Harper's Birth Story

As a review - I am reminiscing the birth of my girls as I get ready to welcome baby boy Remington into this world. These are long posts. I want my girls to know about my pregnancy with them and my labor and delivery. I want, when they read this years from now as they are expecting their children, to know what their own entry into this world was like.

Harper - I found out I was pregnant with you on November 3rd 2007. I felt the effects of morning sickness almost immediately, but it was different than the sickness I had with Sydney. I very seldom actually vomited while pregnant with you, but I wanted to...every waking second it was on the tip of my tongue. I was nauseous from the moment I opened my eyes in the morning til the moment I closed them at night. Again, I was in caregiver mode of this new life in me, but it was much tougher to focus on it because I had a 2 year old to chase around. I still remember how we found out that you were a girl. We had the ultrasound a day or two before Sydney's 3rd birthday party so we had them seal it in an envelope. I took the envelope to a childrens clothing store where I picked out a boy outfit and a girl outfit and told the clerk to open the envelope and wrap the appropriate outfit. We let Sydney open it at her party. I was so excited Sydney was going to have a sister. Daddy had hoped for a boy, but knew that Sydney having a sister was important to me so he quickly got over it.
Because we were in a new area, we were forced to find a new doctor. Based on my labor experience with your older sister, I was very nervous. As much as I had loved bringing a new life into this world, the process....not so much. My friend, Amy told me about her doula (a labor coach), Beth and Beth's 6 week child birth class. I contacted Beth and was signed up for the class. Now.... you should know that this class was mainly about "natural" childbirth (read: No meds, no epidural....do it the old fashioned way). As we went around the room and introduced ourselves I heard lots of reasons for my classmates being there. My reason was this "Hello, my name is Courtney and I'm just trying to get to a 4".... you see, I KNEW there was no way I could have a baby with no medication. I had had a baby. I had labored for days, it was a terrible experience. I was in that class to figure out what kind of medication free pain relief was out there that I could do....until I was allowed medication. Beth was fabulous. She was very knowledgeable and as I went through the class I started to think "hmmmm....maybe I can do this". Your dad and I decided that we would attempt this birth with no meds. Gigi thought I needed to be institutionalized. I spent the last weeks of my pregnancy researching, reading birth stories, going to the chiropractor so I would have a straight path for you to descend down, doing yoga and practicing relaxation techniques. At about 32 weeks we started getting serious about getting your room together. When we were finally ready at about 37 weeks...we.were.ready. Our doula, Meredith, was hired, we had had our meetings, the birth plan was written and discussed with our mid-wife, the bags were packed... but you were not ready to join us. Long story, short - you were 9 days late. From 39 weeks on, we tried EVERYTHING! Bumpy rides, spicy food, stripping membranes, herbs and lots of other "natural" induction methods. So.... on July 16th, we checked into the hospital for our induction. I was given a cervical insert at 8:30, I had my first contraction at 10:15 and they were 4 minutes apart immediately. Meredith was FABULOUS! We walked through the contractions, but very quickly I knew I needed to be closed up in the room so I could moan and groan and do my "natural childbirth" thing. Your dad rubbed my back, I cried, I visualized, I moaned, I heard my relaxation music. Very soon the contractions were right on top of each other. My silent tears and groans turned to sheer screams. I remember looking at Meredith saying "I can't do this!" Her response: "You can! You ARE doing this! You are amazing! Breathe in, breathe out and do this!" Suddenly, I was back. I was focused. But, it didn't take many hard core contractions for me to lose that focus again. It was 1:28 pm and the nurse said "you are 6-7 and posterior". It was not what I wanted to hear. I was ready to push. Suddenly, I said "I'm pushing!!! I can' help it! My water just broke!!" It was crazy. Meredith snapped me back to attention by saying to me "Courtney, look at me and count to 10!" I counted to 10 and it helped. When we got to 10, we started all over and counted again. At 1:40 you entered this world and the world has been changed since then. You were 7lbs. 6 oz. and 20 inches long with a mohawk - a natural mohawk that before it would finally lay down when you were a year old, measured 4 inches in height. You came quick, my midwife didn't make it in time, the nurses and another doctor that I had never met delivered you. We laughed and said that you were stubborn - 9 days late and then you couldn't even wait for the doctor! As it turns out, it would be the theme of, at least, the first 2 years of your life - stubbornness. And Harper, we LOVE you for it. You bring a new element to our family. You try our patience daily, but you also make us laugh daily. You are cute, silly and you definitely think you are in charge. These attributes will serve you well one day. I see years of banging heads with one another in our future, but I also see you becoming an amazing Christian woman with a good head on her shoulders who is her own person, never to be told what to do by anyone. Harper Kay Arrant, you are amazing. I cannot wait to see the child, teen, young woman and mother you morph into. We love you, we thank God for you and we pray for you and the woman you will become daily.