The Birth of Grace Elizabeth Baillie

I know a lot of people love to hear the story of how it all went down,(forgive me if you don't, I am going to go into  a lot of detail)  so I am going to start at 36 weeks when the baby was breach... My midwife sent me to an acupuncturist to help turn her, I know what you are thinking... an acupuncturist?  But let me tell you, going to her was pivotal in this whole experience!!  With the aid of the acupuncturist, little Gracie turned by 37 weeks (normal pregnancy timeline is 40 weeks), with that I did not have to worry about having a C-Section, (most doctors will not deliver babies vaginally when they are breech.)  Even after turning, I still continued to go see her weekly, she gave a "pregnancy tuneup" as she calls it, strengthening my kidneys and to give me more energy.  She also started me on some herbal supplements, which I believe helped tremendously during labor, one was primrose oil, which softens the cervix, the other was this "mothers blend" which strengthens the uterus, making your contractions much more effective....

Fast forward to 39 weeks....

Went to my weekly midwife appointment and was told that my blood pressure was really high, so immediately they hooked me up to the fetal monitoring system, which shows little Gracie's heart beat, and she was still going strong.  They then sent me to the hospital to take a Non-Stress Test, and that is when I starting to worry a little, being sent to the hospital!!!  I was there for 4 hours, getting lab work done, listening to the baby and monitoring me.  Thank God for Stephen, he is a wonderful support, sitting there, holding my hand the whole time, praying laughing and just keeping me relaxed.  I was sent home on bed-rest (which sent my mom flying to be with me, and she was here the next morning!) At home the next day, I had pretty bad headache, which was something I was supposed to look out for, which sent me to the hospital again... this time Aimee, my sister was with me, as well as my mom.  After another 4 hours of testing they sent me home again, continuing to stay on bed rest.  My mom was so valuable during this time, not letting me get up for anything, making me food, cleaning house and making sure Stephen and I dinner every night!

Thursday was my next appointment, my blood pressure was still high, so the midwife gave us a choice, inducing that night, or waiting over the weekend and inducing on Monday.  No matter what, they were not going to let me go past due with high blood-pressure.     After debating, we decided to just go ahead and do it that night.  It wasn't an easy decision, the last thing I wanted to do in this labor was to be induced, usually that leads to a series of drug interventions that I was trying to avoid.  On the other hand, I would have to be on bed rest all weekend and still run the risk of being induced.

The plan was to go to the hospital at 5:30 pm on Thursday the 9th and stay overnight.  They would give me cervidil that night to help my cervix efface, give me a sleeping pill to help me sleep, then that morning give pitocin to help me dialate.

After leaving my midwife, I called my acupuncturist and made an immediate appointment to start the induction process naturally, (something that midwife says sometimes helps a little bit, but I heard great things about it) After my treatment I felt immediate contractions, nothing that hurt, just my stomach really tightening!  Excited, Stephen and I went out to Carpos for dinner, went home to get our bags, then headed to the hospital!!!!

We brought movies, games and books to get us through the night... our last night together alone!!!  Our doula Anna Marie came to visit us in the hospital that night, and was there at 9 pm when the nurse gave me the cervidil.  She was going to come again that next morning, when it all was going to start, and we were just going over our game plan.  I didn't want to get an epidural, unless I asked for it 3 times that was not in the middle of an contraction, we went over breathing and pain coping techniques.  The nurse gave me a sleeping pill, and we were going to bed at 11 pm, anxious about what was going to happen that next morning!!!

Well, we didn't have time to be anxious, at 11:30 pm I felt my water break... more like a waterfall come out of me... and then it was game on from that point.

I starting having immediate contractions, no more than 2 minutes apart, often times double peaking, not allowing me to get a break between.  At 1:30 we knew that this is going to happen soon, so we called the family, Anna Marie and Amy Zweers to let them know that she is coming!!!  

I came in 2 cm dilated, at 2:00 I was 6 cm dilated... and going fast!  Anna Marie was amazing, this was her first time being an official "doula" and I would recommend her to anyone!!!  She helped me breathe, helped relieve my back pain, and told Stephen and Amy what to do to help me as well.  The help I had was amazing,  I am so blessed!!!!   The pain was intense, but it was manageable, I was really worried about being able to keep my energy up, the sleeping pill was starting to really set in, and I asked for an epidural, just to help me sleep so I could have enough energy to get through this.  The double peaking was kicking my butt, but I used all my breathing techniques I learned, which made me look silly, but it was working, so I don't care.  I labored mostly on the birthing ball, it was by far the most comfortable position, that and being on all fours.    We decided against the epidural, she was just coming too fast and I was almost done.... they did give me some fentanyl, which just takes the peak off the contraction, and makes me feel a little drunk... So... I was super tired thanks to the sleeping pill, and now feeling a little drunk, thanks to the fentanyl.  The fentanyl was perfect though, it helped me gain a little more strength going into transition.  

So, labor started at 11:30, it was now 4:45 and I started to push, and push and push.  They said that I was doing great, but once someone turned the light on, I realized that there was a lot more doctors and nurses there.  Grace was stuck in the birth canal, and they were worried about her getting out in time... They screwed a heart monitor into her head, and she was doing great, but she was not coming out... They then asked, well, told me that they were going to give me a episiotamy.... Snip, snip... I also found out that I had 3rd degree tearing as well.... and she still wasn't coming out!!!   I heard a lot of whispering and started to get scared... thinking that after all this, I was going to have to have a C-section after all....  Thankfully, after some more hearty pushing, and a vacuum, the lovely Grace Elizabeth Baille was born at 5:26 am on Friday, July 10th 2009.  She weighed 9.1 lbs, 22 in long and her head was 14 in diameter!  No wonder she was getting stuck!  She is off the charts big!!!  

I had quite an audience that night, though all people that I love dearly, and it was so nice for all of us to witness and experience this together...

My husband Stephen, my mom, Amy and Monica Zweers,  my sister Aimee as well as Isaac and Marina (the kids weren't there for it all) and of course Anna Marie!!!  Wowza, that was not the plan, but it all worked!

**** A side note our friend Jacob Agnone and his wife Alicia were giving birth at the exact same time in the room next door!  Welcome Mia Ryan Agnone!!!!