Kjerti's birth story (cont.)

Me holding Kjersti moments after she was born.

Kjersti (SHARE-stee) Jill Swigert was born at 5:20 AM on November 6, 2013. She was 9 lbs 3.3 oz and 21.5 inches long.  We arrived at the hospital around 4:00AM.  The words I would use to describe her labor are fast and intense-very intense. 

The midwife that delivered her was Lynne.  I had actually never met her before, but she was great.  She was a take-charge-no-nonsense- kind -of- gal! I had actually toyed with the idea of getting an epidural with this delivery, but there was no time.  It was all they/we could do to get me checked in and antibiotics onboard- because I was strep-B positive--before it was time to push.

This hospital's labor and delivery unit was like the Marriott Hotel. They had huge tubs in each room to use for labor. I really wanted to try one.  So we did-quickly.  I was in it for 15-20 minutes I think.  All I know is that the nurses told me it takes 20 minutes to fill and it wasn't full when I was getting out because baby was coming.  I loose all concept of time when I am in labor.  It was taking all my concentration to mentally keep ahead of each contraction so I didn't buckle under the intensity.  Ryan was constantly at my side.  He is amazing during labor.  He is a wonderful birth coach. He is funny but also knows how I should be breathing and moving to relieve my pain.  Maybe it is the book he has read and now re-read.  It's called The Birth Partner.  He's says the book is good--but he is a natural!

It took quite a bit of effort to push this big girl out.  I thought I pushed for about 20 -30 minutes, but the nurse told me it was 11 minutes when it was over. Gracie just popped right out in  2-3 pushes, but when this baby didn't come right out I knew he/she was big.

We didn't know if we were having a boy or girl, and it was really fun to find out at delivery.  By the end, we were all guessing girl for two reasons.  One, being that Jace had a dream the week before she was born, telling him it was a girl.  And the second reason, was that I was carrying this baby high like I did Gracie.

I was holding out for Jace to get a brother, but I was of course THRILLED when they told me a girl.  The two names we had picked out were: Rulon Ryan -boy and Kjersti Jill-girl.  Both names are family names.  Rulon was Ryan's great grandfather and Kjersti was Ryan's great, great grandmother, and Jill is his mother.



Ryan called his Mom first after the birth.  She was so surprised that it happened so fast.  He didn't tell her over the phone if she had a new granddaughter or grandson.  I was surprised.  I thought he would tell her.  I made him call her back and spill the news. We were so excited for to her to arrive with the kids.  I think they came around 9:00AM.



I was really sore and bruised after this delivery.  Right after birth I didn't stop bleeding so they were pressing on my stomach very intensely trying to coax my uterus into contracting so the bleeding would slow down.  I felt like telling them to calm down and relax and stop killing me with the pressure! (Maybe I should have said something.) I knew my body would do what it needed to do--it just needed a minute or two to regroup!  The tenderness and bruising from that left me unable to sit up or stand on my own until Friday (2 days).



Here we are-- happy and tired!  I was so relieved when 7:30 AM rolled around and I was done.  I didn't have to be induced! My baby was here-healthy- and labor was OVER!!



Here are Jace, Gracie, and Grammy meeting Kjersti for the first time.


Grammy Jill holding her namesake!  And Gracie and Jace were both thrilled!






Here the kids are visiting me the next day.  The remote control hospital bed was a hit.  The kids loved going up and down! I missed them so much while I was in there, but I knew I couldn't face going home yet. 



Here we are right before we checked out to go home.  We look pretty bad!!   I felt really bad too!

As I was being wheeled out of  labor and delivery to the elevator, I felt so blessed and so grateful to be holding a beautiful, healthy daughter in my arms.  I felt like the Lord had truly blessed me.  He had given me such a wonderful gift and filled my heart with happiness. 

It had been a year-almost exactly- since I had been admitted to deliver Truman at 17 + weeks gestation.  I remember the aching I had felt as Ryan had wheeled me to the elevator to go down to the parking garage to go home. My arms had been empty- minus my bag of clothes.  I had a lump in my throat as I was trying to fight back the tears. As I passed the waiting room I could see and hear anxious Grandparents holding flowers and balloons excitedly awaiting the arrival of their newest grandchild.  I had nothing to celebrate.  I had just been through 17 weeks of the hardest pregnancy I had ever had.  My morning sickness had been out of control. 

I had learned at 12 weeks gestation that my baby-who looked perfectly healthy to me in the ultra-sound-had an extra chromosome.  I was taking calls from the CDD (center for disabilities and development) scheduling numerous Drs appointments and tests for my baby. I felt overwhelmed, and wondered if I would be up to the challenge. I walked around quietly, not sharing my news with anyone but family members and a few close friends.  I couldn't verbalize my feelings. I wanted to celebrate that I had a baby coming, but I felt scared and was still very, very nauseated.

At my 16 week appointment, I learned there was no heart beat.  I was shocked because I was still throwing up everyday. They scheduled me for an induction the next weekend.

Two months passed.  I continued to reflect upon an impression I had had around the time we had learned of Truman's Trisomy21.  I felt that there was yet another child that was to be part of our family.  In January I called the hospital and ordered an information packet on IVF (in-vitro fertilization) and PGD to be sent to my house.  I spent January reading and re-reading all the information.  We were praying to know what to do.

In my journal, this is what I wrote in regards to the matter:

2/24/2013

Doctrine and Covenants Ch.6 vs. 23 reads:

"Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter?  What greater witness can you have than from God?"

