

As terrible as it was to wait and not know how to best make plans for our other kids I enjoyed my extra days as a mom of two.  Spencer, Nellie and I spent time doing big kid activities, cuddling, and reading a lot of books.  I squeezed them extra tight and we talked a lot about how things would be different after the baby was born.  I think we prepared them as well as we could for the transition.

My mom came into town Sunday morning.  I picked her up from the airport and we headed right to church.  My ward is very kind and I didn't have to endure too many "you're still here??" comments.  We ran some errands Monday and bought supplies to make a blessing dress.  I felt really good all day long, as I had the previous two days also.  I had a lot of Braxton Hicks, as I had all pregnancy, but that day I also had some mild cramping that felt more menstrual.

When I got in bed that night around 10:00pm I started to feel a few contractions that made me catch my breath.  Not wanting to get anyone's hopes up (including my own) I laid awake in bed breathing quietly through each one.  I downloaded an app to help me keep track of time between.  Nellie came so fast and we live about 15 minutes from the hospital so I didn't want to fool around.

My contractions felt different (finally!) and I knew I was in the early stages with them being 8-12 minutes apart.  I felt so good in between contractions though that I was doubtful still.  Finally I got up and made a list for my mom with directions to preschool, packed some final items in my hospital bag, and changed into some clothes.  My contractions slowed during all of this and so I hopped back into bed.

By now it was about 1:30am.  Three contractions went by (15 minutes apart) and I was sure it was a false alarm.  I might have dozed off and then had two really painful contractions about 10 minutes apart.  My breathing woke Stevenson up.  He got up and started getting ready.  The contractions took a lot of focus but were still very far apart and I felt great in between.  We passed the time clearing out our iphones (of pictures and videos) and watching videos that our kids had taken of themselves.

By 2:45 my contractions were 6-7 minutes apart and I started getting antsy.  We headed to the hospital, walked around a little while, and checked in around 3:20.

Although I tested positive for Group B Strep at the beginning of my pregnancy I tested negative at the end which really means nothing since once you have it you always will, just in higher or lower amounts.  However with my complications and allergies to antibiotics I opted not to have the antibiotic.  It was nice to not have to be hooked up to an IV.  I was 5cm when we arrived and the baby sounded great so I got in the Jacuzzi.  I experienced back labor for the first time and was really grateful for the jets that hit my back in exactly the right places to provide counter-pressure for the pain.  It all seemed too easy still, and I felt so good in between contractions that I still wasn't sure if it was really happening.

One of the nurses was a little paranoid after learning that I had delivered Nellie in a tub and kept wanting to get me out and check the baby.  When I got out I was at a 7cm and decided to labor a while sitting up in bed with Stevenson rubbing my back during contractions.  I squeezed his hand so hard during each contraction, but the combination was great.

The contractions were intensifying but I could tell that the baby wasn't moving down.  I decided to stand up and walk around a bit (hanging on poor Stevenson).   I could not have done this without Stevenson.  He kept me from loosing my mind and going into the crazy, screaming banshee mode that happened with Nellie.  He helped me stay so focused and breath deep on each contraction.

I moved back to the bed, put it in upright position and got on my knees and hung over the back of the bed.  It was really such a great position to labor in.  I could hang over the bed or pull down on it and all the while Stevenson could massage my back.

My water still had not broken and it was about 6:30am.  They checked me and I was at a 9cm, but the baby was still high up.  I went through a few more contractions (starting to feel VERY frustrated that I couldn't feel any progress) and then asked them to break my water.  It was hard to break and I was disappointed to not feel the baby immediately move down like I had with Nellie.  (Note to self: never compare labor ever again.)

The contractions got crazy after this but I was still able to hang on with Stevenson's help.  Around 7:00 I started pushing.  Not because I felt like I needed to (I never felt like I needed to), but because I was so frustrated that I was feeling no progress.  The pushing wasn't seeming to do anything.  I was exhausted having been up all night.  My legs and my left hand had gone numb.  I was really discouraged.  I eventually pushed her out and all I remember saying was "that was so hard.  That was so so hard.  So much harder than Nellie."  They laid her on my chest but I don't really remember it.  I think I still had my eyes closed.

Once I came back around and opened my eyes I couldn't believe that that little person had just been inside me.  The first thing I noticed were her blond eyebrows.  The second was her perfectly shaped head.  I held her for 45 minutes and nursed her.  Then they weighed and measured her.  8lbs 4 oz. 21 inches long.  Girlfriend was much bigger than I was anticipating.

The nurse offered to bathe her and Stevenson and I, being as exhausted as we were, told her to go for it.  We slept for 2 hours and awoke to the most beautiful baby girl sleeping next to us in her bassinet.

Birthing at McKenzie-Willamette was a great experience.  The nurses and Doctors were very hands off for the most part.  They never once woke me up for anything.  The second night we were there (we had to stay two nights to monitor Nora since I did not get the antibiotic) they never caught me awake and left us alone all night.  It was a great experience and I would recommend delivering there.

We enjoyed visitors for the rest of our first day.  Grandpa Steve, The Apkers (bearing Little Big Burger much to our delight!), Grandma Linette with Spencer and Nellie, Grandma Linda, Aunt Jessica with Carrie and Ruby and the most beautiful purple tulips, and Great-Grandma Anita and Bill.  This little girl is so loved already.

Nora Jane has been a dream baby so far.  Her siblings are enamored by her and love to hold and look at her.  Spencer even sets her a place at the table.  The kids are careful and kind and I am a more calm mother this third time around.

Somehow, even though it has only been a week, it is hard to imagine what life was like without our Nora Jane.