Juliana's Birth Story

Before I forget the details, I want to record the story of Juliana's birth. The main thing I will always remember is that this girl came into the world FAST!! Judging by her arrival in the world and the surprise it was that she was even on the way, I think I can safely say she will be a girl who keeps us on our toes! So far, she seems to have her own plans for how she does things...and she has QUITE the flair for the dramatic. :)

I started having pre-labor contractions off and on on Thursday, July 12. Some days I would have lots of contractions; other days only a few. They came on stronger when I was walking or lying down, and would either ease up or stop when I changed my activity. On Wednesday night (July 18), I had more contractions than I'd ever had before, and though they were more frequent, there was no real pattern or rhythm to them. I sat on the birth ball doing hip circles that evening, wondering if something might be happening but figuring it was probably more of them same.

At 12:30am Thursday, July 19, my water broke while I was sleeping! I was very thankful for that answer to our prayers, as it was my hope that my labor would begin spontaneously. (Side note: my water also broke in the middle of the night when I was pregnant with Laurel. Laurel and Juliana were both born 2 days before their respective due dates, too.) As I hopped up out of bed, I shook Jeremy's shoulder, "Babe! Babe, my water broke!" He sat up pretty quickly and we were both excited to know we'd have a baby in our arms that very day!

I called Labor and Delivery to tell them my water had broken and that it was my second baby (they say your second labor is much faster than your first). The nurse asked if I was having contractions, and I told her I wasn't, and then I asked if it would be okay if we came to the hospital in about an hour, so that my sister would have time to get to our house to babysit Laurel while we were away. She said sure,  go ahead and walk around, have a snack, etc. and that she'd see us in an hour. (My total labor with Laurel was 9 hours, and so I figured "much faster" meant I was looking at about a 5 hour labor this time...little did I know, Juliana had other plans!)

Next, I called my sister, who was very out of it on the phone in the middle of the night. She missed my call, actually, and apparently hassled her husband about playing a trick on her. He convinced her that it really was me calling, and that that meant I was having the baby! She called back, still pretty out of it. I told her my water had broken. She said, "Your water broke?" I said yes, then said, I needed to go to the hospital to have the baby. "You need to go to the hospital?" Then she asked, "What do I need to do?" I said, "You need to come to my house to take care of Laurel!" By then she was a little more awake, and said she'd be on her way as soon as possible.

At about 12:45am I started having contractions that were 3 to 5 minutes apart and lasting 30 to 45 seconds each. They were definitely getting stronger, but the pain really wasn't excruciating (yet!). I would walk around, then brace myself on a dresser or desk to breathe and sway my hips through each contraction. Jeremy took a shower, and between contractions, we both added the final items to our suitcases while we waited for Val to arrive.

Val got to our house just before 1:30am and was so excited about the baby being on her way! By that time, my contractions were only about 2 minutes apart and were lasting 45 seconds or so. They were now at the point where I couldn't talk through them, and had to really focus on breathing and swaying to get through each one. It was time to go!! We had Val take a couple of pictures for us before we left, then I grabbed a bowl of watermelon (of course) to snack on on the 5-minute drive to the hospital.

Sitting in the car was SUPER uncomfortable, and I realized that standing was really the only way I was going to be able to handle the contractions, especially as they increased in strength in what I was thinking was a few more hours of labor ahead of me. Thankfully the ride was over quickly, and we headed into Labor and Delivery to check in. Jeremy filled out all the paperwork while I continued to walk, then brace and sway through my contractions. I was REALLY feeling them now, and felt myself moving toward the point of no longer having effective ways to deal with the pain. (With Laurel, I wanted to wait until that point to request my epidural, which ended up being at a time when my labor progression stalled while I was dilated to 7cm.)

They brought us back into the triage room very quickly, and I was told to change into my gown so they could measure me, get my IV started, and get in a dose of antibiotics I needed. I asked for my epidural immediately upon arrival, and they sent for the anesthesiologist. In pretty intense pain, I laid down on the bed so they could check me, and I was at an 8! That surprised me, and honestly gave me permission to FEEL in pain. The poor nurse who was trying to draw some blood and start my IV was doing so in the middle of me feeling very out of control AND having enormous contractions. Just as she was drawing her last vial of my blood, a big contraction hit, and all I could think of was dealing with the pain. I stood up from the bed to try to sway through the contraction, but didn't give her any warning, and she blew my vein. (And I now have a 6-inch-long black and blue bruise on my arm to show for it!)

