Birth Story

According to my calculations, Sienna was due July 1st. Well July 1st came and went and no baby. I felt great all day and went about my same routine. I am not a fan of pitocin or being induced, so I just patiently waited for Sienna to pick her own birthday. I was feeling pretty anxious. Sawyer was born 3 days early so I really thought Sienna would come a few days early too.

That evening (Sunday), Mike's sister and her family arrived at our house. They drove in from New Mexico to go to a family reunion for her husbands family in Kaysville. Sawyer had so much fun playing with his cousins. The kids stayed up until almost midnight! The next morning we had breakfast and the dad and kids went swimming at the pool. I started feeling a few surges that morning, but they were so spaced out that I wasn't too concerned. We decided to all go walk around BYU campus so Mike's sister and brother-in-law could see all the changes on campus since they were at school. My contractions were getting stronger and closer together (about 10 minutes apart). I knew baby would be coming that night. I called my midwife around 3:00 and told her I had been having contractions all day and how close together they should be before I came in. She said when they lasted a minute each I should come in.  Around 4:00 we said our goodbyes to the Snell family, I said I needed to go home and rest. Walking around campus and being with family was a great distraction for my early labor.

Sawyer took a nap at home, and I rested on the couch. At about 5:30 I told Mike it was time to head to the hospital. Sawyer was still sleeping so we asked a neighbor (Sawyer's best buddy Ryder and his mom), if they would come sit with Sawyer. We left home at 5:55. My mom was still about an hour or two away. In the car my contractions were getting closer together. They were about 4 minutes apart and a minute along. They were also getting more intense.

We got to American Fork Hospital around 6:20 and all checked in about 6:30pm. I was about 7 1/2 cm dilated. My midwife said I had timed it just right (with Sawyer I got to the hospital at 9+ dilated and he came 3 hours later so we wanted to make sure I got the hospital with plenty of time for this birth). It's almost as if my body knew I had arrived at the hospital and it was time to have a baby. My contractions got closer and closer together. Everyone was impressed that I was smiling, talking, and so calm (between contractions). With Sawyer I gave birth all natural and drug free. I planned to do the same with this birth. I had been attending my HypnoBirthing classes and was ready to go! At around 7:45 the contractions we getting REALLY intense and right on top of each other. That is when I lost my calm composure and started saying things like "I don't think I can do this" and "This hurts so much"....etc. My sweet midwife said "Let me check you, because when moms start talking this way it's time to have a baby!" It was time to push. A few intense, painful pushes later she was here! She was born perfectly healthy on Monday, July 2nd, 2012, at 8:11pm. She looks just like Sawyer when he was born. The mid-wives say she came on her due date! I guess based on her 20 week ultra-sound they had moved back her due date to July 2nd.

I won't lie. The last 20 minutes of a drug-free labor are intense and painful. Almost to the point where I felt it was unbearable. But I'm serious when I say as soon as the head is out it is instant relief. So all in all less than 2 hours of serious labor. The recovery has been great. I only need Ibuprofen every 8 hours and no other painkillers. By the time I came home Wednesday morning I already felt way less sore and full of energy.

Sienna has been the sweetest baby. I think I have only heard her cry 2 time and less than 15 seconds. She is easily soothed, loves to eat, and is most content snuggling with her mama and papa. Sawyer loves smooching on her and has been a great big brother. I feel SO BLESSED, and love my beautiful family.