Georgia Mae’s Birth Story

This is the birth story of Georgia Mae, my favorite baby girl there ever was.

Lets start from the beginning. The last couple of months of pregnancy I had tons and tons of Braxton Hicks contractions. This is nothing new to me and pregnancy, since I had them with both boys as well. What was different though was the amount of true false alarms we had. I would have contractions for two hours, with contractions coming in 5 minutes apart, and then they would just stop.

With both boys I delivered at 38 weeks, 38 weeks 1 day and 3 days to be specific. Because of this, and it being my third baby, my doctor told me to expect to deliver anywhere between 37 and 38 weeks. So basically I was on high alert every day past 37 weeks! And alll those false alarms didn’t help. The one good thing about this was that we were SO dang prepared for when she finally did come. I mean, we even cleaned out and organized our office- a room that I haven’t wanted to touch for a year because it was such a dumping zone.

At my 38 week appointment both my doctor and I were shocked I was still pregnant. She decided she would strip my membranes to see if that would help Georgia come. With Braylen she stripped me at 38 weeks, and I went in to labor 5 hours later. With Winston I never even made it to the appointment to get stripped because I had him the day before. So needless to say, I was FULLY thinking that I would go in to labor that day she stripped me. Jeremy even knew not to skip any phone call from me that day, haha. So when nothing happened I was a little discouraged. I knew that the stripping only would make her come if she was truly ready, and do nothing if she wasn’t, so I tried to take comfort in that. To rest in the fact that maybe she just needed a little more time.

Fast forward to now 39 weeks 1 day. I was literally in disbelief that I was still pregnant. I had never been that pregnant, that big, or that uncomfortable. My back was killing me – so grateful that I had learned how to put on a back brace in a heartbeat from my previous pregnancies – and the everlasting pressure on my bladder was almost unbearable. I thankfully was still sleeping good, but in every other way I was typically uncomfortable. I had a doctors appointment that morning that I was SO hopeful for. She stripped me again and said I went from 2cm to 3cm from it. BUT she didn’t say anything like “oh i’ll be seeing you soon” like she did with Bray. That stripping actually hurt quite a bit, but I didn’t have ANY cramps, contractions, ANYTHING afterwards. I went and picked up Bray from school and took the boys to Chic Fila for lunch to drown my sorrows in chicken nuggets and fries.

I desperately wanted to meet my girl, and I also was on somewhat of a time constraint because I really wanted my best girlfriend Melissa to be there to take photos and she was leaving town in just a few days. We got home from lunch and all took naps {thank you Jesus for letting me get a great nap in that day}. I woke up and ate a big bowl of icecream to again drown my sorrows of not having anything happen from the appointment. Haha. And then I grabbed my bottle of Clary Sage essential oil. Clary Sage is supposed to support contractions, so you are never supposed to use it until its A-ok to go in to labor. I rubbed two drops on each ankle and massaged it in for 5 minutes.

As I was sitting there I all of a sudden felt a contraction. And then 1 1/2 minutes later, another one. And then 10 more all 1-2 minutes apart. I started using my contraction timer app and took a screen shot and texted Jeremy. I simply said ‘fingers crossed this is the real deal’. He immediately called me and was like WHAT THE HECK IM COMING HOME RIGHT NOW. I literally was like nooo, don’t, because what if they fizzle out like all the other times. He said ‘ADRIANNE, your contractions aren’t even 2 minutes apart, im coming home and if they stop ill just go back to work’. This was at 3pm.

I still didn’t believe it was the real deal. I knew they felt SO different than the false alarms, and they were obviously super close. But I still was just in denial because of all the false alarms! In the 20 minutes it took Jeremy to get home, they got more and more intense. He called his mom on the way and told her to come grab the boys, but they live 30 minutes away. So when Jeremy got there, I was trying to manage the contractions and keep calm because Bray was awake from his nap. I basically bribed him with a sucker so that he didn’t focus on what was really happening. We knew we needed to get to the hospital but my mother in law wasn’t there yet, so Jeremy went and grabbed our neighbor to come hang with Bray and sleeping Winston till she got there. Bray was crying and saying he didn’t want us to leave, and I was crying because I knew everything was about to seriously change for him, for us, for everyone. I also cried in the car because I was sad I didn’t get to say bye to Winston before leaving.

As we were driving my contractions spread to 5-8 minutes apart, so I thought OMG its going to be another false alarm!! When we got to the hospital they checked me and I was only a 3. They monitored my contractions and saw that my blood pressure was raised. Lol, whose isn’t when they think they’re going in to labor. Because of that they kept me on the monitors for an hour. It went back to normal so they let us walk around. Immediately the contractions picked up speed and intensity. I was having to stop and either lean on Jeremy or a wall every couple of minutes, and started my always entertaining labor moans. That was especially awesome to be doing while there were a bunch of construction workers because of a new space being worked on:)

We only got two laps in before I thought we needed to head back. It had only been 20 minutes but I knew it was happening fast so I wanted to get checked. Right when we got they hooked me up again and could see that the contractions were coming fast with only 30 seconds to a minute in between. She checked me again and I was a 5. Then it got crazy. The nurse saw how I went from a 3 to 5 in 20 minutes, and that my contractions were like transition ones, so she started to freak. She immediately started calling for help, yelling for someone to get my doctor there RIGHT NOW, and saying to get the baby bed warmer there.