As they wheeled me into the delivery room, the poor nurse from triage was calling after them, "I didn't get her IV started!" She had tried once and missed, then blown my vein on attempt #2. Apparently another nurse got it started in my other arm, because the fluids were running cool through my arm in no time. The attending OB was alerted of my arrival, and I remember some comments about "You really waited until the last possible second, didn't you?" and "I thought you weren't having any contractions when you called!"

When Dr. Sulak, the attending OB, arrived, I kind of got tunnel vision, and I only remember seeing her and Jeremy after that point (Jeremy tells me there were actually about 10 people in the room. The hospital where I delivered is a teaching hospital, so I am sure it was an assortment of residents, med students, etc. as my audience.) Dr. Sulak checked me, and I was at a 9 1/2! She told me there wouldn't be time for an epidural. I swallowed hard and turned to Jeremy, "Tell me I can do this!" He reassured me that I could, but still I asked him to tell me again. Someone suggested local anesthesia to try to ease some of my pain, but Dr. Sulak realized things were moving too fast for that, and said, "You know what? I think we should go ahead and have this baby!"

At that point, that was exactly what I needed to hear-- my body was telling me that if I could just push, I would be able to actually DO SOMETHING about all the pain I was in. I had been lying half on my back, half on my side, kind of arching my back through the contractions, and I needed relief! The back labor was INTENSE, and I was thankful to know I could push, because pushing meant it would be over soon! So, we headed into the finale medication-free.

With my first push, I let out a scream like no other scream I have ever uttered. It came from some deep part of me that I don't think I had ever dipped down to before. I made some progress with my push, but the screaming didn't help. A nurse stepped into my tunnel of vision and very firmly told me to stop screaming and to instead direct all the energy and pain into my pushing. (Part of me wanted to be mad at her, but she was right!) On the next push, I bore down and tried to follow her instructions-- wow!! I knew I was working the baby out then! Everyone began to comment on how much hair Juliana had. I worked through a few more pushes, pretty much self-directed, as I could feel each contraction so I knew when to push. Dr. Sulak had me pause at one point and give her "half a push" at another point, and before I knew it, Juliana was out! It was all over SO quickly, and I was very, very relieved.

Juliana Elise was born at 2:15am. One hour and 45 minutes after my water broke, and 45 minutes after we arrived at the hospital.

Jeremy and I are so glad our new little one has joined our family, and I don't think we'll ever forget how she took us by surprise (again!) when she decided she was on her way. After a short hospital stay, we were home with BOTH of our girls, and we are so thankful for that! It is going to be a major adjustment to being a family of four, but we're excited about raising these sweet sisters! We are so grateful to God for blessing us with both of our daughters; we stand amazed at His grace and goodness toward us.

Nursing Survival Kit

I am so thankful that as I was preparing to become a mother, I was surrounded by excellent support. My family members, neighbors, and other friends were all so willing to help, advise, and encourage me. What a blessing!

One area that I felt particularly well-supported in was breastfeeding. It was so important to me to be able to nurse Laurel, and it is my prayer that I will be able to also nurse this new baby and any others the Lord may send along in the future. For so many reasons, it was a REALLY big deal to me to be successful at nursing, and I was committed to making it work.

Once breastfeeding was well-established and I felt like I could relax about it :), I made a list of items that were helpful to me in getting started nursing. As friends of mine who I knew planned to breastfeed had babies after Laurel was born, I started giving them items from my list as a way of supporting and encouraging their efforts.

I have two dear friends who are currently expecting their first babies (one is due just a few weeks ahead of me, and the other just a few weeks behind me! So fun!). I was unable to attend the baby showers these girls had recently, but I still wanted to celebrate the babies on the way, and try to set up my friends up for success with breastfeeding.

I am excited to share the "Nursing Survival Kits" I put together as gifts for these friends, Bethany and Holly. I took pictures as I assembled the kits before mailing them off-- I think they turned out to be very cute! I had so much fun putting these kits together and being able to share with my friends something that is important to me and close to my heart.

