Birth Story of Scarlett Grace

Here is the birth story of my third child, Scarlett Grace.

Pregnancy photo credit to the amazing Jamie Halstead at J.halstead Photography https://www.facebook.com/Jhalsteadphotography

 Let me just start and give a little pregnancy backstory since I never write on this thing anymore:) This pregnancy was SO different then my other two. I carried her different, had tons of Braxton hicks from 30 weeks on, had gallstone attacks from 15 weeks on and just a bunch of other little crazy things that happened. Different pregnancy that had me feeling READY when the window was open to safely have her at home. I had my son, Ezekiel at 39.3 weeks and my daughter, Evey June at 39.4 weeks. I never made it to my estimated due date, so I was wondering if I would ever meet January 15th with a baby still in my belly.
The weekend came and I bought orange cinnamon rolls to have for breakfast Saturday and Sunday in case she wanted to come. I would have a yummy breakfast for the birth crew. :) Saturday came and went with no new signs that labor was gonna start. I've had everything ready and cleaned for weeks now so I just recleaned everything again. I was 39.4 weeks pregnant wondering if I was going to pass this mark and say this is my longest pregnancy. Well, it came and passed. Woke up Sunday morning, 39.5 weeks pregnant. This was the longest I've ever been knocked up. I told Chris it would be funny if she came today because it would be one day longer each pregnancy. We skipped out on church due to both my kiddos having colds and me just not feeling great.
We ate the orange cinnamon rolls and left to go to my mom and step dad's house for Armond and Chris to work on our truck. I wasn't gonna go but decided to go and lounge on someone else's couch. Plus my mom would hang out with the kids. My mom, the kids, my brother and I went on a long walk which had me feeling some lower cramps but nothing crazy. Got back from that and couldn't just sit on the couch and do nothing so I cleaned her house. Ate lunch and vegged on the couch for the rest of the day.

I started to feel painful contractions shortly after that. They would come every 45 minutes to an hour but only last 15 seconds. I didn't pay any attention to them because I knew it could all stop and I could still be pregnant for weeks. They didn't stop and around 4:00 they were down to 20 minutes apart but still only 15 seconds long. They were definitely painful but I could easily talk through it. I knew it was NOT labor yet. :)

They finish up with the truck around 5:00 and I'm ready to go. The kids didn't nap, either did I, so I was ready. We get in the car and I inform Chris of what's going on. We have plans to eat at the Polk's house that night and he wanted to know if I still wanted to go. I say yes because that's our dinner! Haha. On the way home the contractions start to get closer together. Almost 10 minutes apart and I think lasting 30 seconds. I haven't really been timing them just glancing at the clock to see when I was having one and then look again when the next one was.  We ran to our house really quick for Chris to shower and for me to change.

It's 6:00 when we get to the Polk's and they were getting more painful. I could talk through them but I was starting to get flashbacks of real labor contractions now. It was the start of the race I had to run to meet my little girl. I started to time them and they were 10 minutes apart lasting a minute or so. I told Chris that we'll just eat then we go home. I have texted Sharon, my midwife, to let her know what was up. I also let Kim know so she could be ready whenever. They finish dinner and also wanted to light the Christmas tree on fire. That was crazy and I'm glad the fire department didn't come out! :)

It's 7ish and I'm ready to go home NOW. Not wanting to talk to anyone during contraction, just concentrate on it. I knew this was "it" when Trent was joking with me during a contraction and I wanted to punch him in the face. :) Jen, Brittny, and Kim were gonna come over in a bit after they cleaned up and put kiddos to sleep. On the way home Chris calls my mom to let her know its go time so she could come over and put the kids down and be there for the birth. I texted Sharon an update at this point too. She did let me know there may be another momma in labor so don't do anything to speed up labor. Just let it happen if its gonna happen. We get home and I take Natural CALM to see if that will help slow things down. Umm no it didn't. :)  Now I'm having to breath through them and wanting my birth crew to be there ASAP. They were already on their way and my mom just got to our house. 

I have them start filling up the birth tub a little before 8:00. I get in and it's AMAZING!! I felt like I was floating on warm clouds of comfort. I totally recommend a birthing tub over my bathtub. I ask Brit to call Sharon and tell her I'm ready for her to come now. Well the other momma was in labor. :( She  was having a home birth too and lived on the other side of town. She called her a little bit before I did, so Ashley, another wonderful midwife, was coming to me. I was super bummed that Sharon couldn't be there. She helped deliver my other babies, how do I have a baby without Sharon there? Is this possible? Me thinking while in the tub. :)

