The Birth of Our Baby Girl

As May rolled around, I began to think about my birth plan. I had such a great labor and delivery with Clayton that I wanted it to be the same or even better this time around. I didn't get to have my same OB since we moved. I didn't really think it would be that big of a deal since it was my second baby, but it was. Some people just can't be replaced in life and my doctor in Chico is one of them. I owe my great birth experience to him and my husband the first time around. It might sound crazy but I shed tears over the fact that I wasn't going to find another "Dr. Mellum". So I decided I needed to just settle for the OB I had and focus on my birth plan. I looked into Bradley Method Childbirth Classes but found out we didn't have enough time to complete the 12 week course with only 9 weeks until my due date. Then, I was in the grocery store one day and found a business card on the wall of a natural childbirth educator; so I gave her a call. I found out she taught the Bradley Method classes and was also a doula. She offered to come visit with us the following evening. Gods timing is amazing! After talking with her I felt instantly relieved about my plans for the upcoming birth. What did I want from this birth experience? A natural childbirth and a doctor who supported that. At 36 weeks I switched from my OB to a team of Nurse Midwives and from a hospital 20 minutes away to less than five minutes! We also took up reading "Husband Coached Childbirth" by Robert Bradley. Not quite Brody's choice of reading but he read it for me and we did find some interesting info and humor in it that we laughed about in labor.

At 2:30 am on July 20th I woke to the sound of thunder and the rain starting to pour. I realized I was feeling some labor pains too. So I got up to go to the bathroom and got back into bed to wait it out and see if things would progress. I was a bit anxious to get to the hospital being Group Strep B +. I needed to be on IV meds at least 2 hours prior to delivery to protect baby from not getting infected. With Clayton, the meds didn't have enough time to kick before I delivered him and he was fine but I didn't want the added risk this time.

My sister arrived the Thursday prior to take care of Clayton for us, so I let her know we were heading to the hospital finally! She asked, "How do you know you are in labor?" I asked myself the same question that morning because we all were wondering if this time would ever come. My official due date was the 18th and we thought for sure she would be here by then.

At 4:20 we headed to the hospital, I sent a text out to 9 people and 5 crazy people texted me back! I didn't really expect anyone else to be up with us. We got settled into the "maybe baby" room and around 5:00 am the nurse checked me and I was 4 cm. So they admitted me and shortly after started my IV meds. My midwife, Bridget, showed up around 7 and checked me and said I was 4-5 cm. She said we should go walk around for awhile to try to get things moving. Brody and I enjoyed some time walking around talking, enjoying the fresh air since the storm had stopped and then came back to the room and ordered some breakfast. I had to stop some for the contractions but they hadn't progressed as fast as I thought. My labor started at 2:30 with Clayton and he was born at 8:03 a.m. It was after 9 now and not a lot was happening. My midwife checked back in and checked me again. Slow progression, I was 5 cm. She asked me if I wanted to try breast pumping to try and progress labor. I really did not want to be on Pitocin so I tried it for 20 minutes. The contractions were a bit stronger during the pumping time. Once I was done we decided to walk again. It was close to 10:30 now. My contractions were a bit stronger and I really used Brody now to help get me breath through the contractions so I decided to stay in the room and pace back and forth across the room while Brody timed them. They were consistent, about 2 minutes apart now. Once I sat down they seemed to spread out even more and lost intensity. Next time I looked at the clock it was 11 and began to think my labor was going to last all day. Brody encouraged me to try the pump again so I did. My next contraction peeked off the chart and I pretty much threw the pump at him. "No more!" I was laying in bed on my side now with him rubbing my lower back and my contractions were getting a lot stronger. The nurses asked me if I wanted to try sitting in the jacuzzi tub then, so they got it ready. My contractions grew stronger and closer together and there was no way I was going to be able to move to the tub now. At 11:45 my water broke. It sounded like flood gates had opened! It was quite crazy and a big relief for me with a change of intensity with my contractions. Shortly after 12 I started pushing and at 12:07 Brody caught our daughter as she arrived into this world: Addyson Jolee 7lbs7oz, 20.5 inches long.

(Here I am, settled in our room, ready for the birth of our daughter)

(Just brand new-Happy Birthday Addyson!)

(Now a family of 4!)
(Proud big brother, the nurse helped him make her a shirt with her name on it and he helped with her first bath.)

(Ready to go home! My great-grandmother crocheted this outfit for me and I wore it home from the hospital)

Addyson was the 11th baby born at Bellevue Medical Center. We were the only ones there! We definitely felt VIP! The nurses were so wonderful in meeting my needs, Brody's (coffee 24/7)and they just loved Clayton when he arrived. The nurses let him help them with whatever they were doing.

I am so thankful for my wonderful husband who supported and coached me through my labor, my midwife, and the nurses! It was everything I had hoped it to be and more! And my baby girl, I didn't know I could have enough love for a 2nd child. She has captured my heart just like her brother and daddy. What a beautiful gift from God she is!

Ready for our baby girl!

It has been so much fun getting ready for a girl after having a boy! I decided to make the sheet and crib skirt from tutorial I found, out of fabric I fell in love with from Hobby Lobby. They were both so easy to do for a beginner sewer and so much fun to see the end result! The room was already painted a light green with one bright green wall with we repainted light pink. Brody thought we should bring in brown and polka-dots to the room. I love how the bumper I found from target.com ties in with brown and polka-dots.

A rocker/recliner was my one request this time around. Brody and I both spent a lot of time in a glider we borrowed from a friend with Clayton and was not the most comfortable thing to sleep in. This is the luxury of luxury recliners. Brody picked it out and I often find him reading in it at night. The little rocker was mine that my grandpa gave me as a little girl.

I found this dresser on craigslist and painted it an off-white. I couldn't find knobs that I loved so I used some we had and painted pink and brown polka-dots on them. The shelf I ordered from JC Penney to have some extra storage.

And a must needed essential, a fashionable mommy/diaper bag! My friend Jenna made this bag for me last year for my birthday and I really haven't used it all that much with not having to pack much for Clayton anymore. Now I know why I have savered it! I just love it and can't wait to use it every day!!!

Maternity Photo Shoot

We had the opportunity to do a photo shoot with Tamra Heald Photography.
Kind of ironic that she moved here from California with her husband around the same time we did. I just love what she captured of us! Photo shoots seem to be the only way I am in the pictures these days. Here I am at 37 weeks. We did most of our pictures at the park just down the street from us. Here is just a glimpse of some of my favorites!

Our Clayton is just so excited for his baby sister and it definitely shows in the pictures! I was so nervous of how he would do, but he turned out to be a better poser than Brody and I.

At the end of the photo shoot we told Clayton he would get a sucker. He made sure we got one too! So glad we got pictures of the highlight of the shoot.

What a wonderful pregnancy this has been! I thank God for the miracle of our baby girl; for every kick and movement she makes. We are so excited to welcome our baby girl any day now!