It is my hope that the items in each kit with help my friends get started well with nursing and will take some of the stress out of what can be a very challenging undertaking. My prayer for them is that these kits - as well as help and support from their own families and friends- will help them to not only SURVIVE nursing their babies, but enjoy it, too!

The kits had 6 items that were identical, and then each one had one additional item specific to the recipient. Here are the items I included:

• Bottom left: washable nursing pads. (The ones in the kits were handmade by my very talented Momma. :) Similar product here.) I wore at least one pair of these (and sometimes 2 or 3 at a time!) every single day for probably the first 9 months of Laurel's life. They are essential.
• Top left: small laundry bag. This is great to clip onto a hanger and hang above your laundry basket. Then, as the washable nursing pads are used, you just toss them in, zip up the bag, and wash them without having to worry about losing any.
• Top, second from left: The Nursing Mother's Companion book. This is probably the single most important item in the kits. This book is SO helpful!! I read it cover to cover while pregnant with Laurel, and referred back to it very regularly throughout the entire year she was nursing. It has great troubleshooting ideas for when challenges arise and baby's needs/patterns change. I seriously cannot recommend this book strongly enough!
• Bottom, second from left: lanolin cream. What a lifesaver! This cream is great for cracks, chapped skin, soreness, etc. It soothes and heals, and can be used on baby's skin as well; it is a great protector against diaper rash. 
• Bottom, second from right: nursing cover. It is very nice to be able to have a little privacy when nursing, especially when baby is tiny and you are working on positioning at each nursing session. A nursing cover makes nursing on the go MUCH more convenient. 
• Top, second from right: large water bottle with a straw (similar product here). Women who are breastfeeding are THIRSTY. And I mean THIRSTY!! One thing a nursing woman needs at all times is a large cup or bottle of water that she can drink with one hand while holding baby.
• (Top right: the cute box I put all of Bethany's items into! Sadly, Holly had to get a plain USPS box as I only had one that was the right size for the kit. Sorry, Hol!)
• Middle right: my list of other helpful items-- see end of this post.
• Additional for Bethany: "Total Baby" iPhone app. I have not used this app, as I am not an iPhone owner, but I have heard and read great things about it! It sounds so handy: it keeps track of 14 different baby-related details such as nursing (time, side, duration), diapers, sleep, doctor visits, etc. Makes me want to get an iPhone just so I don't have to write all of that down in a binder. :)
• Additional for Holly: soothing gel nursing pads. I packed a pair of these in my hospital bag, and plan to do so again. In the first few days getting started with nursing they were SO NICE! I applied Lanolin directly to these pads for extra relief.

 Above: Bethany's kit, all wrapped and ready to go! Below: Holly's kit, also wrapped and ready to go!

Finally, the last thing I included in the kits was a list of other items that I found to be helpful during nursing. (It is by no means comprehensive!) Most of these items are either perishable or very large-- that's why they weren't included in the kits.

• A comfortable place to sit, such as a rocker, glider, or well-supported spot on the couch or bed.
• A Boppy or other nursing pillow. Eventually you don't need it, but SUPER helpful with a newborn. A stack of pillows works in a pinch, as well.
• Burp cloths. LOTS of burp cloths. Great for spit up, dribbles, and leaks. I made sure I had 2 on hand at all times.
• Snacks. Some of my favorite snacks while nursing: granola bars, almonds, trail mix, fruit...anything with protein and/or fiber that you can eat with one hand.
• Ensure shakes. Sounds crazy, but these are GREAT when you need calories right now! We kept a 6-pack in our fridge for the first couple of weeks after Laurel was born so either of us could grab one when needed. (The last thing I was thinking about as a sleep-deprived, thirsty, ravenous, brand new nursing mother was cooking a healthy breakfast!)
• Frozen corn or peas. These make terrific ice packs during engorgement and are reusable (but only as ice packs, not as side dishes. :)
• Magazines and books. To help pass the time when nursing, say, 14 times a day for an average of 20 minutes per session.
• Your phone. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to text and call people while nursing! A great way to pass the time, get help or encouragement, and stay connected to life outside of your home and new baby.
• Pregnancy tests. This is something I DID NOT have in my own nursing survival kit (obviously!!). This time around, though, I plan to take one of these each month...you know, just in case. :)

My mind is BLOWN.

