Juniper Evangeline
1.3.2017
6lbs 19 inches
Our fifth baby was due right around New Years. Her "official" due date was actually January 2 - but we honestly didn't think she'd wait that long. After all, three out of our four previous deliveries were "early" - up to two weeks! As we considered the due date, and the fact that we wouldn't have any help coming after she was born, we were REALLY hoping she would come sometime during the week between Christmas and New Years (which seemed very likely!) because Jacobs' employers do not give any Paternity leave, but they do give that week off. Our fingers were crossed! I also was hoping she would come before the New Year, simply because all of her siblings have even birth years, and if we were going to have an odd number of kids, it would be kinda cool if they all had even birth years. I know, it was a silly thought!
I had never done ANYTHING to try and naturally induce labor for any of my other births. But this time...with a wink from my midwife, who was nervous about me not having any help...I tried "labor cookies" (basically ginger snap cookies with extra ginger and a dash of cayenne pepper - I would say - ginger-with-a-SNAP cookies ;), I also tried curb walking, I ate spicy food, I made an extra strong brew of Red Raspberry Leaf Tea, we *you know*...and then for Christmas, Jacob surprised me with a beautiful cream colored Dutch bike, and I even took it for a spin (granted, I was already 4cm dilated at that point...it wasn't a super comfortable bike ride - but it felt nice to coast around the neighborhood, surely, my neighbors thought I was a little crazy!). But nothing worked. Quite frankly, I knew it wouldn't. But it was sort of fun to try ;) I knew she would come when the time was right...I just really hoped it was before Jacob had to go back to work.
Well, we had a fun time with our little family during that week. But by New Year's Eve...I just sat in my closet and BAWLED. You know, sobbed. First - she was not going to have an even-year birthday. I know it's funny, but when you're very pregnant and have been sick due to pregnancy for almost an entire YEAR (I got pregnant in February last year, had an early miscarriage towards the end of March, then got pregnant right away after) you just get a little hormonal/emotional/insane towards the end. I also had anxiety about Jacob going back to work. And the kids going back to school. And having to go back to plan A B C D...etc. for when I went into labor. We already knew I had a history of precipitous births, and we really wanted to make it to the birth center in time. AHHHH! It was the worst New Year's Eve of my life. Yet, I knew...it could happen any day...
Well, my due date came. The very next day, Jacob would have to go to work, and the kids back to school. Yet, nothing was happening. It was a gorgeous day - 76 degrees, just beautiful. We spent time outside with the kids, and then in the evening, I decided to run to Target to get a few odds and ends that we needed. I remember coming out of Target and walking through the parking lot - it was about 6:30pm and the sun was about to go down. It was warm, and the sky had a beautiful warm glow. I thought to myself 'too bad, baby June, today would've been a beautiful day to be born.' But I didn't think it would happen that day. In fact, I got a few text messages from friends and family later that evening - between about 8 and 10pm - wondering if baby was showing any signs of coming? They knew it was my due date, and probably knew I was anxious for her to come. I texted back - 'I guess she is taking her sweet time. She wants her own year, and her own day - no holidays.'
I was in bed by 10pm, just relaxing. Jacob was downstairs getting everything ready to go for the next day - packing his lunch and the kids' lunches for work and school, and getting his bike stuff all ready for his morning commute. Aspen came in to our room, and wanted to lay in bed with me because she kept thinking of something scary, and she wanted to just be close. So, I laid there with her as she drifted off to sleep. It was about 10:15pm by then. Not long after...I felt a surge - or at least I thought it was. A surge - or contraction. Hmm? I waited to see if more would come -- and approximately 15 minutes later, one came. I texted Jacob and told him I thought I had a surge and that I would time the next one and let him know. He came up about 15 minutes later, and right as I had my third surge. Even though to many it would seem silly to call the midwife after THREE surges, 15 minutes apart - we knew we couldn't wait. So, we called the midwife and we called the people on our list who said they could stay with our kids. THREE of them did not pick up their phones! Aspen was still laying in bed by me, and I told Jacob that maybe we should just wake up the kids, load them up, and go. I had no idea how long my labor would be, but I feel strongly we should GET THERE. We tried to wake Aspen up and quickly realized that waking all the kids and getting them into the car might take longer than we realized. So, we tried one last number - and luckily, they picked up. Approximately ten minutes later, about 11:15pm, we pulled out of our driveway and headed to the birth center, about 10 minutes away.
As we pulled up to the birth center and I opened my door, my midwife, Charlotte, met us. I had another surge so it took a couple minutes for me to get out of the car. It was about 11:40pm when we finally walked into the birth center and to our suite. We put our bags down, and I got up on the bed. I was wearing a little nightgown, and my special bracelet I had made from the beads that were given to me at my special Mother's Blessing, and as I touched the beads during a surge, I remembered the affirmations and beautiful words that were spoken and given to me to help me as I worked to bring my baby earth side.
Charlotte listened to my heart, and my baby's heart, and checked vitals, and simply chatted with me. I had a couple more surges and then asked when we should fill the tub. Though they disinfect the tubs after each use, they also disinfect them before each use. So, it had about 10 minutes to finish disinfecting, and then they could fill it up. My surges were still not super close together - but they were long and pretty intense. Honestly, more intense than my previous labors - and I began to wonder about that Red Raspberry Leaf Tea brew I drank a few days prior...because each surge was definitely efficient.
I slipped under the warm and welcoming water of the birthing tub about about ten minutes to midnight. Only a little over an hour prior I had been texting my friends and family telling them "nope, not today...no signs of her coming" and yet, here she was ON HER WAY! I looked at the clock - ten minutes till midnight. Well, she might not be born ON her due date, but I think she wanted to make a statement that she would be born on HER day.
And, she was. I relaxed and floated in the water between surges, still not even super close together but close enough that I started feeling a lot of pressure and knew it would be SOON. Charlotte checked me and said I could start pushing if I felt like it. What!?! Really!?! Just then, I felt a TON of pressure and my very well-built bag of waters broke. And then, I just knew, baby was coming -- so after that, I pushed her right out in one push! I reached down and caught my sweet baby Juniper right into my own hands - it really was like catching a shooting star! I think Charlotte and the nurses were a little surprised at how calm I was and how fast it all happened! (Meanwhile, Jacob took some photos!) They completely trusted in me and I trusted in my body - and it was all very calm, zen, and QUICK!
And suddenly, there she was, in my arms, her tiny cry breaking the silence. This sweet sweet soul who had been nudging me for years that she was to be a part of our earthly and eternal family - was finally here. Juniper Evangeline Carter. Just shy of 6 lbs. Born 13 minutes past midnight. Another tiny darling to love forever. We were so relieved, and SO happy she was finally in our arms!
I couldn't have asked for a better birth. 14 surges total!?! Honestly, my births have all been amazing. I tend to get pretty sick during pregnancy (especially with girls!) but my labors and births are amazingly calm, smooth, and quick! What a lucky mama I am! A mama to FIVE amazing souls! I feel so humbled and so happy. What a dream come true!