Ashley arrives and checks me out of the water. I'm 7 CM's. whoohoo I was happy to be past 5! Contractions are very painful at this point and I'm breathing/moaning through them now. About 3-4 minutes apart lasting over a minute. Ashley informs me that I won't be having this baby in the water. I knew that could be a possibility this time because I don't do so great afterwards with bleeding. Plus my iron level was still on the lower end. But to hear those words totally crushed me and I was upset. I always go into labor with an open mind knowing what I want could change and to be ok with that. Well, I had an expectation to have a water birth and now that it wasn't going to happen, it threw me off. In that moment of labor I was mad at Ashley but looking back now, I was just mad at not getting what I wanted and what I was used too. My thoughts were, how do you give birth naturally not in the water? I'm going to die. How am I gonna do this? I don't want to do this.
I also put a curse on Ashley at that moment for making me do this not in the water. :) She wanted to be on the safe side and have me out of the water to attend to me ASAP after birth.

So with my head not being in the game, I felt like it was way more painful then my other labors. I remember thinking during contractions, I'm never doing this again! I never thought that with my other two. I kept on saying, I don't want to do this anymore. I truly ment it. I was laboring on my bed on my knees leaning over the back of my bed. Probably 20 minutes go by and Ashley says I can get back in the water until I am pushing. Praise The Lord I was so happy!!!  She knew, along with everyone else that I was having a hard time.I'm thankful for a midwives intuition!
I get into that hot water again and I almost cried it felt SO good. Contractions where manageable. There was way less pressure and I got my head back into the game. I was leaning over the side holding Chris' hand, enjoying my labor. what?!? :) Had a couple contractions in the tub and all of a sudden I felt pushy. Ashley heard it in my moan because a soon as I was done with that one she said it was time to make our way out if the tub and have a baby.

I immediately thought, No. I'm not getting out. Are you gonna make me get out? Come in and try. Haha no lie I was being so ugly in my head. Another contraction comes and it is definitely pushy. Ashley softly touches my hand and says, in this sweet loving voice, its time Brittany. Chris helps me up and I make my way back to the bed. 

I'm on my hands and knees again. How am I going to survive?!

Then God stepped in and spoke to me through a song. I had my birth music on the whole time but don't ever remember hearing any song but this song, at this moment. It was David Crowder Band's, All I Can Say. It came on just as my contraction stopped. I asked Chris to turn it up. I listened to the words and started to sing and almost started to cry. Those words were saying what I was feeling.

Lord I'm tiredSo tired from walkingAnd Lord I'm so aloneAnd Lord the darkIs creeping inCreeping upTo swallow meI think I'll stopRest here a while
Chorus:And this is all that I can say right nowAnd this is all that I can giveAnd this is all that I can say right nowAnd this is all that I can give, that's my everything
Lord didn't You see me cry'n?And didn't You hear me call Your name?Wasn't it You I gave my heart to?I wish You'd rememberWhere you sat it down
Chorus:And this is all that I can say right now, i know it's not much.But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.This is all that I can say right now [right now], i know it's not much.But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.
Bridge:I didn't notice You were standing hereI didn't know thatThat was You holding meI didn't notice You were cry'n tooI didn't know thatThat was You washing my feet
And this is allThis is all that I can say right now, oh i know its not much.But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.This is all that I can say right now [right now], i know it's not much.But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.This is all that I can say right now, oh i know it's not much.

Those few moments of peace, God ministering to my heart. He helped me get my head right and prepare to have this baby. I couldn't do anymore then what I was doing. He was gonna have to help me through. Next contraction my water broke and I felt tons of pressure and her head. My body was pushing like crazy and I was trying to breath/fight it off because it was happening so fast. I did NOT like pushing on my hands and knees so I flipped over to my back/side as soon as that contraction was over. I had a ton of pillows behind me so I was propped up too. Next contraction my body was pushing like a crazy person again and I could feel her head coming out and the ring of fire. :) Her head came completely out and my water broke some more behind her head. My body is still pushing. I could feel her moving and squirming inside of me! I get her shoulders out and I heard a cry. She was still halfway inside of me already crying. She moves some more and literally crawls out of me!! Craziest pushing feeling ever! She was put on my chest and just like that, it was over. pain gone and I survived. I had a baby naturally out of the water. My race was complete and my prize was BEAUTIFUL and worth every moment of pain! 

 Sweet hands of a Midwife.

 Scarlett Grace Bryant.

 Born January 13th at 9:48pm at home! Weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces. 

Recovery went great after. I had nothing scary happen this time so I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful that Ashley wanted to go above and beyond to make sure me and my baby were safe. Oh, and after birth, I did release Ashley from the curse I put on her. ;) She was so sweet and patient with me. What a wonderful midwife! Even though it wasn't the birth I envisioned, it was beautiful. I had a healthy baby and I was surrounded by family and friends that love and support me.