Once upon a Time, there was a girl named Katie O'Grady, who married a boy named DJ Marcussen. And so their journey began as two very different people, trying to learn the "How to Become One" part of life when all of a sudden... BAM...3 months go by and she finds out she's been impregnated! Say WHAT???!!! That was not in the plans! Their plan anyways :)
So of course she decides to surprise her husband and be creative by writing Hello Daddy on her belly and telling him there's someone she'd like him to meet. Cute, Right? Excitement, Nervousness, Uncertainty followed by his deafening Silence... and then a disappearing act for about 8 hours. For Real? This 2 becoming 1 just went from Hard to Ruh Row! Eventually he came home with flowers, a card and a reassuring hug.
Fast forward approximately 9 months later and into 1st person...
I had decided to do the natural birth thing despite the loving warnings from everyone except my mom and husband who were no stranger to the all natural options in life. My husband being on the verge of crunchy and my mom having had delivered my brother at home, no meds with a midwife, were all for it, as was I. At first I decided to have the baby at the closest birth center at the time which was 45 min away in Alexandria. I loved my appts and the quality time spent with my mom as she went with me every time. But about a month before my due date I decided to have him at my mom's and do a home birth with the reassurance from my birthing assistant and mom that I could do it and would really enjoy the atmosphere and not having to travel. Really, the thing that made me change my mind was they made me believe in myself and my delivery. So with that decision made I started counting down the days...
Oct 3 was his due date which rolled on by with no signs of impending birth, so come that Sunday Oct 5 we were just doing our normal thing, headed from our friends house to my parents house around 5 pm and my water broke! I laugh when I think about how I responded...
Me: Uhh, DJ... I think my water just broke
DJ: Really? How do you know?
Me: Well, there's definitely liquid coming out of me and I'm not peeing myself!
(we crack up) Even more so when we realized my phone was between my legs and totally water logged. That was an interesting story to tell the Verizon people!
When we arrived at my parents I called my birthing assistant, Claudia, who started the phone chain. The on-call midwife, Susan called and asked me some questions. (TMI warning) Determined the graying stuff in the fluid coming out was a minimal amount of meconium and she would be on her way. Why go into that much detail... because it relates to the end of the story. Hang in there.
So as it progressed into the night and early morning I had slowly worked my way to 7 cm dilated. I tried the bath and all the relaxation techniques I had learned in the Bradley Courses. However with my husband, who was supposed to be my "coach" in the process, sleeping, I resorted to zoning in and found my comfort spot in a rocking chair. You can't imagine the pain during labor but I was well informed there would be some, lol. I knew though I would not allow myself to say or think "I can't do this". I'd seen enough "birthing videos and stories" to know I could! What one woman can do...Another woman can do, lol. And I knew it may not be everyone's desire but it was mine. It was in my typed up Birth Plan and therefore, it was going to happen. So I conceded to allow myself to think and say, "I don't know how much longer I can do this..." Minor difference but it made all the difference. I had set my mind and I had prepared myself to keep it set. You can't Try natural birth. You must Choose it. Otherwise... the pain is just too real, lol.
With that, I must take a Time Out to elaborate on why I chose a home birth. Don't worry, it's probably not what you think. I am a firm believer in this process of delivering a human being, to be one that meets the needs, beliefs and desires of the Mom involved. It is a moment in your life that will have significance and Permanent Memory forever. I am very for it being a very personal, thought out decision and no way that delivers a healthy baby and mom is wrong. Well... except non medically emergency necessary C-sections and their knife happy surgeons. But that is a pedestal I will not be climbing today. My reasons for a home birth were mostly based on the non-invasive avenue: No needles (NOT a Fan!) Thinking of the long epidural needle gives me the heebee geebees. The low key, positive, comfortable, controlled atmosphere of my home both during and after labor and delivery. The ability to only have people I knew that would support ALL my desires and whose beliefs ran along side of mine with how the process should go. No shift changes, Unfamiliar Drs or nurses, etc. And maybe more but you get the picture.
Time In! So about this time my midwife suggests I walk down the stairs and get a Coke! ARE YOU CRAZY? I'm having a baby here! However, I wasn't drinking enough fluids. I think I took the smallest sips known to man! and I needed the boost of sugar for energy. Plus... The having contractions on the stairs thing works! Because by the time I got to the bottom I told her I was about to push this baby out whether she liked it or not. So up the stairs we went and wouldn't you know I was at 10 cm! Push Time!!
Three hours later... Push Time!!! Why so long Katie? I don't know... my body just wasn't figuring this whole pushing thing out real well. In case you're wondering...( TMI Warning) It should feel like you are taking the biggest dump of your life! I do believe towards the end I even asked if she would just reach in there and pull him OUT! LOL. Funniest part of the pushing part...while I was birthing this melon out of a lemon, My elbow was digging into DJ's thigh who was straddling me from behind to support my back but no way was he saying anything! Good thing we got it on video b/c that was H I Larious!
But nevertheless, in the end, Truitt Marshall Marcussen was born Oct 6, 2008 at 10:14 am. 8 lbs, 20 inches.
First Response: "Woa do you look like your Daddy!"
Second Response: "Who ever says you forget this pain is on drugs!!"
Sidenote: Although he was great in the beginning, there was a minor concern he may have swallowed some meconium because his apgar dropped. We did end up transporting to the hospital where by the time he got there had fully recovered, however because I was not there at the time, They bottle fed him!! :( and then made us stay for 2 days due to hospital rules! Boo! Furthering my dislike of hospital births. No Matter.
So how did this chapter end... With a Very Loved little Boy who changed our world forever and although we thought we were not ready in our marriage to take on the responsibility of a little life it was the best thing that could of happenned because in the end it made us grow up and Become One, So that we could start a Family with the right Foundation. (Read Our 6th Year...) Not 1+1+1=3 but 2+1=3! Happy as can Be!
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