So, if you haven't heard our big news, here it is: we are expecting our second child! We are very excited and thankful to God for another little blessing on the way. :) I want to share the story of us finding out this baby is on the way, because it is WILD and nearly qualifies me to be featured on the TV show "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant."

Sometime in early/mid- February, I wondered if I might be pregnant, but mostly ignored those thoughts. I was nursing Laurel, but had been cutting back on how many times a day she nursed as she began to eat more solid foods and [eventually] drink cow's milk. I felt like I was getting a bit of a "pooch," and realized I had gained a few pounds, but again attributed that to nursing less often and therefore burning less calories that way.

By February 20, I couldn't deny that SOMETHING was going on in my abdomen: when I laid flat on my back, I could feel a lump in my belly. I woke up that morning and couldn't get the thought of pregnancy out of my head. So finally, after laying awake in bed for a while, when Jeremy's alarm went off, I told him my suspicions. "We have a pregnancy test in the bathroom. Why don't you just take it and see?" I hesitated and it was quiet for a minute. "Now you've got me wondering, too!" he said. So I got up, got the test, and as I went into the bathroom, told my husband, "I'm SURE I'm not, but I'll just take it anyway."

(Famous last words, right?)

Instantly the test displayed a plus sign. "Babe..." I said in disbelief, "It says positive!" So there we were, six days away from our daughter's first birthday and surprised to find out a new blessing was on the way! Later that day, I called my sister and told her the news. I also went to the doctor and confirmed my pregnancy with her office, and then met with the insurance/finance people to make plans for becoming a patient there (no, I hadn't yet found an OB since we moved here in June). At the doctor's office, they asked me how far along I thought I was, and I had to tell them I really had NO IDEA. Without giving TMI, because of nursing, I never had a cycle. So when I was asked for the first day of my last menstrual period, I had to tell them "April 20, 2010," which was before my pregnancy with Laurel, and -as it turns out- is not at all helpful in dating this pregnancy!

They scheduled a dating ultrasound with my doctor's nurse practitioner for Wednesday, February 29. Jeremy and I had a few days to digest our news and try to estimate how far along we thought I might be...we were thinking maybe 8 weeks or so. Almost all of our immediate family members came into town the weekend of February 25th for Laurel's first birthday party, and we thought about telling everyone then. We decided against it, though, since we didn't know how far along I was and wanted to wait until we could tell them the due date.

So Laurel's birthday weekend came and went (and my sister freaked me out when she pulled me aside and said, "I can see your bump!" as I was already self-conscious that I was noticeably showing!). We enjoyed the weekend so much; I may have even been distracted from constant thoughts of my new pregnancy for a little while! Pretty much every single morning since I took the pregnancy test on February 20th, I have been waking up in the middle of the night or very early in the morning with 1,000 thoughts whirling through my head. I was just SO CURIOUS to determine an actual due date and figure out how far along I was, how close in age our children would be, how long we had to get ready for the new baby's arrival, etc. I also thought I was hallucinating, because I thought I was feeling movement in my belly. I told Jeremy that it must be in my head, that my mind was playing tricks on me just because I knew I was pregnant. I also had a panicking thought that I might show up to the ultrasound and find out I was 18 weeks along and that they would tell me our baby's gender! (These are the things, among others, that were waking me up in the middle of the night. :)

Finally Wednesday arrived: ultrasound day! The nurse practitioner was very sweet and was willing to let me hold Laurel during the exam and ultrasound (I didn't try to find a babysitter because no one knew I was pregnant and I didn't want to have to make up a story about why I was going to the doctor!).

Side note: has anyone else ever had a scared-of-the-dark, teething, fussy one-year-old sitting on your belly while an ultrasound was performed? No? Just me? Okay.

Anyway, the nurse practitioner began with what I'll call an "early pregnancy" ultrasound. As soon as she got a view on her screen she said, "Oh, you're farther along than you think you are!" I asked what that meant and if she could tell how many weeks. She said she might need to do the other ("later in pregnancy") kind of ultrasound to figure that out, as my baby was too big for her to see everything on the screen. "So what does that mean? Am I more than 10 weeks or so?" She smiled and said I was more than 14.