I started freaking out. I said I needed three things: my doctor, Melissa, and an epidural. I had decided ahead of time that unless I went to the hospital at an 8 already, that I wanted the epidural this time. I didn’t have one with Bray, and I was so glad I got to experience that. I planned to go natural with Winston too, but he turned Posterior on me, and we ended up getting one. And to be honest, the birth, recovery, everything was easier with the epidural. So this time around I wanted one again! They then told me that the only anesthesiologist on was in a C-section, but that he would see me right when he got out.

The nurse didn’t think my doctor would make it in time. They threw the wheels up on my bed and rushed me out of triage to a delivery room. There was a flurry of people, a bunch of nurses, and just so much commotion. My contractions never slowed down, and continued to get more and more intense in pain. They checked me again and I was only a 5-6cm even though the contractions were so close. 15 minutes later my doctor AND Melissa showed up and I was so thankful. Now all I needed was the epidural.

The whole time I was laboring, I was just so overwhelmed. I was NOT mentally prepared to go natural this time. I also was not prepared for it to be going this fast. I just felt like I kept trying to get out of my head, to wrap my mind around the pain, but I just couldn’t. My doctor checked me again and to everyones surprise I was still only a 5-6. She asked me if she could break my water and I said a big hellll no. I know how much more intense that makes contractions, and I was still holding out for that epidural. I even asked if they could give me something to slow down my contractions LOL. The nurses and my doctor kept saying how great I was doing and to keep itup- that I was totally able to do this with no meds. But I DIDN’T WANT TO!

Not gonna lie, in between every contraction I would say “WHERE THE F IS THE ANESTHESIOLOGIST!!”. Jeremy kept trying to encourage me and keep me calm, because at this point no one thought I was going to get the epidural in time. I was leaning over the bed trying to sway through each contraction, wearing only my sports bra at this point because I was a sweaty mess. My body was shaking uncontrollably, which lead to quite the scene. Jeremy said ‘babe, it looks like your twerking’. Which gave me a good laugh in my minute rest between contractions.

At this point I was in the delivery room for 1 1/2 hours, and STILL NO EPIDURAL! Finally 7pm came, and a new doc came on and thank God I was his first stop. He was a piece of work literally making jokes about my moaning, chatting about how he was annoyed because he forgot to charge his Apple watch (if you would want to buy one, click here to know how long it takes for Apple to deliver their products)! But honestly he could’ve said the world’s cruelest things to me and I would’ve still loved him because he was going to make the pain go away;)

The epidural was in, and I made my doctor wait 5 minutes for some of the numbing to start before I let her check me again. She checked me and saw I was still 5-6, broke my water, and immediately she felt that Georgia was posterior. I KNEW that was why I wasn’t progressing, but they can’t tell that until your water is broken. And I wouldn’t let them do that till I was pain free:) It was the same scenario with Winston, so apparently my babies just like to turn in labor!

Once she broke my water I IMMEDIATELY went to a 9. She left the room for 5 more minutes, and came back and said WOAH lets get this baby out, otherwise she’s coming out on her own right now. So with one contraction she turned Georgia and with two more contractions she was here! She got her head and one shoulder out, and then let me pull her out the rest of the way, just like I did with Winston! It was SO amazing!

She went right on my chest, and I just sobbed. I couldn’t believe she was really here, and so fast. From the time the epidural was in to the time she was here was literally 20 minutes. And from the very first contraction to her being here was only 4 1/2 hours. That was madness considering my shortest labor prior was like 15 hours.

Her birth was a whirlwind and we just couldn’t believe how fast it all went.

After having her, we Facetimed with Bray since he was still awake. Her immediately was in love, and oohhing and aaahhing over the phone. It was SO sweet.

She latched on for nursing right away, and while we have had our ups and downs during it, its getting easier every day.

The boys came to meet her the next morning, and Melissa was SO incredible to come back and capture those moments as well. Thankful doesn’t come close to cutting it!

She has been such a dream these past two weeks. She is so content, calm, and just just brings so much peace to those around her. She has been eating and sleeping like a total champ, and I pray it just continues on! The boys LOVEEEE their little sissy, and constantly fight over who gets to hold her in their lap.

I am SO thankful for my doctor who delivered all three of my babies safely. She was a huge supporter of whatever style of birth I wanted, and fully believed in me that I could do them natural if I wanted. She dealt with Brays potential heart condition, his cord being wrapped around twice, Winston AND Georgia being posterior, etc. She never made me question any decision, and always made me feel safe.

I am also SO thankful that Melissa was there to capture not only Winstons birth but also Georgias. She is the perfect photographer EVER to have in the room. She is quiet but supportive, and captures the best images. Melissa, I love you!

And finally, I am so thankful for my hubby. He he my number one supporter, encourager, and source of strength. He makes me feel like I can do anything I set my mind to. He does the impossible by making me laugh in between miserable contractions. Heck- he even holds one leg back while I push. He is my best friend, my favorite person in the world, and best of all- my partner in marriage and parenting!

Georgia Mae, you are SO loved by SO many, and we all cannot wait to get to know you more and more every day.

-All photos by Melissa Young Photography