Labor & Delivery - Kiersten Linnea

Before I start writing & you keep reading, I will forewarn you that this post gets personal. To me, how can it not? It’s about giving birth to a child. I’ve got one word for you ladies: OUCH! This is bringing pain to a whole new level. I never really understood what “pain” truly felt like until giving birth to little miss Brooklynn. The irony in all of it though, I would do it all over again.

So, here we are, over a week past my due date. The date is April 12th, and there is a big snow blizzard coming. Yes, it’s April. It was also the morning of the day I was going to be induced. Contractions started at about 2am and so far I am thinking, “Ok, this isn’t the worst pain ever, I can do this…”

Now a little side information of my “birth plan” (which let’s be honest, never goes as planned, so I don’t know why we even made one lol) anyways, I had a midwife and wanted to have an all natural delivery; no drugs. The thought of getting a huge needle in my back scared me to death…..

Ok, back to my contractions…they continued to get stronger and closer to together and we finally checked into the hospital at about 6am in the morning. At this point, I’m only dilated to 4. You need to be a 10 to deliver. That’s right, A TEN! Ummm….yeah ok. Several hours pass, it’s about 4pm and I am dilated to a 7 and HOLY CRAP people, the best I can describe it is someone stabbing you in the stomach over & over. At this point, all I remember is standing and bracing myself up against the wall and telling everyone to shut up. The next thing I remember is my midwife telling my husband, “If she does want the epidural, we need to get the IV started or she will miss her window.” So, there I am, exhausted and in pain. I look at my husband, and he and my midwife look back at me and say, “Honey, you don’t get a reward for doing a natural birth. It’s ok to get the epidural. You’ve been in labor for a long time now and it’s only going to get worse.”

At this point I was so beyond exhausted, yet all I kept thinking to myself is “You’re a failure if you get the drug.” THIS IS NOT TRUE LADIES!!! Whether you had a natural birth, c-section, or a combination of things, BIRTH IS BIRTH.

I decided at this point it wouldn’t hurt to get the IV started at least. That way I had the option if I wanted it. After the nurse poked me 3 times, I finally got the IV fluids started. Then it happened. The WORST contraction. All I remember is jumping out of that bed, looking to my husband to hold me up (my whole body was shaking like I was having a seizure at this point), pushing up against the bed, and then my water broke all over the floor and my husband. I hear my husband yell, “someone get those fluids in her now and get a epidural for her!” I remember looking at him with tears in my eyes, and him looking back and saying, “It’s ok babe, you need it. Your body is going into shock and you’ve tried long enough.” I consented to it at this point.

I got the epidural, and after that I felt AMAZING. I am so glad I did. NO regrets. I was able to finally relax. The rest of the labor was honestly fun. Yes, fun! I remember laughing and thinking it was absolutely hilarious how numb my legs were and the fact I couldn’t feel a thing.

Labor progressed fast after that. I pushed for an hour and our beautiful little girl was born at 7pm that night. Holding her for the first time is a moment I will never forget and it made everything worth it.

All in all, everyone has a different labor and delivery story. No matter how your story went just remember this: YOU ARE AMAZING, YOUR BODY IS AMAZING & YOU DID IT MOMMA!

Much love, Kiersten