We are pleased to announce that Miss Emmaleigh Joy Metzger was born at 6:25pm on July 13, 2012, weighing 6 lbs. 10 oz. and measuring 19 1/2 inches long! She was born 2 days after Daddy's birthday and 1 day before Jake's birthday!
We are pleased to announce that Miss Emmaleigh Joy Metzger was born at 6:25pm on July 13, 2012, weighing 6 lbs. 10 oz. and measuring 19 1/2 inches long! She was born 2 days after Daddy's birthday and 1 day before Jake's birthday!
It was a long week of waiting for labor to "stick", and a long few weeks on bed rest due to my hypertension. But it was all worth it!
I went into my midwife's office on that Monday prior (July 9th) and had a foley induction. That dilated me to 3-4 centimeters, but my labor just came and went all week. The night before my bag of waters were to be broken I had contractions on and off all night, but they were stronger than before and in more of a pattern than they had previously been. When I got to my midwife's office the morning of the 13th, I was 7 centimeters with a bulging bag of waters! I was shocked, but happy to be that far along, as that has never happened to me before!
Around 11:30 my contractions picked up and were very strong. So much for hoping to not have back labor this time just because I had no back labor with Eva (my only one I've had without back labor)! I was in a lot of pain, but stayed at 7 cm all afternoon. I was able to labor with Mark at my side at the birth center, so that I would not have to be put on a "time clock" or pressured by nurses to do this or that. It was wonderful to not have that pressure and constant poking!
At 6:15 pm my midwife came into check after hearing a "pushy moan". I was 8 1/2 centimeters, but she wanted me to transfer to the hospital (as planned, due to my autoimmune/clotting disorder, VBAC and hypertension) since I tend to move quickly nearer the end.
Mark walked me between contractions to the car and we followed my midwife the literal 2 minutes to the hospital. BUT...during that short ride, I felt like I needed to push...IN THE CAR! Mark panicked and was about to lay on the horn to get my midwife, but I did NOT want to deliver the baby in the street or in the car, so I urged him to keep driving!
Pulling up to the ER, my midwife parked while Mark got me out and took me through the doors. My midwfe grabbed my arm and steered me toward labor and delivery, while Mark went to park our car. The lady at the ER registration desk, seeing that I was obviously READY to deliver right then and there, told us we needed to enter through the front entrance. Are you SERIOUS!?! My midwife explained (as we continued walking) that I needed to push, she was an employee and that she was taking me to labor and delivery. So, around the corner we went.
She asked if I wanted her to get Mark. YES! So, she went back to get him, just as the ENTIRE, nearly-full ER waiting room was pointing him in our direction. :) As I waited those few seconds, I'm trying so hard not to push. An elderly man in triage was giving me the strangest, but most compassionate looks as I stood there blowing out "birthday candles". I had remembered from a 1999 Lamaze class that doing that type of breathing was supposed to help overcome the urge to push! LOL!
Mark and my midwife came around the corner, but I could barely walk, so my midwife grabbed the nearest wheelchair and sped me to the elevator. As soon as we exited the elevator on the labor and delivery floor, she said, "She has to push, what room?" They all pointed. I got on the bed. And Emmaleigh was born in a few contractions!
It was my shortest (7 hours) and BEST birth! Why was it the best? Because it was shorter than my others (my shortest previously was 14 hours) and I had a wonderful midwife and doctor team that treated me like I actually KNEW what I wanted and KNEW what I was doing! I traveled well over an hour one way to see them for prenatal appointments and to deliver, just so I could have the birth I wanted! And that's exactly what I got!
Emmaleigh arrived home around 2:00 on July 14th (Jake's 8th birthday!) to 9 VERY EXCITED brothers and sisters!
What a BLESSING from God this little girl is! God really does know what He's doing in planning our family!
Lisa Metzger