Elia gayle's birth

Elia was a surprise from the beginning. so I shouldn't have been surprised that her transition earthside was so different from my previous births. 

Thursday, August 21, I woke at about 3am to the feeling of leaking when I shifted position in bed. I was instantly wide awake. was that my water? no, can't be. I'm only 35+4 weeks. I don't have babies early. and my water doesn't break before the very end of labour. so I must have just wet myself. no biggie, I'm too tired to get up it can wait. I shifted again. more leakage. I did not wet myself. I sat up. little gush. yeah, definitely not wetting myself. 

freaking out just a little. this isn't supposed to happen. I don't have babies early. yelled at the man to get up. asked for the phone. called the midwife. am I having contractions? no. go back to bed she says. I put a diaper and lay down. mind is racing. I don't have a birth kit. don't have clothes for this baby. it's too early. 

messaged my two friends who I'd asked to be with me in labour. the man decides to go to the office and get things done. Michelle comes over early and brings breakfast and coffee. God bless her! we chat and wait for contractions to start. 

later I decide to try and nap. Michelle goes home to check on things and nap. daven comes over. we talked. I need a distraction so we head to the babywearing group meetup around noon. midwife comes by before we leave to get a swab to confirm water has broken. everyone's surprise at seeing me was fun! :P

after that, home to nap. then shopping for some clothes for baby. contractions picking up. things stall out after midwife says we have a 72 hr deadline. if babe doesn't make an appearance earthside we must transport. stress is bad for labour. have dinner and kids to bed. daven and Michelle and their nurslings stay the night. 

Friday morning. the man makes breakfast. contractions are strong but very far apart. daven and Michelle head home to take care of things and get some rest. daven comes back and I realized I've had no water leakage since first thing in the morning. do another swab around 4pm and its negative. that relieves my anxiety about transfer. not leaking no need to worry, right?

around 7pm daven, Michelle, and me go to dinner. nice dinner. good conversation. we eat and pay and are chatting and I feel a small gush. we hustle out of the restaurant. daven puts a cloth diaper and extra wrap on the passenger seat to catch any leakage and we head home. we talk and laugh about it. we stop for a bottle of wine, cuz I need to relax and get some sleep. 

at home text the midwife. no contractions to speak of so I drink a glass of wine and go to bed. 

Saturday. sometime after 4 am I wake up to contractions. I lay there awhile deciding. I message daven and Michelle. daven asks if I want her to come and I say she could wait awhile. next contraction changes my mind. come now please. they arrive sometime after 6 or so. 

back pain. strong contractions. nothing is really comfortable. around 7 we text Leah(the midwife) that it's time. strong contractions. back aches and legs hurt. I ask for the hip squeeze and it's never hard enough. my legs hurt so much standing but lying down is worse. so I stand. hanging on daven with the man squeezing my hips and Michelle encouraging and getting cool cloths. 

the pain in my legs is constant and makes it hard to be calm and relax. contractions get close. on top of each other. I get sick. the point where I feel I can't do it. I'm too tired. it hurts too much. Michelle and daven reminding me my baby is almost here. I'm doing great they say. 

I end up on my knees leaning on the couch. pushing. babe is coming. I feel her head crowning and I encourage her. she's here and Leah passes her to me between my legs. her cry is good and she's so beautiful. the kids crowd around to see. 

obviously the edd was close. she's early. Leah had the O2 ready. we watch her and she's good at first. slowly she declines. I keep thinking she'll turn around. she'll get it. but no she's worse and we decide to transfer. Leah, daven, Michelle, the man, and me rushing around to get ready to leave. I dress with help and Leah calls 911. 

when the firemen and ambulance arrive it seems to take forever for them to get her in the ambulance and on the way. stupid people don't know how to get out of the way! I'm praying and crying. please God, let my baby be okay. 

so much scary at the hospital. sepsis. too much blood. weeks. they say. she looks so fragile there. tubes and wires all over her. intubation tube mutes her cries. two days later she's so much better. still six more days in hospital.

finally home. rough ride, but worth it all.