Better late than never right?!

I knew I wanted to share Elizabeth's birth story, but as I'm sure all those with kiddo's can understand, time just got away from me.
Warning: There is a bit of TMI in here but what's a birth story without it?
But anyways, this is quite a long story so lets begin...



This story actually starts long before I even became pregnant with Elizabeth. As most of you know, Noah's birth was an emergency c-section, I was under general anesthesia when he was born, and I never even got to hold him until he'd already left his earthly body. I know most won't be able to understand, or maybe you will, but when Noah passed my arms literally ached to hold him. A mommy's arms are where their baby belongs, but when that baby has passed there's an indescribable emptiness, a longing that nothing else can fill.

When we became pregnant with Theo I asked my doctor if I could have a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarian) but he said that because we were having Theo less than 18 months from Noah that it wouldn't be safe. I told him that all I wanted was to hold my baby after he was born, to not have my baby taken from me, I needed it, I needed that healing moment. I was told that I'd have to speak with the hospital and see what their policies were.
When it came time to deliver Theo I spoke with the head nurses and told them that I didn't want my baby taken from me, that I wanted to hold him once he was born. But they told me they'd have to see if there were other people in the recovery room, because they could't have a crying baby in a room with other people recovering from surgeries, which is understandable. To make a very long story short, when Theo was born they whisked him away to the nursery, with Tim following. I had a stroke when they were giving me the second spinal block (because they messed up the first time) and quickly lost conciseness once Tim and Theo left the operating room.
I didn't get to hold Theo or look into his eyes until hours after he was born.

From that moment on, I was done listening to doctors tell me what was best for me, when what my spirit was telling me was contrary to what they were saying.
I decided then that I was going to have a natural birth with my next child. I didn't care that it "Just wasn't done" I didn't listen when I heard, "Once a c-section always a c-section"
I know what God created my body to do, and while I'm grateful for doctors and the knowledge they have, they are not my final authority.

In January of 2016 we became pregnant with Elizabeth. I knew that to have the birth I wanted, the birth I needed, I would have to be bold, I would have to be brave, I would have to stand up for what I believed in but most of all I knew that I couldn't do it in my own strength.
I prayed constantly that God would lead me to the right Doctors, to the right hospital to have the birth I desired.
After much research I discovered that Tampa General was one of the top hospitals in the state that would support VBA2C's ( vaginal birth after 2 cesarians)
There were two groups that delivered there; one was a team of midwives and the other was USF Womens Health which is comprised of Midwives and Doctors working together. I decided to get an appointment with the midwife group first. I gave them all my records from my last two births and while they believed I was a 'good candidate' for a vba2c they couldn't take me on as a patient because of the stroke so they referred me to USF Womens Health. When I left that first appointment my initial reaction was disappointment and fear that I may not get the birth I so desired but on the drive home I felt the spirit reminding me of what I'd been praying for all along, That God would lead me to the right Doctors so I would have a healthy birth and the birth I desired.
My first appointment with USF brought me hope again. But during that first appointment the midwife found something in all of my previous blood work that had never been brought up before; apparently when I'm pregnant I develop a blood protein deficiency which causes my blood to be more likely to clot, at this point there's no telling if that was the reason I had the stroke or if it was caused by the botched spinal but they put me on a regimen of a baby aspirin a day and after the birth I would be given a blood thinner by injection for 40 days.

After all of that taken care of and the plan set I was given the OK to have a VBA2C!!
Having doctors and midwives that supported me gave me such relief that I wouldn't have to fight with doctors to have the birth I so desired. But even if worst case scenario happened and I had to have a c-section again, every doctor and midwife supported my plan to hold Elizabeth and never be separated from her after her birth!

With that all behind me I continued to pray for a healthy birth but not only that, I was very specific in my prayers, I prayed for a VBA2C, for me to be able to be the first to hold her, for my water to break to let me know I was really in labor, for a quick delivery (I didn't want to spend days in labor) and I wanted her born on Monday, October 3rd two days before her due date on Wednesday the 5th. Maybe it's silly but I have a thing with numbers. Noah was born on the 23rd, Theo was born on the 22nd so he has the two and I wanted Elizabeth to have the 3.

The week before my due date my doctor decided to check to see if I was dilated at all... nothing. My doctor had just had a VBAC 3 months prior and told me to try eating pineapple as she believes that's what helped put her in labor. I can honestly say I've never eaten so much pineapple in my entire life as I did that week, which is kind of funny because I wear a tiny gold necklace with a pineapple on it!
Sunday before my due date Tim flew up to Tampa Bay (I had been staying here with my family since I was so close to delivering) I remember telling everyone, "You better be ready because I'm having this baby on Monday!"

