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!