The Birth of Koby Lukas

39 Weeks Exactly October 14th 2013

For months I had been waking up at 2am...something about that time that Koby really liked. I always said that I thought that would be the time that I would go into labor...I was in fact correct.

2am on October 16th I was awoken by a extremely painful contraction. I however did not want to believe that it was a contraction because of all of the false alarms I had been having over the last week. So I blew it off as gas and just went to the bathroom...I think I sat in there for about 45 minutes just telling myself it was gas...while I was in there I had another contraction about 30 minutes after the first but I still said the same thing gas pains...shortly after that second one I went back into my room and layed down in my bed planning to go back to sleep. I had to be up in 2.5 hours to get ready for PT. But sleep never happened. Instead I spent the next 2.5 hours in pain every 20-30 minutes. But I still planned to go about my day normally...this wasnt the first time I had contractions 20 or 30 minutes apart they eventually would always just go away. As I was getting myself dressed and Kason dressed they started to feel different. I went ahead and dropped Kason off at daycare and told him I loved him. He gave me an extra big hug that morning and when I asked him what that was for he told me "mommy koby coming soon". I smiled and gave him a kiss and walked out still not fully believing I might be in Early labor.

The last picture of Kason and I before Koby was born Oct 16th.

It was around 6am right when I pulled up to Sturgis Field (where we were doing PT that morning) that I got an extremely intense contraction. I thought ok maybe I'll text Amanda (my fabulous Doula) and just give her a heads up about what was going on just to be on the safe side. Shortly after I sent that text though I got out of my car and went on to do PT. The next contraction came at around 630 and the only reason I knew the time is because that is when the flag goes off. That was pretty hard. Just standing there and saluting when I really wanted to be slouched over of the railing of the stairs that I was next to. All through out PT I was in pain. Contraction after contraction about 15-20 minutes apart by that point. After PT I went home and got ready for work. I kept in touch with Amanda through out the morning just updating her. I knew that something had to be going on by 8:45 tho the intensity of each contraction kept getting worse and worse sometimes I'd catch a break tho and get a light one. But I knew I wouldnt make through the entire work day...I was trying to at least make it to my Dr's appointment at 11:40 that morning. I told Amanda I was going to try to get a note to get out of work for the rest of the day.

Well 11:40 came and my contractions where at about 15 minutes apart exactly by then. I told Dr. Long what had been going on all morning and I asked him if he could sweep my membranes to pick things up some. He went ahead and checked me; I was 4cm, my cervix was really really soft and he told that he couldnt sweep my membranes cause they were already detached. Thats when I knew I was going to be holding a baby really really soon. Even Dr. Long told me that he would be shocked if he didnt see me coming back up to Labor and Delivery by that night or early morning the next day.

I sent Amanda a text just before 12 and told her what the Dr said and said that I was going to talk to my NCO to see if I could go home (as Dr. Long wouldnt give me a note) and asked her to come to my house as soon as I did get off. After Dr. Long had checked me my contractions where suddenly 12 minutes apart and about 30-45 seconds long some even a minute. I had to wait about an hour and a half for my NCO to come back from lunch and that was hard. I sat in my car most of the time and played Candy Crush and Pet saga trying to keep my mind off of the contractions. When she did return she asked me to do one last thing before leaving. Took me about 20 minutes to do but as soon as I got it done I was out! I sent Amanda another text telling her I was on my way home around 1:50. By that point my contractions had grown even closer...anywhere between 5-8 minutes. Before I went home I stopped at Viviennes house and I gave her Kason's car seat so she could get him from daycare. I knew I wasnt going to make it.

Know this is where I stopped keeping track of everything so my timeline on things might be a little off.

Amanda got to my house around 245 I think. I was already upstairs in my room using my labor ball. I continued to use it for about another 20 minutes or so and then Amanda suggested getting in the bath tub. Which I loved that idea. I got in my nice garden tub and stayed in there pretty much until I ran out of hott water. The water made managing contractions so much easier. I didnt want to get out but I also didnt want to sit in cold water. So I told Amanda I wanted to go to the hospital. I wanted to sit in their tub. I want to say it was somewhere between 4 and 430 that we got there and I prayed for the room with the tub to opened the whole drive down there. As soon as we got there I was able to get checked in and into the exam room pretty quickly. I spent about 45 minutes in there. The midwife came in and checked me. I was at 5cm, 80% effaced, and -1 station. My contractions where about every 5 minutes. I was definetly in labor.


Right before they Checked me.

Right after it was confirmed that I was in Labor;
waiting on my room.

 Shortly after I made it to my room. They told me they would have to draw some blood and because I was GBS positive I would have to get my first round of antibiotics as soon as I got in there. Well it took 3 people to finally find a vain. I was not even a little bit amused with all the needle sticking they did.

