After about two weeks of sporadic, mild contractions, I woke up Tuesday morning with much stronger contractions. They were still coming irregularly and I could still walk and talk through them but I was pretty sure this would be the day she would come. After all, it was her due date! ;)
Marcos had come home early on Monday not feeling well so Tuesday morning I asked him to go ahead and stay home again. I just had "that feeling" that it would happen. The contractions slowed down around lunch but I was tired and we ordered Mcalister's for lunch. Around 1 I laid down for about an hour while Elias took a nap. Marcos called his parents and asked them to go ahead and pick up Elias for the afternoon since I needed to rest and then he and Elias sat down to watch the Brazil World Cup game while I packed the bags for the hospital. Marcos came in the room and said "whoa you're packing everything!" I don't think he believed me that we were having a baby that day ;) Lisa came around 3 and got Elias and I sat down with Marcos to finish watching the game. It was during the second half of the game that the first really hard contractions came - two 10 minutes apart. After the game I tried to rest but I couldn't sleep because the contractions were too strong. Our friend, Crystal, was a doula for this labor and this is about where her version of our birth story picks up.
"On Tuesday June 17th Maddie began having contractions. They were not consistent during the morning and they were all in her front. At 12:45pm she texted their doula, Crystal Steele, that she had been having contractions all morning. The Souza’s were all home together that morning. In the afternoon Lisa came to get precious Elias so that Maddie and Marcos could rest a bit. At 5:40pm Maddie chatted on the phone with their doula again about her first labor. During their 20 minutes on the phone Maddie had 3 contractions that each lasted 30 seconds or longer. At 6pm the contraction kept coming and at 6:30 they were preparing to leave the house."
Marcos had jumped in the shower about 6:15 and I decided to FaceTime my mom (who was in china picking up my newest sister!) before I was in too much pain to talk. That is right when the contractions came on suddenly and super intense. I couldn't even get through a sentence with her and finally she said "umm I think you should go." I hollered at Marcos who rushed to dress and get in the car.
"Marcos and Maddie arrived in triage at OU children’s at 7pm with KatieMullican leading them. Nurse Faith led them to triage room 1 where Maddie’s contractions were coming about every 3 minutes. She couldn’t sit and only wanted to stand. Leaning over the bed while someone pushed her hips and someone held a heating pad to her tummy helped her cope during contractions. Although she had to concentrate during contractions Maddie seemed to be on top of each contraction and trying to relax with them. When Maddie was able to lay back between contractions Nurse Faith checked her cervical dilation and she was at 8 cm and baby was at 0 station! Maddie and Marcos had labored so well at home!!! Faith went to call Leanna Harkess the Souza’s midwife. When she came back it was time to head to delivery room 10. Maddie walked down and had 3 contractions on the way. At 7:40 pm the Souza’s were greeted by delivery nurse Kristen. Around 8:00 Lisa and (Emily right?) arrived at the hospital. Lisa took charge of the phone so that she could face-time Maddie’s momma, Dara, who was in China, in for the labor. Emily was in charge of taking pictures, video and being an extra set of hands as Marcos and Crystal took turns pushing on Maddie’s hips. Maddie’s contractions were right on top of each other. Marcos continued to either push on her hips or stay near her face whispering to her and encouraging her constantly comforting her and assuring her that she was doing fine. Maddie felt most comfortable moaning with her eyes closed swaying her hips while someone squeezed them and with cool washcloths on her neck and forehead. She leaned over the bed for a while then got on her knees with her upper body draped over the birth ball for a while. After a bit she got on the birth ball leaning over the bed, she began to feel more pressure from her descending baby as she rocked back and forth. At around 8:25 she said she thought she might like to get on the bed and try pushing. Nurse Kristen went to tell Leanna. Maddie was lying on her side when Leanna came in the room to check her dilation.She had a small cervical lip left and her bag of waters had not broken yet. She continued to push very well moving sweet baby down. Leanna checked again and baby was in the posterior position. This explained why Maddie was having contractions all in her front but needed her back and hips squeezed for comfort. Lisa moved the phone in closer to Maddie so Dara could encourage her daughter during this trying time of labor.Leanna suggested the squat bar so the baby would turn. Marcos helped Maddie off the bed and everyone helped her do 2 deep, painful squats that did the trick of turning baby. Maddie got back on the bed on her side again and curled around her abdomen giving 2 incredibly strong effective pushes only to see baby crowning very very quickly. Leanna asked Maddie to not push but to pant so she could ease the baby out to prevent tears. Maddie stayed controlled and slowly moved her baby out to where she could be placed on her tummy for Marcos and Maddie to enjoy at 8:48 pm!! Maddie could hardly believe the baby was in her arms and one of the first things she said was “That was crazy!” Lisa and Dara quietly chatted as Lisa was taking screen shots and moving the phone in close so Dara could see sweet Zoe Jane who had a head full of black hair. The Souza family kept talking about how different she looked than Elias at birth and just cherishing the moment together."
My mom on FaceTime right as Zoe was born!!
My labor was so different this time around but I couldn't have been happier with our birth experience yet again. My whole support team was awesome! And I am so thankful that Zoe is here and healthy and that the birth was uncomplicated.
Both of our children are such a blessing. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!
