Finally getting time to share the birth story of our first baby, P♡

Some final bump photos because looking back at these make me smile 🙂 I really enjoyed being pregnant. Walking around with a bump honestly felt like a power move wherever I went.

Liquid Gold♡ Brought some pre-pumped vials to the hospital just in case.

Jan 3rd, 2023

I went into my 41w appt anxious about what would happen from there. Baby and I are checked, both healthy, I’m at 2cm and my doc asked what I want to do. I knew I needed to be induced this week if anything so he checked the hospital’s schedule. Gave me a call an hour later and said, “How’s today at 4pm? Let’s have Miss P!”

I called Ryan and my mom and it was time to pack up the last minute things before heading to the hospital! I was shaking while packing and cleaning frantically – excited, nervous, everything!

My mom stayed with us before we left for the hospital at 4pm. IV went in at 5pm and doc ordered a Cook Catheter to begin induction. I went in not wanting that so he came in and explained why it’s very effective, that he’s really good at delivering babies and this works. I’m not checked in at a spa, I’m here to have a baby and not gonna be comfortable!

So I did it and it wasn’t nearly as bad as anticipated. Nothing more than a cervical check. Cramping began immediately and lasted the duration of the catheter being in. Low pitocin started at 8pm. Ry and I watched movies + rested overnight.

Jan 4th, 2023

7:30am Cook Catheter was removed. I was dilated to a 5 and 90% effaced! Pitocin increased + so did contractions. They grew stronger at 1.5-2.0min apart for hours but I labored through. Ryan was so great supporting me through it all. He learned a lot in the @builttobirth course🤍 I progressed to 6cm by the afternoon then opted for the epidural.

Eyes on the prize. This photo really helped me to stay steadfast. Every contraction was pushing us closer to meeting our baby.

Epidural worked only on my right side so they gave extra pain meds to try and help but that failed. I breathed through contractions + it was tolerable. Her heart rate fell shortly after and an internal fetal monitor had to be put in. It was the scariest part. Nurses I didn’t see + my doctor all came in at once and focused on getting her heart rate up.

By 5pm, I was 10cm!! I labored her down one more hour to prevent me from pushing for a long time. Appreciate my doctor looking out for me there.

6pm – Right on time, my doc came in and said, “Let’s have this baby. You’re ready🙌🏼”. Pushing began at 6:13pm!

I started pushing at 6:13pm with each contraction. Her heart rate dipped again so they put me on oxygen, and I was so determined to get her out. I was always so afraid of the pushing stage of labor but truly it’s like how everybody says – so primitive, so natural. I couldn’t believe that my body did it! The adrenaline that kicked in was something I’ve never felt before. My pain became extremely minimal and the pressure honestly felt good after those Pitocin contractions.

I couldn’t believe my mental shift in the moment. The fear went away!

Since I had the epidural, pushing was relieving! The pressure felt good like it was a sign I was almost there. At this point, doc asked me if I wanted to feel her head. I did. She was RIGHT THERE. The most surreal feeling that I touched her while she was still not even earth-side yet!!

One of my favorite photos from the birth is above. People who know me personally know I rave about Dr. Kraft. He was on my side the entire pregnancy and pushed with info when I needed it. He gave me the freedom to do what I felt was right while still working with his expertise. I had full trust in him during my birth. We worked as a team and this photo shows the intensity in that last push to get her out!

My nurse, Molly was phenomenal too. She was pregnant at the time as well and we bonded over both going to UCF. I crave deeper conversations with people and once the epidural kicked in and I could really talk, I enjoyed our conversations. We followed each other on Instagram after and I got to see her later in 2023 after she had her baby!

After 16 pushes in 5 contractions, P was born at 6:36pm🕊️

Ryan got to place her on my chest and that was so special. He was one of the very first to hold our baby girl. He cut her umbilical cord once it stopped pulsating and she became her own person🤍

Ryan and my mom were so encouraging the entire time. Looking at Ryan and him telling me, “She’s right there. You’ve got this.” That’s all I needed. I couldn’t be more thankful for such a positive experience overall🤍

A fist bump for Ryan and an affirming embrace for me from Dr. Kraft. He said something along the lines of, “You did it and I knew you could. You did incredible. I’m so proud of you.” LIKE BROOOO C’MON WHAT DOCTOR DOES THIS? I was so emotional!! He is truly the best.

PLACENTA WARNING

I know I’m not the only one fascinated with the idea of a placenta. I couldn’t wait to see what mine looked like. Such a powerful organ that was the tree of life for my baby!! I wish I could have taken a deeper look honestly… next time hahaha.

EMOTIONAL seeing Ryan hold her for the first time! I couldn’t wait to see him do skin-to-skin. That was one of my favorite moments. She is so tiny compared to him… My heart was just beating out of my chest (knappy hair and all😆). She really has the best daddy who is so sweet with her🤍

My sister was at work so we expected she couldn’t come until the next day but something happened at her work to close them early for the day so she made it to the hospital right before visiting hours were over. I mean, God is so good! That meant everything to her to be there that night with everyone.

Thankful isn’t a strong enough word to explain how I felt having my family there with us after the birth. With C*VID rules forever changing things, we expected to not even be allowed to have my parents come in and meet P together. It was originally planned they’d have to come in one at a time. Even the small things like that – being able to have my parents experience their grand baby together – that’s huge.
Thankful isn’t a strong enough word to explain how I felt having my family there with us after the birth. With C*VID rules forever changing things, we expected to not even be allowed to have my parents come in and meet P together. It was originally planned they’d have to come in one at a time. Even the small things like that – being able to have my parents experience their grand baby together – that’s huge.

I totally thought I somehow scratched her because she had these open wounds on both of her hands in the same spot. We asked the nurses and the told us it’s because she was sucking on her hands there in the womb and must have created the wound over time! Wild. I had never heard of that. But within the first few weeks of life, she would suck on her hands right there.

My cousins (they were my bridesmaids!) stayed with my dad in the waiting room so they got to come in afterwards to meet her as well. Perks of having a baby around the holidays – everyone is in town.

My brother made it too. He was so giddy walking in and seeing P on the baby warmer. I haven’t seen him smile that big… probably ever.

I heard so many horror stories about hospital births. Doctors ignoring momma’s preferences, babies being taken from momma right away, etc… but my experience was so positive. My doctor was amazing, my nurses were extremely caring and attentive, I wasn’t forced to push for hours, every preference I had that was safe to do so in the moment was seen, heard and done. I felt my baby and I were taken care with loving hands every minute of being there.

The nurses I had in other shift changes even came back to the room after P was born to be able to meet her and congratulate me on a job well done and tell me it was a privilege getting to be my nurse. I mean😭😭 Even just typing this out now (18 months later) it sounds unreal that they even did that – but it’s true.

If you’re debating which path to take for your birth, don’t count out hospitals all together from things you see online because you could have a really positive experience there and I’m wishing every happiness for you🤍

And a solid Publix Chicken Tender Sub to reward myself🙌🏼

Shoutout to one of my greatest friends, Shelby for everything. She drove across the state to come capture these photos for us. I am forever grateful for these photos – couldn’t imagine NOT having them. I loved being able to have a friend there and not just another photographer. She was even so sweet enough to rush to Publix to get me the sub that I was CRAVING. It was such a sweet experience having her there♡

It only took me 18 months but the birth story if P is finally live on my little home on the internet. I hope you enjoyed♡