Everything about this pregnancy was an incredible surprise! I suppose it started by assuring my sister-in-law that “nothing worked ANYMORE” (after trying monthly for a baby, after 8 years). Literally the next day, September 27th, after feeling terrible; I took a pregnancy test. It was positive!! I couldn’t believe it!
It seemed like EVERY DAY there was an overwhelming “life-challenge” to overcome (OUTSIDE of my pregnancy.) It was jarring! I struggled to comprehend how my baby could survive the stress we were under. Thankfully, I had my husband and nine-year-old daughter!
When I wasn’t sick I was tired, on top of trying to be a responsible adult 🙁 !?! This left me exhausted. I do believe my little girl especially helped to nourish our baby in the womb. She read to the baby and I would wake up in the night to her gently rubbing my belly as she was playing music for the baby! I would also wake up to her kissing, talking to, and hugging my stomach. She also made a great dietitian
. Our daughter made sure we made time to focus on the positive!
So many things were out of our control. My husband delivered our first in our bathroom. Our doctor at the time didn’t believe we were having her! In the first month of this pregnancy we found out we needed to leave the doctor we thought we could rely on. It was so upsetting. Within a few weeks, thankfully we found Brookhaven!! Though by week 37, I finally figured out that I needed to just give in and accept that life was going to throw all sorts of roadblocks. It was easier to just stand up and stay strong. I even worried that I might not be able to connect with this baby. I am a fanatic about being pregnant. I love it!! Everything else, I thought, was TERRIFYING! Just realizing now there were a lot of real things to worry about, but never any doubt.
There were brilliant signs though, that everything was going to be O.K.
I still to this day can not believe we are now, a family of four! My husband just said it, yesterday!
AMONG THE CHALLENGES:
Yes, finding a new doctor. The 2.5 hr. drive to the Center with an EXTREMELY car sick child. Not being exactly sure of our Baby’s Birthdate was a challenge. Towards the last 2 months, every other “upset” I thought for sure, was going to be the “big one.”
SIGNS OF OUR HOLLIS AND THE CREATOR’S PLAN:
Slow-moving, intensely burning, vibrant colored shooting stars. My fears were so bad one night, thankfully I thought to stop! At that moment a shooting star the color of orange, then yellow at the tail, and orange again at the star streamed through the sky!! We had flowers bloom where we NEVER had them before. Breathtaking owl and eagle sightings and landings, at the weirdest times. I was blessed enough to realize that God and the Baby knew the exact time to come!
So Friday and Saturday I had contractions at the top of my stomach, I didn’t realize that they were the real thing until recently. They WEREN’T Braxton-Hicks! I was so scared I faked myself out of realizing this. I worried a bit because the baby didn’t move much. Sunday, May 27th, I took a bath. I forced my husband to take our daughter swimming. He knew I felt crampy. I assured him, I was FINE! I remember him shouting (he’s usually mild-mannered and quiet) a warning to me and my daughter: “If your mother goes into labor, while we’re at the pool swimming; I am going to lose my ….!” Well looking back at the time, I had cramps and contractions. I was in early labor! The baby was moving. It also was Memorial Day. I knew for sure, I was not going to have a baby!! When they were finally out of the house, I decided to go for a walk. It was gorgeous out! I slept a lot that day. In the morning I would cramp, I would nap, wake up then tell my husband to take our daughter to the pool. On my walk, I even asked my naughty cat (he is always running away): “Kitty, is the baby coming, today? Is it coming at 7:30 or 9:30?” He never answered me.
Again, I was faking myself out. My family came home and kept waking me up. My husband kept threatening to call and take me to Brookhaven. Well about 4:30 p.m., I was starting to forget not to be fearful. I didn’t want to travel all the way from West Virginia to Harrisonburg and then stall during labor. I didn’t know if I had what it took to be a good parent to two children, give birth to a healthy baby, to NOT have him in a car!?! The fourth threat, I started to cry. My husband came in and asked what was wrong. I answered. My hard-nosed Husband rubbed my back and said so gently and sweetly: “but, Kim, don’t be scared you are going to have a baby.” His smile was so kind and loving.
He did have to threaten me some more 🙁 . At 5:00, I figured I would buy some more time by making him cook and having him and my daughter eat a “proper” dinner. I even made him run the trash to the dump! I finally agreed that after they ate, we could call the Midwives. At 6:30, I lost my mucus plug. By then, I was in heavy labor. I was so sick on my stomach, so scared, I was in denial, and so full of endorphins and contractions. My husband had to dress me and force me out of the house. By 7:15, we drove down our 1/4 mile BUMPY driveway. I thought I was going to die. He thought he forgot to turn off the oven. We had to drive back up to the house. By the fourth trip up and down the driveway, I was sure I was dying!! I was so scared for our health, the 2.5-hour drive in such heavy labor, that mixed with my body’s chemistry. I didn’t even realize we had NO TIME TO WASTE!
I knew we were in for an impossible drive to Harrisonburg!
My nine-year-old, Isis was/is so EXTRAORDINARY!! She kept her cool as I was speaking heavy labor gibberish and moaning about how uncomfortable and sick I was. She reached out her little hand, from the back seat and said: “Here, Mom.” She handed me one of those teeny-tiny “snack” sandwich bags. She said she packed it in case I got sick.
We DROVE. 7:30/7:45, WE DROVE!! An hr. in on these country roads, the routine was the Baby would contract, I would get sick, we would need to pull over, Jon would have to coax me back into the car, I needed the air ON! I needed the air OFF!! I needed the windows up, I needed them down!
Isis usually gets yelled at to turn off her cell phone as we drive to “places” so she can “know her way.” This night! She would tell me where we were at, that I was doing a good job, and that we were going to be there soon!
She and Jon were so kind and supportive and brave!
As I was strangling my seatbelt and yelling out to the Heavens for comfort, she and her Dad were assuring me that I was brave. I remember her saying as we turned onto Port Republic Road, “You made it, Mom! We’ll be at the Birth Center, shortly.” I looked at the clock. It was 9:47. We pull into Brookhaven, about that time Kai and Emily greeted us. Kai asked how I was, gently. I shook my head, NO! Said, I needed the “Taigyn.”[The Taigyn is one of our birth suites, you can see it here.]
The Girls said I had my Baby Boy, within 4 minutes of arriving!!
I still can not believe it!! My nine year old even filmed the baby getting put on my chest!
I will never be able to repay her, Hollis, or their Father for their support. Having my Family and Well Wishers was extraordinary to combat fear.
THEY MAKE HOPE, HAPPEN!
THANK YOU.
.svg){kind=icon}
