Julie and Garner

My birth went really well!

Baby Garner decided to come three weeks early so that was a little bit of a surprise but I was happy that I had practiced the relaxation techniques and did not feel nervous when I started having surges in the middle of the night.  I don’t know if you remember but I attended three of the five classes and was actually going to come to a class the day he was born.  He was born on August 26, 2008 and weighed 6 lbs. 7 oz. and was 20 inches long.  His full name is Garner Beardall Meads IV!  It is a family name and it is neat to have him carry the same name as his dad, Grandpa, and Great Grandpa.

Anyways let me tell you more about Garner’s birth!

So it was so crazy because the week before he was born, I decided to be good and devote some time to really understand what happens during the labor process as well as reviewing the relaxing techniques that you had taught in the HypnoBirthing class.  I was also in the nesting instinct and had just happened to wash most of the baby clothes and had really gotten the baby room ready to go.

So early Tuesday morning(August 26) at around 2 am I started feeling surges.  At first I was unsure if they were really surges so I kind of ignored it and tried to go back to sleep.  After a little while they started coming every 10 minutes and then it was every 5.  I woke up my husband Garner around 4 and he was shocked.  He had just started Law School the day before and wasn’t expecting to have the baby come so early.  We were both excited and couldn’t go back to sleep.  We were debating what we should do since I would be delivering in Salt Lake and we lived in Provo.  We decided that although the surges were coming more frequently we would drive to Garner’s parents house in Sandy and chill until I really felt like the baby was ready to come.

So at about 5 we hopped in the car and headed to Garner’s family’s house.  As we were driving, the surges started coming on stronger but it was neat because I just focused on my happy place which is my family’s cabin in island park, Idaho.  It is surrounded by beautiful pine trees and the snake river flows by it.  I imagined that I was sitting on the deck looking at the river with the sun reflecting on it.  The cabin always helps me relax and feel peaceful.  I also focused on the words, “an easy, comfortable, birth” and “with every surge, my baby is coming closer to me!”  Instead of dreading the surges, it really got me excited to think that my baby boy was actually coming.

When we got to my in laws home.  My mother in law, LeeAnn was there to greet us and was very excited.  She helped me stay relaxed and also provided some comic relief.  As we were waiting, she thought it would be fun to watch the stand up comedian, Brian Reagan.  He is hilarious!  I don’t know if you have ever heard of him but he has come to Utah a couple of times and is hilarious.  So we decided to put that on!  That was a great way to keep my mind off of things as well as staying happy!  My husband, LeeAnn, and I were rolling with laughter.  Halfway through watching it.  My surges started coming every 2 minutes and were a stronger and longer.  It was amazing that through staying calm and waiting in a place I felt comfortable was nicer than going straight to the hospital.  Once the surges started coming on quicker, I knew it was time to head to the hospital.

When we checked in at IMC hospital the nurses smiled but obviously thought I wasn’t very far along.  When the nurse came to check on me, I was already dilated to a 6.  I was shocked myself because I seriously was worried that the surges would be more painful.  YOU WERE RIGHT!  If you stay relaxed, it is so much easier.  At this point I called my mom and my mother in Law to come!  I wanted both of them, along with my husband to be there when I gave birth.

By the time my mom and LeeAnn arrived, I was ready!  My husband Garner did an excellent job at being my partner in birth.  Throughout the whole delivery he was there to keep me relaxed and calm.  He was a great coach and I was glad to have him by my side the whole time!  He was definitely and advocate and voice for me while I was delivering.  So you can tell Garner way-to-go at being a great husband!

My delivery went very smoothly but I had a couple hiccups.  My baby boy kept turning his head so that he was posterior.  His heart rate was also going down.  After some discussion, we thought it would be best to get an epidural.  Although I had to get an epidural it was neat to know I had done so well.  My mom and LeeAnn both said I was already in transition when they gave me the epidural, plus my water had broken.  It ended up being a good thing that I got the epidural because my baby’s head was also stuck for a while in the birth canal.  When the doctor came I was pretty much ready to have the baby here!  I really liked my doctor and he was very considerate.  His name is Mark Curtis and he is a friend of my In-laws.  He was very supportive and made sure to not do anything unless I felt comfortable with what he was doing.  Although the doctor and the nurse tried to help the baby turn his head the right way, my baby ended up posterior when he was born.  It was neat because the minute he was born they placed him on my stomach and let me hold him.

It was amazing how the motherly instinct kicked in the minute I heard him cry.  I think giving birth is one of the most incredible things!  I felt so close to my baby boy and was amazed at what a positive experience the labor and delivery was.     Dr Curtis was wonderful, he explained things while he was helping with the delivery and he allowed my husband to cut the umbilical cord.  The doctor thinks one reason why my baby boy probably came posterior was because I had a short umbilical cord.  They also think that is why his heart rate kept going down when they tried to turn him the correct way.  Baby Garner had a little bit of a hematoma on his head when he was born but that went down and was completely gone after two weeks.  After how well things went with this labor and delivery, i look forward to when I give birth in the future!  I also feel confident that I can give birth naturally if there are no complications!

Launi, thanks for teaching me such wonderful things in your HypnoBirthing class!  Those classes helped prepare me so much.  I love my baby boy and am so happy to be a mother.  I am also grateful that he is healthy.  He is now beginning to smile and coo at us which is so fun!  He is now officially 11 weeks old.  I attached a couple of pictures so you can see what Baby G looks like.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading about Baby Garner’s birth.  I hope that you are doing well and I will keep in touch!  Especially when I become pregnant again.  Take Care!

Julie