After they finally got all of that started and done I got to sit on the labor ball while I waited for them to get the tub ready for me. I was beyond ready to just get in. I really have no sense of time at all at this point. But as soon as I got in the tub I was able to spend about 2 hours in it before they wanted me out so they could check me and Koby again.

Mid-Contraction

While I was in the tub my photographer/2nd Doula KayLee came. I had originally hired Tammy from Little Leapling Photography to come and photograph my birth. Unfornutaly she had a family emergency and was out of town for a couple of days. But KayLee came to my rescue. I had actually met her a couple times previsouly at the Manhattan Birth Circle meetings that I had attended. She had at one point volunteered to be a back up photographer for Tammy since she had the same camera. she is not a "proffesional" photographer but she did take some AMAZING pictures and Little Leapling did the editing on them. Anyways back to my labor...

As soon as KayLee got in she was able to catch some AMAZING pictures of me and Amanda breathing through contractions together;

 

As I said before I got to spend about 2 glorious hours of my labor in the Tub. No one came in and bugged me or asked me for drugs or anything. It was just me Amanda and KayLee in the room. KayLee actually ended up Doulaing for me as well as taking pictures. I was so happy to have extra hands to squeeze the crap out of. :) When the nurse finally did come in and ask me to get out I knew I had to be pretty close. I was in transistion. The contractions were way more intense, closer together and they felt like they lasted for HOURS rather than just minutes. I was in some serious serious pain. When I got on the bed and the dr came in I was at 8cm and it was then that my water broke. YAY!!!! I thought...Koby was almost here. After being monitored for about 15 minutes I choose to go in the shower with the Labor ball. I was doing ok at first but then the contractions got real...and I was crying out for Drugs! Although I made sure to mention I didnt want an epidural I just wanted some other form of Pain Drugs...I was so ready to thrown in the towel. I kept yelling "I cant do this, I cant do this" But both Amanda and KayLee continued to remind me that I was doing it...which really helped a lot.  

It was just before 11 that I felt the urge to push. The nurse had actually come in to tell me that I was time for my next round of antibiotics anyways. So I got out of the shower and somehow managed to make it back to the bed. Where they had set up the squating bar for me. They hooked me up with more antibiotics and I got up there and squated determined to get Koby out. But in between each squat I screamed "I cant do this, just cut me open" quite a few times...but KayLee and Amanda where there the whole time reminding me that I WAS doing it.

After squating 3 times the room suddenly got really crazy...one nursing was holding a towel underneath me while they got the stirups ready, another was yelling for the Dr to get in there and it seemed like a ton of people had just suddenly rushed into my room. I wasnt really paying attention to how many people I had my eyes shut pretty much the entire time...I was getting that baby out! I heard people keep telling me that he was crowning and to just keep pushing. And I did with everything I had in me...I had a HUGE adrenaline rush and before I knew it I heard Koby Lukas' sweet cry and everyone was saying how beautiful he was. Within seconds of his 11:15pm arrival I was snuggling my sweet beautiful baby boy.

Never in my life had I been more proud of myself. I brought this beautiful boy into this world on October 16th 2013 at 11:15 PM. He weighed in at a 8lbs 13.8oz and 21in. I did it completely drug free and Natural. Most rewearding feeling ever! The second happiest day of my life. Big brother Kasons birthday was a pretty joyful day too.

After his birth we spent tons of time just snuggling and trying to nurse. We struggled some with latching but realized later the my milk just didnt come in until after we left the hospital. After sometime I decided I just had to take a shower. I felt way to gross to be laying down So Koby hung out with Amanda and KayLee. 

 

After my shower we got setteled in our new room down the hall and tried to rest. Although Koby slept pretty well mommy was pumped up on way to much adrenline to sleep. I couldnt believe I had just brought this boy into the world only hours ago. I couldnt believe that I worked during half my labor. The entire day was just unbelievable and beautiful! A day that I will never ever forget nor do I want to.

 

 

And that ladies and gentleman is the story of Koby Lukas' birth.

 

My Sweet Boys

 

 

 

Now before I end this blog I want to tell you all something. Having a Doula or should I say Doula's with me throughout my labor was invaluable. I dont think I could have made it through an all natural delivery without them. I feel beyond blessed to have had Amanda and KayLee there with me and they will BOTH hold a special place in my heart forever! So if you are a reader and you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant. I highly reccomened having a Doula with you, and if your in Kansas I HIGHLY reccomend either Amanda or KayLee...or BOTH! You can find Amanda's facebook page Everyone Deserves A Doula here or KayLee's here Treasured Moments Birth Doula, KayLee also has a website that you can check out Treasured Moments Birth Services and that will actually lead you to a blog she wrote about Koby's birth too. Now if you you really want to remember your birth I also highly suggest having a birth photographer...and if your in Kansas Tammy from Little Leapling is the person you should talk to.



 “Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers ~ strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength.” - Barbara Katz Rothman