I was very surprised to discover I had somehow made it through my entire first trimester without knowing I was pregnant. My head was spinning and I kept thinking, "What?! How is that possible? Do I not know my body at all?!" Then it was on to the second ultrasound (Laurel got to sit next to me on the bed for that one, as they needed access to my belly for goo application and use of the ultrasound wand).

The NP wanted to make sure I understood that she didn't do this type of ultrasound regularly, and that I would need to schedule ANOTHER dating ultrasound with radiology or OB radiology to get an official due date. I looked at my new baby on the screen and was AMAZED. I could see the spinal cord, the beating heart, long, folded limbs-- this was no first trimester baby, that's for sure!! The NP hoped she could give me some sort of ballpark figure of how far along I was, so she took a measurement of the baby's femur. (That is an accurate way to date a pregnancy, especially during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.) I asked her how far along she thought I was. "By my measurement, you're 20 weeks." I looked at her in shock and said, "You have GOT to be kidding me!"

Pregnancy is estimated to be 40 weeks, so 20 weeks means this woman was telling me I am HALFWAY though my pregnancy. HALF. As in 4 and 1/2 months pregnant and due this summer! My mind was blown. I couldn't even think to ask if everything looked okay or if the measurements looked good...or to inquire about the gender, as 20 weeks is far enough along to be able to determine that! When the NP left the room following the ultrasound, I sent Jeremy a text saying, "Please call me ASAP!! My mind is BLOWN."

I attempted to schedule the second dating ultrasound, but was told that someone would be giving me a call about that in the next day or two. Laurel and I found a family restroom where we could collect ourselves for a few minutes before I had to report to the lab downstairs for blood work, etc. That's when the reality and the guilt hit me. OVERWHELMED me, I should say. I was mad at myself for not realizing I was pregnant..."I should have weaned Laurel months ago! There is no way I have been eating enough calories or getting enough nutrients for a growing fetus AND a nursing baby! How could I not realize this before now? How in the world am I going to mother a newborn AND a 16-month-old? I haven't been celebrating this new baby-- I haven't taken belly pictures or shared the news or been praying for the baby's health and safety and protection!" And on and on. Poor Laurel was crying right along with me in the bathroom, but after a little while, we both settled down, took care of the lab work that was needed, and headed home.

Over the next several days, we called our parents, grandparents, siblings, some friends, etc. It was fun to share the news with loved ones, and it definitely helped me feel more excited and less shocked! Everyone was excited for us and encouraging about the situation, which was great for me, as I continued to revisit thoughts of our being "irresponsible," not celebrating this baby from the beginning, and so on. Sweet Jeremy has been excited since the day we found out! I don't think he's struggled with the surprise aspect as much as I have...probably because he isn't the one who was pregnant for 4 1/2 months without knowing it! When I confessed to him that I felt kind of irresponsible not knowing the due date, he said, "What is irresponsible about that? We've been married for 5 years, we're almost 30, we want to have more children...you are not irresponsible!" I know he's right, and I am so thankful for his encouragement and perspective. I am just such a planner...I think I feel guilt over not having planned on having a baby this summer!

On Monday, March 5, Jeremy, Laurel and I went back to the hospital to have another ultrasound done in the radiology department. I am happy to report that our little growing baby looks healthy and normal, and that all 3 of us got to share in the experience of seeing her kick, squirm, suck her fingers, and scratch her nose on the ultrasound screen! And yes, we are having another girl, which will be so fun-- two little girls growing up together, doing the sister thing! :) My measurements with the I-do-this-multiple-times-a-day-everyday sonographer were just a few days behind where the NP thought I was (sonographer says I hit the 20-week mark this past Saturday), and my "official" due date is July 21, 2012.

So, that's our story! God is in control and I know He has a lot to teach our family (and especially me) through all of this. We are thankful and happy and excited, and even when I have my moments of shock or guilt or disbelief from time to time, I trust His plan and His timing. He is already providing and caring for our new daughter, just as He has all along and will continue to do. I am also so grateful to have a husband who is so steady as I am up, down, and all over the place! The Lord knew what He was doing when He gave me Jeremy, and He certainly knows what He's doing in all of this, too. Jeremy and I can't wait to see how rich life with 2 little girls will be...ready or not, here we go!