Lyla is born 9.21.2008

Saturday evening (4 days before due date) September 20th. Travis and I were attending our niece Nia's 2nd birthday party in Murrieta and had planned on spending the night so we could spend time with Trav's family. On the drive there, I started having some very mild contractions that were far apart and very inconsistent. I started regretting our decision to leave home for an overnight trip so close to my due date. The contractions faded away and I was able to enjoy hanging out with family for several hours before heading up to our room. As we started getting settled into bed, the mild contractions started coming back. Though far apart, I started thinking that I would feel better if we headed home right away just in case. We packed up our stuff and headed back to Aliso Viejo at 1:20am on September 21st.

We arrived home at about 2:30am and my contractions kept coming on fairly regularly. At 3:40am, my water broke! I freaked out. I had been laying on the bed listening to a hypnobabies CD and all of a sudden there was a HUGE GUSH of fluid. I started crying because I was so scared that it was all really happening. I also began shaking uncontrollably. Travis tried to calm me down by telling me that it was totally normal and to be expected. We are having this baby today! Travis called our doula and paged the midwife on call. Our doula, Sherill, said she would be on her way to our house shortly but that she thought we still had plenty of time. She suggested getting some rest in the meantime. Yeah right! Our midwife, Angela, called back and said she would meet us at the birth center when we were ready. I attempted to eat some mac and cheese to fuel me for the day. It was hard to eat because I wasn't getting much of a break between contractions! We were so relieved when Sherill arrived at 6:15 am as my contractions were only 2 to 4 minutes apart. I kept thinking that we better hurry up and get to the birth center because this baby is coming soon. I had no idea what was ahead of me...

Sherill was so awesome with massaging my back, talking me through each contraction, giving me suggestions of different positions, and just really soothing me with her serenity and confidence. I can't explain enough how huge a part she played in my labor and delivery. I love her. Judging by the intensity and frequency of my contractions, Sherill decided we were ready to head to the birth center, so off we went at 7:30am to the South Coast Midwifery Birth Center in Irvine. I had two contractions in the car that scared the crap out of me. I started thinking, 'I can't do this'. However, when we arrived at the birth center about 8am, I felt more confident that the end was drawing near and I could power through.

After a few more contractions using the birthing ball and really trying to open up my pelvis, Angela checked my progress by performing a cervical exam. I was only 3-4 cm. dilated! I started feeling discouraged that after almost 4 hours of pain I wasn't even half way there. I started doing some laps around the shopping mall and that seemed to help me through the contractions. I actually preferred to be on my feet during the contractions. The few contractions I had while laying on my back were much more intense and unbearable. I don't know how women get through delivery in stirrups on a hospital bed!

Angela checked my progress again at 9:30am and gave me the disappointing news that I was still only about 4 cm dilated. Angela suggested that I take some medication through an IV that would allow me to sleep for about 4 hours. She explained that I would still feel the contractions, but that I would actually be able to sleep in between them and get some rest for the big event. Although I was highly skeptical that I could get any actual sleep, I decided to take her advice and take the drugs. I am so happy that I did, because when I 'woke up' 4 and a half hours later at 3:30pm, I felt a little more energized. The contractions were still quite intense and I hung onto Travis with each wave as if the closer I could be to him, the less pain I would feel. He was an amazing birth partner! He was there for me 100% in every way. I really felt that we were going through this labor together. I never felt alone for one second.

I took a shower and started mentally and emotionally preparing myself for the rest of the day. I knew that it couldn't last forever, but at the rate I was progressing, time seemed to stand still. At this point, I went into the transition stage of labor and really started doubting my decision for a natural birth. I simply did not believe I could take it any longer. This is when things started to change rapidly. Angela asked my mom and Trav's mom to leave the room to give us some privacy because she thought that their presence was probably not helping me progress. She may have been right, as soon as they left the room (a little disappointed that they were being kicked out), I started feeling the urge to push. Angela checked my cervix...10 cm dilated! Sherill said to go ahead and push if my body felt like it. What a relief! The urge to push during my next contraction was intense. Angela and Sherill had me get on all fours on the bed and start pushing.

Now, for those people who knew my intention was to have a water birth, I will explain why it didn't go down that way. When Angela said I was 10 cm and could start pushing, I asked if I could get in the tub. She said that she preferred that I stay on dry land for delivery because of the risk of infection since my water broke over 13 hours before. She also explained that sometimes contractions slow down as soon as you go in the warm water. She ultimately left the decision up to me, but I trusted her expertise and took her advice. Not much longer to go!

I started pushing at about 5:50pm. Pushing with each contraction felt so natural and it was a refreshing change from what I had been going through for the last 14 hours. Sherill really helped talk me through the pushing. I concentrated on each instruction she gave me: take a deep breath, hold it, PUSH, and then take another short breath, PUSH! 20 minutes later, I felt her head coming through! I finally felt the end was near and I would be holding my baby girl SOON. My body felt like it was going to rip open with the intensity and pressure. All I wanted was to get her out! I pushed as hard as I could and heard Angela say that her head was out!!! The cord was wrapped around her neck and she could not un-wrap, so she just told me to push the rest of her body out. No problem. With the next contraction, I pushed with everything I had in me and the rest of her tiny, slippery body slid out. Lyla Emiko Mitchell was born at 6:13pm on September 21st, 2008. I heard her whimpery cry and I was instantly overwhelmed with intense joy. I yelled, "Oh my God!" and pulled her up from between my legs and into my arms. I couldn't believe how slippery and small she was. She looked so weird! If I wasn't pulling her out from in between my legs, I would have thought they were handing me someone else's baby. She had tons of thick, black hair and a big round nose. She was beautiful and perfect. I was instantly, hopelessly in love with her. My baby Lyla.
After pushing my placenta out, everyone left the room to give the new baby, mommy, and daddy some private time. The three of us just stared at eachother for about an hour. It was incredible. Our little family of two was now three. I started wondering if I should try breastfeeding, so Trav went and asked someone if I should put her to my breast, and they enthusiastically encouraged us to do so. She latched on like a champ and I was so happy. She didn't nurse for long. She was soon weighed, measured, and tested for reflexes while I got some sutures for my 2nd degree tears. One of the midwives placed Lyla cheek to cheek with me as Angela finished stitching me up. I loved feeling her tiny, soft cheek against mine as she nuzzled closer and closer to her mama. Again, I was overwhelmed by incredible joy.

After the stitches were done, I got up to take a shower, freshen up, and take Lyla out to the waiting room where a very large party had gathered to meet the new family member. I had no idea that EVERYONE was there. We had actually asked everyone to go wait at our house, but they were too anxious and they all wanted to see her right away. So, at about 9:00pm, Lyla met all the Mitchells and the Haworths who had been so anxiously awaiting her birth for the last 9 months. We all toasted her birth with sparkling apple cider and Lyla got passed around to all the family members. After a few instructions from Angela, we all head home with our new little bundle of joy.

I can't explain how incredible it is to create a new life. Lyla is now 3 days old and I think she gets more beautiful every time I look at her. Lyla's birth was the most difficult experience I have ever had in my entire life. There were so many times that I doubted my ability to continue. Now I look at her and know that, without a doubt, it was worth all the pain and suffering. I would go through it again in a heartbeat. I have never felt a love like this before.