A Birth Story

Nellie Jayne Garrett
October 27, 2008
6:22 PM
6 pounds 11 ounces
20.25 inches

So here is the birth story...read at your own discretion.

I started having contractions on Monday morning (Sunday night) at around 12:30 a.m. They felt different and I couldn't sleep through them and taking a bath didn't take them away. We started timing them and they were anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes apart. We labored at home until 10:30 a.m. Those 10 hours consisted of walking up down our stairs and around the house stopping to breathe through the contractions with Cody. By 10:30 I was feeling nauseous so we headed to the hospital. The contractions were much worse while sitting so the car ride was miserable. If I was contracting over a speed bump or turn I wanted to die.

We checked in and I was a stretchy 3 centimeters. I got in my gown and they did a fetal heart monitor check for a few minutes and then we started walking to progress the labor. Our nurse was super nice and so excited to have a patient doing natural birth. She was very encouraging and helpful. They came back and checked me at about 1:30 and I was at 4.5. By about 3:30 the contractions were getting too strong and I was too exhausted. Because it hurt worse to sit or lay down during a contraction I was standing all day long. So I decided to hop in the labor tub for awhile. FYI you can still feel contractions in the tub! But it did help me relax some. At 4:30 they broke my water and the contractions were right on top of each other and I had a very painful transition from 8 to 10 centimeters. By 6:00 I was ready to push this baby out...and I couldn't control it anyway! The pushing was very quick but incredible exhausting. Thankfully my contractions slowed down so I had time to breath and regain composure and strength in between. When she finally came out it was the most exhilarating, beautiful experience. They placed her on my chest and I imediately started kissing her. Cody was amazing through the whole process. He was the perfect supportive labor partner and he really believed in me that I could do it without drugs.

All the next stuff happened so fast. The placenta wasn't detaching on its own after an hour of breastfeeding and trying different things they called in the doctor. Cody took the baby up to the nursery and they put me under with some crazy drugs and extracted the retained placenta in pieces. I had hemorrhaging and lots of blood loss during the procedure. When I woke up I was convulsing and my teeth were chattering through the oxygen mask. I didn't know where I was or that I had just had a baby. My memory and sanity returned after about 20 minutes. An hour later the nurse tried to take me to the bathroom to get cleaned up but I fainted and they had to bring me back with the bad smelling stuff. So back to bed I went. The the next day they came in to tell us that my blood levels were dangerously low and I would need a blood transfusion. So we ended up waiting until Wednesday for the transfusion. By Thursday I had regained some strength and color in my face and they discharged us that afternoon.

Despite the post labor complications, I am so pleased with my labor and delivery. Cody took such good care of me an Nellie the rest of week in the hospital. He changed all her diapers and brought her to me for each feeding. Since returning home we have had some good rest and time together. Here are photos from our time in the hospital. Next post will be some since coming home.

Cody cut the cord and when it was time to take her upstairs he took her off my chest, put her in the bassinet, and took her to the nursery to get cleaned up.  

While Cody was in the nursery for 2 hours, my mom stayed with me while I was recovering from the procedure.  Nobody was allowed in the room during the placenta extraction.  


Finally Cody and Nellie came back downstairs.  I know, we look rough!

I am so happy Nellie has a Granny who is a photographer!  

My parents holding their first grandbaby.
Cody's parents holding their first grandbaby.


Happy Family!  

Big yawn!  
Little Russian baby

Sweet baby girl





Trust me, she is as sweet as she looks!