The Birth of Tulip Bea.

Oh my little Tulip Bea.  

This is my hardest birth story to writet by far, because I just don't know where to begin?

I guess I'll start from what I consider the beginning of labor.  

For at least a few weeks before she was born I started getting pretty consistent contractions.  I would have them for 10 hours straight about 10 minutes apart and then I would just go to sleep or take a shower and they would stop.  The contractions weren't painful, just uncomfortable at the most because I could definitely feel them happening.  

On September 26th I had a midwife appt. and at this point had already been having pretty regular contractions on and off.  My beautiful, awesome, amazing midwife, Selena, checked me and let me know I probably had at least another week.  Not exactly what I wanted to hear but I was ok with it.

For the next week anytime I started having contractions I would do anything I could to get them to turn into "real" labor.  Walking up and down flights of stairs, rubbing my belly with Clary Sage oil, bouncing on my birthing ball, etc. etc.

[One of my last belly pictures.  Obviously things weren't too intense at this point.]

Wednesday the 3rd we went back for another check up and I was 4 cm dilated!  Woo!

I was amazed because with all my other labors I didn't dilate until I was in active labor.  But at this point I still hadn't felt much.  I was 4 cm, 70% effaced and baby was at 0 station.  Hanging out waiting to drop.  Selena let me go home but told me to keep checking in and come back if my water broke because her home in Makaha is about 40 minutes away without traffic, at least an hour and thirty during rush hour and as a 4th time Mom labor could come on quicker than I might expect.  She also did a cervical massage and had me drink Black/Blue Cohosh in attempts to get the contractions going.

Note: Black & Blue Cohosh is disgusting!

Went back home and had another 7-8 hours of contractions.  They still weren't painful so I decided to try and sleep in case labor started soon.  Woke up through the night, lost my mucus plug and then nothing.  The next morning Selena wanted me to come back just in case again.

I took my 2nd Human Development test [got a B!] packed up the car, left the kids with my Stepmom and we headed back to Makaha.  With of course a quick stop at Target to shop and pick up ingredients for Sinigang Soup.

We got to Makaha around 2:30 and she checked me again, 

I was 90% effaced, baby at +1 & 9 cm dilated! 

And then the wait began.  More waiting.  After a check 6 hours later nothing had changed and I still wasn't feeling any pain.  Andy & I walked down to the Turtle Cove and relaxed, checked out the tide pools, messed around with some turtles and hermit crabs and then headed back to the house.

At this point Selena wanted me to stay and I agreed, I was close enough [I hoped!] that going back to Waipahu wasn't a good idea.  More cervical massage, walked up and down the stairs, bounced on the ball, MORE Black & Blue Cohosh, and Andy cooked a big pot of Sinigang Soup for everyone to share.

[Laboring by the sea at the Turtle Cove behind my midwife's house.]

Finally around 10pm I gave in again and decided just to rest.  I had gotten in and out of the birthing tub a few times to try it out but because labor was taking so long it kept cooling down to a lukewarm, icky feeling [to me] temperature so I didn't like it as much as I was anticipating.

Fell asleep and woke up around 1:30 when Grace, my midwife asst./doula, was doing some fetal heart checks.  Started feeling contractions a little at this point and they seemed like they MIGHT be getting stronger so I decided to stay awake and see what happened.  

Took a hot bath, which made my contractions stop completely so I got out.  Around 3:30am I FINALLY started feeling them!  At this point I was so tired of waiting and wondering and somehow even doubting that this baby would ever come out that I was glad to be feeling something! 

Around 4:30 the contractions started getting to the unbearable point and I asked to be checked so I could gauge how much time I thought I might have left.  Surprise, it was time to push!  Heck yeah.

The first few pushes felt awesome as opposed to the pain of contractions but for some reason the contractions after that were excruciating.  At this point I was super tired after 3 days of not much sleep and despite me thinking I would want to be in the tub or in a different position the most comfortable thing for me was laying down propped up on pillows.

[Our newest squishy.  Sweetheart Tulip Bea. <3]

My midwife was super calming and gentle and I had a great support system with Grace and Andy reassuring me that I could do it when I was literally screaming that I couldn't do it anymore.

I pushed opposite of my contractions for awhile because it was the only thing I could do and I pushed when I felt like it, I got to watch in the mirror and could see Tulip making her way down.

At this point my water still hadn't broken and we were wondering if we might get one of those cool babies born in the caul.  The next contraction I was able to push with and my water bag popped and Andy & Selena were quick enough to jump out of the way!

A few pushes after that she was crowning and I could definitely feel this little girl had a big head!  

Selena tried to slow me down but at this point I wasn't in the mood to listen to anybody and pushed anyways.  Tulip came out with her hand next to her face [nuchal hand] which I have now researched can "cause intense pain."  Sounds about right.  

Born right into her Daddy's arms. <3

[Just born. <3]

She was born at 5:19am on October 5th, 2012.

8 lbs. 2 oz. 18 inches long.

Our little pumpkin.  Our shortest and chubbiest baby yet!

I don't know if your labor and birth have anything to do with a baby's personality but Tulip Bea is definitely a sweetheart.  She had a gentle slow calm journey into this world and is such a peaceful baby.

Her name definitely suits her, she is our Forgiveness baby, reminding us we all need forgiveness.

Bea means blessed & she who brings happiness.  She is such a blessing to us and I cannot stop kissing her fat little cheeks.

I am so thankful for the way she was brought into this world, that I had such a safe and comforting place to give birth.  That I had such supportive people with me for the end of this pregnancy journey and I'm still just amazed at all of it.