What an exciting heading! Well, for me anyway.
Birth Story...
Thirty eight weeks pregnant: I'm not sure who started the glowing rumor about pregnancy, but surely they've never experienced it firsthand themselves. I felt overly huge, uncomfortable, loss of energy; my heartburn was so bad I ate Tums sun up to down; walking was painful, and every time I felt my sweet angel move, I thought he broke my hip bones. By this time, in my pregnancy, its called the "I'm done" phase and the thought of two more weeks is enough to bring me to tears.
April twenty ninth around five thirty my water broke. Not only did it break, but I was sitting on my couch, and you can just imagine the mess it made. I jumped up and ran to the kitchen where I stood in utter shock. Even though I was physically prepared for this baby to come I wasn't mentally ready. I didn't even pack my hospital bag. YIKES! Since I was having a VBAC my OBGYN told me that if my water broke I needed to go into the hospital right away. I told my husband "My water just broke." He gets up and walks over to me, and I cry. My tears were caused by dirty laundry, yep that's right. I was crying because the laundry wasn't done. How could we bring our new baby home to a "dirty house" as I put it? Sometimes I would love to know what goes on in a mans head when all of this chaos is going on.
I go upstairs to our bedroom, leaking amniotic fluid from the couch to the kitchen, up the stairs, down the hall and into our bedroom/bathroom. My husband follows and begins to call his brother while starting a load of laundry. what a sweet husband I have.
After one shower and two changes of clothes, I came to realize nothing is going to stay dry or clean. My brother in law shows up, we explain to Seth that Ashton is coming, and we will see him tomorrow. Then off to the hospital we go.
The drive to the hospital will be a memory, I will always hold dear to me. We were both starting to feel excited and less scared about having this baby. Maybe I was ready after all!! The thought continually weighed on my mind if I would be able to have a VBAC, and there I was, on my way to find out.
We arrived at the hospital and got checked in. Then waited, and waited, and waited. By the time I was admitted into the hospital and taken to my room my contractions were getting stronger. My optimistic way of thinking started to decrease, I totally forgot what labor felt like. I guess four years can bring a thick fog over my memory. I could have sworn at this pain level I had to be at least a 6...nope, I was a 3-4. WHAT!!! How on earth am I going to be able to handle this?? I will admit right here that I am a wimp before contractions and especially during them.
My doctor came in and recommended an epidural. Since I was trying for a VABC, in case of an emergency, they would have to put me to sleep, and I did not want that at all. I wanted to be awake and alert when I gave birth to my son. No matter how he came into this world, I wanted to be apart of that moment...and I was in a lot of pain so it sounded wonderful. Note: I have decided formally that all women who give birth without one, are considered to me "Super-Wonder-Woman." I received my epidural when I was dilated to an 8, and that was pretty much all I could take. I could still feel a lot of pain and pressure, but it took the edge off....thankfully!
Finally, I'm dilated to a 10 and ready to push. This is the moment that I had been waiting for. I researched VBACS until I was blue in the face for three years. I did everything I could to plan and prepare to have a baby the way we were intended to have them.
(My husband gave me an amazing spiritual blessing a few weeks before I went into labor. It really expounded on my labor and delivery, which gave me so much comfort and belief in myself that I could do this. Through prayer, faith and obedience, I knew I could have this VBAC.)
One hour and twenty minutes later our new sweet blessing took his first breath at 1:20 a.m. on April 30.
Ashton James Kinneard
7.4lbs/20.9"
I did it!! I had a successful VBAC!! Not only, that but I finally had it all. I was with my husband, and now we were blessed with another precious boy. I waited so long to have this baby. Spending two and half years praying and hoping for so many things, and now watching all of my dreams come true humbles my heart. I can sit here right now and feel this warm comforting feeling inside of me knowing where every blessing came from. Life even at its hardest can be so wonderful. The Lord helped me through each second of doubt I had and in return replaced it with encouragement. He comforted me when I felt like I couldn't continue. I know that through Him, I can accomplish anything I desire. My heart is full. I have two beautiful boys and an amazing husband
Seth is such a great BIG brother. He loves Ashton very much, and I'm grateful he has adjusted to him so well. Cameron is the best dad these two boys could ask for.
I'm tired utterly exhausted as expected. My house is a disaster half all the time. Seth's routine/schedule is just now getting back on track...two months later. I feel like a walking zombie most all days. The reality of having a newborn is...nothing gets done besides feedings, diaper changes and the mounds of extra laundry, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!! I love having a new baby around, and I am trying to soak up as much as I can while he is still so little. Even the midnight/early-morning feedings, not a second goes by that I don't feel blessed and grateful.