5:30 am Monday Morning I awoke with a stomach ache, thinking I had just eaten bad chipotle the night before I went to the bathroom and went back to bed, 15 minutes later my stomach started aching again but it went away. After an hour of this I looked at my phone saw the date, Monday, October 3, 2016 . "No Way!" I said laughing. I opened my contraction timer app on my phone and started timing my contractions 30-45 seconds and 8-10 minutes apart. At 7:30 I woke up Tim and told him I was in labor and he needed to get up.
Contractions continued at the same pace until around 9am when I went to the bathroom and noticed I was leaking amniotic fluid. I remembered the look and sweet smell of it from when my water broke at 23 weeks with Noah, during our 4th surgery.
I called my Doctors office and spoke with a midwife, I told her about the timing of my contractions and that my water had broken but it was a slow leak, she said, "Well it sounds like you may be having a baby today so you'd better come in."
Trying to wrap my mind around the fact that everything I'd been praying for the past 9 months was happening right then and there, I went to tell Tim it was time to head in to the hospital, a 45 minute drive away. So we woke up Theo and called my sister in law, Valari to see if we could drop Theo off until my dad could get off work to watch him and then I went to pack my own bag because I HADN'T PACKED A BAG!!! In a humorous moment while scrambling to think of what I needed to pack I felt the spirit tell me "You should have prepared for what you prayed for!"
I'll take note of that for next time haha
After loading up and dropping Theo off at Valari's, Tim and I headed up to the hospital. When I was sitting my contractions started to slow wayyy down but I knew that because my water had broken we needed to head in. I had text my good friend Elaine, who had graciously offered to document Elizabeth's birth, earlier in the day and let her know things were happening, so she headed to the hospital as well, and of course my mom was already leaving work and driving over!

We arrived at the hospital around 11:30 got settled in and at 12 a doctor and midwife I hadn't met before came in to check to see how far along I was. I was only 1 centimeter dilated but because my water had broken they admitted me. After about 15 minutes of no contractions I asked to stand and walk around, almost immediately the contractions resumed and started getting closer and stronger.
Around 1 Elaine and my mom had arrived and they moved me into a delivery room, walking the hall the the room I had to stop a few times because of the strength of the contractions but I could feel that walking was helping to move things along.
One of the first things I noted as we went to enter the delivery room, was my room number "4223"

As I said earlier, I have a thing with numbers, and to have Noah and Theo's birth dates on the room number just reminded me that God cares about the desires of my heart, no matter how little or silly they may seem.
We entered the room and my mom and Tim immediately pointed out how beautiful the view of the river was, while I was in the middle of another contraction, I couldn't have cared less about the view in that moment haha!
My wonderful nurse got me hooked up the the monitors and again the number kept coming up.





I could feel the contractions strengthening, and with each one I felt as if Elizabeth's head was being pushed into my pelvic bone.




Tim came over at one point to rub my back but I'm pretty sure the words that came out of my mouth were, "I love you but please don't touch me!" HAHA sorry babe!!
The female body is so amazing, I almost had to pull into myself and focus on each moment, each wave, each breathe to get through to the next.

I'd originally planned on going completely natural with no medication, but around 2 the midwife  came in to check me again and I was 5 centimeters dilated, she said that if I wanted an epidural I should probably get it then because with how quickly things were progressing they couldn't guarantee that an anesthesiologist would be available if I wanted one later so I asked for one!



Things slowed down, a bit and the epidural gave me a chance to rest for a little while.
Around 4:30 my midwife came in to see how I was progressing and said I was at 9 centimeters, that it was time to get ready and I should try pushing when I had contractions. She walked out and called my nurse in as well as the pediatric nurse. The next thing I knew people were coming from everywhere setting up the room for delivery, "well this is happening fast" I thought to myself and again I was reminded, "Be prepared for what you pray for!"


I felt ready to push and very quickly the midwife and my mom said they could see Elizabeth's head, but the back of her head was stuck on my pubic bone, which was why I felt her digging into my bone each time I had a contraction.
I pushed as hard as I could but I felt she wasn't moving
and for the first time, after 4 pregnancies, 2 losses (a miscarriage & Noah), 2 c-sections, a stroke, I finally held my baby, my heart was broken and healed all in one moment. Broken for the firsts I missed and healed with the first time I ever held my baby after they were born. This was my redemption birth, this was my healing birth, this was birth as God intended it (well, minus the pain)

The moment they placed her on my chest I was so overwhelmed with love, and gratefulness, and so incredibly proud that I stuck to my guns and I did what so many told me I couldn't do!!


















A VERY VERY big thank you to Elaine Garland ( elainekgarland.com ) for being there to support us and to capture this amazing day that forever changed our lives! And also a big thank you to everyone who prayed for us through this pregnancy!

I really can't believe this day was almost 5 months ago, it feels like yesterday!
Elizabeth is such a little joy, Theo LOVES his baby sister, he calls her "Baby" it's so cute!!
The whole pregnancy and VBA2C taught me that anything can be achieved if I put my mind to it and put my faith in God and not in man, not in my own abilities.
Even the impossible is possible with him and he makes all things beautiful!!