This is the scripture that brought me so much peace and a little excitement on Fast Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013.  It was an answer to our prayer and fasting in regards to if/when we should try  to add another child to our family.  We just lost child no.3, Truman Ryan on Nov 2nd.  He had trisomy 21.   I was due on my Dad's (Joseph Truman) birthday. We have been praying to know if we should cut our loses and be done having kids-because I am 39-or if we should go through the arduous process of IVF  with PGD(invitro fertilization with pre-implantation genetic diagnosis.)

We received an unexpected answer that we should try to conceive a child the natural way in the month of February. And this past week, Feb. 20th, I found out that I was indeed pregnant!

I was so happy to see the positive result on the test.  I of course felt anxious as well.  Questions raced through my mind.  Will this child have trisomy 21 too?  Will I be up to the challenges of pregnancy?  Can we financially afford it?  But after all my fears had settled in- I also felt a bond with this baby that I wasn't expecting.

So today my heart is full of happiness and gratitude to my Heavenly Father for my abundant blessings.

Well, all these weeks later she is HERE! We love her so much.  She is such a sweet tempered baby.   She smiles ceaselessly and coos her heart out. She is my easiest baby thus far. She does keep me up every night until 2:00-3:00AM but my body is starting to acclimate to the schedule.  Gracie did this too until she was 12 weeks old.  So hopefully it doesn't last forever, or I may collapse!




While we were waiting....for Kjersti to decide to make her appearance

I can't believe that Kjersti is 7 weeks old.  There is 12 inches of snow on the ground right now but just a few weeks ago--Iowa looked like this!!  Fall was gorgeous this year and ripe with the anticipation of a new addition to our family.  

 

This gorgeous tree was in our neighbor's yard.  While we were waiting for baby we watched these leaves turn slowly from green to vibrant red and then one by one fall to the ground.  We snapped these pictures right after church the last Sunday in October, the day before Jill came.

Once Grammy arrived all we had to do was wait and wait for a baby. We had so much fun together!! Grammy Jill = fun!  Here are pictures of us killing time, waiting for contractions to start.  

It was the week of Halloween so of course we carved pumpkins.  This was Gracie's first pumpkin.  She wanted one that "threw up"!!

Stuffing her pumpkin kept her busy for at least 30 minutes.

 

 Here she is getting her hair all ready for trick-or treating! 

Ready to go out the front door!

 

  I think this is the first holiday we have shared with a grandparent!!  It was grand!! The kids were more then happy to use last year's costumes. This is Jace's 3rd time being Optimus Prime and Gracie was a "beautiful princess"!

 

 

Here we are at the Dr.s office -again- but this time with Grammy! Christopher Robin kept himself busy in the waiting room trying on all of her glasses while I had ANOTHER non-stress test.

 

 

Here is his home-school group.  He attended his Friday enrichment classes with Grammy.

We went walking at Kent Park.  It didn't bring on labor--but the scenery was gorgeous.

 

Kent Park lake

We forgot Gracie's coat, but she shared Daddy's.

 

 

Big tummy poking out!  I really tried to zip my coat, but there was a nine pounder in there!

 

I look at these pictures and think--we didn't know who was going to be joining our family then--but now we do! 

 

A fuzzy bear caterpillar named Monte became part of our family.  Jace found him in Kalona at homeschool and brought him home.  He was a great distraction. Looking back I think the kids had as much fun with him as they have a new baby. He got rides in the car... 

well, on the car.....

 

and he got flown around the whole house numerous times on a plane.  I think he was just as glad as I was when baby finally arrived.

 

 

This is what I did--I got pampered!!  My sweet Jill massaged me with do- Terra oils. It was heavenly.

 

I look huge in this picture. 40 weeks and 4 days!!  (Do you like my shirt Jen??  -it used to be hers.)

 

Here I am--so totally pregnant.  On Halloween, my midwife checked me and told me not to worry --there would be no Halloween baby. I was fine with that.  I personally wanted this baby to come on Sunday, Nov. 3rd.  I was scheduled for an induction on Monday, November 4th. She thought I would still be pregnant on the 4th.  I don't go into labor until I reach 4 cm dilation and I was only at  2-3cm.

 

  I asked her if there was anyway to move back my induction to the 6th. Because I was seeing the midwives at UIHC instead of an OB at this point in my pre-natal care, they agreed to give me 2 extra days.  This decision was a little risky--but I agreed to more non-stress tests and an ultra sound on Monday the 4th. 

 

On the 4th at the Ultra sound, my baby looked beautiful.  The fluid level was great and baby appeared happy and healthy. I was dilated to 4 cm. I just needed regular contractions.  I had been having weeks of contractions at this point but they weren't regular.

 

Tuesday evening, Nov 5th came and we packed and re-packed for the hospital.  I was a little nervous facing an induction.  I had never been induced before and I have never had an epidural- I don't do needles.  So we went to bed all ready to leave at 7:00AM for the hospital to get induced at 7:30AM.

 

At 2:45 Gracie came into our bedroom crying because she had had a bad dream.  I got up with her and realized I was in labor. Real labor!  I told Ryan that I was in real labor but I was going to lay back down and it would stop.  We tried that until 3:15 AM but then my water broke. So we got up and started getting dressed. It was at this point I started to worry that we wouldn't make it to the hospital in time.  Contractions were long and hard, and there was no break in-between them.

 

To be continued.................soon! (I hope)