Meeghan Aislinn - September 2, 2004

Meeghan Aislinn ("Ash-lin") made her rather dramatic appearance on a Thursday in the wee hours of the morning, weighing in at 11 lbs. 4 oz., tying her next older brother Cameron for our biggest baby. Several things about this pregnancy/birth were "different" - Troy decided two or three months beforehand that we should have a midwife friend there - this after 5 unassisted births! Of course, my first thought and hers as well was, "What's going to go wrong?" But she said OK, and I went ahead with my required OB visit (the only one I had time for, since it was so late in the pregnancy). For starters, I was diagnosed as anemic and had to work on that; not only did I take a tablet supplement but brewed up a perfectly nasty yellow dock concoction that I needed a tablespoon or so of everyday. I also had some swelling/BP issues that chilled out with a few days of bedrest; my midwife thought it was partly because of the late-summer heat, and having to do so much driving around at times.

Then the nesting kicked in BIG time, several days' worth ... and my water broke first, at 7:30 AM on Wed., when I leaned up in bed to find Corrie's binky. Ctx. started immediately - in fact, they'd never really stopped the last couple of weeks, just spaced out, but these were the real thing almost right away. I called Troy to let him know, waited about an hour and a half and called the midwife. I felt bad for her - she'd just been really ill over the weekend then had TWO births already that week! The ctx. spaced out again about early afternoon, but the midwife came anyway and set up the birth tub in my very spacious bathroom - thank You, Lord, for the new house!!! - I'd decided our huge garden tub just wasn't quite deep enough, and was glad of it later. The kids went back and forth between our house and the neighbors, we ordered these two humongous pizzas for supper (28 inches and some of the best I've ever eaten!), and finally we sent everyone away about 7 or so and tried to settle in for the evening. Went to bed at 8:30, kept having ctx. that I needed to moan thru about every 45 minutes ... around 11 I'd noticed they were getting closer/stronger and couldn't bear staying in bed thru them, so I got up. My midwife joined me, and we folded laundry for a while.

About midnight things were really picking up! I'd lean on the wall or table and she'd rub my back. Finally about 12:20 I sighed and said I should probably just give in and get in the tub again (had tried earlier, wasn't ready to really settle in and "do labor" if that makes sense LOL), and she said she thought I'd feel better if I did. (Translate: "Well, yeah!!") Got into the water just as a ctx. hit ... couldn't believe what a difference the deeper water made, although I was still vocalizing thru it. Just before the next ctx., a wave of nausea hit, sending the midwife scrambling for the trash can, then I went right into a "yelling" ctx. Since I'd just checked myself (for the first time since right after the water broke - trying to avoid it before b/c of risk of infection) and was only 3-4 or so, the intensity was really discouraging. Normally it would be another 2-4 hours and I did NOT want to deal with that! (I felt the Lord nudging me just to go with it and not pay attention to how long I thought I would labor.) I heard Troy getting out of bed, moving Corrie, who had refused to stay over at my sister's (then slept through the whole thing, praise the Lord!), and then he was there, offering a cool washcloth, holding my hands while the midwife continued to rub my back ... one ctx. came that was utterly overwhelming and I found myself bearing down ... was only about 7? maybe? after that one? REALLY discouraged at that point. The ctx. seemed to only really let up between every 2-3 or so. I was crying, whimpering between them, begging the Lord's mercy. Then another titanic one came - I think I was about 8, maybe a shade more - I couldn't help bearing down again, and the baby's head was suddenly there, almost crowning! I fought to calm myself, just breathe and assess and wait for the next push. Her head came VERY slowly. I knew this was another big baby ... on some of my pushes it felt like I had no strength ... this part lasted 20-25 minutes and my pelvis ached with every push. Then - she was out - and yes, a girl, as Troy had predicted, LOL! I sat at the edge of the tub, holding her while Troy and the midwife did their thing and we waited for the placenta to deliver. We were all jubilant. At last the placenta came, we cut the cord, they took the baby to check her out, etc., and then came back for me.

Then the bleeding wouldn't stop ... my uterus was hard, but too high, and I kept passing clots. One was the size of a small placenta, itself. I could see the alarm in the midwife's face - the utter peace in Troy's, since as he put it, he knew this was going to happen and that was why the Lord told him to have her there, but he also knew everything would be OK. I was also at peace and oddly enough never felt lightheaded or that swimmy twilight right before you pass out. My midwife wound up giving me a shot of pit and a dose of methergine, which brought things quickly under control.

Meeghan was born at 1:51 AM but it was after 6 before things wound down and we all fell asleep. I was restless to get up the first time - couldn't empty my bladder completely while on my back in bed, and the afterpains hurt worse because of it - but the first time I did, I apologized to the midwife for being impatient. Hadn't seen myself that white since Duncan's birth. She assured me I'd looked worse earlier - almost gray for a little while. We were just a hair away from transport.

The final assessment of how much I lost was almost 3 liters ... half a liter is considered hemorrhage. The Lord did it again ... and once again, I'm assured that I'm not finished with His work yet. I stayed on strict bedrest for about 10 days - have been downing lots of Floradix, yellow dock root, and similarly nasty stuff to help me regain strength. Have also been doing lots of praying, thinking, and reading. Meeghan is a champion nurser, is so far one of my calmest babies, although we've already found out chocolate disagrees with her and my milk came in late the third day without any problems, despite our concerns about that. (Another thank You, Lord!!)

So. Forgive the drama, but the Lord showed Himself so awesomely ... from Troy deciding we needed the midwife this time (and our last 5 homebirths were unassisted) down to having only an hour of really intense labor (although pushing was no walk in the park, LOL), to the Lord keeping me awake and sustained afterwards. I'm amazed every time at how He shows up ...

Alistair's Story | Ian's Story | Erin's Story | Ross' Story | Breanna's Story
Duncan's Story | Cameron's Story | Corrie's Story | Meeghan's Story